Cottontails Pre-School at St Philips

Inspection of Cottontails Pre-School at St Philips St. Philip Westbrook C of E Aided Primary School, Westbrook Centre, Warrington, Cheshire WA5 8UE

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

Children flourish and make superb progress at this warm and welcoming nursery. Staff and leaders are extremely responsive towards the children's needs and help them to feel safe and secure in their environment. Children are incredibly motivated in their learning and show a remarkable interest in both their own choices of activities and those that are adult-led. There is a tremendously clear and precise curriculum intent that staff understand superbly. For example, children excitedly discover magically appearing shapes at the painting table following an adult-led activity teaching them the properties and names of familiar shapes. Children apply their newly acquired knowledge effortlessly and with confidence, exclaiming, 'Look, I have found another rectangle!'

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The provision is outstanding

Children develop excellent communication and language skills while at the setting, including those who speak English as an additional language. For example, children who have a limited understanding of English when starting at the setting are superbly supported during targeted vocabulary groups. Key vocabulary is skilfully introduced and modelled using a wide range of dual-language books, puppets, pictures and props.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff are fantastic role models, which supports children to display excellent behaviour. They teach children how to be kind and respectful to others. Positive behaviour is reinforced consistently and links closely to the four pre-school values, in particular that of 'kindness'. Children are rewarded with certificates for demonstrating these values, helping to embed extremely positive behaviour for all.

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need to do better?

n The quality of teaching is exceptional. The impact of high-quality teaching on what children know, understand and remember is highly effective. Any emerging gaps in children's learning and development are swiftly addressed to help to ensure that all children make outstanding progress from their starting points. Interventions and adult-focused teaching groups help staff to skilfully sequence the curriculum to ensure that all children achieve exceptionally well. n Children understand the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Staff promote healthy eating and work closely with families to encourage the provision of healthy and nutritious packed lunches. Children talk about their favourite fruit as they carefully use tongs to select pieces of banana or apple. Children delight in taking part in daily yoga sessions to support their physical and mental well- being. They use positive affirmations such as 'I am strong' alongside the

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need to do better?

movements to encourage positive attitudes for physical and emotional health. n Children's views are respected and listened to by all adults. For example, they vote for which story to be read at story time. The manager and key staff hold

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need to do better?

7 October 2022 regular meetings with the 'children's council', where children share what they like about the setting and what they would like to see more of from the adults and activities provided. n A key strength of the setting is the support it has in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who speak English as an additional language. Leaders go to great lengths in their efforts to remove barriers to learning. They are unrelenting in their quest to get children the precise support that they rightly deserve. Intervention plans are monitored with rigour, and targets are shared with all staff and reviewed consistently. n Staff praise the management team and feel extremely well supported in their roles. The manager offers exceptional support to staff through regular supervision meetings and observations of their practice. Staff have access to targeted online training and are encouraged to reflect on their practice through

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need to do better?

peer-on-peer observations. Opportunities such as these ensure that staff continually build on, enhance and share their impressive skills in order to be the best that they can be when supporting children's learning. n The highly effective programmes for literacy mean that children are learning the concepts and skills necessary to be confident readers and writers. Skilful delivery of the literacy programmes by knowledgeable staff means that children are exceeding in their understanding of sounds, rhythm, rhyme and letter sounds. This is helping children to gain essential skills for the next stage in their learning when they transition to primary school. n Partnerships with parents are tremendous. All parents talk about how invested and in tune leaders and staff are with them and their children. Information sharing is superb, with regular updates being shared through online learning journals for each child. Parents feel fully involved as co-educators supporting

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need to do better?

their children's learning. They welcome the extensive opportunities to join in with activities in the nursery.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety is of the highest importance. Staff are clear about the procedures to follow if they have concerns about the welfare of a child. Managers provide opportunities for staff to continually update their awareness of key aspects of safeguarding when attending monthly staff meetings. As such, staff have an extensive knowledge of safeguarding issues, including radicalisation and female genital mutilation. Staff teach children the importance of keeping themselves safe. They talk to them about road safety and take them to talk to the school crossing patrol officer. They also talk to the children about 'safe adults', such as teachers and/or police officers. This helps children to understand potential dangers in their local environment and how to keep themselves safe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2592389 Local authority Warrington Inspection number 10251281 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 35 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Cottontails Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07769758032 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Cottontails Pre-School at St Philips registered in 2020. The setting employs five members of staff, including three staff with level 6 qualified teacher status, one with level 3 and one who is unqualified. The setting opens from Monday to Friday, 9am until 3pm, term time only. The setting provides funded early education for 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 provider and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk and discussed the early years curriculum and the activities on offer for the children. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations with the manager and discussed how the curriculum had been implemented and the impact this had on children's learning.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection. She took account of all views. n The inspector reviewed a variety of documents, including evidence of the suitability of staff, qualifications, first-aid certificates, policies and procedures.

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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

7 October 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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