Great Bentley Pre-School

Inspection of Great Bentley Pre-School Great Bentley Village Hall, Plough Road, Great Bentley, Colchester, Essex CO7 8LG

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children are happy, keen and enthusiastic learners. They enter the pre-school confidently, proficiently registering their attendance by placing their name and belongings on a chosen coat peg. Children are greeted by smiling staff who ask how they are and enter into lively discussions with them and their parents. Once settled, children immediately become engrossed in their chosen play. They delight in seeing their friends and make excellent use of the resources to facilitate their play. Children behave very well. They are familiar with the pre-school routines and show great respect for each other.

p.2

The provision is good

Children are relaxed, content and safe. They are very familiar with the pre-school environment and resources. Children have fun exploring a wide range of outdoor learning. They develop strong physical skills, for example, when they bounce excitedly on the sunken trampoline and climb the steps and structures in the garden. Children pay good attention to the basketball coach who visits weekly to help children to enhance their physical development even further. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who learn English as an additional language, make good and sustained progress from their starting points. Key persons have high expectations for the children's learning, based on their knowledge of children's interests and learning styles.

p.2

need to do better?

n Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak extremely highly of the pre- school staff and feel that their children are well cared for. Parents comment that their children participate in a wide and exciting range of activities and make good progress. They enjoy the level of feedback they receive from staff about their children's progress and development. n Staff focus heavily on ensuring that children's social and emotional development are embedded. They expertly support new children who are unsettled to gain confidence and enjoy their pre-school session. Staff encourage children to talk about their emotions and feelings, for example, by using a story and puppet. They discuss how various colours relate to emotions, such as 'happy', 'sad' and 'cross'. Children explore what these emotions might look like and what they could do to help them feel 'yellow' for happy or to come out of the 'blue' sad

p.2

need to do better?

feeling. n Children use numbers and counting in their everyday activities. For example, they help to count how many children are present each morning and afternoon. They predict how many toy bricks they will need to make a long wall between two pieces of furniture. Children draw around each other and staff encourage them to think about who is tallest and who is shortest. n Staff engage in discussions with the children throughout the pre-school day.

p.2

need to do better?

6 March 2020 They encourage them to share experiences from home with their friends in small and large groups. Staff are, however, less proficient at enhancing and challenging the children's thinking even further, for example, through skilful questioning. n Children gain a good understanding of how to care for their environment. They know that they need to clear some of the toys away when the tidy-up song is played. They confidently do this and prepare themselves for the next part of their pre-school day. n Children enjoy drawing and practising their early writing skills. They chat calmly to each other about what they have drawn and who is in their picture. They proudly show their drawings to staff, who encourage them to tell them about what they have drawn. n The staff and management team work very well together. The managers work directly with the staff and children on a daily basis. This provides them with an

p.2

need to do better?

overview of staff's strengths and any areas of the provision that need to be further developed. Staff receive regular supervision and coaching from the managers. They have completed some core training since the last inspection. However, at present, staff's professional development is not focused well enough to help them to raise the quality of teaching and learning even higher. n Staff work very closely with the local school and other professionals. They are experienced at seeking appropriate interventions to help to close gaps in children's learning and to support families.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Managers and staff demonstrate their understanding of the types of abuse and the symptoms that might alert them to a child's safety being compromised. Staff complete regular training to help them to refresh their safeguarding knowledge, and discuss new guidance during staff and supervision meetings. The providers have robust procedures in place for safer recruitment and undertake appropriate suitability checks for all staff. New staff and those returning to work at the pre-school complete a thorough induction to help them to become familiar with the pre-school's policies, including safeguarding.

p.3

should:

n develop further staff's teaching skills to help them to fully challenge children's thinking n focus staff's professional development to include opportunities that help to raise the quality of teaching even higher.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY450793 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10127336 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 50

p.4

Name of registered person

Great Bentley Pre-School Community Interest Company

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 07522 572303 Date of previous inspection 18 March 2013

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Great Bentley Pre-School registered in 2012 as a community interest company. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including the managers. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am to 3.30pm, except for Tuesday when they open from 9.15am to 12.15pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The inspector and one of the two pre-school managers completed a learning walk and talked about the curriculum and how it is delivered. n The inspector observed an adult-led activity and discussed the learning intention with a manager. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector held a meeting with one of the managers and looked at a sample of documents, including the suitability of staff and their qualifications. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to at the time of the inspection.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

6 March 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6