Clyst Valley Pre-School

Inspection of Clyst Valley Pre-School Clyst St Mary County Primary School, Clyst St Mary, Exeter, Devon EX5 1BG

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children happily and confidently enter the pre-school, keen to explore the inviting activities available to them. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress. Outside, children use their physical skills to mark out a pretend road on the floor and then ride their bicycles around it. Adult-led activities, such as yoga, help children to develop core strength and an awareness of their body. They develop their concentration skills as they balance and focus on specific poses.

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The provision is good

Children have a good understanding of routines. They know to stop and listen when staff ring a small bell. Children gather quietly together for 'circle time', where staff talk to them about the days of the week and the seasons. Children learn to be independent. They place their artwork in their designated trays and freely access resources, such as the decorations to hang on the Christmas tree. Children confidently work together as they add tinsel and baubles to the tree.

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The provision is good

Children have good opportunities to develop their early reading skills. Staff read stories to them twice a day as part of a structured routine and children independently snuggle up with a book on cushions after lunch. Each child has their own book bag, which they can use to take home a story of their choice to share with family members.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have made improvements since the last inspection. Teaching meets children's individual needs, helping them to build on what they already know and can do. Children with developmental delays and SEND have their specific needs met through a range of effective strategies. A buddy key-person system and effective partnership working enable staff to share information about children consistently. Leaders have organised specialist training to ensure that all staff implement the curriculum as well as possible to benefit children's development. n Children develop good hand-to-eye coordination as they manipulate tweezers to pick up pom-poms and place them on numbered foam Christmas trees. Younger children begin to count accurately and use their fingers to represent numerals. Older children confidently recognise numbers from 1 to 10 and place the correct number of pom-poms on each tree. However, children sometimes find the

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need to do better?

activity easy and staff do not always help them to expand their knowledge even further to enhance their mathematical skills. n Parents speak highly of the pre-school. They say staff share regular information with them about their child's learning. Parents talk about how the pre-school's social media sites and noticeboard provide them with the knowledge of what

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need to do better?

7 December 2022 activities children will be enjoying. They comment how staff are friendly, approachable and supportive to them as a family. n Overall, children develop good language skills. Staff play games with children, where they guess the object wrapped up in tinfoil. Children use their senses to work out what the items are using descriptive words, such as 'hard' or 'bendy'. However, at lunchtime, interactions are less frequent as staff sit on a separate table to the children. During these times, staff do not always extend children's communication skills as well as possible. n Children learn about the world around them. Staff set up a winter scene with toy polar bears and penguins. They talk to children about the North Pole and the South Pole and animal habitats. Children learn about hibernation and the changing of seasons. n Staff help children to learn about feelings, such as through specific stories.

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need to do better?

Children talk about what makes them happy, sad and angry. All children, including those with SEND, use visual aids to communicate their emotions. Staff support the children warmly and encourage them to express their emotions positively. n The pre-school is making changes to help families become more 'eco-friendly', such as reducing waste that is harmful to the environment. Staff encourage parents to use tinfoil instead of clingfilm and non-processed packaging. Children learn how to reuse items and about recycling.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children develop an understanding of safety. Staff talk to them about not riding their bicycles too fast and to be aware of others while cycling to prevent injuries. They talk to children about how to keep safe online, such as not giving their name to others on the internet while playing educational games. Staff establish relevant security settings to prevent children from accessing inappropriate material from the World Wide Web. Staff have a good understanding of child protection. They know of the relevant local safeguarding partners to contact in the event of an allegation against them or if a child is at potential risk of harm.

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should:

n develop mathematical activities even further to ensure older children have sufficient challenge n provide further opportunities for children to extend their language development, particularly during mealtimes, to support their communication skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 105955 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10230950 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 30 Name of registered person Clyst Valley Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01392 876615 Date of previous inspection 17 February 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Clyst Valley Pre-School registered in 2001 and is situated in the grounds of Clyst St Mary Primary School. It is open Monday to Friday from 9.15am to 3.15pm, during term time. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. There are seven members of staff, three of whom who hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 6. The remaining staff hold relevant qualifications at level 3 and level 2.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n A member of staff and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the early years curriculum. 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 A joint observation was carried out with a member of staff on a communication and language activity. n The inspector spoke to parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views. n The deputy manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

7 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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