Therfield Village Pre-School

Inspection of Therfield Village Pre- School Therfield Village Hall, Church Lane, Therfield, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 9QB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children enjoy a broad selection of learning experiences that reflect their individual interests. They have a positive attitude to their learning and busy themselves in their self-chosen activities. Children like to look at books and enjoy listening to staff skilfully reading stories, bringing the characters to life. Older children demonstrate a confident understanding of numbers as, for example, they count how many of their friends are at pre-school. Children use their imaginations as they create Christmas decorations from card, collage materials, glitter and glue. They show physical dexterity as they cut out their creations with scissors and confidently attempt to write their names on the finished product.

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The provision is good

Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in the nurturing care of staff. They have fun together and enjoy one another's company. Children care for each other and manage their own feelings and behaviour well. They share, take turns and work together. Children develop practical skills that support their eventual entry into school. For example, they learn to put on their own coats and wellington boots for outdoor play. Children proudly accept their 'helper of the day' badge and undertake small responsible tasks, such as helping younger children with their activities. This helps to promote their self-esteem and confidence.

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need to do better?

n Staff have a good focus on developing children's communication and language. They successfully engage children in conversations and encourage them to express their thoughts and ideas. Older children learn to link letters with the sounds they make during enjoyable activities, such as 'sound lotto'. n Staff work hard to establish trusting relationships with parents. They get to know families well and communicate with them effectively. Parents say staff are approachable, supportive and friendly. They comment that they have frequent opportunities to meet with staff and discuss their children's development. Staff offer parents suggestions for activities to share with children at home to complement their learning in pre-school. For example, children take home their favourite books. n Staff help children to develop their independence. They encourage children to blow their own noses and wash their hands at the portable wash stations. Staff

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need to do better?

talk to children about healthy lifestyles and provide daily opportunities for children to be physically active indoors and outside. n This established and experienced staff team work together well. Each staff member has strong support from managers. They enjoy their work and say their well-being is given a high priority. Staff benefit from frequent training that helps to enhance their teaching skills, such as learning sign language to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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need to do better?

11 December 2019 n Children develop their experience of the wider world. They talk to visitors about their home lives, languages and cultures. They help each other to celebrate special events from their different faiths. Staff encourage parents to send postcards from their holidays to help children to recall and share their own experiences with others. n The quality of teaching is good. Staff check what children know and assess their progress regularly. Their interactions with children are warm and positive. Staff carefully plan the curriculum around children's immediate interests. For example, they incorporate dinosaurs, cars and superheroes into activities. Children respond with delight as they find their favourite toys concealed in water and sand. Staff hide coloured shapes around the garden to encourage children to treasure hunt for 'pirate gold'. n Group activities do not take full account of children's differing attention spans.

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need to do better?

Sometimes, these are too long and children lose interest and their attention wanders. Furthermore, particularly during activities led by adults, staff do not always effectively challenge children in order to help them make even more progress in their learning. n Children with SEND receive strong support. Skilled staff swiftly identify where children might need extra help. They have a good partnership with other agencies, such as speech and language professionals, to provide additional support for children and parents. Managers effectively monitor progress to make sure all children, including those receiving extra funding, make expected progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff demonstrate a secure understanding of the signs of child abuse. They know the procedures to follow if they believe a child to be at risk of harm. The manager implements appropriate procedures for employing new staff. A member of the management committee has oversight of the safeguarding procedures and monitors practice. Staff give parents guidance on the wider aspects of safeguarding. For example, they advise on the safe use of mobile phones and the internet.

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should:

n review the planning and delivery of group activities to better support children's individual learning needs n make more of all opportunities to challenge children and deepen their learning still further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY216156 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10127387 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 2 to 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Therfield Village Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07789 012419 Date of previous inspection 11 November 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Therfield Village Pre-School registered in 2002. It is a registered charity managed by a voluntary committee. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate qualifications between level 5 and level 2. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during school term time. Sessions are from 9.30am until 12.30pm, with an optional lunch club until 1.30pm. Afternoon sessions are available on Wednesdays from 1.30pm until 3pm. In the summer term, the pre- school also offers a Monday afternoon session from 1.30pm to 3pm for children going to school in September. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector and the manager carried out a learning walk to see how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents during the inspection. n The inspector and the manager completed an observation of a specific activity to help to evaluate the quality of teaching and children's learning. n Essential documents were checked, including staff's training records and evidence of the suitability of staff and committee members.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

11 December 2019 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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