Cholsey Pre-School

Inspection of Cholsey Pre-School Cholsey CP School, Church Road, Cholsey, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 9PP

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

The pre-school is a hive of learning, fun and activity. All children benefit from an extremely safe and stimulating environment. Children are completely engrossed in their learning from the moment they enter the pre-school until the end of the session. Children benefit greatly from taking part in rich experiences. Children love to rise to challenges set by the staff. The quality of teaching and learning is excellent. For example, staff challenge children to put two numbers together, such as six and zero is 60 and five and two is 52.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely well supported to develop important independence skills and learn how to keep themselves safe. During snack time, staff ask children to choose and serve themselves a drink of their choice. Mealtimes are immense fun, as children chat about what they have in their lunch boxes and talk about experiences outside the setting. Children use sign language confidently and are very proud to demonstrate their knowledge to the inspector. They expertly use their skills to indicate they would like milk and bananas. Children pretend that they are monkeys and know that monkeys open bananas from the other end.

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The provision is outstanding

Children behave extremely well and respond to prompts from staff quickly. Those who are unable to manage their behaviour when they first arrive at the pre-school receive targeted support and reassurance. As a result, children settle quickly and their behaviour improves, often significantly.

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need to do better?

n The pre-school benefits from a management team that is strong and work exceptionally well together. They have a clear vision for the future, which they implement to raise the quality of children's experiences and provide them with the very best start in life. n Staff collect a wealth of information from parents and spend ample time to get to know children. Their precise observations and assessments of children's learning helps them to identify and close any gaps in children's learning swiftly. As a result, children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make rapid and sustained progress from their various starting points. n Staff attend many training courses to develop their already excellent knowledge and skills. The manager monitors staffs' practice and shares ideas as a staff team. The manager and staff continually strive for improvements to ensure children receive a superb quality of care and learning.

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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.

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need to do better?

25 November 2021 n Staff encourage children constantly, and their enthusiasm is infectious. They continually use their excellent interaction skills with children, along with books and songs, to develop children's language and communication. They build children's interest and curiosity, taking every possible opportunity to introduce and reinforce new vocabulary. For example, while making models from wooden blocks, staff introduce new complex words, such as hemisphere and semi-circle. Children compare a flat circle to a sphere and learn about 3D shapes. n Children play together extremely well. For instance, a large group of children work as a team to eagerly build a bus out of large wooden blocks. The learning is expertly extended, as staff encourage children to lay the blocks of wood to make compartments. n The pre-school fosters excellent relationships with parents who speak very highly of the setting and about how their children have become extremely

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need to do better?

confident and articulate. n Excellent attention is given to continually improving and developing the very best possible practice. The manager and all members of staff are committed to reflecting on and evaluating what they do. Thorough induction and ongoing mentoring is complemented by regular peer-on-peer reviews and supervision meetings. Staff confirm that they feel listened to and very much supported to develop to be the best practitioners they can be. n Children have fantastic opportunities to learn about the wider community during trips to local shops and parks. They visit their allotment every week to tend the plants and vegetables, bringing produce back to the setting to share. A second allotment is currently being developed to enable those in the community to take advantage, free of charge, of the produce grown there.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety and well-being are given the utmost priority. Staff have a highly comprehensive knowledge of the types of abuse and the signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm. This includes wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty. Staff are extremely confident in reporting any safeguarding concerns to relevant agencies. There are robust procedures that staff undertake to ensure their suitability to work with children. Children learn boundaries and to manage their own safety in a safe environment. They help to make and monitor the safety rules. For example, children complete a photographic risk assessment in the garden before they go outside.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY259329 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10105295 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person Cholsey Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07584258009 Date of previous inspection 12 June 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Cholsey Pre-School opened in 1968 and registered to operate from within Cholsey Primary School in 2003. They are open during term time from Monday to Friday between 8am and 3.45pm. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs eight members of staff, four of whom hold a relevant childcare qualification at level 3.

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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 their evaluation. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed what activities are on offer for children. n Children talked to the inspector at various times throughout the inspection and took account of their views. n Discussions were held between the inspector and parents. The inspector also viewed written feedback provided by parents prior to inspection. She took account of all views. n The inspector spoke to staff and the manager. She checked the staff's understanding of safeguarding issues and looked at a sample of relevant documentation, such as evidence of staff's suitability and qualifications. n The inspector held discussions with the manager about her leadership and

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Inspection activities

management. They discussed several aspects, including the process of self- evaluation, plans for continual improvement and staff supervision.

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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

25 November 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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