Chawton Pre-School

Inspection of Chawton Pre-School Chawton Village Hall, Winchester Road, Alton, Hampshire GU34 1SB

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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 settle quickly in this warm and welcoming pre-school. They happily enter the setting, full of excitement and motivated to learn. They quickly focus their attention on seasonal-themed activities. For example, children develop an understanding of Bonfire Night through craft activities. Staff provide a rich variety of materials for children to choose from, which supports children to use creative free expression in art and design.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for all children. They know them well and plan a wide range of activities that they know children will enjoy. For example, during the inspection, children enjoyed listening to 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' story. They patiently waited for their turn to talk with staff about the sequence of events in the book. During this fun and exciting activity, children also learned about numbers. They developed fine motor skills as they found items related to the story and posted them into a pot. This deepened children's understanding of the story and extended their learning in other areas of the curriculum.

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The provision is good

Children generally behave well and have established secure relationships with staff and one another, which makes them feel safe and secure. For example, children confidently interact with staff during play and offer guidance to their friends during activities. This helps to create a positive environment for learning and development and improves further outcomes for children.

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need to do better?

n Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They incorporate children's love of books into their learning and provide opportunities for children to engage and interact with the story. For example, children excitedly call out keywords at appropriate times and develop an understanding of language patterns, such as rhyme and rhythm. Staff skilfully introduce children to a rich variety of language, using new words and encouraging children to repeat words and phrases. This supports further their communication and language development. n Staff provide a rich variety of resources which inspire children to learn. Children confidently select resources and engage in purposeful play. However, staff do not always consistently challenge children's learning, to ensure they make the best possible progress, for instance, when children play independently with self- chosen activities. n Partnership with parents is secure. Parents speak highly of staff and comment

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need to do better?

that children make good progress and that they feel included in children's learning and development. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, staff ensured children and families had access to home learning. Staff took turns to

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need to do better?

1 November 2022 upload story time videos and sent parents activities for children and their families to do at home. This ensured that children's learning and development continued to flourish and supported everyone's well-being. n Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. Children enjoy playing in the safe outdoor environment and using their imagination. For example, children experiment with role-play on the well-built pirate ship and practice their climbing skills under staff supervision. Since the last inspection, staff have proactively promoted children's understanding of healthy food. Children enjoy growing vegetables, including tomatoes, leeks, potatoes and pumpkins. They make healthy meals, such as pumpkin cupcakes and leek and potato soup. This supports their understanding of healthy lifestyles further. n The manager supports staff in their professional development. She provides

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need to do better?

regular supervision meetings to talk about what is working well and areas for improvement. Staff are encouraged to participate in training to update knowledge and understanding, and to improve outcomes for children. n Staff know children well and plan an exciting and varied curriculum based on children's interests and what fascinates them. Staff routinely talk to children at the end of the day to establish what they enjoyed doing and what they would like to do next. This ensures that children feel valued and included in their learning and development. n Staff are very mindful of supporting children to understand and respect different cultures. Children learn keywords and phrases from different languages and celebrate a broad range of festivals, such as Chinese New Year and Easter. This approach ensures that children gain a deeper understanding of diversity. n Children develop a good understanding of the world. Staff provide opportunities

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need to do better?

for children to learn about a variety of different creatures and season changes. For example, children enjoy going on Autumn walks, making bug houses, and creating sea-life creatures out of clay. These activities ensure that children develop an awareness and respect for the planet. n Children confidently approach staff for a cuddle and offer support to each other during play. Staff sensitively remind children of rules and procedures, such as not running indoors. However, children are not always consistently supported in understanding appropriate behaviour.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a secure understanding of how to keep children safe from harm. They have extended their knowledge and understanding through training and on the broader issues associated with child protection. They know the signs and symptoms of abuse and procedure to follow, if they are concerned about a child's safety or if an allegation is made against a member of staff. They ensure the premises are secure and safe. Staff monitor children's play and record any accidents in a timely manner. Staff ensure resources and equipment are cleaned regularly to help stop the spread of infection.

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should:

n coach and support staff to evaluate and further challenge children's learning, so they make the best possible progress n further support children to understand consequences of behaviour

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Setting details

Unique reference number 109858 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10228137 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 26 Number of children on roll 13 Name of registered person Chawton Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07552155236 Date of previous inspection 10 February 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Chawton Pre-School registered in 1992. It is situated in Alton, Hampshire. The pre- school operates during term time only and is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8.30am to 3pm. There are four members of staff, all of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications. The manager holds a level 4 qualification, and four staff hold qualifications at level 3. The pre-school 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 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 this into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector talked with parents to seek their views about the pre-school. n The inspector talked with children, staff, the manager and the treasurer of the committee. n The provider and inspector completed a learning walk and a joint observation. n The inspector observed children taking part in activities, both indoors and outdoors.

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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

1 November 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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