Noah's Ark Pre-School

Inspection of Noah's Ark Pre-School Pack Lane, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 5HN

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Leaders and staff provide a safe and secure environment for children. They use appropriate risk assessments to ensure the premises and equipment are safe for use. Children eagerly and happily come into the pre-school. They separate easily from their parents and carers and are warmly greeted by the staff. Children and their families are made to feel unique. For example, staff offer specific settling-in processes for each child, which include a home visit if required. Staff have high expectations for every child and are beginning to teach children how to manage their own feelings. They give children the vocabulary to help them to describe how they are feeling. Staff provide rich experiences to support children to understand what makes them unique and learn about communities beyond their own.

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The provision is good

Children are positive and highly motivated to learn. They display signs of 'awe and wonder' in the interesting activities and resources available to them. For example, staff have provided 'dinosaur eggs' which children take delight in cracking open to find out what is inside. Children are confident and eagerly share their own knowledge with staff and their peers. Staff use books to support children to learn more about the different dinosaurs.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have made significant improvements since the last inspection. They are highly reflective and have identified the strengths and areas for development within the pre-school, and have plans in place to address them. Staff share the ethos and determination to improve which is modelled by leaders. There is a whole-team approach to make the pre-school the best it can be to further improve outcomes for every child. n Leaders have introduced a robust supervision process. This supports staff in their role as key persons to raise the quality of teaching. Staff understand how children learn and develop. They know the children very well and provide activities that support what the child already knows and then build on this. Staff have strategies in place that they use to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All children, including those with SEND, make good progress.

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need to do better?

n Behaviour is good across the pre-school. Children know the rules of the pre- school well. On the rare occasions children forget, staff deal promptly and effectively with any unwanted behaviour. They teach children how to resolve and manage conflict for themselves. n The manager has worked well with the local authority. They have developed a new planning system to help staff to meet the individual needs of each child in all activities. However, this is in the early stages and not fully embedded across the whole pre-school. On occasions, staff do not plan to offer children further

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need to do better?

22 January 2020 challenge when they can easily complete an activity. n Parents state they are very happy with the care and education their children receive. They know they can speak to any member of staff about any concerns they may have. Staff regularly share with them how their child is progressing and ways the parents can support their child further at home. n The highly qualified staff teach children to develop their learning across all areas of the early years foundation stage well. They develop children's understanding and enjoyment of language, such as reading stories and singing rhymes which children regularly join in with. However, some staff do not correct children when they mispronounce words and sounds.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that all members of staff and the committee have accessed up-to-date safeguarding training. They know the signs and symptoms of abuse and who to report any concerns to. Staff understand the wider aspects of safeguarding and the signs to be aware of, including the 'Prevent' duty and female genital mutilation. Leaders regularly check staff knowledge and understanding. For example, staff discuss 'scenarios' in team meetings to help them further with their understanding of keeping children safe. Staff know what would make them unsuitable to work with children and leaders check this regularly.

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should:

n continue to embed the planning system to ensure it meets the educational needs of every child, particularly most-able children n ensure staff consistently teach children how to pronounce words and sounds correctly, to enable them to develop their language skills further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 511667 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10114815 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 Full day care Age range of children 2 to 5 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person Noah's Ark Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01256 323853 Date of previous inspection 20 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Noah's Ark Pre-School registered in 2000 and is located in Basingstoke. The pre- school is open each weekday during school term times, from 8am to 4pm, except on Friday when it is open from 8am to 3.30pm. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are nine members of staff who work directly with the children, all of whom hold qualifications in childcare at level 3. The manager also has a Master's degree in Early Years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the support for children's learning during activities inside and outside. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector with the manager of the pre-school to assess how well leaders monitor the quality of teaching. n The inspector assessed how well leaders and staff understand and implement pre-school policies, and how they monitor children's learning. n A learning walk was carried out by the inspector with the manager of the pre- school, to gain an overview of the curriculum offered and how they implement this. n Discussions were held throughout the inspection with parents, staff and children. The inspector took their views into account.

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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

22 January 2020 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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