Dartmouth Pre-School

Inspection of Dartmouth Pre-School South Ford Road, DARTMOUTH, Devon TQ6 9QS

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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The provision requires improvement

Children are welcomed by friendly and attentive staff as they arrive. They enter the setting happily, show high levels of confidence and emotional security and form close relationships with the adults who care for them. Children greet staff affectionately with cuddles and approach visitors with interest to introduce themselves. Children make friends and play together well. For example, they listen to and implement each other's ideas during imaginative games.

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The provision requires improvement

Children explore the pre-school with curiosity. For example, older children enjoy filling containers to transport and pour water and talk about items that float. Children make some progress in their learning. They count, communicate their needs and benefit from hearing staff sing well-known nursery rhymes regularly. However, staff do not plan a challenging curriculum that builds on each child's next steps in learning consistently. At times, children do not receive the necessary support and interaction to build on what they already know and can do. For instance, staff lead a group activity that children enjoy and know well, but do not have high enough expectations for each child's learning to help them make good progress.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, the manager has developed staff's safeguarding knowledge significantly. Furthermore, they now obtain the required information for each child attending the setting to promote children's welfare and help to provide continuity in their care. n Staff talk positively of their relationships with each other and the manager. However, the provider does not monitor the manager's and staff's practice effectively or provide targeted support and coaching for their professional development. Consequently, the quality of education for children is variable and there is no clear plan for how leaders intend to support each member of staff. n The manager and staff have begun to develop the curriculum since the previous inspection. For example, they now take account of children's emerging interests to plan activities that capture children's attention. However, they do not consider how to challenge each child and extend their learning further. For example, staff

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need to do better?

plan for children to learn about the process of melting ice, but do not support the older children to investigate, talk about their ideas and solve problems independently. The children lose interest and become disengaged. n Staff observe children and assess their stage of learning accurately. This helps them to recognise when children may benefit from additional support. The manager and staff work closely with parents and outside agencies to provide complementary and effective support for children who need extra help. n Staff model a broad vocabulary and the correct pronunciation of sounds for

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need to do better?

9 May 2022 children. Children learn new words and recall them appropriately in context, such as remembering that caterpillars turn into butterflies. Staff do not always provide good support and encouragement for children to speak, including at mealtimes. Children spend too much time playing and watching others without talking. n Parents comment on the close relationships between their children and the staff. They feel strongly that their children enjoy attending the pre-school and look forward to seeing their friends and the staff at their next session. n Children develop good social skills and are keen to help their friends and staff. For example, older children helpfully set chairs out for the other children to sit on during group activities. Children listen to and follow staff's instructions and behave well. n Children learn to manage their self-care needs independently and confidently. They take off and put away the aprons when they have finished with them, pour

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need to do better?

their own drinks and put on their shoes. Children proudly call out 'I did it' to share their achievements with staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager, who is the designated safeguarding lead, and staff have updated their knowledge of safeguarding successfully. They now understand how to identify concerns about a child's welfare and know how to record and report these. The manager and staff identify and manage risks effectively to provide a safe and secure environment for children. For example, they are quick to notice spilled water on the floor and wipe it up to prevent children from slipping and slice small pieces of fruit appropriately to reduce the risk of choking.

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Due date

develop the planning of the curriculum to build more precisely on what each child knows and can do and provide good challenge consistently 30/05/2022

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Due date

develop staff's interactions with children to ensure all children receive good support and encouragement to develop their speaking skills 30/05/2022

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Due date

9 May 2022 improve the monitoring, support and coaching for the manager and staff to strengthen the quality of their practice with regard to meeting children's individual learning needs. 30/05/2022

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should:

n provide more support for children to develop their confidence and skills to try to solve problems independently.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 106107 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10217057 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 11 Number of children on roll 13 Name of registered person Dartmouth Pre-school Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01803 834449 Date of previous inspection 2 November 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Dartmouth Pre-School opened in 1961 and registered in 1992. It operates from a hall in Dartmouth, Devon. The pre-school is open between 9am and 3pm from Monday to Friday, during term time. It receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are five members of staff employed. The manager holds an early years qualification at level 6, one member of staff is a qualified primary school teacher and two staff hold early years qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager to reflect on the planning and implementation of the curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children and parents to obtain their feedback. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the pre-school.

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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

9 May 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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