Westfield Pre School

Inspection of Westfield Pre School Westfield Pre-School, Croxley View, Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 6AE

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

p.1

The provision is good

Children are excited to arrive at this friendly pre-school. They separate from carers with ease and rush to explore activities with their friends. Children demonstrate high levels of confidence in the pre-school. They engage well with visitors, inviting them into their play and proudly showing off the pictures they draw.

p.2

The provision is good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities indoors and in the exciting outdoor area. Staff use children's interests and experiences to plan engaging learning opportunities. For example, children establish a café in the role-play area. They enjoy creating and sharing recipes from home, which they make into a book with support from staff.

p.2

The provision is good

Children are learning to be independent. Staff are aware of children's abilities, and consistently challenge them in activities. For example, children thoroughly enjoy bathing and dressing dolls. Staff encourage them to collect their own water from the outdoor tap. They demonstrate how to fasten the dolls' clothes before encouraging children to complete this independently.

p.2

need to do better?

n Children form close friendships with one another. They are kind and helpful and work well as a team to complete tasks. For example, children set up an exercise activity. They form a chain to roll tyres safely across the garden. n Staff complete high-quality assessments of children's development. Parents remain informed about children's progress with regular electronic updates. Staff suggest activities for parents to try at home to extend children's learning. n Children are developing a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. Staff support them to construct exercise stations using tyres and crates. Children sit in small groups for snack time, where staff encourage them to explore and taste a variety of fruits. n The manager and staff work hard to establish close relationships with families. This enables them to gather comprehensive information about children's early experiences. From this they provide learning opportunities children may not

p.2

need to do better?

otherwise receive. For example, staff work hard to facilitate continuous outdoor play opportunities. n Children's language and literacy development is well supported. Children enjoy cosy reading areas, both indoors and in the garden. They regularly explore new stories, which they recall well. The manager and staff have recently established a library system. This enables children to share their favourite stories at home. n Staff use children's interests to support their development across all areas of learning. For example, children dress up as their favourite cartoon characters. Staff encourage them to use the computer to print out related activity sheets.

p.2

need to do better?

9 May 2022 Children explore the characters more closely, identifying and discussing their unique features. n Parents speak highly of the manager and her staff. They understand the positive impact this has on children's development and well-being. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities feel particularly supported. They deeply value the guidance and professionalism shown throughout the referral process and beyond. n The manager reflects well on all aspects of the pre-school. She seeks regular feedback from staff, parents and other professionals. This enables her to swiftly identify areas for improvement. The manager uses this information to implement strategies aimed at improving the outcomes for children. n Staff make good use of daily circle time. They use age-appropriate methods to support children's knowledge of appropriate behaviour. Children are encouraged to identify emotions from facial expressions. However, when children display

p.2

need to do better?

unwanted behaviour, staff are not consistent in their responses. They do not always support children's understanding of the possible effects of their behaviour to resolve conflicts effectively. n The manager conducts regular appraisals on all staff. This allows her to monitor staff well-being and identify areas to improve their practice. However, mentoring procedures are not yet sufficient enough to support staff in implementing these improvements consistently.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The manager and staff demonstrate a good understanding of the signs and symptoms which may indicate that a child is at risk of harm. They have good knowledge of the referral process to follow when reporting any concerns. The provider has a robust recruitment and induction process in place. This supports staff knowledge of safeguarding and first-aid procedures from the start. Staff complete regular risk assessments of all areas of the setting and supervise children well in all activities to promote their safety.

p.3

should:

n implement more robust and consistent methods of supporting children to understand and manage their behaviour n enhance current methods of coaching and mentoring to support staff improve their interactions with children to a consistently high level.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 2501168 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10194358 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

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

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Breakwell, Jessica Bunny

p.4

Telephone number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Westfield Pre School registered in 2018. The pre-school operates from Monday to Friday, from 9am until 3.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

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 of the provider. n The inspector considered the views of parents by speaking to several during the inspection. n The inspector looked at relevant documents, including evidence of the suitability of all staff. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children during activities. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching to assess the impact on children's learning. n The inspector and manager completed a joint observation of an activity to assess the quality of teaching. n The inspector held discussions with staff about the monitoring of learning and development in the setting and tracked the progress of several children.

p.5

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.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6