Little Furze Pre-School

Inspection of Little Furze Pre-School South Oxhey Children's Centre, Northwick Road, Watford WD19 6NL

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children enjoy choosing toys and activities that interest them. They learn to share and take turns with their peers, which helps them to build important social skills. Children play together to build a tall tower out of wooden bricks and excitedly show staff what they have done. Children welcome help from staff to lift them up so that they can place bricks on the tower when they can no longer reach the top. They laugh when the tower topples and talk about what might have caused this to happen. This helps children to develop their skills to think and solve problems for themselves.

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The provision is good

Children begin to manage age-appropriate risks for themselves. They consider how slippery outside surfaces and steps might be when it is frosty. Children listen to the advice given by staff to be careful while they work out if they can walk, run or climb without slipping. This helps children gain confidence in their own abilities to keep themselves safe.

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The provision is good

From a young age, children learn how to put their coats on for themselves and how to clear away their plates and cups after snack time. This helps children to develop the confidence and skills for independence in preparation for moving on to nursery or school.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, the management team and staff have made significant improvements to help keep children safe and to raise the personal development of children. For example, all staff attended training to help increase their understanding of how to manage children's behaviour in ways that foster a harmonious atmosphere in the pre-school. n The manager and her deputy have a clear overview of the progress that all children make. This helps to ensure that any gaps in learning are quickly addressed through focused teaching and learning opportunities. n Children who speak English as an additional language are supported effectively. Staff take time to speak clearly to children and use picture cues and gestures to help strengthen their communication. Children confidently lead staff to show them what they want or need. Staff sit with children to read them books and use simple sentences and phrases to ask questions or to give explanations. This

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need to do better?

helps children to build on their vocabularies. n The manager uses additional funding effectively for individual children. She finds out from children's key persons what equipment or activities are most beneficial to help support children's individual learning. This helps children to build on what they already know and understand. n Children are keen to learn. They enthusiastically accept challenges staff set

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need to do better?

17 January 2023 them, such as completing even more complex puzzles compared to those they have already finished. Staff give children stickers in recognition of their achievements. Children are proud to show others their stickers. This helps to build their self-esteem and motivates them to have a go at new tasks. n Children settle well in the pre-school. They quickly build trusting relationships with their key person and other staff. When children first join the pre-school, staff find out what they are interested in, which helps to give a focus for the resources that staff use to support learning. This helps children to build on what they know and understand from their early days in pre-school. n Staff plan children's days so that they have opportunities to learn in different environments. For example, children run, climb and balance in the garden, which helps to promote their physical development. However, there are times

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need to do better?

when the inside is more popular. At times, this results in this area becoming crowded. This means that children do not always have space to freely explore and use resources effectively to help maximise their learning and individual expression.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The provider ensures that all staff complete regular training and refreshers in their knowledge and understanding of how to safeguard children. All staff know how to record and report any concerns that they might have about children's well-being. This includes how to report concerns about other adults working in the pre-school, which contributes to a strong ethos to keep children safe. The provider ensures that appropriate suitability checks for staff and trustees are carried out in a timely manner.

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should:

n review and make use of the available space in the most effective way to further enhance children's learning and well-being.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY339025 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10259531 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 30 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Little Furze Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07776287902 Date of previous inspection 28 September 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Little Furze Pre-School registered in 2006 and shares the site of Oxhey Wood Primary School and South Oxhey Family Centre. The pre-school employs 10 members of staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including the manager, who holds an early years qualification at level 5. The pre-school is open from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am until 11.30am. A lunch club operates from 11.30am until 12.45pm. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, afternoon sessions are offered from 12.45pm until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the pre- school. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk of the pre-school. The manager described how resources and teaching support children's continued learning and development. n The inspector observed activities inside the pre-school and in the garden. She spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Relevant documents were viewed by the inspector, including evidence that suitability checks have been carried out. n The inspector held meetings with a member of the management committee and the manager. n The manager and the inspector jointly observed an activity, and the manager identified how teaching impacts on children's learning and progress. n A small number of parents spoke to the inspector, who took account of their

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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

17 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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