Bright Sparks Pre-School

Inspection of Bright Sparks Pre-School Hartswood Road, Warley, BRENTWOOD, Essex CM14 5AE

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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 have good opportunities to develop their physical skills. They balance on the beams in the garden and enjoy taking part in yoga sessions, where they learn to stretch and balance. Children throw and catch balls with their key person, showing delight when they are successful. They walk to the local park and forest area, where they search for pine cones and leaves and listen to the sounds in the environment.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy exploring the play dough station. They learn how to follow a recipe to make play dough. Children count how many scoops of flour it takes to fill up a cup and are encouraged to make predictions. They add glitter, salt and flour to the mixing bowl and stir the ingredients together. Children use the weighing scales and look at the numbers, developing their mathematical skills. Staff model how to pinch, squeeze and roll the play dough, developing their fine motor skills.

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The provision is good

Children's literacy skills are supported well. Children select stories and read these together with staff. During group times, children listen to each other's story ideas and take turns to continue the story with their own concepts. Children confidently act out their piece of the story, developing their social skills and imagination. Children show great excitement when a child 'growls like a wolf' and 'holds his hands like claws'. At the end of the story, staff help children to retell the whole story, developing their awareness of how stories are structured.

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need to do better?

n Children take the travelling bears 'Baxter' and 'Bessie' home. They share where they have taken the bears and look at the photos together, developing their communication and social skills. Staff teach children Makaton signs. These signs are shared with parents to use at home. Parents comment that children use the sign for 'finished' at home. n Children quickly develop their independence. They put their coats on, use tweezers at snack time and pour their drinks. When they have finished eating, they wash their plates and cups up. n Staff support children's transitions to school. They work with local primary school teachers to discuss children's development and invite them to visit the children at nursery. n Staff support children with additional needs. They work closely with parents and any agencies involved, such as the health visitor, to discuss children's progress and set targets for future learning.

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need to do better?

n The manager provides support packages for parents in need. For example, she supports families with accessing food via the local food bank, and she role models how to use puppets during story time. This helps families to develop

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need to do better?

18 January 2023 their interaction and children's language at home. n Parents say that they feel confident leaving their child with the professional and friendly staff. They receive regular updates with how their children are progressing, and their next steps in learning. n The manager regularly meets with staff to reflect on their practice. She provides training based on the needs of the staff. They discuss what is working well and if there is anything they need support with. Together, they reflect on the environment, to ensure this is being used effectively. n Staff know children's interests and next steps in learning. Management has worked closely with staff to reduce paperwork and ensure that they focus on supporting all children. Staff follow the children's lead in learning. For example, as they write lists in the role-play area, staff ask children what they have on their shopping lists. However, at times, staff do not always challenge children's

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need to do better?

play, to develop their learning further. For example, children are asked what colour various items are or what noises animals make. They do not always consistently enhance children's learning and challenge them further. n Children enjoy being in each other's company. They have fun taking turns to roll their cars down the guttering in the garden. They explore technological toys together, laughing as they press buttons to make the objects pop up. However, there are moments when children are not always engaged, and staff do not recognise when children get restless. Staff do not always act quickly enough to support children's individual needs, which means they become distracted and unsettled.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has a robust recruitment and induction process in place to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff attend regular training to update their knowledge on safeguarding. They have an awareness of how to keep children safe online, and information is shared with parents. The manager and staff know the procedures to take if they have a concern about a member of staff's suitability. They are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and how to report any concerns. Staff know wider safeguarding concerns, including county lines, female genital mutilation and radicalisation.

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should:

n help staff to develop their confidence and skills in challenging children's learning further during activities so they can reach their full potential n support staff with consistently meeting the needs of all children to maintain their engagement.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY486824 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10264455 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 40 Number of children on roll 70 Name of registered person Wishing Wells Day Care Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07901191685 Date of previous inspection 15 June 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Bright Sparks Pre-School registered in 2015. The pre-school employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. Sessions are from 8.15am until 3.45pm, Monday to Thursday, and from 8.15am until 1pm on Friday. The pre-school opens during school term time. It 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 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 and inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss the areas of learning, their curriculum and what they want children to learn, both inside and outside. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to children about what they are doing at the setting. n The inspector spoke to parents to take account their views of the setting. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including first-aid certificates and Disclosure and Barring Service checks of staff members.

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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

18 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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