St. Joseph's RC Pre School

Inspection of St. Joseph's RC Pre School Mill Hill Lane, Derby, Derbyshire DE23 6SB

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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 are happy and safe and settle quickly at pre-school. They form positive relationships with their key person and other staff. Staff show genuine care for children's well-being. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), build trusting relationships with staff. Consequently, they approach staff freely for cuddles. Children follow an age-appropriate and progressive curriculum. The environment enables them to lead their play. For example, children find boxes to build a train, and staff challenge them to make the track.

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The provision is good

Children develop positive attitudes to learning, and the skilled staff have high expectations of them. Children take part in a range of interesting activities. For instance, the youngest children enjoy splashing in puddles as staff model new vocabulary to describe the noise of the water. Older children count the pieces of fruit they have for snack and point to the correct numeral to represent the number they have counted.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and understand the rules that they need to follow. Staff recognise things that trigger children's behaviour and use distraction techniques effectively. As a result, children are engaged in play and cooperate with each other.

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need to do better?

n Staff follow children's interests to capture their attention when planning activities. They organise the environment to enable children to follow their ideas. For example, older children discuss with staff the ingredients needed to make a mud pie. Staff record their recipe with numbers and pictures, enabling children to see how information can be recorded. Staff encourage children to recognise the numbers in the recipe and count how many shovels of soil and water they need to make mud for their pie. Staff successfully build on what children know and can do. However, some staff do not provide enough challenge during children's self-chosen play. Therefore, at times children do not make the progress they could. n The manager and staff team have created a well-sequenced curriculum. For example, children enthusiastically make marks with chunky crayons and draw pictures on dry wipe boards in readiness for developing writing skills. However,

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need to do better?

on occasions, staff do not think carefully enough about how they plan adult-led activities to keep all children engaged in their learning. As a result, not all children maintain focus during these activities. n Staff provide high levels of support for children with SEND and communicate well with other professionals. They invite agencies into the setting to support children and share ideas with parents to promote consistency in approaches

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need to do better?

13 March 2023 used to enable children to make good progress. n Children show a passion for books and stories. They are captivated by the expressions and actions staff use while they tell traditional and familiar stories. Children join in, recalling new words they have heard. Staff support them to follow the story using visual storylines. Children remember which house the wolf manages to blow down. Children with SEND are well supported to participate as all children sign key vocabulary in the story in this inclusive pre-school. n Children develop excellent levels of independence. When they first arrive at pre- school, they are supported to find their photograph and name on their peg, so they can independently hang up their coat. Children make choices about what food they would like for their lunch and serve themselves. They put on their aprons before painting and place wet paintings on the drying rack when

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need to do better?

finished. n Children's physical development is promoted very well. They have daily opportunities to play outside whenever they choose. Children develop their large muscles as they peddle tricycles around the playground, manoeuvring around their friends and obstacles. Staff support young children to challenge themselves as they balance on beams and throw balls through a net. n The manager works closely with staff and regularly meets with them to identify and put in place support and training. For example, the team have reflected on the environment and their teaching styles after training regarding how children learn about mathematics.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a broad knowledge of how to keep children safe from the risk of harm. They know the children and families very well and can identify different signs and symptoms that may give them cause for concern. Staff demonstrate their understanding of how to monitor and escalate their concerns when needed. The pre-school has a thorough recruitment process to ensure staff working with children are suitable. The manager deploys staff appropriately to maximise the safety of all children. The team continually assess risks and potential hazards in the pre-school and put measures in place to ensure that the environment is safe for children to play in.

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should:

n support staff to recognise how to provide more challenge and extend children's knowledge and learning further n use what is known about children's abilities to plan adult-led activities more precisely in order to maintain all children's engagement.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 206154 Local authority Derby Inspection number 10262871 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 28 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person St Joseph's Pre-school Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01332 372453 Date of previous inspection 6 April 2017

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Information about this early years setting

St. Joseph's RC Pre School registered in 1996 and is situated in Derby. The pre- school employs eight members of childcare staff. All members of staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 5.45pm, during term time only. 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 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 provider. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk around the pre-school to share what the staff provide and how this assists children in their learning and development. n The quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors was observed, and the inspector assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with management, staff, parents and the children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out joint observations with the manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of 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

13 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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