Stock Pre-School

Inspection of Stock Pre-School Dakyn Drive, Stock, INGATESTONE, Essex CM4 9TB

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children attend this setting with great joy and enthusiasm. They have a positive and excellent approach to learning. The children have fantastic social- communication skills, expressed with ease and confidence. Staff offer children an exciting and inspiring environment, to build on their skills, knowledge, and emotional resilience. For example, as soon as children arrive at the setting, they proudly find their wooden name tag and post it in a box placed by the entrance, showing fantastic reading skills.

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The provision is outstanding

Children form warm and strong attachments with their key person. Staff continuously challenge children's learning and support collaborative play. They encourage the children to choose between exploring a stimulating indoors provision, which is filled with interesting books and exciting activities, or accessing the garden set up with real-life resources and activities. For example, while out in the garden, children are fascinated to look for bugs, using tools with great control to dig in mud. They work very well together as a team, engage in meaningful conversations with their peers and learn new words, such as 'millipede'. Children's sense of discovery and exploration is highly supported. Furthermore, they acquire problem-solving skills, which in turn contributes to building their confidence and self-esteem.

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The provision is outstanding

Children learn so much about the world around them, particularly about different herbs. They have access to a herb allotment, where they get actively involved in picking the herbs. They touch and smell them, and use them in pretend play, extended to sensory exploration activities. In addition, they get to look after guinea pigs from time to time, and this learning is extended so that children know how to look after pets and show care and affection towards all living things.

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need to do better?

n The setting offers a rich environment with exciting and meaningful learning opportunities. Staff focus on developing children's independence. For example, while in the garden, children are encouraged to work in teams to build large structures. This further develops their hand-eye coordination, balance, and control. They engage exceptionally well with their peers, showing great levels of enthusiasm and giggling with joy. which supports children's emotional resilience and strengthens their social interactions. n Children have access to an impressive array of books and reading materials. Staff continuously read to children, modelling language well and involving them in discussions around the text or pictures. This is to enable the children to develop a passion for reading and further their communication and language skills.

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need to do better?

14 October 2022 n Staff have strong relationships with their key children. They have robust knowledge and understanding of children's learning. They use their assessment of what children can do to plan for next steps in their learning, then contribute successfully towards achieving them. Children's communication and language is supported and continuously extended, including at lunch time. Staff engage in meaningful conversations with the children, modelling language well and enriching their vocabulary. For example, while exploring an activity about space, they learn new ambitious words, such as 'mini spaceship', 'astronaut' and 'planet'. n Staff focus on providing stimulating and exciting activities for all children. The activities are differentiated, and children supported accordingly. For example, at the mark-making table, staff focus on pencil control with a younger child, while engaging in a conversation and ascribing meaning to drawings with an older

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need to do better?

child. As a result, staff are able to identify if early intervention is required to further support positive outcomes for children. n Staff support children's understanding of the world. Children engage in an imaginative play activity when pretending to be seeds of corn. They discuss the life cycle of corn with confidence, naming everything it needs to grow big and strong. Children use their prior knowledge and experiences to contribute positively to this activity. In turn, they further develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, children learn new words and concepts, such as 'swaying in the wind' and 'yeast'. n Partnerships with parents are strong and effective. They comment how robust the communication is and how well the staff support children's progress in all areas of learning. In addition, parents are included in children's learning and development to assure the continuity of care.

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need to do better?

n Leadership and management are strong and inclusive. As a result, staff turnover is limited. Leaders value the staff, their well-being and professional development. Leaders continuously reflect on their practices and aspire for better and greater. The ethos and vision for the setting is ambitious and focused on positive outcomes for children. This is shared among the team, who embrace it with passion and enthusiasm.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and leaders have secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, including wider aspects such as county lines and 'Prevent' duty. They also have deep knowledge and understanding about how to deal with disclosures and make referrals to relevant professionals, to protect children from harm. There is a robust induction process in place to ensure all staff complete regular and relevant training, to keep their safeguarding knowledge current and up to date. Policies and procedures are robust, effective and updated regularly. These are implemented accordingly and shared with staff and parents. Risk assessments are robust and completed daily. Furthermore, effective staff deployment means that children are well supervised and cared for. This helps to assure children's safety and welfare.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY395027 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10233747 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 26 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Stock Pre-School

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reference number

Telephone number 07939904295 Date of previous inspection 11 November 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Stock Pre-School was registered 2009 and is run by a committee. The pre-school employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, two staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 4, four staff hold a qualification at level 3 and two staff hold a qualification at level 2. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during school term times. Sessions are between 8.45am and 3.15pm. The pre- school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the pre-school 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 setting. n The inspector and manager completed a learning walk together. They discussed how the curriculum is organised and what they want children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and education, both outdoors and indoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Children spoke with the inspector about the activities they were doing. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager, deputy manager and nominated individual. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working at the setting.

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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 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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