Ladybird Preschool

Inspection of Ladybird Preschool Jubilee Park Pavilion, Godminster Court, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0EZ

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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

The pre-school's motto, 'enrichment beyond the classroom', is reflected well in staff's practice. They take children on regular visits to their favourite local landmark. Children relish retelling how they climb an 'enormous hill' to get there. On their return, they visit the park, where they balance and climb on play equipment. Children demonstrate good physical development and high motivation for their learning. While out, they are encouraged to think about the world around them. Staff use skilful questioning. Children are asked, 'Where have all the flowers gone?' They respond, 'They have died because it was too cold.' They share that 'they grow in spring'. All children benefit from the ambitious curriculum and high expectations from staff and management.

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The provision is good

Children build strong relationships with staff, enabling them to feel happy and safe at pre-school. They enjoy role playing in a café. Using the mark-making skills they have learned, they take their friends' and staff's orders. They enjoy the sensory exploration of shaving foam and paint. Making marks in the foam, children share with friends their pride in what they have achieved, exclaiming, 'I wrote my name!' and 'I made a triangle!' Children build self-esteem and develop strong hand muscles ready for early writing and starting school.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide lots of opportunities for children's social development. Children delight at joining in with dancing and ring games. These group activities get children moving in different ways and working together. Children demonstrate good teamwork and benefit from lots of physical activity. n Children make good progress with their communication and language development. They show high engagement as they sit together on sofas to sing songs and listen to a story about a caterpillar. They hold felt fruit as they wait for their part in the story, which helps to capture every child's attention. Children benefit from sharing these times together as a group and absorb new vocabulary. n Staff support children to develop independence and make choices through routines such as 'café style snack'. Children choose what they would like to eat and how they would like to prepare it. Older children cut their fruit, spread their

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need to do better?

toast and pour their drinks. Younger children demonstrate this emerging independence during other tasks, for example brushing their teeth, washing their hands after messy activities and recognising a need to put on their coats to go outside. n Management is passionate about coaching staff and cascading knowledge. They support staff to try new approaches and learn from their mistakes. Children are also encouraged to solve problems effectively. They enjoy exploring magnetic

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need to do better?

3 March 2023 movable guttering to direct balls from the top of a board to the bottom. Staff use questions to encourage children's thinking and motivate them to persist at testing out ideas. As a result, children become good problem-solvers and are confident to share their ideas. n Parents share that managers go out of their way to support them and their children. They report receiving regular updates about their children's day. For example, they are told the number and letter of the week that children are learning about. This helps parents to talk to their children about their day, which further embeds their learning. n Management works with local primary schools to support children's transitions. They arrange for children to visit schools and organise for teachers to visit the pre-school. This helps children to become familiar with teachers and the environment in preparation for starting school. n Staff and children join the community to commemorate important events, for

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need to do better?

example when the Queen visited Bruton. This helps them learn about the place that they live. However, there are limited opportunities for children to explore culture and diversity. n Children who speak English as an additional language (EAL) are happy and settled in the pre-school. Staff treat all children as unique individuals. They listen to them and show value in their opinions. However, staff do not provide children who speak EAL with opportunities to use their home language within the pre- school so that they can communicate confidently and develop relationships with others.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers prioritise children's safety. They ensure the pre-school is safe, and risk assessments are conducted before taking children away from the pre-school on walks. Children wear high-visibility jackets on outings. They learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, when walking through the car park behind the pre- school, they learn to walk sensibly and look out for moving cars. Management trains staff to ensure they are aware of potential hazards, and they are knowledgeable about how to keep children safe. Staff deploy themselves effectively to ensure children are supervised well. They are confident about the safeguarding procedures to follow if they are concerned about a child.

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should:

n provide more opportunities for children to explore different cultures and diversity n provide children who speak EAL with opportunities to use their home language in the pre-school, so that they increase their confidence in communicating and

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Setting details

Unique reference number 142884 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10263717 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 36 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Ladybird Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01749 813164 Date of previous inspection 10 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Ladybird Preschool registered in 1989. The setting is committee run and operates from the cricket pavilion next to Jubilee Park in Bruton, Somerset. The group is open from 8am until 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time only. There are eight staff employed to work with children. Of these, two hold early years professional status, one holds a level 3 qualification and three hold level 2 qualifications. The setting provides free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the pre-school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the pre-school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the pre-school. n The inspector viewed the pre-school and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. 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 spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing while 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 joint observations of a group activity with management. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

3 March 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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