Little Teapots Pre School

Inspection of Little Teapots Pre School Erskine Centre, Chevington Road, Chedburgh, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP29 4UL

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

Children are highly engaged and motivated learners. On arrival, they eagerly immerse themselves in activities and conversations. Children are keen to help staff and take responsibility for tasks. For instance, they prepare snack for the group by cutting up fruit and vegetables. Children explore items with curiosity. They examine cause and effect as they tap the keys of a typewriter, watching the letter hammers move, and practise winding the paper reel. Children excitedly post their letters, in the real postbox outside, and talk about receiving them at home.

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The provision is outstanding

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make superb progress from their starting points and develop a substantial range of skills to support their future education. Staff have an earnest belief in each child's ability to achieve. They work incredibly hard to provide children with stimulating, purposeful opportunities to learn. Children's personal and emotional development is excellent. They display extremely high levels of happiness and well-being throughout the day, showing how secure and safe they feel. Children develop strong, warm relationships with staff and confidently seek them out for assistance and comfort. Their social skills flourish and they form firm friendships. Older children resolve disagreements between themselves in a fair way.

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need to do better?

n The manager and her staff meticulously review their practice with a high level of detail. They actively seek out training, new ideas and approaches to enhance children's experiences. The manager uses sharply targeted action plans and observations of staff teaching to systematically track and monitor changes. They all skilfully use this information to evaluate and further improve their work. As a result, the environment provided for children is inspirational and highly responsive to their learning needs and interests. Recent changes include re- arranging furniture to support the youngest children to reach resources. In addition, they have implemented new approaches for staff to plan, teach and observe activities. n Staff use highly effective partnerships with parents and other professionals to share information and promote a coordinated approach to children's development. Parents report feeling 'very supported' by the 'wonderful' staff.

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need to do better?

They particularly appreciate the regular updates and opportunities to discuss children's progress, as well as the ability to take library books and resources home. n Children develop a strong knowledge of other cultures. They understand that countries may have different languages and they show a deep interest in learning key words. Children count in Japanese and English, and greet staff in different languages such as Italian and Portuguese. Staff encourage children to

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need to do better?

17 December 2019 celebrate their differences. As a result, children eagerly share their stories and special experiences from home, such as a visiting grandparent or the excitement of knowing the correct number on their advent calendar. n Staff challenge traditional gender stereotypes and champion children's uniqueness. They encourage boys to join in with cooking and caring activities and enthusiastically invite girls to investigate and experiment with a range of resources. Parents comment on the variety of visitors and outings and how they have 'broadened their children's life experiences'. Children talk about baking activities with enthusiasm and recall, with warmth, visits to the residents of a nearby care home. n Staff skilfully use everyday opportunities to build children's mathematical skills. They prompt children to think about 'how many more' they need to reach a bigger number. Staff model mathematical vocabulary to describe the weight,

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need to do better?

volume and quantity of items. Children talk about the fullness of containers as they transfer rice using spoons and scoops. They identify the 'biggest' and 'smallest' tins and talk about how they need more rice to fill the big tin. n Children have plentiful opportunities for cosy, restful moments. They make use of the pre-school's 'bed boxes', filled with cushions and blankets, to read books. Children develop a deep love of reading and frequently ask staff to read to them. They request their favourites 'again, again!', delighted by the animated way staff tell the stories. n Staff are very talented at encouraging children to share their ideas and apply critical thinking. Children are inquisitive and enjoy experimentation. They are eager to test out different ways to work tools and create stronger structures. Staff use praise to recognise children's efforts and achievements. They also involve children in evaluating activities using picture cards and discussions. This

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need to do better?

helps children to take ownership of and develop a positive attitude to learning. n Children delight in a variety of interesting physical and sensory experiences. They squeeze and squash jelly, make patterns in shaving foam and create obstacle courses in the garden. Staff encourage children to think about the level of risk and help to decide the rules for playing safely. For example, children talk about how they can use equipment in wet weather and how high they can safely climb on a short ladder.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a robust knowledge of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They have an excellent understanding of the process to report any concerns about the welfare of a child. Staff know the whistle-blowing policy and procedure for reporting allegations or concerns about the behaviour of an adult. The manager ensures staff and committee members keep their knowledge up to date. Staff regularly attend training and have briefings during staff meetings. Committee members also access appropriate training. When appointing new staff, the committee and manager follow thorough recruitment processes. This ensures staff are suitable and have the necessary skills to fulfil their roles in the setting.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 251562 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10113216 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 to 9 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Little Teapots Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01284 852 005 Date of previous inspection 4 March 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Little Teapots Pre School registered in 1998. The pre-school employs nine members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including one at level 6. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time. It runs a breakfast club from 7.30am until 9am and pre-school sessions from 9am until 4pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk across all areas of the setting and outside areas to explain how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. n The inspector held a number of discussions with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of all persons working on the premises. n The manager completed a joint observation and evaluation of an activity with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to staff, children, parents and committee members at appropriate times during the inspection. She also took account of the views of parents through written feedback provided.

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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

17 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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