Little Sparklers Pre-School

Inspection of Little Sparklers Pre- School Yeo Moor Primary School, Kennaway Road, Clevedon, Avon BS21 6JL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is good

Friendly staff welcome the children into this nurturing pre-school. They enter happily and wave goodbye to their family at the door. The children become excited as they explore the play environment. They seek out their friends and favourite toys. The staff build good attachments with the children, who invite them into their play. They offer children lots of praise and celebrate their achievements. This develops children's confidence and self-esteem.

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The provision is good

Children's behaviour is excellent. They show a good attitude to learning and a willingness to give things a go. The children share resources and ideas. They praise and celebrate one another's achievements. Staff are good role models. They use manners and gentle reminders, such as to use 'kind hands' and 'indoor voices'. Staff encourage the children to resolve conflicts themselves. For example, children can be heard telling others that they 'have to be kind' and that 'it's not nice to push'. This helps children to manage their feelings and behaviours and understand the impact they can have on others.

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The provision is good

The children become excited as they play with the foam shape blocks. They work together to build a range of different structures, such as castles and rockets. The children realise that by putting two triangles together, they can make a square. They eagerly share what they have discovered with the staff and their peers. This inspires children to take ownership of their own learning.

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need to do better?

n The manager and her team have created a clear and ambitious curriculum which covers all seven areas of learning. They use children's interests and their next stages of learning to plan activities that aim to spark children's curiosity. The staff know the children extremely well. They play alongside the children, offering teachable moments to build on what children already know. n Children take part in group circle times where they listen and learn new concepts. For example, staff show the children five objects which the children must remember. The staff remove an object and encourage the children to identify the object that is missing. They make the game more challenging by adding more objects and removing two. This develops children's critical-thinking skills and builds a strong attitude to learning. n The manager and her staff ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the right support. They work closely with other

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need to do better?

agencies to create individual plans and targets. These plans ensure children make the best possible progress. n The children benefit from a large play space. They race around on bicycles and ride-on toys, seeing who can go the fastest and strengthening their muscles.

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need to do better?

17 November 2022 The staff prioritise developing children's literacy skills. They provide children with a range of mark-making tools to build the muscles needed for later writing skills. n Children show they know how to manage their self-care routines, such as wiping their noses and washing their hands. They go to the toilet and get themselves dressed independently. Staff offer children choices on what they want to do next. For example, children become deeply immersed in their play, and staff ask the children if they would like a snack or to keep on playing. The children take a vote and decide they would like to play a little longer. This empowers children to take ownership of their learning and opinions. n Parents feed back that they are happy with the care provided by the manager and her team. They value the manager's wealth of knowledge and support, particularly with help finding a school or signposting to local charities. Staff give

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need to do better?

parents a detailed handover at the end of each day. They share photos of the children's favourite activities using an online application. However, some parents do not know their children's next stages of learning. This means parents do not know what the staff are doing to support their child's learning. n The manager continuously reflects on the quality of her provision. She has regular meetings with staff to discuss their roles and key children. However, staff do not attend training that is tailored to their professional development goals. This means staff do not gain new knowledge to further develop their interests.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and her team demonstrate a good understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children from harm. They can identify the different signs and symptoms of abuse, including female genital mutilation and peer abuse. The staff know the procedure for reporting an allegation or concern regarding a member of staff. The manager makes sure that her staff attend regular training to ensure their knowledge is up to date. She uses robust recruitment procedures to make sure all staff are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n build on partnerships with parents to ensure that all parents are aware of their children's progress and next stages of learning n enhance professional development to ensure that training is tailored to further extend staff's knowledge.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY417270 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 10233773 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 15 Name of registered person Hillcox, Karen

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reference number

Telephone number 07748 117 651 Date of previous inspection 17 November 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Little Sparklers Pre-School opened in 2004 and re-registered in 2010. It operates from within the grounds of Yeo Moor Primary School in Clevedon, North Somerset. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 1.30pm, for 47 weeks of the year. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are three staff, including the manager, employed to work with the children; of these, two hold an early years qualification at level 3.

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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 inspector and the manager completed a learning walk and discussed the provision and the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during both indoor and outdoor play and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection and completed a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager to discuss how they self- evaluate the provision. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting. n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection. n Children spoke and engaged with the inspector during the inspection.

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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

17 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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