Precious Steps Pre-School Ltd

Inspection of Precious Steps Pre- School Ltd Sedgwick Road, Bishopstoke, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 6FH

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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

The managers and staff put children at the heart of everything they do in the pre- school. All children demonstrate that they feel welcomed and valued. For example, they clearly love spending time at the setting and cannot wait to engage in activities at the beginning of each session. Children are busy, happy and exceptionally well behaved. They make decisions together and welcome others into their play. Children illustrated this during role play as they worked alongside one another to transport building materials to their housing construction site. They enthusiastically shared out their tools and discussed their different roles. Children expressed themselves and talked to each other about their own homes. Staff instinctively know when to offer children support or when to stand back. They use positive praise and reinforcement to help children manage their emotions and learn acceptable behaviour.

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The provision is outstanding

Children show exceptionally high levels of independence. They confidently manage their personal hygiene needs well. They illustrated this as they proudly looked in the mirror, blew their noses, put tissues in the bin and washed their hands without prompting.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff work remarkably well with other professionals involved in children's care. This helps them to support children and to close gaps in their learning rapidly. The outstanding level of support given to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is exceptionally well managed. Additional funding is used appropriately to meet children's needs. This is underpinned by the in-depth knowledge of every child. This helps to ensure that the right support is in place for all children so they make excellent progress from their starting points.

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need to do better?

n Leadership is inspirational. The managers' uncompromising commitment to continuous improvement results in exceptionally high standards of care and teaching. They place a high focus on providing extensive training for staff, such as completing higher early years qualifications. Staff morale is very high. Staff endeavour to ensure that children's learning and well-being are given the utmost priority. For example, children benefit significantly from additional speech and language sessions, closely linked to their individual needs and interests. n Staff get to know children and their families incredibly well from the start. They provide parents with a wealth of information to help them understand their children's development and how to support them further. Parents comment extremely positively about the staff and the significant progress that children have made since attending the setting. They say that staff offer them advice,

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need to do better?

support and encouragement, especially when facing life's challenges, such as the

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need to do better?

14 October 2021 COVID-19 pandemic. n The excellent curriculum is embedded into the learning children experience every day and meets the needs of all children. Every opportunity is taken to arouse children's interest and broaden their knowledge. n Staff are responsive to children during activities and are adept at promoting their communication and language skills. For example, children play imaginative games. They discuss and work out how to connect boxes of different shapes and sizes. Children talk about building rockets to go to the moon. Staff use this opportunity to introduce new words, as they discuss different planets, for example. Children focus intently as they play. They confidently find resources they need, such as scissors, rulers and sticky tape. Together they find their own solutions, sensitively supported by staff. n Staff pay excellent attention to supporting children's healthy development.

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need to do better?

Children taste and explore the textures of nutritious snacks. They confidently give examples of where food comes from, such as the ground or in bushes and trees. Children know their routines exceptionally well. They tell visitors that they are going to brush their teeth after their lunch to keep them clean and healthy. n Children frequently spend time outside and benefit from extensive exercise, fresh air and physical play. For example, they hold competitions to see who can bounce the highest on the trampoline. They remind each other that they need to rest and drink water to avoid dehydration. n Children of all ages show their understanding of boundaries and demonstrate excellent relationships. For instance, during the inspection, children recognised that their friends needed support to move construction materials and offered them the use of the wheelbarrow. n Staff supervise children extremely well. They seize every opportunity to help

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need to do better?

children learn how to manage their own risks and to think about the safety of those around them. Children are quick to identify possible hazards and think of ways to avoid these. They demonstrated this as they put on safety equipment without prompting. Children carefully transported bricks and planks of wood to their construction area. They negotiated space around them to avoid contact with others.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have an exceptional knowledge of how to keep children safe. They have an excellent knowledge of, and implement, the comprehensive safeguarding polices and procedures. For example, they fully understand the whistle-blowing policy and know who to report any issues to. Managers note any patterns in children's absence and check to make sure there are no concerns about a family's well-being. They continually test the staff's knowledge of safeguarding through scenarios and questions. Staff have an excellent knowledge of the signs that may indicate that a child is being abused. This includes wider safeguarding issues, such as internet safety.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY555985 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10174885 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 25 Name of registered person Precious Steps Preschool Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07941367531 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Precious Steps Pre-School re-registered in 2018. The pre-school operates from Bishopstoke Methodist Church, in Eastleigh, Hampshire. It uses the church hall and an enclosed outside play area. The pre-school is open Monday to Thursday, from 9am to 3pm, during term time. Six staff work with the children. The manager is qualified at level 5, two staff are qualified at level 4 and three at level 3. The pre- school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 provider and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the setting. n A meeting was held between the inspector, the provider and the managers. n The inspector looked at a selection of documents and checked evidence of the suitability of staff working with the children. n The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with one of the managers. n The managers and the inspector completed a learning walk together. They observed staff's teaching practice during activities and discussed the curriculum.

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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

14 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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