Highfield Pre-School

Inspection of Highfield Pre-School The Pastures Community Centre, Welford Road, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN2 8PN

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children arrive at this inclusive pre-school happy and excited for the session ahead. They have close relationships with the adults that care for them. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) enjoy cuddles and gentle one- to-one interactions with their key person. Staff help to raise children's confidence and self-esteem. Children make their own choices about their play. Outside, children tell staff when they want to paint. Staff willingly set up an easel and paint for children to explore their creativity. Children thrive on staff's high expectations of them. When children are unsure of the name of a dinosaur, staff encourage them to ask their friends. Children share their knowledge as they proudly explain the dinosaur is a mixture of several dinosaurs.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and show kindness to their friends. They work together to create a bridge for their car track. When one child hands another a car they say, 'thank you'. This contributes to their social skills. Children develop a love of books and stories, which contributes to their literacy skills. They sit down together to listen to a familiar story with a staff member. Children are encouraged to help read the story, they interact together as they finish sentences and join in with great enthusiasm.

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need to do better?

n The provider is knowledgeable about early years care and education and is passionate about the service she provides. She strives to make the pre-school the best it can be for the children who attend to support their learning and development. n The provider is highly qualified and this reflects in her strong teaching practice. However, this is not yet consistent across the pre-school. For example, occasionally, other staff do not always fully extend or challenge children who are less confident, or those children who are more able. n The provider uses additional funding thoughtfully. For example, it is used to pay for a lunchtime session for those children who need it. These additional benefits are helpful, and further support children's social skills. n Staff know children well and understand how to further their knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. Children are each allocated a key person, who

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need to do better?

talks confidently about their key children's individual characteristics. They confidently explain how they support children's individual learning and identify what they need to learn next. n The outdoor environment offers good opportunities for safe risk-taking and challenges children's physical skills. For example, children show confidence and developing skills as they ride around the road track on wheeled toys. They negotiate the space, avoid obstacles and adhere to road signs held up by their

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need to do better?

22 June 2022 friends, such as 'stop'. Staff are on hand to provide support to children where required. This includes reminding children to go the correct way around the track to promote their safety. n Staff promote a positive attitude towards other cultures and backgrounds. Parents comment that the pre-school goes above and beyond to research the different ways they celebrate certain festivals. Staff then introduce these to all children in the pre-school. Children become involved in celebrating festivals with their friends and learn to respect and support each other to feel unique. n Children are very keen to be introduced to their new school teachers during visits they make to the pre-school. They say, 'I'm very excited, my teacher is here.' The provider talks with teachers about each individual child. These strong links help to promote children's emotional security when the time comes for their move on to school.

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need to do better?

n Staff work tirelessly to ensure that children with SEND and those with complex health needs receive the same opportunities as all children. This contributes to the good progress children make and helps them to develop essential skills for the future. n Parents cannot speak highly enough of the pre-school. They explain how the staff are amazing and not only support their children but them as a family as well. This contributes exceptionally well to the strong parent partnership that reflects the continuity of care between home and the pre-school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are clear about their role in protecting children. They show a secure knowledge of the procedures to follow in the event of a concern about a child's welfare. The provider ensures that staff access regular safeguarding training. She asks staff spot questions to help keep their knowledge current and up to date. The premises are secure. There is a robust system in place during drop-off and collection times, so that children are unable to leave the premises unsupervised. Staff are well deployed and supervise children well. For example, when staff leave the room to take children to the bathroom, they inform the remaining staff where they are going.

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should:

n support staff to further develop their teaching skills to extend and challenge all children's learning through their play experiences.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY341221 Local authority West Northamptonshire Inspection number 10138495 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 23 Name of registered person Snedker, Julia Clare

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reference number

Telephone number 07974615733 Date of previous inspection 12 March 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Highfield Pre-School registered in 2006. They are located in Kingsthorpe, Northampton. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including the provider who holds early years professional status and one member of staff who holds early years teacher status. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am until 12.15pm. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the pre-school offer a lunch club until 1pm. 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 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 pre-school. n The provider and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff and children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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 looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The inspector spoke to several parents and took account of written feedback offered.

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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

22 June 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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