Little Sunshines Pre-School

Inspection of Little Sunshines Pre- School Upwell Academy, 59-61 School Road, Upwell, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE14 9EW

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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

Children arrive confidently and settle quickly in the homely and nurturing environment. They form secure attachments with staff, who are very attentive to their needs. Children choose from a wide range of activities and resources that encourage them to explore and develop their imaginations. They draw pictures of a ladybird that they have found in the garden and discuss where the insect lives and what it eats. Children have positive behaviour and staff reinforce this by being good role models. Children are taught to be kind and respectful to one another. They are given clear and consistent messages by staff to help them to understand what is expected of them.

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The provision is good

Staff know the children well and provide learning experiences that reflect the children's emerging interests and individual stage of development. Children happily engage in purposeful play opportunities and develop a positive attitude to learning. For instance, children confidently lead their own circle time and re-enact activities that staff have previously led. Children have opportunities to develop their independence skills. They can dress themselves, pour their drinks and wash up their plates after snack time. This helps to prepare the children for the next stage of their learning and education.

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need to do better?

n Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well. They develop a positive sense of self-worth, and their efforts and achievements are highly valued and praised. As a result, children show high levels of confidence and willingness to have a go and develop the necessary skills to start school. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who receive additional funding make good progress. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents and other professionals. They adapt the curriculum to meet the children's learning needs and provide additional members of staff who can provide individual support. n Children understand the importance of eating healthily and maintaining good oral health. For instance, they practise brushing plastic teeth on a mouth replica and talk about trips to the dentist. Staff help children to recognise the importance of getting out in the fresh air and exercising daily as part of

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need to do better?

developing healthy lifestyles. Staff discuss what food is good for the children and teach them to make healthy choices. n Staff have high expectations for all children and understand how they learn and develop. Staff make good use of assessment to plan for individual needs. They quickly identify gaps in children's learning and put appropriate support in place. Children are keen to learn. They demonstrate their knowledge of early science as they explain that combining blue and yellow paint makes green.

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need to do better?

12 May 2022 n Management and staff have developed strong parent partnerships. They ensure that they share information effectively to provide children with consistency in their care and learning. Parents speak highly of the staff and comment on how they have built strong bonds with their children. Parents feel well informed about what their children are learning and what the next steps in their development are. n The members of the management team are passionate about the service that they provide. They evaluate the quality of their provision successfully to make ongoing improvements. For instance, they are currently developing the garden area so that they can provide children with more opportunities to learn about the world around them. The management team supports staff's well-being and professional development. They enrol staff on courses and provide thorough in- house training. n Children learn through their play and make good progress. They remain busy

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need to do better?

and play with engagement and curiosity. Staff place a high emphasis on supporting children's communication and language skills. In addition, the management team has employed a further member of staff to support children with their speech and language development. Staff encourage conversations throughout children's play. For example, children discuss the animals they have seen at the zoo when playing in the water tray. However, on occasions, particularly during large-group activities, some children are not as well supported as they could be to develop and practise their communication and language skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Management and staff understand their responsibility to safeguard the children in their care. They have good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child or if an allegation is made against a member of staff. They regularly update their training to support their safeguarding knowledge, which includes training around wider safeguarding concerns. The management team follows safer recruitment procedures to ensure the suitability of staff. Staff carry out effective risk assessments of their environment and teach children about risks so that they can keep themselves safe.

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should:

n enhance the quality of teaching, particularly during large-group activities, in order to support all children to further develop their communication and language skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2537898 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10215256 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 23 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Little Sunshines Pre-School, Upwell Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01945 773715 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Sunshines Pre-School registered in 2019. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am until 3pm. 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 their evaluation of the pre-school. n The managers and the inspector had a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector looked at a sample of relevant documentation, including evidence of staff's Disclosure and Barring Service checks, paediatric first-aid training and safeguarding training.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity.

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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

12 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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