Little Bears Pre School

Inspection of Little Bears Pre School Shebbear Community School, Shebbear, Beaworthy, Devon EX21 5SG

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

The setting provides a safe and nurturing environment for children. Children settle quickly and are happy and content. Staff have positive relationships with children and know them well. The key-person system is effective. Children behave well and are kind and polite towards their friends. They have good listening skills and follow instructions from staff. For example, children listen carefully as staff play musical instruments in a range of ways. They move quickly or slowly to the beat and stop and freeze when staff stop playing.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations of what children can achieve. They plan interesting activities and provide challenging next steps to build on what children already know and can do. Children benefit from well-thought-out environments that reflect all areas of learning. They learn about healthy lifestyles and enjoy daily opportunities to go outside for fresh air. Staff teach children about diversity and different places around the world. They help children to understand what makes them unique. Children enjoy celebrations and festivals that are relevant to them. For example, on Saint David's Day, parents teach children Welsh and how to bake Welsh cakes.

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need to do better?

n Members of the management committee do not have a secure knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They have failed to inform Ofsted of changes to the nominated individual and committee members. As a result, Ofsted has not been provided with the information required to check the suitability of all committee members. However, there is no risk to children's safety because they do not have contact with the children. n The manager provides a broad curriculum. She knows what she wants children to learn during their time at the pre-school. Staff are sensitive to individual children's backgrounds and plan activities they want all children to experience, such as baking and growing vegetables. The manager carefully tracks children's progress so that any gaps in learning are quickly identified and appropriate support is put in place. Consequently, all children make good progress from their

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need to do better?

starting points. n Staff have a good knowledge of how young children learn, and use this to support children's learning and development. They skilfully weave mathematical learning into play. For example, staff encourage children to measure worms that they have made from play dough, and use words such as 'longest', 'shorter' and 'half'. n Overall, staff support children's communication and language development well. There are plenty of opportunities for children to enjoy singing songs and nursery rhymes. Staff follow specialist programmes to support children's early language skills. They read books with great enthusiasm to engage children. However, at

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need to do better?

11 May 2022 times, staff ask too many closed questions, and questioning is not skilful enough to develop sustained conversations with children. Furthermore, quieter children are not given enough time to think and respond. n Routines are well established and children are familiar with them. Children develop good independence. Older children confidently put their own wellies and coats on and younger children try themselves before staff support them. Staff regularly praise children for having a go. Therefore, children have high levels of resilience. For example, a child perseveres when attempting to throw pom-poms into a box and they demonstrate pride in their achievement. n Staff have established positive partnerships with parents and other childcare settings. Parents share positive feedback about the regular communication they receive, including daily updates and termly newsletters. They comment how pleased they are with the way staff support their children's learning and the

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need to do better?

progress they are making. Staff share information with other settings children attend, such as two-year-old progress checks. Children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning and for starting school. n The manager provides regular meetings and effective supervision to staff. She evaluates the setting to identify any gaps in practice that need improving. Staff attend appropriate training to develop their teaching skills further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are knowledgeable about signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare or staff conduct. All staff complete mandatory training and stay up to date with wider safeguarding issues. The manager completes thorough risk assessments for all environments and trips. They practise fire drills and lockdown procedures regularly. Safer recruitment practices are in place. Although Ofsted has not received the required information about changes of committee members, Disclosure and Barring Service checks have been completed to ensure their suitability.

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Due date

11 May 2022 ensure members of the management committee fully understand their roles and responsibilities and inform Ofsted of any significant changes to committee members and the nominated individual so that necessary suitability checks can be carried out. 27/05/2022

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should:

n make greater use of open-ended questioning to extend children's conversations and allow them time to think and respond.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2507926 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10233110 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 15 Number of children on roll 17 Name of registered person Little Bears Pre-School (Shebbear) CIO

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reference number

Telephone number 01409 282856 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Bears Pre School re-registered in 2019. It is located in Shebbear, Devon. The pre-school is open on Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9am to 3:30pm, and from 9am to 1pm on a Wednesday, during term time only. It also runs a weekly stay and play session for parents/carers and children. There are four members of staff. Of these, two hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3 and one holds a level 2 qualification. The pre-school receives free early education funding for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 her evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the 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 an adult-led activity with the manager. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with a member of the committee. 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 inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took their opinions into account. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in 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

11 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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