Sowing Seeds Pre-School

Inspection of Sowing Seeds Pre- School Life Church Cuffley, King James Avenue, Cuffley, Hertfordshire EN6 4LN

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive at the pre-school. They happily arrive and register themselves independently. Children's emotional well-being is at the heart of everything the staff do. Staff form special relationships with families. Parents readily turn to staff for support and guidance. Children quickly develop their emotional understanding, placing their name cards in boxes to share how they feel. Children form strong bonds and friendships. They clap and praise their friends as staff recognise children's achievements. Children respond positively and smile proudly. They help their friends find solutions to problems. For instance, they help them to work out how many more stickers they need as they practise their counting.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are exceptionally well prepared for their move to school. They benefit from the structure of the session. All children sit and focus during whole-group time. They participate fully and accurately identify the month and year. Children feel safe, which helps them to develop their confidence. They bring in creations from home and speak to their friends about what they have made. They explain what each part does and how it works. Children have high levels of independence. They complete tasks for themselves, such as washing up plates and cups at the end of snack time.

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need to do better?

n Parents recognise the hard work and dedication of the whole staff team. They comment that the staff provide a real community atmosphere. Staff organise events for families so that they can build their own friendships with one another. They accommodate additional sessions for children to support parents. This helps children to feel secure and provides them with continuity of care. n Staff have an extremely strong knowledge of the children they care for. They monitor and track children's progress closely. This helps them to rapidly identify any areas where children need additional support. Staff use additional funding that the setting receives effectively to quickly address any gaps. As a result, children make rapid progress in all areas of their learning and development. n Children quickly develop their language and communication skills. Staff skilfully extend children's vocabulary, for example by introducing new words, such as

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need to do better?

'chrysalis', while they read stories. The youngest children openly talk about what they are doing. They consistently use their new-found language to engage effectively with others. For instance, children confidently speak to visitors about the different vehicles they find as they tidy up the toys. n Staff integrate mathematical learning into all areas of the curriculum. They constantly extend children's learning. Children are highly motivated learners. They concentrate as they cut spaghetti to reveal toy dinosaurs. They place the dinosaurs side by side. Staff explain that the dinosaurs are next to each other.

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need to do better?

3 February 2020 Children respond positively to challenges that staff give them, such as placing the dinosaur on top and behind other objects. Staff instinctively challenge children to check their answers. For instance, children miscount the number of circles on the caterpillar they make. Staff remind them to count and check again. This helps children to count with increasing confidence and accuracy. n Staff plan effectively for each child's needs. They respond immediately to discussions they hold with children, planning how to extend their knowledge even further. For instance, they hold discussions about healthy eating with children at snack time. Children recap on their previous learning. They confidently identify that the cucumber they eat has vitamins and minerals inside. Staff build on this, talking about calcium and protein. Staff discuss with one another how they can build on this learning even further in future sessions.

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need to do better?

n Staff work seamlessly as a team and their welfare is of the highest priority to the manager. Staff feel fully supported in their roles. The manager provides them with highly focused and effective professional development opportunities. She monitors staff's performance regularly. This helps her to ensure that their teaching is of the highest standard possible. Staff are highly reflective practitioners. They complete observations on one another, giving helpful feedback openly and honestly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's welfare and safety are paramount to the whole staff team. They implement the setting's policies effectively. Staff and volunteers complete safeguarding training, and the manager regularly checks their knowledge. Staff carefully consider how to ensure children's safety and well-being indoors and outdoors. They ensure that the building is secure at all times. Staff have a strong understanding of the signs that children may be at risk of abuse or neglect. Staff are aware of wider safeguarding issues, such as how to identify children who may be at risk of being exposed to extreme views or behaviours.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY550054 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10133679 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 2 to 4 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person Sowing Seeds Pre School CIO

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reference number

Telephone number 07749 911419 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Sowing Seeds Pre-School registered in 2017 and is located in Cuffley, Hertfordshire. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, three members of staff hold childcare qualifications at level 3 or above, including one member of staff who holds qualified teacher status. The pre-school is open from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am to 12.15pm. There is an optional lunch club on Tuesday and Thursday from 12.15pm to 1.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector was shown around the premises by the manager. They discussed how the provision is organised and how staff plan for the children. n The inspector held discussions with parents and read written messages. She took their views into consideration. n The manager and the inspector jointly observed staff interacting with children. They considered the impact of staff's teaching on children's learning and development. n The inspector spoke to children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n A small sample of documentation was viewed by the inspector, including staff suitability documents.

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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

3 February 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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