Magic Moments Pre-school

Inspection of Magic Moments Pre- school The Scout Hut, Park Drive, Baldock, Hertfordshire SG7 6EN

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children arrive happily and settle quickly. Staff are attentive and provide comfort, particularly to new children who require extra support. Children interact confidently with staff and peers. They work together and express their ideas. For example, children create an obstacle course, using a range of large crates and tyres. This helps to promote their physical development.

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The provision is good

Children, including those with special educational needs and or disabilities, now benefit from good curriculum opportunities. They engage in a range of activities and experiences, such as water play. Staff introduce new words and language as children discover the water moving through the tubes and funnels into bowls on the ground. This helps to extend children's communication and language development.

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The provision is good

Children independently access books indoors and outdoors. Staff read stories to children and they listen intently. Children behave well. They learn to share and take turns through consistent messages from key staff, and they are beginning to self- regulate. For example, older children take themselves away from an activity when it does not appear to go how they want it to. Children are motivated. They are keen to learn and spend long periods at their chosen activities. Children demonstrate that they feel safe.

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need to do better?

n The manager has taken a range of positive steps to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. For example, rigid routines have been removed. Staff are more flexible in their approach to group activities. This allows children to become deeply engaged in activities and improves children's daily care and education. n Children learn about the habitats of creatures and wildlife. They study worms and learn about the life cycles of caterpillars, with great interest. Children and staff spend time looking at the creatures. Staff engage in discussions with children and introduce mathematical words and language, such as 'long' and 'short'. They support children to respect the creatures by explaining that they must be careful and gentle when they handle these. n Staff promote children's personal, social and emotional development. They praise children for their efforts, for example by telling children that they are 'so

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need to do better?

clever' as they complete tasks. However, on occasions, staff do not adapt their teaching to provide further challenge for the most able children. n Staff have strong partnerships with parents and other providers. Parents speak positively about their children's key person and welcome the information staff share about children's progress and achievements. Parents comment on and

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need to do better?

17 May 2022 appreciate how difficult it has been for staff throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They feel happy with the changes made since the last inspection and say that their children are settled. Additionally, the manager and key staff build connections with local schools. They welcome teachers into the pre-school to meet children who are moving on to school. This has a positive impact on the transitions children make to school. n Staff speak positively about the support they receive from the manager and how opportunities for ongoing training promote their professional development. However, the manager's regular supervision and coaching provide less focus on monitoring staff performance, which does not help to raise the quality of teaching to the highest level. n Staff support children to learn about good health and hygiene. They provide healthy snacks and encourage regular handwashing. Staff help children to

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need to do better?

develop further awareness through role-play activities and experiences. For example, children dress up and use toy medical kits as staff talk to them about being healthy. During discussions, staff help older children to learn about the impact of exercise on their hearts and health. Staff promote children's safety. They supervise children effectively and carry out regular risk assessments to ensure that they remain safe. n Staff regularly reflect on their practice and policies. They observe their key children and assess their progress and achievements each term, taking into account children's starting points. This helps them to identify gaps in children's learning. However, the information obtained from assessment is not used as effectively as possible to identify the most accurate next steps for individual children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. They are confident to report concerns and explain how they will take these further if the concern is not followed up by the manager. Staff attend regular safeguarding training and know about wider safeguarding issues. They are able to identify signs and symptoms of abuse that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. The manager implements robust recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable for their roles and their ongoing suitability is monitored. This helps to promote children's safety.

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should:

n develop the use of supervision, support and coaching to monitor staff performance and help to consistently raise the quality of teaching to the highest

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should:

17 May 2022 level n use information from assessments more effectively to monitor the learning and progress being made by individual children, and to identify more accurate next steps in learning n adapt teaching to provide further challenge for the most able children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY239397 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10199220 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 24 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person Magic Moments Pre-school Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07709618434 Date of previous inspection 16 June 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Magic Moments Pre-school registered in 2003. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including one member of staff who has early years professional status. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the pre- school. n The manager and the inspector held a learning discussion together to understand how the curriculum is organised. The inspector spoke with children and staff throughout the inspection. n The inspector observed staff interacting with children during an outdoor activity and reviewed this with the manager. n A number of parents spoke with the inspector during the inspection. The inspector took account of their views and feedback. n The inspector reviewed a sample of documentation, including evidence of staff's suitability and first-aid certificates.

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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

17 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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