Southern Cross Pre-school

Inspection of Southern Cross Pre- school 103 Trafalgar Road, Portslade, Brighton, East Sussex BN41 1GU

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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 show that they feel happy and safe at the pre-school by exploring the environment with confidence. For example, they ask adults for help with tape and scissors as they construct with large cardboard boxes. Children demonstrate some understanding of the rules of the pre-school. For example, when talking about the rule 'to be helpful', one child explains how he helps his friend by supporting him to put his shoes on.

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The provision is good

Children's independence is promoted at every opportunity. For example, staff use strategies, such as visual instructions, that children follow to help them wash their hands ready for snack. Children are encouraged to use tools, such as tongs, to serve themselves, and they excitedly read the displayed numbers to guide them on how many pieces of fruit to choose.

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The provision is good

Children develop their literacy and mathematical skills during outdoor activities. For example, they complete bug hunts, learning to record how many of each bug they find. Children delight in finding caterpillar eggs on plants. They recognise these and happily talk about the 'Hungry Caterpillar' story that they are familiar with. This shows that children are able to link their previous learning to activities within the environment.

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need to do better?

n The manager understands the community she serves very well. Parents speak highly of the pre-school and say that their whole family feel supported as well as their child. Parents praise how flexible the pre-school has been during the settling process. This has a positive impact on their child's personal, social and emotional development, as well as the parents' own anxieties following the COVID-19 pandemic. n Staff understand and know the children well. Staff carefully build on children's interests to meet their needs and promote their development in a stimulating way. For example, messy-play experiences with foods, such as baked beans and porridge, has had a positive effect on the children who are eager to explore with their hands. n The manager works well with outside agencies. This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to do well. Staff understand strategies to use with their key children to support their language

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need to do better?

and help them to regulate their emotions. n Children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. This is because the manager works well with local schools. For instance, the manager has regular meetings with the teachers to ensure that the children are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need when they get to school. The manager has

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need to do better?

27 March 2023 adapted the curriculum based on these discussions. n The manager sequences the curriculum in a logical way to help children build on their skills and increase their confidence. For example, staff adapt the environment to provide a bigger space for children to build their large-muscle skills. They provide appropriate challenge by encouraging children to first develop their confidence climbing on low-level equipment before trying more challenging options. This supports the development of children's physical skills well. n Overall, staff support children to understand expectations of behaviour at all times. However, on occasion, some staff give inconsistent messages about what children are expected to do, which can sometimes leave children confused. n The manager has adapted the pre-school routine to provide more flexibility to minimise interruptions to children's learning. However, there is further work to

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need to do better?

do on this. There are still times when learning time is lost due to transitions between activities taking too long, which impacts on children's engagement. n The manager carefully plans trips and visitors to expand children's cultural understanding of the world beyond the pre-school. For instance, children regularly visit a retirement home, a local farm, local parks and a garden centre. The staff then use these experiences to support the children's development further. For example, the children buy seeds from the garden centre and learn about how plants grow.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff know their responsibilities to keep children safe from harm. There are systems in place to ensure that the premises are checked daily to minimise any risks to children. The manager and staff complete training to keep their awareness of child protection issues up to date. The manager and staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding issues, including domestic abuse, radicalisation and extremism. The manager carries out checks on staff to ensure that they are safe to work with children. The manager understands her roles and responsibilities as the designated safeguarding lead. She knows the process to make a referral in line with local procedures if there is a concern that a child may be at risk.

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should:

n support staff to implement consistent expectations for behaviour to help children understand the rules n organise planned transitions between activities more effectively, to help minimise interruptions to children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 130772 Local authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 10263304 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 30 Number of children on roll 23

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Name of registered person

Southern Cross Community Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01273 567876 Date of previous inspection 27 April 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Southern Cross Pre-School registered in 1992. It operates in the rear halls of Southern Cross Evangelical Church, Portslade. The setting is independent and only hires the halls from the Church. The pre-school is open between 8am and 3.30pm on Monday to Thursday and between 8am and 12.30pm on Friday, during school term time. The provider employs seven staff, of whom six hold relevant qualifications at level 2 and 3. The nursery receives funding for the provision of 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 setting 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 inspector looked at and discussed documentation in relation to safeguarding, recruitment, records of attendance and first aid. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The manager and the inspector took part in a joint observation. The inspector asked staff questions about their work and interacted with children during the inspection. n Parents shared their views on the pre-school with the inspector.

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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

27 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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