Upwood Small to Tall

Inspection of Upwood Small to Tall Upwood Primary School, Upwood, HUNTINGDON, Cambridgeshire PE26 2QA

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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 thoroughly enjoy their time in the pre-school. They explore their environment, freely moving between indoors and outside, as they follow their interests. Children learn about the importance of keeping safe. They wear safety goggles as they use small hammers to break up small blocks of ice. Children are delighted to find objects hidden in the ice when it comes apart.

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The provision is good

Staff promote children's good health, encouraging them to be physically active. Children develop their physical skills and gain a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. They learn to balance, control their muscles, and allow space for one another as they use equipment, such as ride-on toys. Children manage their personal care well. They competently wash their hands and sit at the table ready for lunch.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. Staff help children to learn about sharing and taking turns, who gently remind them of the rules. Older children manage their feelings well and are beginning to understand how their behaviour affects others. Staff praise children when they have tried hard, which develops their self-esteem. Staff understand the importance of helping children to be ready for school. Children are gaining the key skills that support their future learning.

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need to do better?

n Children benefit from a well-designed curriculum that builds securely on what they know, so that they experience consistently good learning opportunities. Staff generally present the information effectively to children in a way that offers the appropriate level of challenge to help children make good progress. n Staff understood the potential effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children and kept in regular contact with them and their families during periods of national lockdown. Staff helped parents to guide their child's learning at home, providing resources and activities to support them during this time. n Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress. Additional funding, such as early years pupil premium, is used well to support children's needs and reduce any differences in their learning. Staff have a good understanding of what children already know and what they

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need to do better?

need to learn next. They work closely with parents and other agencies to review children's next steps, which helps them to decide what to teach children. n Staff have a good knowledge of their key children. They understand what children already know and what they need to learn next. In addition, they liaise with other professionals, where appropriate, and this helps them to decide what to teach children. n Children enjoy practical activities. They work together to make play dough,

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need to do better?

14 July 2022 carefully adding the ingredients and mixing it to the required consistency. Staff talk to children about what they are doing, encouraging them to persevere as they mix the dough. Children add glitter and are excited to observe that the dough is 'sparkly'. n Partnerships with parents are well established and valued. Parents provide very positive comments about their children's experiences at the pre-school. They say that staff are approachable and share good information about their children. Parents say that their children enjoy an interesting range of activities and have flourished in staff's care. n Children demonstrate their growing vocabulary as they practise new words and confidently share their ideas. Staff ask questions to encourage children to think and engage them in conversation. n Staff work well together as a team. The manager values the staff team and provides effective support, ensuring staff have regular opportunities for training.

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need to do better?

However, the leadership team have not sought further ways to help all staff develop a deep knowledge of teaching and learning that consistently supports children in purposeful play. n Children have good opportunities to develop their early literacy skills. They write, make marks on paper, and show an interest in books. Children enjoy listening to stories. They enthusiastically join in, saying the familiar words. Staff support the younger children as they sit together to ensure all children are included in the activity.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding of child protection and the wider safeguarding issues. They know the importance of taking prompt action to protect children and the procedures to follow to report concerns they may have about a child in their care. All staff attend safeguarding training to ensure their knowledge is up to date. Robust recruitment and vetting arrangements help ensure that staff working with children are suitable for their role. Effective staff deployment means that children are well supervised and cared for. Staff carry out daily checks and risk assessments to ensure that the premises remain safe and secure.

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should:

n build on the already good practice and seek further ways to help all staff provide high-quality teaching to consistently support the play and learning experiences for children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 221835 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10229809 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 38 Number of children on roll 83 Name of registered person Upwood Small to Tall Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01487 802 086 Date of previous inspection 2 March 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Upwood Small to Tall registered in 1980. The setting employs nine members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications, ranging from level 2 to 5. The manager holds early years teacher status. The setting opens from 8am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. This includes a breakfast club that is available from 8am until 9am; the pre-school from 9am until 3.30pm and an after-school club from 3.30pm until 6pm. The setting 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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss and understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector had discussions with staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n A meeting was held between the inspector and the manager. The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including first-aid certificates and evidence of the suitability of staff. n The inspector observed activities indoors and outside and assessed the impact these have on children's learning.

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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

14 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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