Hilmarton Preschool

Inspection of Hilmarton Preschool Poynder Place, Calne SN11 8SQ

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy and enjoy the time they spend at this welcoming and friendly pre-school. The acting manager and staff are extremely kind and caring in their approach and develop close relationships with children, which helps the children to feel safe and secure. Staff develop good partnerships with parents. They work well with parents to keep them updated with how their children are developing and give them ideas to continue children's learning at home. Children make good progress and gain the key skills that will support them with the next stage in their learning. They show good independence, such as pouring their own drinks at snack times and putting on and taking off their coats.

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The provision is good

Staff are good role models and teach children to recognise how they are feeling. For instance, when children need support to resolve a conflict, they are confident to ask staff for help, which helps the children to understand how their behaviour makes others feel. Staff develop close partnerships with other settings children attend and share information to enable continuity in children's care and learning. Links with the local school are effective. For example, children join the Reception class regularly for story time and staff provide teachers with a wealth of information to help children transition smoothly on to school.

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need to do better?

n Staff know the children well and recognise their individual needs. They make good use of their observations and assessments to identify children's stage of development and plan for their future learning. Children thoroughly enjoy a range of enjoyable and exciting activities throughout their time at the pre- school. However, larger group activities, such as circle time, are not as effective as other group activities at keeping children engaged. Some older children become distracted and younger children also lose interest. n Staff promote children's physical skills well. Children benefit from regular physical activities and staff talk with them about the effects of exercise on their bodies. These sessions also support children's listening and attention skills, as the children listen intently to staff's instructions. n Children develop good mathematic and literacy skills. Staff place a strong emphasis on developing these areas. For example, children experiment with

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need to do better?

digital and manual scales as they pretend to cook using play dough and oats. Staff support them as they play and introduce a range of mathematical language as they weigh and measure. Children are highly engaged in their self-chosen activities, such as when they write letters, put them into envelopes and post them in the pretend postbox. n The manager supervises and monitors staff's practice well. She encourages staff to observe each other and to give feedback, to support all staff to continually

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need to do better?

16 December 2019 improve and reflect on their teaching skills. Staff are also encouraged to develop their skills through training. For instance, recent training has enhanced staff's knowledge of how to deal with any inappropriate behaviour in a more effective way. n Overall, staff promote children's communication and language skills well. They often engage children in conversations as they play. However, at times, staff do not support children to think and share their ideas. n Staff provide children with good opportunities to learn about the world around them. For instance, children take part in regular forest-school sessions that are led by the manager, who is a qualified forest-school teacher. Children learn how to keep themselves safe outside when they toast marshmallows on a campfire and use a hand drill to make holes in conkers to make 'conker caterpillars'.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The acting manager and staff have a good understanding of the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. They have a secure knowledge of the possible signs to be aware of that could indicate a child is at risk of harm. The manager regularly tests staff's safeguarding knowledge, such as through discussions and quizzes. She implements robust recruitment and induction processes to ensure that staff understand their roles and are suitable to work with children. Staff use daily safety checks indoors and outside to provide children with a safe environment.

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should:

n review the organisation of group times to take into consideration the age ranges and individual needs of the children present, to help sustain their concentration n develop staff's teaching of communication and language, to provide more opportunities for children to build their language and thinking skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY536690 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 10103636 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 to 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person Hilmarton Preschool

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reference number

Telephone number 07798643028 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Hilmarton Preschool re-registered in 2017. It operates from a community hall in Hilmarton, Wiltshire. The pre-school is open from 8.45am to 2.45pm during term time. It employs seven staff. Both the manager and acting manager hold a foundation degree in childcare, three staff are appropriately qualified at level 3 and two are unqualified. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children age two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector had a tour of the setting. She talked to the manager to find out how she organises the curriculum and early years provision. n Parents talked to the inspector about their views of the pre-school. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector spoke with children and staff at appropriate times and held a meeting with the manager. n The inspector sampled a range of relevant documentation, including evidence of staff and committee suitability, risk assessments and children's learning records.

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Inspection activities

16 December 2019 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

16 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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