Covingham Kingfisher Pre-School

Inspection of Covingham Kingfisher Pre-School St. Pauls Church Centre, Lovell Close, Covingham SN3 5BT

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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 enjoy their experiences at the pre-school. They arrive eagerly and are welcomed by the friendly staff. They settle well and choose activities that interest them. The children get on well together and communicate confidently. For example, outdoors, three- and four-year-olds invite their friends to race after them in the sit-in vehicles. They call to one another, laughing together, as they manoeuvre their cars at speed, negotiating obstacles skilfully. Children talk avidly with staff as they create dough cakes and add pasta candles to celebrate their birthdays. They count the 'candles' correctly and talk about shapes and sizes, showing good mathematical awareness. Two-, three- and four-year-olds behave exceptionally well. They are polite, follow instructions well, take turns and show respect for others, learning these skills from a young age. Children thoroughly enjoy outdoor play. They like to engage in physical and imaginative play. They

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The provision is good

recreate first-hand experiences as they take their 'babies' out for a walk and 'cook' meals, mixing soil in saucepans ready to 'feed' awaiting staff.

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The provision is good

The long-established staff team members are enthusiastic in their roles. They show genuine warmth and kindness to the children. They instinctively offer the encouragement and support the children need to foster their all-round learning and development.

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need to do better?

n Staff plan activities that reflect children's interests and build on what they know and can do. The number of children on roll is low and all staff know every child attending well. They all know children's individual care and learning needs. This includes children who require extra support to achieve in their development. The manager and staff hold weekly planning meetings to share their observations of children's progress and to plan for their future learning. They use topical themes to build activities around and adapt these to respond to learning opportunities that arise spontaneously. A suitably varied curriculum is offered. It covers all areas of learning successfully. As a result, children make good progress in their learning and development. n The manager and staff have created an inviting learning environment for the three- and four-year-old children. However, the large room for the two-year-old

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need to do better?

children lacks the welcoming feel that the other rooms have and fails to complement the positive interactions children receive from staff caring for them. Although there are some activities that interest the children, there are not many that inspire imagination and role play, problem solving, enjoyment of books and quiet time. n Staff work well in partnership with the local school that many children transfer to. They ensure that children are suitably prepared in readiness for school.

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need to do better?

12 October 2022 Partnership working with other settings that children attend, such as childminders, are not established. Therefore, staff cannot be sure that the experiences they offer children complement those they have elsewhere. n Children learning English as an additional language receive good support and quickly develop their vocabulary. Staff actively encourage conversation and ensure all children are fully included. Snack and mealtimes are social occasions when staff and children have all sorts of dialogue. For example, children chat about experiences they have at pre-school and with their families. A child spontaneously starts singing along to music they hear and soon others in the group join in enthusiastically. During activities, staff ask children questions to encourage language and thinking, drawing on children's past experiences and to build on previous learning. n Partnership with parents is good. Parents continue to drop and collect their

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need to do better?

children outside the building, following changes in operation due to the COVID- 19 pandemic. Staff ensure that parents are well informed about their children's activities and progress. Parents report that they are very happy with their children's progress and praise the staff highly. The manager shares suggestions of activities parents can do at home to support their children's learning routinely. She highlights local events that may be of interest to the families and also offers support to parents. For example, she helps parents to seek funding and any extra help they need. Parents are also invited to join their children for special events, such as Harvest and Mother's Day celebrations. For example, children and their parents enjoyed sharing apples and cake recently to celebrate Harvest, and earlier in the year, children served their mums afternoon tea, demonstrating their independence skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures that all staff complete online safeguarding training. Staff are clear about their responsibility to identify and respond to any concerns about children's welfare promptly. Procedures to follow and contact numbers to report any concerns are displayed for reference in the office area of the pre-school. The staff maintain a safe and secure environment and are vigilant in their supervision of the children. They model good hygiene practices and children learn to wash their hands routinely. The manager ensures that all staff keep their first-aid training up to date, and understands her responsibility to implement safer recruitment procedures.

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should:

n work in partnership with other settings children attend to foster two-way

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should:

12 October 2022 communication, to ensure children's learning experiences complement those they receive elsewhere n create a warmer, welcoming environment for two-year-olds and provide a wider variety of activities that inspire imagination, problem solving, enjoyment of books and quiet time.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 511586 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 10234589 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 42 Number of children on roll 17 Name of registered person Covingham Kingfisher Pre-School Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01793 434221 Date of previous inspection 8 December 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Covingham Kingfisher Pre-School opened in 1996 under its present name, having been Dorcan Playgroup since 1971. The pre-school is located in St Paul's Church Centre in Swindon, Wiltshire. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff and has a volunteer. Four members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications between level 3 and level 6. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, from 9am until 3pm, during school term time only. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first inspection the setting has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact and changes the provider has made as a result of the pandemic. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk to observe and discuss the curriculum and look at the interactions and learning intentions in each of the group rooms and outdoors. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector observed and spoke to children as they engaged in their play and learning activities. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a group musical activity. n The inspector looked at evidence of Disclosure and Barring Service checks and first-aid training. n The inspector spoke with parents and took account of their views.

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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

12 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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