Chestnuts Pre-school

Inspection of Chestnuts Pre-school 32 Chestnut Avenue, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 3RS

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children demonstrate that they are happy, feel secure and enjoy their time at the pre-school. They are motivated to explore the well-planned learning environment and make new discoveries. Staff provide a firm foundation for children's learning, and children make good progress from their starting points. Children particularly enjoy the freedom to play and learn outdoors. They eagerly challenge themselves as they use a good selection of resources that encourage them to be adventurous and physically active. Children practise their physical skills as they expertly navigate their way to the top of the small climbing frame and ride bicycles. They confidently assess risks and test out their physical abilities.

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The provision is good

Children behave well, play harmoniously together, and collaborate as they work as a team, such as when making dough. They demonstrate a positive attitude to their learning and take part in activities with enthusiasm and excitement. This is evident when children act out being a shopkeeper and sell food, including real fruits and vegetables, to their friends.

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The provision is good

Children concentrate well during activities and are not easily distracted. They confidently develop the skills and abilities they will need for the future. For example, they independently pour their own drinks during snack, and dress and undress for outdoor play. They show pleasure in the praise they receive from staff and celebrate their own achievements.

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need to do better?

n The manager is aware of the potential impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children's learning and development. She has identified that, after the national restrictions, some children needed support to develop their social skills. Pre-school staff have worked closely with parents to support children to catch up quickly in these areas. n The well-qualified and experienced manager and staff are committed to providing high-quality inclusive care and education for all children and their families. The manager makes good use of appraisals and regular feedback on staff performance to promote continuous improvement within the setting. n Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how children learn and develop. They regularly observe and assess children to check their progress. This helps them to identify gaps in children's learning and provide targeted support when necessary. n Staff work effectively with parents and other professionals involved in children's

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need to do better?

care. They regularly share information with them about children's development and make suggestions on how parents can support learning at home. However, when planning and completing some activities, staff do not always focus

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need to do better?

7 February 2022 specifically on what children need to learn next. n Staff provide a vast range of opportunities to enhance children's communication and language skills, such as through books, stories, songs and rhymes. Children relish the opportunities to listen to stories, and a 'lending library' encourages parents to read to children at home. During stories, children confidently predict what might happen next, such as identifying that the caterpillar will become a cocoon and eventually a beautiful butterfly. n Staff embed mathematical development well. Children use mathematical language freely in their everyday play. For instance, they count the number of candles on a cake, record numbers as they play, and create different-sized rooms as they build houses, using toy bricks. Children confidently count to 20 and identify the difference between 'big' and 'small'. n Children show a strong drive to learn and find out new things. Overall, staff

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need to do better?

make effective use of their interactions with children to support and guide their learning. However, they do not consistently notice spontaneous opportunities to impart new knowledge to children. n Children have high levels of imagination and bring this into their everyday play. For instance, they use play bricks to build a house, and act out the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. Children take turns to be the wolf and attempt to blow the house down.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The leadership team uses robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all new staff are suitable to work with children. Staff are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities around safeguarding. They have a secure knowledge of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm, including wider safeguarding issues, such as female genital mutilation and extremism. Staff are confident about who to report concerns to, including concerns about their colleagues. Leaders ensure that staff regularly update their knowledge on current safeguarding issues, such as through regular discussions during staff meetings.

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should:

n continue to develop staff's knowledge of the curriculum intentions, so that all activities for children have a clear focus n use children's spontaneous interests more consistently to teach new information and extend learning further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 148645 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 10128696 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 45 Name of registered person 'Chestnuts' Pre- School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 0118 9890934 Date of previous inspection 17 December 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Chestnuts Pre-school registered in 1984 and is situated in Wokingham, Berkshire. The pre-school employs 12 members of staff. Of these, two hold qualifications at level 5, one holds a qualification at level 4, and six hold qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens five days a week during term time only. Sessions are from 8.45am until 3.20pm. 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 pre-school 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 pre-school. n The manager and the inspector had a learning walk together and discussed how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector carried out joint observations with the manager and discussed the quality of teaching. n The inspector asked staff questions throughout the inspection, to establish their understanding of how to safeguard children and how they assess and plan for children's learning. n The inspector observed interactions between the staff and children and considered the impact on children's learning. n The inspector sampled documentation, including staff qualifications and evidence of paediatric first-aid training.

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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

7 February 2022 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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