Platform 3 Pre-School Playgroup

Inspection of Platform 3 Pre-School Playgroup Manor Field Primary School, Junction Road, BURGESS HILL, West Sussex RH15 0PZ

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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

Children are happy and safe at this caring, friendly pre-school. New children settle quickly and form good relationships with staff and each other. Staff gently guide them as they become familiar with the new routines. Although parents cannot come into the pre-school as before, due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, staff work hard to keep them informed. They spend time talking to parents at the gate each day. They made sure they kept in touch during periods when children could not attend. This has helped ensure children experience a consistent approach to their learning and care.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They learn to wait patiently for their turn to have their snack and to sit and listen attentively at story time. They grow in confidence and quickly develop their self-care skills. Children independently collect their own cup and plate at snack time. They know they need a tissue to blow their nose and go to wash their hands afterwards without prompting.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for all children's learning. Children benefit from a wide variety of experiences both indoors and outside that suit their individual needs. Children who prefer to learn outside spend time sharing books and painting, as well as practising their physical skills on wheeled toys or in the sandpit. Staff make sure they all understand the needs of any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and know about the strategies in place to support them. They adapt their approach where needed, such as using pictures to explain the routine or to enable children to make choices about their snack. This helps include all children and ensures they progress well.

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need to do better?

n The new manager has worked hard to make changes and improvements that have helped raise the quality of the provision for all children. She monitors staff performance closely, such as by meeting staff regularly and observing their practice. She ensures they have access to appropriate training and support. Staff make good use of training opportunities to offer new and exciting experiences for children. For instance, they plan to start children's yoga sessions. n Staff observe children and get to know them well. They accurately identify the next steps for children's learning and support them to achieve these. For example, children begin to show an interest in books when staff present stories in an engaging and exciting way. However, at times, staff do not place enough emphasis on the knowledge and skills they want children to learn when they plan activities. This means that some activities do not build successfully enough

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need to do better?

on children's skills and knowledge to challenge them or to help them to make the best possible progress.

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need to do better?

4 October 2021 n Children become confident communicators. Staff support their language skills effectively. They use visual aids, such as picture cards, to help all children, including those with SEND or those who are learning English as an additional language, communicate and express themselves. They encourage children to join in conversations during snack time and practise new words. Children begin to confidently ask questions at circle time and tell staff about their ideas. n Staff engage with children as they play. Children enjoy making them 'tea and cereal' in the home corner and talking about what they had for breakfast at home. Staff join in with children's games and ask them questions to encourage learning. Sometimes, however, staff are too quick to give children the answer or step in and help them, rather than giving them time to think things through or attempt tasks for themselves. n Children get along together well. They learn about each other's lives and families

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need to do better?

and bring in photographs to display on the wall. Staff think carefully about how they can broaden children's experiences and add to what they do at home. For instance, they make sure children without a garden have lots of learning opportunities outside. n Parents speak positively about the pre-school. They comment on the caring staff team and how well their child has settled in. Parents say staff keep them well- informed through daily discussions and their child's online learning journal. Staff regularly make suggestions for how parents can continue children's learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager works closely with the pre-school committee to ensure checks are carried out on new staff to make sure they are suitable. She monitors staff's knowledge of child protection issues, for instance, by setting quizzes in staff meetings and identifying where more training is needed. This helps ensure staff are confident in how to recognise and report any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff understand their responsibility to keep children safe and they supervise children effectively. They check the environment carefully each day to identify and remove any hazards.

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should:

n support staff to focus more precisely on what they want children to learn from activities, to ensure they build consistently on children's knowledge and skills and help them make even better progress n develop staff's skills in supporting children to think things through, solve problems and do tasks for themselves, to further extend children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY443287 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10131059 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Platform 3 Pre-School Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01444 237796 Date of previous inspection 5 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Platform 3 Pre-School Playgroup registered in 2012. It is open during term time between 9am and 3pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and between 9am and midday on Wednesday. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged three and four years. There are seven members of staff, five of whom hold relevant qualifications at level 3 and above.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during story time. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

4 October 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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