Seesaw Pre-school

Inspection of Seesaw Pre-school The Galfrid School, Galfrid Road, Cambridge CB5 8ND

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children enthusiastically choose what they would like to play with and explore in the pre-school. They gather around the water tray and watch what happens when the water overflows from a watering can they have filled. Staff encourage them to describe what they see, helping them use mathematical language, such as 'full' and 'heavy'.

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The provision is good

Children feel valued in the pre-school. They choose where their artwork should be displayed on the walls. Staff ask children what they would like to be written next to their pictures, contributing to children's growing positive self-esteem. Children share their own family books with friends. The individual books contain photographs of important people in each child's life, helping them identify differences and similarities they can celebrate.

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The provision is good

Children pretend to be dentists. They brush models of teeth, allowing them to practise how to brush their own teeth. This contributes to children's growing awareness of good oral health. From a young age, children confidently know why and how to wash their hands, helping them develop good hygiene routines.

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need to do better?

n Staff encourage children to think about objects placed in a clear cube. Children actively seek out the 'curiosity cube' to see what is inside. They talk with their friends and staff about what they see and understand about the objects. This helps children gain confidence to speak in small groups. n The manager carefully allocates additional funding received for individual children to help support their learning and development. This helps to ensure that all children make good progress during their time in the pre-school. n Children are happy and settled in the pre-school. Staff supportively reassure, praise and encourage new children who quickly build strong and trusting bonds with their key persons. This helps children feel safe and secure. n Staff work closely with parents and carers. Together they discuss how they can consistently manage children's behaviour, emotions and key developmental milestones. For example, staff and parents discuss the best time to begin toilet

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need to do better?

training. This helps children's transition from wearing nappies to be as smooth as possible. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Dedicated staff help them identify their emotions when they pick pebbles with a face that represents how they are feeling. Staff encourage children to find the words they need to describe that feeling, helping children build positive ways to express themselves. n Children have a positive attitude towards learning. They gather around staff to

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need to do better?

1 December 2022 see and hear what they are doing with others, squeezing in to listen to a story or to play in the home corner. The manager ensures that the younger children have opportunities to play and learn in smaller groups away from their older peers. This helps children learn at their own pace at a level that suits their stage of development. n The manager ensures staff have regular supervision meetings to help identify training and support methods to help build on their professional development. In addition, regular team meetings help all the team openly discuss how to make continual improvements to the quality of education they provide. n Staff understand their roles to help keep children safe and healthy in the pre- school. This includes completing routine tasks. However, at times, staff prioritise these routines over the learning experiences children have. For example, when children are engrossed in listening to a story, they are taken to have their

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need to do better?

nappies changed. This reduces opportunities children have to reach a natural end in their chosen activity. n Staff use regular assessments to help them identify what children need to learn next in a sequence that builds on what they already know and understand. However, not all staff effectively use this information to consistently offer new experiences and challenges that are suited to children's individual learning needs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff regularly update and refresh their knowledge and understanding about safeguarding, helping them remain vigilant in their roles. The manager has undertaken specific training to help her and the chair of the management committee select and recruit staff who are suitable to work with children. The manager ensures that any new staff quickly familiarise themselves with the policies and procedures they need to follow. This contributes to the ability all staff have to record and report any concerns they might have about children's well-being.

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should:

n allow children time to find a natural end in their play and explorations, which includes finding ways to reduce unnecessary disturbance during routine tasks n support staff to continue to build on what children already know and understand in exciting and memorable ways.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2605692 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10263415 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person See Saw Pre-School CIO

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reference number

Telephone number 01223 244111 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Seesaw pre-school registered in 2020. The provision employs six members of childcare staff, of whom three hold relevant qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, 9am until 3pm, term time only. Funded early education is provided for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school is located on the site of The Galfrid School.

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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 manager and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the provider. n The inspector observed activities inside and outside. She spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk around the pre-school. She described how children learn and are cared for in the pre-school.The inspector assessed the impact this has on children's progress. n The inspector and the manager observed activities in the pre-school. They discussed the quality of teaching they saw. n The chair of the management committee met with the inspector. A separate meeting was held between the manager and the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documents, including records of supervision and training.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents and took their views into consideration.

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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 December 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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