Constantine Preschool

Inspection of Constantine Preschool Trebarvah Road, Constantine, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5AG

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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 Good

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The provision is outstanding

Children are highly independent, confident and inquisitive learners. They have very secure attachments to staff, which underpins their learning. Staff plan an extremely enabling environment, which promotes high curiosity and children's deep engagement. Staff are skilful at listening to children, acknowledging their ideas and extending their learning further. For example, children explain how they know a flower is a buttercup because if you hold it to your chin, it shows if you like butter. This leads to an excellent conversation about how you make butter from milk. Staff provide outstanding support for children's language and communication skills, especially for those with special educational needs. They use different ways of communicating to meet every child's needs. They ask very good open-ended questions and give children plenty of time to think and respond, which challenges children extremely well with extending their vocabulary. For example, as they talk

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The provision is outstanding

about animals, children learn what 'nocturnal' means. Staff are excellent role models. For example, they say, 'I wonder if I can pick this up with tweezers?' They attempt to do so and then children do the same. Staff have extremely high expectations of what children can achieve and set challenging activities. For example, children become experts at safely lighting fires. Parents no longer enter the pre-school as they did before the COVID-19 pandemic. They comment extremely positively about the excellent communication and support. Parents particularly mention the staff's nurturing encouragement and how children are making 'unbelievable progress'.

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need to do better?

n Staff get to know children and their families extremely well. At the beginning of every session, they discuss each child's needs and constantly observe the children to know exactly how to support and challenge them, so that they all make excellent progress. n Staff expertly encourage children to be inquisitive and notice the environment. For example, children want to know what words say and comment that plants have different leaves. They notice daffodils that have not yet flowered. n Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are extremely resilient and have high levels of perseverance. For example, older children stride out to climb up hill and young children keep plodding on with a smile on their face, so pleased with themselves when they reach the top. n Staff provide expert support for children to learn to value themselves, each other, their families, the community and nature. Staff support children's

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need to do better?

emotional security extremely well and empower children to make decisions. They thank children and acknowledge their feelings. Staff sensitively let children know that they can see if they are upset and help them to resolve the problem. Children soon bounce back and are happy again.

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need to do better?

2 March 2022 n Staff provide excellent support for children to become extremely independent. They help children to do as much as they can for themselves and sensitively encourage them. For example, they say that practising means that one day they will be an expert. Children keep on trying and are determined to succeed. n Partnerships with parents and outside agencies are extremely effective. The manager works exceptionally well with parents and provides training, resources and advice. Parents cannot speak highly enough about the staff and especially the manager and her support. They confirm that children with special educational needs are rapidly improving because of the expert help they and their children receive. n The manager and deputy are very strong role models. They have very high ambition for children and high expectations of their staff. They meticulously evaluate the quality of the provision, seek parents', staff's and children's views,

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need to do better?

and set targeted actions to continuously improve. For example, they have developed the outdoor area for those who prefer to learn outdoors. n The manager monitors children's well-being because she has an excellent understanding of how children's emotions can impact on their development. She ensures that all staff receive training to equip them with the skills they need to provide outstanding support for all children. For example, staff have received mindfulness training and have been trained in special educational needs. n Staff confirm the excellent support they receive for both their professional development and their well-being. For example, they appreciate the skills they learn from opportunities to observe the manager and deputy engaging with the children. The manager is supported in her role by a strong committee.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have an excellent understanding of child protection procedures. They deal with concerns swiftly and highly effectively to safeguard children. The excellent deployment of staff and extensive risk assessments enable children to develop an outstanding awareness of safe risks. Forest school sessions focus children's attention on keeping safe while developing excellent skills. For example, they carry large sticks between two, help each other over obstacles, move hazards for their friends and negotiate walking through water and mud with ease.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY288659 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 10070158 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 26 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Constantine Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01326 341444 Date of previous inspection 12 May 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Constantine Preschool is a committee-run group. It registered in 2004 and operates from its own building in the grounds of Constantine Primary School, in the village of Constantine, Cornwall. The pre-school is open from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school employs seven members of staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at degree level, one is currently working towards an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and one member of staff holds a qualification at level 2.

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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 their evaluation of the pre-school. n The manager led the inspector on a learning walk around the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed activities and the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's development. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during a forest school activity. n The inspector spoke with several parents and children and took account of their views. n A leadership and management discussion was held between the inspector and the manager.

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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

2 March 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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