Lower Green Preschool

Inspection of Lower Green Preschool Lower Green Community Centre, Farm Road, Esher, Surrey KT10 8AU

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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 relaxed and happy as they play in the safe and welcoming pre-school. They have adapted well to changes due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), including confidently leaving their parents at the door. Children talk about the importance of handwashing when they arrive, to stop the spread of germs and keep everybody safe. They find their own pegs to hang their coats up and are beginning to recognise their written names. Children form strong bonds with staff. This helps them to feel safe and secure. For instance, staff give children plenty of cuddles and reassurance when needed.

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The provision is good

Children settle quickly to their chosen activity and excitedly greet their friends. The attractive and well-organised resources instantly spark children's curiosity and desire to explore. Children have positive attitudes to their learning. For instance, they giggle in delight as they run to each area of the garden looking for 'bugs'. Children enjoy watering the plants and vegetables growing in the garden. They are kind and considerate towards others. Children who require additional help or who receive specific funding are very well supported. Additional funding is used carefully to support the children in receipt of funded early education. Weekly dance sessions and hatching ducklings are some of the activities that children have accessed through the use of funding while at the setting. This has helped them and other children to broaden their life experiences.

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need to do better?

n The passionate staff provide engaging opportunities for children to practise mark making and to develop early writing skills. Children excitedly draw circles with their fingers in foam and examine the marks they make. They squeal with delight when they clap their hands together and the foam sprays over them. n Staff have high expectations for children's learning and development. However, at times, staff are not deployed as effectively as they could be. Sometimes staff are not fully effective at supporting children's listening and concentration skills during group times. n Staff support children's communication and language skills effectively and encourage children's imagination well. For example, staff name the dolphin and whale as children explore the sea life creatures. Staff count the legs on the starfish and introduce new words, such as 'suckers', to successfully extend children's vocabulary. n The dedicated manager has high expectations and is very reflective. She

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need to do better?

supports staff well and incorporates their suggestions into future plans to improve the quality of the provision she provides even further. For example, a recently developed outdoor play area allows children to experience more of the natural world.

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need to do better?

12 July 2021 n Staff have access to training portals and they receive regular appraisals. However, these are not yet sharply focused to ensure that their teaching practice is highly effective and that their understanding of the curriculum is deeply embedded. n Staff find out about children's interests and starting points from parents before children start attending. They recognise the different ways children learn. Staff provide activities for children who enjoy being creative. For example, children show good levels of concentration when making pretend aeroplanes. They show great pride flying them around the room. n Staff help children to develop positive attitudes towards healthy lifestyles. They provide healthy snacks and work in partnership with parents to ensure that children's packed lunches are balanced and nutritious. Staff promote the importance of dental hygiene. Children enthusiastically brush their teeth and

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need to do better?

confidently explain why they do this. Parents speak positively about this and how it encourages the children to brush their teeth at home. n Parents are extremely positive about the care their children receive. They appreciate the high levels of care provided to children and the support given to develop social skills. Staff provide parents with regular observations and achievements of children's time at the setting through electronic systems. Parents explain how the regular exchange of information helps them to know how their children are getting on and how they can support their children's continued learning and development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have a thorough understanding of their responsibility to keep children safe. They fully understand how to implement the safeguarding and behaviour policies. Staff know the procedures for reporting any concerns they might have about the safety and welfare of children. They work effectively with other professionals, when needed, to identify and support any children in need of help. Staff regularly update their knowledge of child protection and wider safeguarding issues, such as those relating to extreme views and beliefs. They understand the risk to children of extended and unsupervised use of the internet and actively work with parents to raise children's awareness of using the internet safely.

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should:

n deploy staff more effectively during group times to ensure that interactions with children are of a consistently high quality n refine staff supervisions to develop staff's knowledge of how to focus their teaching on supporting children's individual learning needs more precisely.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2515667 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10194510 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 26 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Ireland, Samantha Leanne

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reference number

Telephone number 07834214394 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Lower Green Preschool registered in 2019. It operates from the Lower Green Community Centre, in Esher, Surrey. The pre-school is open from 9.15am to 3.30pm Monday to Wednesday, and on Thursday and Friday from 9.15am to 12.15pm, during term time only. The pre-school receives funding for free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are six members of staff working directly with the children, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or level 3.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and staff, and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector sampled documentation including staff suitability, first-aid certificates and children's information. n Joint observations were carried out during the inspection to find out the manager's view of staff interactions with the children and to discuss professional development. n The inspector conducted the learning walk with the manager to discuss how the staff decide what children already know when they arrive, what they need to learn, and how staff are going to implement the curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Parents' views were gathered through face-to-face discussions.

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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

12 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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