The Hive Preschool

Inspection of The Hive Preschool 21st Bristol Scout Hut, Bamfield Road, Bristol, Avon BS14 0XD

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Children receive a warm welcome from staff as they arrive. Staff exchange information with parents about children, which promotes continuity of care. Children form strong bonds with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Children have access to a wide variety of activities that inspire them to explore. Staff observe children's interests and tailor activities accordingly. For example, children enjoy listening to their favourite story and joining in with the rhyming words. However, the quality of teaching is inconsistent. Children do not always fully benefit from the activities on offer. This is because not all staff challenge and extend children's learning. The manager has not identified weaknesses in staff's teaching, particularly those with less experience. Despite this, children learn some necessary helpful skills, such as how to put on their own shoes.

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The provision requires improvement

Overall, children show confidence and respond well to staff. For instance, they help to tidy away toys and listen to adults when they remind them not to run inside. However, some children do not settle well, and they struggle to follow the routine. Staff do not do enough to support them with this. Children enjoy uninterrupted play inside and outside. They show delight as they splash in muddy puddles and practise their mark-making skills while painting. However, the organisation of some activities can cause unnecessary waiting times for children.

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need to do better?

n The manager meets with her staff both individually and as a team. She encourages them to reflect on the provision for children and welcomes their ideas. She considers the well-being of staff and prioritises team morale. However, supervision for staff does not sufficiently focus on weaknesses in teaching. Less-experienced staff are not monitored closely enough to identify where they need support. n Overall, staff interact well with children. They engage them in conversation and listen to what they have to say. Staff use strategies such as repeating back the words children say to support their language skills. However, some teaching lacks focus and direction for children. Not all staff are skilled in recognising or seizing opportunities to challenge and extend children's learning. This means that children are not getting the full benefit of the learning opportunities that staff provide for them. n Staff provide a broad curriculum that incorporates many areas of learning.

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need to do better?

Children freely explore the activities and there is a balance of adult-directed and child-led learning. However, the routine and some focused activities are not always organised well enough. Occasionally, children have to wait long periods until everyone is ready, before they can go outside and for adults to begin focused activities. This sometimes causes them to become restless and

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need to do better?

1 July 2022 disengaged from meaningful play. n Most children settle at the pre-school well and are eager to join in. An effective key-person system helps children to form trusting relationships with staff. However, sometimes, some children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, struggle to settle in and follow the daily routine. Staff do not always use available resources or implement strategies to support children with this as well as they could. n Children have plenty of meaningful opportunities to practise their independence skills. Staff encourage children to serve themselves at snack time and pour their own drinks. This helps children to build useful skills for the future. n Children have a good sense of belonging at the pre-school. Staff help them to learn to recognise their written names. Children look for their name-card at snack time and proudly place it on a board to show their arrival. However, some

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need to do better?

staff do not always use children's names when talking to them. They replace their name with a generic nickname. This reduces children's learning about self- identity and individuality. n Children are learning about the importance of healthy lifestyles and good hygiene practices. Staff offer fresh fruit at snack time, and children have access to drinking water throughout the day. Staff explain to children that drinking water helps to keep them hydrated in the warm weather. All children wash their hands before they begin playing and before eating. This helps to promote their good health and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities to protect children in their care from harm. Managers and staff undertake regular safeguarding training. This helps them to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and know what to do in the event a child may be at risk. Staff know the reporting procedures to follow should they become concerned about the welfare of a child. They are also aware of wider safeguarding issues, such as how children may become subject to extreme or radical views. Staff know the actions to take should they become concerned about the conduct of a colleague. The premises are safe and secure and cannot be accessed by unauthorised persons.

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Due date

1 July 2022 strengthen arrangements for the supervision and coaching of staff, to identify weaknesses and target support to raise the quality of practice to a consistently high level 30/09/2022

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Due date

improve the quality of teaching to ensure that all children are consistently challenged and that their learning is extended effectively to maximise their outcomes. 30/09/2022

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should:

n review the organisation of activities and parts of the routine, to reduce the time that children spend waiting and to maximise their engagement in learning n ensure that staff use available resources and build on strategies to support children who have difficulties with settling and following the daily routine n ensure that staff use children's correct names when talking to them, to help children to fully develop a sense of self and individuality.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2537721 Local authority Bristol City of Inspection number 10208615 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 38 Number of children on roll 48 Name of registered person J Akerman and T Pople partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 07515662260 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Hive Preschool registered in 2019. It operates from a scout hut in the Whitchurch area of Bristol. The pre-school is open from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 8am to 2.30pm on Monday. On Tuesday to Friday, sessions are from 8am to 4pm. Most members of staff hold early years qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the pre-school 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 inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views. n The inspector and the deputy manager jointly observed and evaluated staff's teaching. n Discussions were held between managers and the inspector to evaluate the leadership and management of the pre-school. n The manager led the inspector on a learning walk and discussed how they organise the curriculum.

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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

1 July 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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