Tiny Steps Pre School

Inspection of Tiny Steps Pre School 40-44 Bermuda Close, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 9PE

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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 love to come to this stimulating and nurturing setting. They happily play by themselves and with their friends. Children behave well and learn to be considerate of others. For example, children share their toys fairly by using a sand timer. They make good progress from their individual starting points.

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The provision is good

Children are keen learners. They ask relevant questions that help deepen their understanding. Staff are sensitive and responsive to children's needs. Children freely explore the variety of interesting activities on offer. They are consistently supported to develop their imagination. For example, children make pretend cakes with natural objects in the outdoor mud kitchen and then 'bake' them in the toy oven. They are encouraged by staff to use a sand timer to understand that baking needs to be timed. This helps children to make connections with real-life events.

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The provision is good

Children learn to adopt a healthy lifestyle. They are given many opportunities to be physically active and enjoy the fresh air. Children run, balance and climb with increasing competency. This is further extended as children use the larger equipment at the local park. Children have access to a sorting game of cards with a variety of foods on. They decide on which are healthy and understand that some treat foods should be limited to keep their teeth healthy.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff place a high priority on the development of children's communication and language skills. Leaders have identified that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, children need extra support in their speaking and social skills. Staff model these skills well, which has helped children to become more capable of holding interesting two-way conversations with others. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) show improvements in their speech due to the individual interventions in place, such as the use of familiar phrases from their favourite books. Children hear the phrases and repeat these independently. n Staff gather comprehensive information from parents when children start at the setting. This information is used to assess what children know and can do. Staff skilfully use their assessments to plan specific activities matched to children's next steps in learning. Leaders readily seek advice from other professionals so

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need to do better?

that children's individual needs are catered for. Good-quality support is provided by speech and language therapists and early years advisers. This helps to ensure that all children are able to achieve well. n Leaders are passionate about providing opportunities that children may not have experienced before, which helps to enhance children's knowledge and development further. Leaders and staff have worked together to devise an

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need to do better?

27 May 2022 ambitious curriculum with 10 curriculum goals for children to work towards, for example 'to build a den'. This helps to provide children with skills for the future. n Staff actively interact with children to develop their mathematical skills and understanding through appropriate activities. For example, children count scoops of rice to fill containers of different sizes and begin to make simple comparisons. However, staff do not consistently provide opportunities to extend children's learning even further. Staff, on occasions, have a tendency to talk too much when engaged with groups of children. They do not consistently allow children the opportunities to think critically, follow their own ideas and solve problems, when posed with a challenge. n Leaders are dedicated to continual improvement. Staff feel valued and comment on the leaders being receptive to their needs. Leaders monitor staff's practice

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need to do better?

and provide them with training to improve their curriculum delivery. However, leaders do not fully consider tailored support for individual staff to take their practice to a higher level. This means that staff are not as well equipped with strategies to teach to their best and enable all children to make even better progress. n Parents speak highly about the care and education their children receive at the setting. They are impressed with the advice and support staff give them, for example when toilet training. Parents commend the staff's nurturing approach and say that their children make good progress in their speech and social skills. They feel that their children are well prepared for their next stage in education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a secure understanding of their role to protect children from risk of harm. Staff know how to recognise potential signs and symptoms of abuse, including exposure to extremist views and behaviours. They understand the local procedures to follow should they need advice or to report any concerns about a child's welfare. Leaders ensure that staff receive safeguarding updates so that their knowledge is current. They follow robust recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff carry out daily risk assessments to ensure that children play in a safe and secure environment.

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should:

n enable children to excel further in their learning, with opportunities to enhance their critical thinking, follow own ideas and have a go at meeting the challenges posed n provide staff with individualised professional training opportunities to enable them to take their own practice to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2564338 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10233496 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 40 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Tiny Steps Pre-School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07568314825 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Tiny Steps Pre School registered in 2019. It operates from the Bermuda Community Centre in Popley, near Basingstoke, Hampshire. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 3.15pm, during term time only. The pre-school employs six members of staff. The owners work as the managers of the pre-school. They both hold recognised early years qualifications, including an early years foundation degree and a level 3 qualification. Four members of staff hold relevant qualifications from level 2 and above.

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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 their evaluation of the provider. n The pre-school manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the pre-school manager. n The inspector observed the quality of the education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on the children's learning. n Parents and staff shared their views on the pre-school with the inspector. 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

27 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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