Smallworld Pre-School

Inspection of Smallworld Pre-School Leftwich Primary School, Old Hall Road, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 8DH

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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 arriving at the pre-school and out-of-school club are pleased to see the friendly, welcoming staff. They follow well-established routines that help them to feel confident and safe. Pre-school children find the fish-shaped card that has their written name on it. They attach it alongside the name cards of the other children who are attending. This helps children to feel part of the group. It promotes their early literacy. Staff teach children to meet the different expectations for their behaviour across the day. Children move energetically and giggle during a 'wake and shake' music session. At register time, children know that they must sit with their group and be ready to speak and listen.

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The provision is good

Parents and carers praise the warm relationships that they form with managers and staff at the pre-school. Staff learn to say key words in children's home language when they speak English as an additional language. This helps children to settle in and feel secure. Parents visit the pre-school to tell children about their jobs. This helps children to learn more about the world. Parents like the photos that they receive via an online app. They say that the photos help them to hold conversations with children about what they do at pre-school.

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need to do better?

n Managers follow well-established systems for supervising staff and monitoring their performance. They regularly observe staff's practice and provide feedback to help them to improve. However, sometimes, the feedback focuses too heavily on the content of the activity and too little on the detail of the member of staff's teaching. This slows staff's progress towards achieving the highest quality of teaching that promotes children's swiftest progress. n Children take part in activities and routines that help to promote their progress. That said, there are occasions when the intentions for children's learning are not clear enough. For example, children are excited by a selection of interesting items on a table. However, staff have not given enough consideration to what they want the children to do and learn. Children lose interest and move away. n The well-qualified team apply what they learn at training courses to their

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need to do better?

practice. For example, they designated an area of the room as a space for child- led, exploratory play. Children design and build using a rich array of everyday items. They try out their own ideas about what to add next to their constructions. Staff sensitively observe and help. The play promotes children's creativity and decision-making skills well. n Children with emerging and identified special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported effectively. The special educational needs coordinator seeks timely advice from specialist services, such as speech and language therapy. She helps staff to incorporate the advice into children's individual

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need to do better?

7 March 2023 learning plans. Children make good progress from their starting points. n Children regularly take part in group games and ring games. This means that they have fun while they learn to follow rules. Staff lead pre-school children in a game of 'what's the time Mr Wolf?'. Children eagerly join in with the repeated questions and answers about the time. They know that the reward at the end is the joy and excitement of chasing and being chased. n The daily programme includes time for children to work in small groups. This enables staff to sequence children's learning as they grow. For example, the youngest children have a short group time then go to play. Older children spend longer periods in adult-led groups. This helps them to be ready to start school when the time comes. n Staff promote children's communication development. They use real objects to convey meaning to children who are not yet talking. For example, staff show

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need to do better?

children a nappy when they tell them that it is time for a nappy change. Staff carry a set of small cards. The cards help children to understand the words that they hear. They know that a red circle means that an activity is finished. The strategies promote children's understanding and independence.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff demonstrate a good understanding of child protection matters. They are alert to events in children's lives that may combine to put children's welfare at risk. They know what they must do if they believe that a child is not safe. Staff teach children to manage risks in their play. For example, children construct and test out their own plank bridges during outdoor play. Managers install security systems to keep children safe. If children open the fire door, a buzzer alerts everyone. Children know that washing their hands gets rid of germs that might make them poorly. Staff find out about children's dietary needs and preferences. They cater safely for children with allergies to particular foods.

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should:

n focus more closely on the detail of staff's teaching, so that they know exactly what to do to keep improving n check that staff know precisely what they want the children who participate in activities to learn and remember.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 305301 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 10279753 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 24 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Smallworld Leftwich Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01606 45422 Date of previous inspection 11 September 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Smallworld Pre-School registered in 2007. It operates alongside Leftwich Children's Centre in the grounds of Leftwich Community Primary School. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds a qualification at level 5 and four hold qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Out-of-school sessions are from 8am until 8.30am and from 2.30pm until 6pm. Pre-school sessions are from 8.30am until 2.30pm. The pre-school 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 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 pre-school. n The pre-school owner and the inspector completed a learning walk of the pre- school. The inspector conducted two joint observations of practice with the pre- school manager. n The inspector held meetings as appropriate with the pre-school owner and the manager. She spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n Four parents spoke with the inspector. The inspector took account of their views. n Examples of relevant documentation were sampled and reviewed by the inspector. She checked evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre- school.

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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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