St Nicholas Church Pre-School

Inspection of St Nicholas Church Pre- School St Nicholas Church Hall, Uphill, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset BS23 4UH

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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 happily enter the friendly pre-school, keen to learn. They gain good independence, carrying their bags and finding their named pegs. Children have numerous opportunities throughout the day to practise self-care. For example, when children decide to play outside, they confidently find their coats and make good attempts to put them on independently.

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The provision is good

There is a broad curriculum that provides children with opportunities across all areas of their learning. Attentive staff interact well with the children to help them build on previous learning. For example, they provide children with opportunities to build with wooden blocks before challenging them further to build with blocks that link together. Children create well, testing their ideas for example to build a dinosaur. They confidently talk about what they need and how to fix the pieces together to make the legs. Children demonstrate a positive attitude to their learning and show commitment to fulfilling their design.

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The provision is good

Children develop good communication and language skills. They talk confidently about their creations, such as how they are making pig faces in the play dough. They link their experiences well, showing a good understanding of the traditional story they have shared. Children enjoy the story and listen well. They respond to questions, complete sentences and predict what might happen next. Staff model language well, helping children, including those with English as an additional language, to broaden their vocabulary.

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need to do better?

n The flexible and balanced curriculum is well designed and understood by staff. Staff know the children well, making regular observations and assessing their progress accurately. Staff understand the additional support children need following the COVID-19 pandemic and provide many opportunities for social interaction and to promote self-care and independence. n Once staff have all the information about a child, including those with additional or special educational needs and/or disabilities, they support their individual needs. They carefully consider how to spend additional funding to help children progress. However, staff do not always gather information from parents and other early years settings children attend when they first start. They are not persistent in requesting information from other early years settings to help influence the experiences they offer children. n Staff reflect well on the provision for children. They carefully consider the

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need to do better?

learning environment, making changes when necessary to ensure that children remain engaged in their learning. The environment is well organised to encourage children to make choices about their play.

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need to do better?

7 March 2023 n Children have a good understanding of daily routines and expectations. For example, staff use sign language and visual aids to ensure that children understand what is happening now and what is happening next. However, on occasion, staff interrupt children when they are immersed in their play to change nappies and do not help them re-engage in their learning. n Children behave well and build strong friendships. They are kind to each other. Staff use their training and research well to help children understand expectations, using appropriate strategies to support them to negotiate taking turns. Staff use resources, such as 'fiddle toys' effectively to include all children in group activities. Children learn to concentrate, for example as they listen to a story. n Staff work closely with parents to meet children's care needs. Staff maintain good hygiene and safety and explain these to children to help their

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need to do better?

understanding. For example, an older child supports a younger friend to wipe their nose. They understand the importance of disposing of the tissue and sanitising their hands, showing a good understanding of hygienic practices. n Leaders and managers work closely with the team to reflect on their practice and maintain the quality of care and education. There are effective systems in place to share good practice and to support professional development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead has a good knowledge of her role and responsibility to protect children. Staff have a good understanding of the indicators that a child may be at risk of harm. Staff use robust risk assessments effectively to provide children with safe and secure premises. Staff help children to learn about how to keep themselves safe. For example, they closely supervise children on large play equipment and provide them with clear explanations to help them climb safely. Staff maintain an accurate record of children's attendance and have good systems in place to ensure known and authorised adults collect children.

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should:

n tighten arrangements to ensure that information is gathered from parents and other early years settings children attend n develop further the organisation of daily routines to enable children to continue their play uninterrupted.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 509178 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 10279429 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 24 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person St Nicholas Church Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07910 583 216 Date of previous inspection 9 May 2018

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Information about this early years setting

St Nicholas Church Pre-School registered in 1992. It is located in the village of Uphill, near Weston-Super-Mare in North Somerset. The pre-school is open each weekday, from 8.20am to 2.50pm, during school term times. The pre-school employs five members of staff. Of these, two members of staff hold early years qualifications at level 3 and two hold qualifications at level 2. The pre-school is in receipt of funding to provide early education for children aged two, three and four years of age.

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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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n One of the managers and the inspector completed a learning walk and discussed the early years curriculum. n One of the managers and the inspector completed a joint observation of a group activity. n The views of parents spoken to at the inspection and those that shared written views were considered as part of the inspection. n Professional discussions were held with the management team and staff, including the special educational needs coordinator and the designated safeguarding lead. n The inspector spoke and interacted with the children as they played. n A sample of documentation was viewed.

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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

7 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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