St Barnabas Pre-School

Inspection of St Barnabas Pre-School Queens Square, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, Hertfordshire HP2 4HY

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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 to attend this setting. They are friendly, settled and display a positive attitude to learning. Children form warm and strong relationships with the staff, who support their emotional well-being and resilience. For example, children have an amazing time learning about different emotions when exploring a book about 'Colour Monsters'. They listen to the story with curiosity, and this helps to support their early reading skills. In addition, staff encourage children to talk about how they are feeling, to help them boost their self-esteem and self-regulation.

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The provision is good

Children navigate around the setting with great enthusiasm, choosing activities that spark their interest and excitement. Staff often use visual prompts and cues to support children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children enjoy pretending to be vets in the home corner. They use their previous experiences to engage in role play with their peers, which helps them to strengthen their social interactions. Children talk about what makes animals sick and learn care and affection towards them. This supports children's understanding of the world they live in. Children also enjoy exploring play dough to build on their fine motor skills, control and manipulation.

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need to do better?

n Staff offer a rich environment with plenty of meaningful learning opportunities. Children choose the activities they would like to explore. They learn to share and take turns with confidence. For example, children have great fun building a large train track for their trains and cars. They follow instructions to move the cars along the track and build on their hand-to-eye coordination. n Staff model language well and engage in conversations with the children. Staff use open-ended questions and introduce new vocabulary such as 'fear'. However, staff do not use all opportunities to encourage younger children, or children requiring further support, to repeat new words to secure their knowledge. n Children enjoy books and develop a passion for reading. For example, a small group of children have a great time looking at a book with their favourite character Bertie who is 'a bit dirty'. They point at pictures with excitement and

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need to do better?

recall main events from the story, smiling and giggling. Children also enjoy listening to the Goldilocks story. They concentrate intently and engage in discussions about the characters. This helps support their literacy, listening and attention skills. n Children have good opportunities to stay active and build on their gross motor skills. For example, in the garden, they explore resources and apparatus with great control and confidence. Children learn to walk on large beams to support

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need to do better?

28 March 2023 their balance, coordination and stamina. n Children have opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. For example, they count along to 20 while clapping to the rhythm of the music. In addition, children have access to various puzzles and loose resources. This helps them build on their spatial awareness and hand-to-eye coordination. n Staff have good knowledge of children's learning. They understand what children need to learn next and use information from their observations of children to guide their planning. However, on occasions, staff do not identify when children need more challenge to extend their learning further. n The leaders' vision and ethos for their setting is ambitious. They continuously strive to improve the quality of care and education to benefit all children. This includes working in close partnership with external agencies and offering additional support to children with SEND. Leaders value their team's career

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need to do better?

growth and well-being. They organise regular meetings and training to ensure they keep their knowledge current. Staff report that they are very happy to work at this setting. n Partnership with parents is effective. Parents praise the flexibility and inclusiveness of leaders and staff. Staff and leaders also organise home visits to establish sound relationships with the parents and provide continuity of care and education. Parents feel supported and involved in their children's learning and development and appreciate the progress they make.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and leaders have good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, including wider aspects such as county lines. They have accurate and effective policies and procedures in place to guide them, which they review regularly and share with parents. Staff and leaders understand the importance of following the correct procedures to report any concerns to relevant professionals to protect children from harm. Staff and leaders complete regular training to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. Staff complete regular risk assessments to ensure the setting and garden are safe. Effective staff deployment ensures that all children are well supervised and cared for.

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should:

n provide opportunities for children to hear and learn a wider range of new words to extend their vocabulary, particularly for younger children and those who require extra support n strengthen the quality of teaching and education to ensure that all children are suitably challenged and benefit from extensive learning opportunities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 129390 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10276304 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 60 Number of children on roll 60 Name of registered person St Barnabas Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01442 976522 Date of previous inspection 11 July 2017

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Information about this early years setting

St Barnabas Pre-School registered in 1987 and is situated in Hemel Hempstead. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am until 3.30pm. The pre-school employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 2, 3, 5 or 6. 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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector discussed with the manager how the curriculum is organised and what they want children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and education, outdoors and indoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with the staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n Children spoke with the inspector about the activities they were doing. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n Parents spoke about the setting to the inspector, who took account of their views. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of the staff working at

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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

28 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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