Dundry Pre-school

Inspection of Dundry Pre-school The Village Hall, Crabtree Lane, Dundry, North Somerset BS41 8LW

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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

Staff meet children's emotional needs well, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Children are greeted by familiar and friendly staff. They happily enter the pre-school and are keen and ready to learn. They quickly find their friends and play nicely together, taking turns.

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The provision is good

Staff plan the learning environment well to provide a broad range of experiences that consider children's interests. Children freely choose where to take their learning. This may be building dens in the hall, engaging in a focused dough activity or investigating outside. Children develop good communication and language skills. They confidently explain how the yoghurt has been frozen like ice cream and how it is 'freezing' their mouths. Children love singing familiar songs, joining in with actions and listening intently to rhyming stories. Children have a wealth of opportunities to use their developing language. They talk about the shapes they have made in the play dough, while confidently using a variety of tools. They use mathematical language to describe how they are dividing the dough into two, then four, pieces.

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The provision is good

Children persevere well. They know to wash their hands after playing in the paint and explore different ways to remove the stubborn patches. They decide to fill the bowl using the water pump, describing it as 'like a waterfall'. Children know that if they fill the bowl too much it will overflow and wet the floor. Staff praise them for their good problem-solving skills, and they gain high levels of self-esteem.

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need to do better?

n Staff have good knowledge of what children know and can do. They use flexible settling-in arrangements to gather relevant information from parents so that they can plan initial experiences. Staff make frequent observations of children's learning and know what they need to learn next. n Staff build on children's curiosity. For example, children explore magnets independently, making discoveries for themselves. Staff provide positive interactions that help children learn new vocabulary, such as how the magnets 'stick' or 'pull'. Staff guide learning well, challenging children to predict how the magnets will move and then test their ideas. Children use these new-found skills in their imaginative play. For example, they create Christmas decorations under the tables with the different coloured magnets linked together. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support in a fully inclusive environment where staff meet their individual needs successfully.

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need to do better?

Staff know their key children well and develop targeted support plans to help them make progress. Staff use any additional funding well, for example, to enhance ratios and provide small group opportunities to encourage listening and

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need to do better?

16 May 2023 attention. n On occasion, staff do not make the best use of group activities. For example, children have a long wait before it is their turn to have a go on the obstacle course and are not fully engaged in their learning. That said, when it is their turn, children balance, climb and throw successfully, developing good physical skills. n Confident children, who have attended the pre-school for a while, feel secure in daily routines. Staff provide clear verbal guidance so that children understand expectations. For example, staff lead a group activity with the youngest children, explaining that they will sing the welcome song to help a new starter learn each other's names. However, staff do not consistently use the resources available to them, such as visual timelines and signing, to support children's understanding even further. n Parents value the support provided by caring staff. Staff meet children's care

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need to do better?

needs successfully. They follow practices that keep children safe and healthy, such as ensuring that accidents are treated by those staff who have paediatric first-aid training. They have good knowledge of any special dietary requirements or allergies and know how to respond to any reactions promptly. n The provider offers effective support to the newly created management team as managers adjust to their new roles. Staff have good opportunities for professional development, overall. There are appropriate induction arrangements. However, some training is not offered promptly to ensure greater knowledge of some procedures.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff provide a safe and secure place for children to play and learn. They have good procedures in place to ensure that those who are authorised and known collect children. Children begin to understand the rules that keep them safe. For example, an older child reminds a younger one that they need to use their 'walking feet' inside. There are robust arrangements to ensure that staff are suitable for their roles, and remain so. Staff have good knowledge of the indicators that a child is at risk of harm and know who to report concerns to. The new designated safeguarding lead (DSL) understands her responsibilities to work closely with other agencies to ensure that children remain safe.

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should:

n use the resources available to help newer and less-confident children understand the routines of the day and expectations to support better engagement in their learning

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should:

16 May 2023 n provide further support and guidance to help new staff and those staff in new positions to become acquainted with their roles and responsibilities promptly.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 115251 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 10290711 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Dundry Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 0117 9643431 Date of previous inspection 11 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Dundry Pre-school registered in 1993 and is located in Dundry, North Somerset. It is open Monday to Thursday, from 9am to 3pm, and on Friday from 9am to 2.30pm, during term time only. The committee employs six members of staff, of whom one holds qualified teacher status and three hold early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for 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 to discuss the early years curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The manager joined the inspector on a joint observation of a group time with the youngest children. n The inspector observed staff interactions with children as they played. n The inspector spoke with parents and children during the inspection and considered their views. n The inspector conducted professional discussions with the manager, nominated individual, DSL and Special Educational Needs Coordinator during the leadership and management meeting. n A sample of documentation was discussed and observed.

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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

16 May 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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