Blackberry Lane Pre-School

Inspection of Blackberry Lane Pre- School Edinburgh Close, Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 8HF

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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 happily and are greeted warmly by staff. They are eager to choose from a well-considered mix of adult-led and child-led activities. Children are taught new skills that they practise in their own play. For example, they competently use the hose to collect water in containers and steadily pour it into a water butt without spilling. All children make good progress from their initial starting points and are ready for their move to school.

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The provision is good

Children are skilfully supported to develop their speech. This is evident in their growing confidence to share ideas with each other. Children access appropriate resources independently and carry out tasks for themselves. They are respectful and well behaved. Children know what is expected of them and consistently follow the well-established daily routines. The atmosphere in the pre-school is positive as children are busy and positively engaged in their learning.

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The provision is good

Children form strong bonds with staff and their peers. They confidently make up their own games and readily invite others into their play. For instance, when balancing on wooden planks, children explain the rules of their game to others joining in. Children develop good body control as they practise their balancing techniques and avoid landing on the floor. They celebrate their successes with each other, giving them a sense of achievement.

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need to do better?

n Leadership and management are a real strength of the pre-school. The manager has an ambitious and clear vision. She wants children to be happy and independent learners and supports her staff well to achieve this. Staff feel respected and appreciated. High priority is placed on the professional development of staff and this has a positive impact on their skills and abilities to meet the emotional and educational needs of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n Children develop a love for books and help themselves to the wide range on offer. They use events in stories in their make-believe play. For example, they use their prior knowledge of traditional stories and change the characters, such as monkeys instead of goats from 'the Three Billy Goats Gruff' story. They cleverly adapt the repetitive phrases to take account of their changes. This broadens children's knowledge of how a story is structured.

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need to do better?

n Children have lots of fun as they become immersed in their imaginative play. However, occasionally children's play is interrupted by staff and they are not given enough time to finish what they are doing. This means that children's learning flow is disturbed. For instance, children place a stethoscope on a doll's chest, and pretend to listen to the heart. They begin to engage in a conversation

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need to do better?

30 June 2022 about what they can hear but are unable to continue this meaningful exchange as they are told to move on to an adult-led activity. n Children are motivated and eager to learn. They enjoy mark making and create their own detailed drawings. Children feel a sense of pride and talk interestingly about their work. However, in some adult-led activities, such as when they make superhero masks, children's individual creations all look similar because staff take a prescriptive approach to complete the task. This does not allow children the freedom to express themselves and feel that their individual efforts are valued. n Children learn to adopt healthy lifestyles. They have ample opportunities to explore the outdoors and play in the fresh air. Children know that to keep their own teeth healthy, they need to brush them daily. This is introduced in exciting ways, such as an experiment where hard-boiled eggs are left in different fruit

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need to do better?

drinks for a few days. Children observe that the shell of the egg which had been immersed in apple juice, is stained heavily. They test out their ideas to remove the stain and are fascinated when a toothbrush removes it successfully. Children then say, 'I love brushing my teeth'. n Parents are very complimentary about the staff and provision. They say staff communicate very well about all aspects of children's learning and development through an online application, verbal exchanges and progress meetings. Parents use this information to support their children at home, which helps to reinforce their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders understand their responsibilities to safeguard children. Staff are knowledgeable about child protection matters and understand how to keep children safe. They receive up-to-date training and can accurately identify the potential signs that a child may be at risk of abuse, including exposure to extremist views and behaviours. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns or need to seek advice about a child's welfare. Staff complete regular risk assessments of the indoor and outdoor environments. The manager follows effective recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n help staff to allow children time to finish their activities, to enable them to respond more successfully to their spontaneous interests and gain a sense of achievement n provide children with the freedom to attend to tasks independently, using their

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should:

30 June 2022 own thinking and creative skills to produce individualised work to help them feel unique.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY300951 Local authority Isle of Wight Inspection number 10128715 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 75 Name of registered person Blackberry Lane Pre-School

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reference number

Telephone number 01983298344 Date of previous inspection 6 November 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Blackberry Lane Pre-School registered in 2005. It operates from a building within Cowes Primary School in Cowes, Isle of Wight. The setting is open each weekday, term time only, from 7.45am until 6pm. The pre-school employs 15 members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n A learning walk was completed with the manager to discuss the curriculum intent and how the provision is organised. n The manager joined the inspector on a joint observation of a communication and language activity. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children during activities and assessed the impact of teaching on children's learning. n Parents spoke to the inspector and shared their views about the setting. n The inspector reviewed documents that were relevant to the inspection, including staff's suitability to work with children.

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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

30 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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