Cottis Preschool

Inspection of Cottis Preschool Methodist Church Hall, 42 Cuckfield Road, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 9SA

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

Children arrive at the pre-school extremely happily and settle quickly into their play. They greet staff and their friends with great enthusiasm and show excitement for their day. Children approach staff confidently and with great ease. Staff are tremendously attentive towards their individual needs

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The provision is outstanding

Children's achievements are very much celebrated. They are extremely proud of their accomplishments and proudly show off their achievements displayed on the 'kindness tree' and 'star chart'. Staff value each child as an individual. They adapt their practice and truly understand children's different learning styles.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are extremely curious learners and show increasingly high levels of independence. They make choices for themselves about where to play, and who and what to play with. They develop physical skills as they independently manoeuvre bicycles around the garden, explore sand and run around as they chase each other. Children develop excellent levels of independence, understand the importance of turn taking and readily share resources.

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The provision is outstanding

Children make outstanding progress in their learning and development. Staff observe and track children's progress. They make regular in-depth assessments of children's progress to ensure they are achieving their developmental milestones. These are also used to identify any early concerns about a child's development. Early interventions are immediately implemented, to help children quickly catch up.

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need to do better?

n Children enthusiastically join in with staff's animated storytelling, which captivates their interest and brings stories to life. For example, they recall the story of 'Happy Birthday Moon', giggling as they whisper phrases and practise echoing and repeating words. Staff provide a rich language environment, where children freely engage in conversation with their friends and staff. n Children eagerly join in with action songs and rhymes, such as 'the wheels on the bus' and 'wind the bobbin up'. They laugh excitedly as they decide where to go on the bus and what will happen. For example, they sing that daddy goes to sleep, mummy chatters and they go to 'the Triangle' to swim. This helps to further extend their speaking and listening skills. n Mathematics is extremely well-embedded in the curriculum. Children are encouraged to count during everyday routines, recognise shapes and measure. For example, staff support them to work out how many children are present,

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need to do better?

read cooking recipes and practise counting during their play. They excitedly count and recognise numbers while looking for bears in the garden 'bear hunt' activity. They happily giggle and chat with their friends as they find the bears

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need to do better?

9 February 2023 and match them to their own bear cards. n Staff are extremely skilled and confident in providing the children with a excellent balanced range of practical and stimulating activities. Staff set clear expectations that impact positively on children's behaviour. Children truly understand the value of the pre-school rules and confidently explain them to the inspector. For example, they make sure the inspector understands they must 'be kind, use gentle hands and help tidy up'. n Parents are very complimentary about the partnership they have with staff. They comment their children receive excellent care and have made amazing progress in their development. Parents feel very well informed about their children's day. They say staff are amazing and very knowledgeable, and that they received high levels off support during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, staff provided online story-and-singing sessions and home-learning ideas for parents.

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need to do better?

n Children who may have disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive exceptional support. Staff work tirelessly with parents and other professionals to ensure children receive tailored support to help them achieve the best outcomes. Children enjoy their time at pre-school and have access to high-quality education. The pre-school uses additional funding astutely to address gaps in learning rapidly to help children catch up. As a result, all children make outstanding progress and are ready for their next stage in learning. n The manager is truly inspirational. She continually reflects, evaluates and reviews everything she and the staff do. The manager inspires and motivates children, their parents and the staff team in achieving the best they can. She sets exceptionally high standards for herself. She uses highly reflective self- evaluation and ambitious targets to drive improvement and raise the quality of

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have an exceptional understanding of safeguarding procedures to help protect children from harm. They demonstrate an excellent awareness of their duty to protect children from extreme views and behaviours. All staff are clear about their responsibilities in regard to 'Prevent' duty. The pre-school has excellent relationships with external professionals, which further enhances staff's understanding of their responsibility to protect children. The manager implements rigorous recruitment and retention of staff procedures. This ensures all staff working with children are suitable. All staff have completed safeguarding training. Four members of staff have completed paediatric first-aid training.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 113449 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10263424 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 46 Name of registered person Anthony, Samantha Claire

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reference number

Telephone number 07976378373 Date of previous inspection 2 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Cottis Pre-school registered in 2000. It operates from a church hall in Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex. It is open on Monday and Thursday from 9am to 3pm, on Tuesday from 9.15am to 2.15pm, and on Wednesday and Friday from 9.15am to 12.15pm, during term time only. The setting is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs six members of staff, of whom all have an early years qualification.

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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 setting. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at pre-school. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

9 February 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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