Happy Tots Pre School

Inspection of Happy Tots Pre School Landseer Road Methodist Church, Landseer Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9LX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

All children learn that they are special and unique. Staff expertly support children to develop their confidence and self-esteem. They use many techniques to help children to celebrate their achievements. A wide variety of additional activities, including gymnastics, forest schools, rugby, football and yoga, give children opportunities to find out what their talents and interests are. A newly created sensory room provides children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) with a dedicated space to have their individual therapies and learning interventions. It is quiet and cosy. This helps to promote their ability to concentrate and learn.

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The provision is good

All areas of the pre-school are inviting and comfortable. Children feel at ease as they choose what they would like to play with and where. They develop their small- muscle skills. For example, they eagerly join in with sawing, turning screws and hammering golfing tees into a carved pumpkin. Children make marks freely. They fetch clipboards and pens to draw a picture of their 'block bridge'. A group of children work together, finding the puzzle pieces in a large alphabet puzzle. Staff encourage them by telling them the initial sounds of the item they need to find. Children learn how to get along with their friends.

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need to do better?

n The leadership team has a strong shared vision for what they offer. They centre this on helping children to achieve high levels of self-control. Children learn to effectively regulate their emotions and develop their speech and language skills. The education that staff give children is challenging and purposeful. Those staff in key leadership roles are highly qualified. They have a strong knowledge of how to provide for children's needs. n Staff support children's emotional well-being as their main priority. All children who are identified as needing extra support have highly individualised care packages in place. n Staff help families to know what they can do to help their children to learn at home. For example, they make individual resource packages for children to use at home when they are in need. They put films that demonstrate how to use the resources on the online information-sharing system for parents to watch.

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need to do better?

n The team makes excellent use of all additional funding sources available to the pre-school. This is spent well and has a highly positive impact on children's lives. The strong partnership working with other agencies and organisations further supports this. A dedicated staff role is in place to offer families extra support and guidance. n Leaders ensure that staff benefit from training and development opportunities. As a result, staff's skills are continuously improving. Some staff show highly

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need to do better?

21 October 2021 developed teaching skills. All staff reflect on their practice. They seek and offer support to each other. Leaders give strong and insightful support to help staff develop their skills. n Staff's assessments of children's skills and abilities are accurate. Leaders work to improve the provision, where they identify areas of learning that children are developing more slowly. For example, all staff focus on helping children to develop the language of mathematics. Staff talk to children about sizes and lengths during their play. n Overall, children make good progress from their individual starting points in their speech and language development. Individual and small-group times support this well. However, at times, when children have story and singing time in a larger group, staff do not effectively support the youngest and less-able children. This leads to some children disengaging from the activity.

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need to do better?

n Staff enthusiastically join in with children's play. They support children to develop their imaginative play. Staff and children pretend to give one another injections or 'jabs'. Children use real vegetables in their play kitchen to make a pretend dinner for their family. They enjoy naming the different vegetables. n Children with SEND receive exceptional support. Staff who give children one-to- one support work together to give children a range of experiences that suit their needs. For example, they often go out on trips into the local community. Parents of children with SEND recognise the great bonds that their children have to their key people.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are vigilant to recognise and respond to the indicators of possible abuse and/or neglect. Staff complete training to help them know how to do this. They have regular opportunities to discuss any concerns that they have. Where staff have concerns about the well-being of a child, they act swiftly to protect children in partnership with other agencies. Robust procedures ensure that staff are suitable people to work with children. A clear policy is in place to follow where there are concerns about the suitability of an adult working with children.

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should:

n review how adult-led story and singing activities are delivered to the youngest and less-able children to enhance their meaningful engagement, learning and enjoyment.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY316234 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10207134 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 38 Number of children on roll 53 Name of registered person Happy Tots Pre-School Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01473 290290 Date of previous inspection 12 December 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Happy Tots Pre School registered in 2005. The pre-school employs 17 members of childcare staff, including the manager. Of these, 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. This includes the manager, who holds a level 5 qualification. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only from 8am until 3.30pm. 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 setting and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of interactions between staff and children and evaluated the impact that these had on children's learning and development. Children spoke to the inspector about their activities. n The inspector looked at evidence of the suitability of the committee and staff members. First-aid training certificates were viewed. The inspector spoke with staff about their roles, responsibilities and practice with children. n The manager, who is also the nominated individual for the committee, met with the inspector. They discussed their curriculum for children to help explain what it is that they aim for children to learn and remember, and how this is implemented.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector carried out joint observations of planned activities with the manager and deputy manager. n The inspector spoke with a small number of parents and considered their views about the pre-school. Written feedback sent in for the inspection was also viewed.

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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 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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