Golden Valley Preschool

Inspection of Golden Valley Preschool The Portacabin, c/o Peterchurch Primary School, Peterchurch, Hereford HR2 0RP

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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

Community, friendship and warmth exude from this small rural setting. Children happily run in and greet their friends and staff alike. Children show care and consideration for each other and behave well. They immediately settle to play and share their morning routine with staff. Staff expertly wait, listen and respond to children's narratives. Staff support children with their communication and language very well at this setting. All children and staff use simple sign language during day- to-day interactions. This supports children's communication development from a young age. Children make very good progress from their starting points in this area.

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The provision is good

Staff support children's physical skills very well. For example, children manipulate dough with their hands. They pinch the dough, then use scissors to snip off small pieces. They roll them into tiny balls, commenting proudly over what they have achieved. Staff support children to consider how to use scissors safely. Children open and close different fastenings on a large purpose-built fiddle board. They slide locks into place. They use good hand-to-eye coordination to place hooks onto the eye and giggle loudly as they rattle the moving parts.

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need to do better?

n Staff teach children and families about the importance of keeping children healthy. They recognise that many families live on a tight budget. Staff organise healthy weeks. For example, staff will prepare nutritious and well-balanced packed lunches and send home menu sheets. n Children sit quietly on the carpet and generally behave well at the beginning of a new term. Those who struggle a little are supported well by staff. Children happily sing and use actions to well know nursery rhymes in a small group using props and pictures. At the end of the activity, the staff member expertly slows the pace, encouraging children to calm naturally. n Children have plentiful opportunities to mark make. They use chalk and water to paint the wall outside. However, the outside environment could be better organised to excite and enthral children. For example, a large outside tyre is available for children to crawl and clamber over, but it is filled with large plastic

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need to do better?

construction items. Children are asked not to climb into the tyre but cannot access the blocks. This means neither block nor tyre is used. n The highly knowledgeable, passionate manager, who cares deeply about her local community, incorporates this into the service she provides. Vulnerable children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make the best possible progress. She works closely with a range of professionals to ensure children receive targeted support. This means all children receive the right support when it is needed.

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need to do better?

15 September 2022 n Children explore early mathematics through their play. For example, a child remarks, 'I am really tall.' A staff member then encourages the child to compare her height with her friend by marking it on the wall with chalk. The child then explains, 'I am taller than her'. Staff have a confident understanding of how to teach mathematics. n The setting is a prominent part of the community. Through this, children learn about different occupations. For example, trips to a farm, to the doctor's surgery and to the local church. The day centre in the village acts as a social hub for all members of the community and children often go to meet people in their village and join in celebrations. This means children are provided with broader opportunities and presented with new challenges. n The manager has a sound understanding of how to drive improvement in the setting. She can identify areas she could improve further and celebrates her

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need to do better?

strengths. Staff speak very highly of how she supports their professional development. However, staff supervision does not always finely and precisely provide staff with a clear understanding of how they can improve their practice. n Parents comment they are kept very well informed about their children's progress and current interests through daily chats and the setting's online learning tool. Relationships with parents are very strong. Parents say their children make excellent progress and are well prepared for their next stage in education, including their move to school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has an exemplary understanding of and commitment to safeguarding children. Her strong leadership in this area means she is not afraid to challenge and escalate concerns to external agencies, in her duty of care to children. She can answer a wide range of scenarios on what she would do if a child was at risk. She maintains excellent documentation and chronologies where needed and is extremely proactive in her interventions. Staff can identify signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk. They know what to do and who to report to should they have concerns about any other member of staff or manager.

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should:

n review the curriculum for outdoor learning to further enhance and maximise children's learning in this area n ensure staff supervision is sharply focussed so staff have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and how to improve practice.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY391768 Local authority Herefordshire Inspection number 10116475 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 27 Number of children on roll 12 Name of registered person Golden Valley Pre School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01981550892 Date of previous inspection 21 March 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Golden Valley Preschool was registered in 2009. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The manager holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 5. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. 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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provision. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together. The manager shared with the inspector what they want children to learn and how they will do this. n The inspector and manager carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has 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

15 September 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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