Tiddlywinks Pre-School

Inspection of Tiddlywinks Pre-School Stretham Primary School, Wood Lane, Stretham, ELY, Cambridgeshire CB6 3JN

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

The registered provider has not kept Ofsted informed of changes to committee members who are responsible for the running of the pre-school. These individuals have no access to children's records and do not come into the setting when children are present, and so the risk to children is minimised. Furthermore, the registered provider has also failed to keep Ofsted notified of changes to contact information for the setting.

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The provision requires improvement

Nevertheless, children enjoy their time in this warm and welcoming pre-school. They arrive happy and ready to learn, separating easily from their parents. Children move confidently around the setting, engaging well with staff and their peers. They are developing a love of reading. Children regularly self-select books and actively ask staff to read stories to them. Staff respond positively and look at books with children in a focused and caring way. During group story times, children listen intently and work hard to join in with familiar parts of books.

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The provision requires improvement

Children show persistence and focus as they help to decorate a Christmas tree. They listen well as staff explain how it fits together, working with each other and staff to secure the branches. As they decorate the tree, children share baubles and tinsel, working out how to ensure they do not fall off the tree. Staff are highly respectful of children's ideas. Later in the inspection, children can been seen creating other Christmas trees, and even dens, with the tinsel, helping to practise and consolidate their learning.

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need to do better?

n Overall, the manager and staff provide a curriculum that is well thought out and supports children to develop the skills needed for their future learning, particularly critical thinking. However, sometimes, activities do not help all children become deeply engaged in their play and consistently sustain very high levels of concentration for their age and stage of development. n Staff are skilled at weaving opportunities for early mathematical learning into many activities. As children stick with paper and glue, they start to recognise shapes and go on a hunt to find other circles and squares. As children build with blocks, they confidently count and recognise when towers are high or low. Staff support children to begin to understand how balancing scales work. They help children to see the effects of putting more items in one side and introduce words such as 'balanced', 'heavy' and 'light'. n Staff understand the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on some children's

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need to do better?

opportunities to learn and develop. As a result, the setting provides a particular focus on children's personal, social and emotional development, as well as their language development. However, there is not a wide enough range of activities

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need to do better?

30 November 2022 to help children to learn about people, families and communities beyond their own. n Children are learning the importance of good hygiene. They know to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Staff regularly remind children to use a tissue to blow their nose and to cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze. Staff are clear about the importance of healthy and nutritious food for children and provide information to parents about healthy lunch boxes. Children enthusiastically tuck into vegetables and fruit at snack time. n Children behave well, play cooperatively and understand the expectations of the setting, such as walking indoors. Staff are quick to intervene in a consistent and respectful way when children need reminding of the setting's rules or support to negotiate with their friends. n Parents are very complimentary about the setting. They talk about how they

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need to do better?

value the ideas provided by staff to support their children's ongoing development at home, particularly around potty training and behaviour. The manager is proactive in making contact with other early years settings that children attend, allowing a collaborative approach to children's development. n Children are cared for in a language-rich environment. Staff naturally hold meaningful conversations with children as they play, introducing new vocabulary, such as 'mane' and 'villain'. Staff adjust their communication style to support children who speak English as an additional language to become confident communicators. Children show pride in their achievements, and staff regularly give meaningful praise. n Children are learning to be independent. For example, during snack time, children find their own name mat, pour their own drinks and tidy away their cup and plate. As children play with dressing-up items, they start to develop skills for

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The registered provider has not notified Ofsted of all new committee members. As a result, Ofsted has not been able to perform and complete necessary checks, to ensure their suitability. Nevertheless, the manager has a robust understanding of her responsibility to keep children safe from harm. She understands the importance of keeping accurate records. Staff undertake regular training and show a good understanding of the signs that may indicate a child is being abused or at risk of suffering harm. All staff are clear about the procedure for reporting a concern about a child or a member of staff to the relevant authorities.

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Due date

improve understanding of changes to the setting that are notifiable to Ofsted. 06/01/2023

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should:

n refine curriculum planning and implementation so that all activities consistently support children's learning to the very highest level n extend opportunities for children to understand and respect people and communities beyond their own.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY397467 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10233751 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 24 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Tiddlywinks Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07483 175232 Date of previous inspection 13 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Tiddlywinks Pre-School registered in 2009 and is a registered charity managed by a voluntary committee of parents. The pre-school employs three members of childcare staff. Of these, two staff have appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one has a qualification at level 6. The pre-school opens Monday to Thursday, 9am to 3pm, and on Friday, 9am to 12pm, term time only. The pre- school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 manager and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the setting. n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. They observed activities taking place. n The inspector spoke with a small sample of parents and took their views of the setting into account. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and chair of committee to find out about the leadership and management of 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

30 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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