Thomas Estley Preschool

Inspection of Thomas Estley Pre- School and Out of School Club Thomas Estley Community College, Station Road, Broughton Astley, LEICESTER LE9 6PT

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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 happy at the pre-school and they are warmly greeted by staff. They understand the routine. Children select their name, place their belongings on a peg and attach their name card. This gives children a sense of belonging and promotes independence. Staff thoughtfully support children to separate from their parents. They offer children a cuddle and seek out their favourite activity. Children value the caring nature of the staff; they feel reassured and safe. Children soon engage in the activities set up for them, seeking out their friends to join in with their play.

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The provision is good

The outdoor learning environment provides children with opportunities to explore and experience physical challenge. For example, children arrange plastic reels, crates, planks of wood and hoops to make an obstacle course. They take turns to negotiate their way over the course. Children learn to balance and use their large muscles for intended movements. They make the activity more challenging by taking reels away, so they have to stretch their bodies further. Children work together to rebuild a slope and say 'thank you' to their friends for helping. Furthermore, children learn to take manageable risks. They skilfully climb trees and squeal with delight as they swing from the branches.

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need to do better?

n Staff find out about the experiences children have had before they attend the pre-school to support their future learning. For example, staff have identified that during the COVID-19 pandemic, some young children have spent less time mixing with others. For these children, staff support their social skills through routines and activities to encourage sharing and turn taking. n The pre-school staff develop effective links with local schools, supporting a smooth transition when it is time for children to move on. Furthermore, staff work closely with other settings that children attend. Children's next steps and achievements are shared. This joined-up approach ensures consistency for children and helps them to make progress. n Overall, children behave well. Staff support them to develop good social skills and manners. They say 'please' and 'thank you' and play cooperatively with their friends. Children follow instructions and make their own choices about what they

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need to do better?

would like to play with. However, on occasions, staff do not consistently support children to understand how their behaviour affects others. n Leaders and staff have a strong focus on self-evaluation. They regularly evaluate what activities and resources have worked well. If an activity or resource is not accessed, staff think about how they could adapt it to better meet the interests of the children. The manager meets with staff individually to discuss their well- being and professional development. Training needs are identified and planned for. This helps staff to improve the knowledge and skills they need to teach

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need to do better?

28 June 2022 children effectively. n Parents are highly complementary about the pre-school and say they would not change a thing. They report that they receive regular updates about their children's achievements and staff share ideas of activities to do at home. This supports children to make progress and embed learning. Parents say that staff obtain their views and feedback. They ask for suggestions and comments on activity ideas. This demonstrates collaborative working and gives parents a voice. n Staff teach children about other cultures through celebrations. However, staff do not always help children to reflect on their own differences, or develop their understanding of what makes them unique. n Staff provide opportunities for the pre-school children to mix with older children. They huddle together in the cosy area and share their chosen book. This enhances children's social skills. Children are gaining a love of books. They

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need to do better?

benefit from visiting the school's library and take out books to share at home. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well cared for. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents and external professionals to ensure the needs of children with SEND are met. n Staff generally plan suitable activities that are exciting and support children's interests. For example, children experiment in making their own 'perfume'. They hunt for items in the garden to use for the ingredients and then mix them together with water. However, during some activities, staff do not always sequence children's learning appropriately. This results in some activities being too challenging for some children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff undertake regular safeguarding training. They understand the signs and symptoms of abuse and what action to take to keep children safe from harm. Additionally, staff know what to do if they have a concern about a colleague's conduct. All staff have completed paediatric first-aid training. This means staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to deal with any accidents effectively. Safeguarding processes include the safe use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting, and this is evident in practice. Staff are vigilant about safety and put in place a range of procedures to help keep children safe. For example, staff make sure that children are aware of road safety and wear high-visibility jackets when on outings.

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should:

n provide children with more rich experiences to promote their understanding of

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should:

28 June 2022 their own differences and what makes them unique n enhance children's understanding of the impact of their actions on others to help them to manage their own behaviour n support staff to consistently implement a curriculum that is sequenced and offers children appropriate challenge, to extend children's learning even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY455128 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10138457 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 29 Name of registered person Success Academy Trust

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reference number

Telephone number 01455 283 263 Date of previous inspection 22 May 2013

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Information about this early years setting

Thomas Estley Pre-School and Out of School Club registered in 2012. The pre- school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including one with a relevant qualification at level 4. The pre-school operates Monday to Friday, 9am until 3pm, during school term time. The out-of-school provision opens from 7.30am until 9am, and 3pm until 6pm, during school term time. 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 setting 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 setting. n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk together. The inspector spoke with the manager and staff to gain an understanding of their curriculum intent. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

28 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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