Tommy Thumbs at Cledford

Inspection of Tommy Thumbs at Cledford Cledford Primary School, George VI Avenue, MIDDLEWICH, Cheshire CW10 0DD

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children thrive in this warm and welcoming environment. They form strong relationships with the staff, who are responsive to their needs. Staff instinctively further children's learning by responding to their interests. For example, they provide magnifying glasses to support children as they hunt for a spider. Children access a wealth of activities designed to enhance their learning. For example, they observe the changes to a pine cone when it is in water. Children plant seeds and grow their own fruit and vegetables, which they pick and use for snacks. This provides them with knowledge of the world, and an understanding of where food comes from.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children understand the importance of good manners and learn about rules and boundaries. Staff build effective partnerships with parents from the beginning. They work together to identify children's starting points. Home-learning activities support parents in extending their child's development at home, which helps children make the best start to their education. Children use pictures, stories and songs to talk about how they are feeling, and why they are feeling that way. They make suggestions about how to cheer up their friends if they feel sad, such as making silly faces, that helps them to develop an understanding of feelings and empathy.

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need to do better?

n The provider ensures that all staff compare the progress made by groups of children. They monitor how effective staff are in observing children to identify next steps in their learning, and how effective their plans are in increasing children's potential. This ensures all children make good progress in their learning. n The provider has a clear curriculum intent and designs their curriculum to meet children's individual needs. Staff work together to embed the curriculum across the wider setting and show commitment to developing the children's future learning. As such, children are provided with engaging and challenging activities, which support their next steps. n Staff teach children about the community through visits from local businesses. For example, they receive visits from the recycling team. They learn about the process of recycling and how their plastic bottles can become new items. Consequently, children learn about sustainable choices from an early age.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide a wealth of activities to support children's interests. For example, following a child's interest, they make ice-cream in the mud kitchen. They use scoops and containers to make ice-cream cones. A variety of herbs from their herb garden are used as toppings, which enhances their play. This provides children with opportunities to be imaginative, and to link experiences from

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need to do better?

11 October 2022 home. n Staff offer children opportunities to explore the wider world. For example, staff set up a large sand and water area outside, which provides the children with the opportunity to explore the seaside. As such, children can relive and explore features of the natural world. n Staff play alongside children and talk to them as they play. However, not all staff ask open-ended questions to encourage children to think on a deeper level. This means that children are not always effectively challenged to extend their learning further. n Children learn some mathematical concepts through planned activities, such as measuring, weighing materials and sorting shapes. However, children are not always able to explore mathematics independently in their own play. As a result, children do not always have the opportunity to embed what they have learned. n The provider tracks the progress children make to identify any gaps in their

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need to do better?

learning. Staff work together with parents and professionals to support children who have additional needs or special educational needs and/or disabilities. This ensures that all children make good progress given their starting points. n The provider has a clear vision of what they want to achieve, which they share with staff through team meetings. They carry out regular staff supervision and appraisals and use peer observations to assess the effectiveness of teaching and learning. The provider works with staff to identify their training needs. Staff disseminate new training to the rest of the team. They improve teaching and learning across the setting, thus improving outcomes for children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider, leaders and staff are well aware of their responsibilities in keeping children safe. Staff know the signs and symptoms of abuse, and who to contact should they have concerns about a child. The provider carries out extensive safe recruitment procedures to ensure that staff, volunteers and committee members are suitable. Risk assessments are in place to cover outings, and staff carry out daily checks of the provision. They involve children in risk assessing their own play to help them learn about safe practice. Daily cleaning and hygiene practice ensure the setting and resources are well maintained.

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should:

n further promote children's language and communication skills, in order to allow for deeper independent thinking n provide more opportunities for children to explore mathematical concepts independently in their play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY446797 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 10233823 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 66 Number of children on roll 69 Name of registered person Tommy Thumbs Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07973 842 808 Date of previous inspection 14 December 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Tommy Thumbs at Cledford was registered in 2012. The pre-school employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one has qualified teacher status. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 3.30pm, during term time only. The out-of-school club operates from 7.30am to 8.50am and from 3.15pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday, during term time and from 7.30am to 6.00pm, during school holidays. 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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual/registered individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

11 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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