The Peaks

Inspection of The Peaks Peak Dale Primary School, School Road, Peak Dale, BUXTON, Derbyshire SK17 8AJ

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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 well and enjoy their time at this pre-school. They are provided with a well-embedded curriculum that has a strong focus on helping children to be ready for school. The pre-school is uniquely located within a primary school. Children benefit from this because they have many opportunities to learn about the routines and expectations of the school day. For instance, staff have high expectations as new and existing children join the school for morning assembly. Children are fully engaged. They eagerly participate as they sing along with the school-aged children.

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The provision is good

Children develop their independence skills well. For instance, they wash their hands without the support of the staff. During snack time, children butter their own toast and make their own food choices from a selection of nutritious food. After lunch, children proudly and carefully take their food tray back to the serving table in the school hall. They happily skip back to join their friends in readiness to start their play.

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The provision is good

Children have good opportunities to develop their small-muscle and hand-to-eye coordination skills. For example, they practise their pincer grip as they hold paintbrushes to paint rainbows on paper. Children manipulate play dough as they mould it to create a snowman.

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need to do better?

n Staff help children learn about the rules and expectations of the pre-school. They encourage children to use 'walking feet' and 'listening ears'. Staff prepare children for routine changes. For instance, they let children know when they have five minutes left before tidy-up time. As a result, children finish off what they are playing with and then help to tidy away the toys. Staff acknowledge children's positive behaviour. For example, children beam with pride as they receive a star token from staff for being kind to their friends. n The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works effectively with staff and parents to fully support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The SENCo takes timely action to seek the expertise of other professionals. Staff provide children with individual and small-group support to help them make the best possible progress in their learning.

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need to do better?

n Children use their imagination well. For example, they use sticks for arms for their play dough snowmen. They experiment and play around with vocabulary to create new words, such as 'scrumby'. Children laugh and giggle at this new word. They proudly tell visitors that this is the word they want to use to describe the texture of the stick. n Staff are eager to support children's communication and language development.

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need to do better?

11 January 2023 However, they do not always provide enough time for children to think and respond to their questions. During an activity with musical instruments, for example, staff ask children questions in quick succession before children provide an answer. n Overall, staff interactions with children support their development over time. However, staff do not always help children to extend their thinking and contribute their ideas as they play. During construction play, staff tell children what they need to do next to build a car rather than seek children's own thoughts and ideas. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff warmly greet families on arrival and exchange pertinent information with them. Parents are provided with updates through newsletters, a closed social media platform and a messaging service. Parents comment that children love attending the pre-school and that staff are fantastic. n Children have access to outdoor play. However, during the inspection, the sole

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need to do better?

focus of the time outside was for children to collect sticks for their story about a 'stick man'. This means that on this occasion, staff did not make the best use of the outdoor play and fresh air to support children's all-round development. n The manager and staff work well together as an established team. The manager monitors staff practice closely. For example, she offers regular supervision sessions and staff meetings to her staff. This helps to promote good practice and positive outcomes for children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand their role in safeguarding children. They access regular safeguarding training to keep their child protection knowledge up to date. Staff identify signs and know what action to take in the event of concerns around extremist views and ideas, such as female genital mutilation. If children arrive with existing injuries, staff are vigilant in recording these and take action if there are any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff undergo appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service checks, and the manager takes steps to confirm their ongoing suitability. Staff supervise children well to ensure their well-being and safety.

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should:

n provide children with more time to think and respond to questions n help staff to understand how to support children to think more critically and contribute their own ideas and thoughts n refine planning to support children's outdoor experiences to further promote children's overall development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY480201 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10233926 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 15 Number of children on roll 9 Name of registered person Beswick, Paula Jane

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reference number

Telephone number 07946348674 Date of previous inspection 11 January 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Peaks registered in 2014 and is located in Peak Dale, Derbyshire. The pre- school employs three members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens on Wednesdays, during term time only. Sessions are from 8.45am until 2.45pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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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 manager spoke to the inspector about children's learning and development, with a particular focus on communication and language. n The inspector talked to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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 manager and inspector completed a joint observation of an activity and evaluated the observation together. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the

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Inspection activities

inspection. n The manager provided the inspector with relevant documentation, including the evidence of staff qualifications and their suitability to work with the children.

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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

11 January 2023 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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