Bow Bears Pre-School CIO

Inspection of Bow Bears Pre-School Cio The Village Hall, Station Road, Bow, Crediton, Devon EX17 6HU

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Children are generally happy and enjoy their time at the pre-school. Staff prioritise children's well-being and support them to feel safe and secure. Children have positive relationships with their key persons. Staff respond well to children and recognise when they need reassurance to help them settle quickly. Key persons know children well and meet their care needs effectively. Staff promote children's independence through daily routines. For example, children are encouraged to pour their own drinks and butter their own toast.

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The provision requires improvement

Children have opportunities to play indoors and outdoors. However, the routine of the day is very structured and children are not given enough time to pursue their own interests. For example, they are only given a choice of two activities to choose from and some are not excited by these. Consequently, children are not highly engaged in their play. Staff are positive role models for children and encourage them to use good manners. All children are polite and, overall, they behave well. However, as children are not excited by their play, at times they become disinterested and do not show respect towards each other.

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The provision requires improvement

Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, staff adapted the way they work in partnership with parents. Staff kept in regular contact with parents while the pre- school was closed during national lockdown, to check on children's welfare. They delivered home learning packs to help parents support their child's individual learning needs.

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need to do better?

n Leaders do not yet have a challenging curriculum. Staff do not plan activities that build on what children already know and can do. Consequently, children do not have enough opportunities that challenge them or extend their learning. n The quality of teaching is variable. Overall, staff understand their roles as educators and they support children's confidence and self-awareness. Children are happy to explore the environments independently. However, some staff do not have the skills to engage children in meaningful and purposeful play that excites them and moves their learning on. n Overall, most children make steady progress from their starting points, including those in receipt of additional funding. Staff set age-appropriate next steps for children and help them to achieve these. However, they are not always challenging and staff do not consistently show that they have the highest expectations for all children. The most able children are not supported to excel

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need to do better?

beyond age-related expectations. n Leaders use self-evaluation effectively. They identify challenges they face, but have not yet put plans in place to improve practice. Leaders do not observe staff

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need to do better?

21 July 2021 or provide feedback regularly enough. Consequently, not all staff feel supported or know what is expected of them. n Staff support children's communication and language. They read familiar stories and children recall key events and join in with repeated phrases. Staff teach children new vocabulary to extend their language skills. For example, they replace 'big' with 'huge' and 'gigantic'. Children enjoy regular singing and join in with actions to support their understanding. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified quickly. Leaders support staff to write individualised plans to meet children's needs and monitor their progress. Leaders make rapid referrals to external agencies to ensure that these children get the support they need before moving on to the next stage in their learning. n Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents are happy with the regular

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need to do better?

communication they receive from staff. They praise staff for how well they have helped children settle back into the pre-school after periods of national lockdown. n Leaders establish professional relationships with external agencies. They work with other services and childcare providers to ensure families have the support they need. Staff have positive relationships with the local school and prepare children for starting school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff create a safe environment for children and know how to keep them safe. Leaders ensure that staff complete relevant training to extend their safeguarding knowledge. Leaders regularly discuss children's welfare in staff meetings and ensure that all staff stay up to date with current legislation. Staff know what procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child. Leaders complete thorough risk assessments to help keep children safe and have put extra health and safety procedures in place due to COVID-19. For example, staff regularly count and record the number of children present, and everyone entering the pre-school sanitises their hands on arrival.

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Due date

21 July 2021 improve and monitor the implementation of the curriculum so it is sufficiently challenging and staff plan and deliver meaningful learning experiences that build on what children already know and can do 31/08/2021

p.3

Due date

raise the quality of interactions and teaching to ensure staff are consistently guiding children's development to a good level and all children make the best possible progress 31/08/2021

p.4

Due date

provide staff with effective supervision and regular monitoring that focuses on support and coaching so that they know what is expected of them. 31/08/2021

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should:

n review the organisation of daily routines to maximise the time children have to engage in fun, purposeful play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY556419 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10174769 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person Bow Bears Pre-School CIO

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reference number

Telephone number 01363 881060 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Bow Bears Pre-School CIO registered in 2018, having first opened in 1972. It operates from the community hall in Bow, just outside of Crediton, in Devon. The pre-school opens Tuesday to Friday from 9.15am to 3.15pm, during term time only. There are nine members of staff working with the children. Of these, six hold a relevant qualification at level 3 and one holds a relevant qualification at level 2. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the provider. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk of the pre-school to understand how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector observed staff's interactions with the children during activities, both indoors and outdoors. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager and evaluated the impact this had on children's learning. n Children, parents and staff were spoken to at appropriate times throughout the inspection and their views were taken into account by the inspector. n The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including evidence of staff suitability and safeguarding 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

21 July 2021 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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