The Villages Childcare

Inspection of The Villages Childcare Leigh & Bransford Memorial Hall, Sherridge Road, Leigh Sinton, MALVERN, Worcestershire WR13 5DE

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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 cared for in an environment that has been created to help them learn the key skills and knowledge they will need as they grow up and transition to school. There is a wealth of resources to expand their understanding of the world, including an area set up as a shop. The outdoor area has been particularly well thought out, with the use of space maximised to offer a range of learning opportunities, such as planting, bird feeding, a water wall and sandpit. There is space for children to run around and climb on obstacles, and there is also a calm area, where they can relax and look at books in the fresh air. Children are also able to explore the wider world during walks in the surrounding countryside.

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The provision is good

Staff and leaders plan the curriculum to develop children's confidence, independence and social skills, as well as a broad range of knowledge to prepare them for the next stage in their learning. Children's individual next steps are reviewed regularly and factored into the planning of activities. Parents are kept well informed of their children's progress and provided with ideas to help them to extend learning at home.

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The provision is good

Staff have very positive relationships with the children and engage them in lively discussion throughout the day, which promotes their communication and language skills. Children are given lots of opportunities to express their own ideas, develop their thinking and talk about and explore the things that interest them. Staff use resources well to extend children's understanding. For example, a model crab is used to explain how best to handle crabs when children talk about going crabbing.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have thought carefully about what children need to learn and be able to do in order that they are ready for school. They have made links with a local school. This has provided them with support in implementing a programme of phonics teaching, which dovetails with what the children will learn in Reception Year. This programme has been implemented through a range of engaging activities, which the children really enjoy. For example, children have a lot of fun dressing up as characters and making sounds related to those characters. Parents are encouraged to support their children to gather objects from home, which begins with a particular sound for the children to look at and discuss. n Staff and leaders know the children very well. When children start at the setting, they are assessed against a broad baseline so that staff can immediately begin planning to meet their individual needs. Each term, key next steps for each child

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need to do better?

are identified and posted as 'footsteps' on the wall of the room, and these become a particular focus when staff are working with the children. n The quality of teaching is very good. Staff ensure that all children have the

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need to do better?

25 May 2023 opportunity to participate and express their thoughts and ideas during activities. Children show their knowledge and develop their imaginations. Activities are differentiated for children of different ages and stages of development. For example, during cooking activities, the older and most able children use knives to cut ingredients without help. At different points of the day, children are split into older and younger groups so that staff can adapt activities in an age- appropriate way. However, there are occasions where learning could be extended even further or questions could be asked in a way that encourages wider thinking. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive excellent support. The manager, who is the lead for SEND, is proactive in identifying and planning to meet children's individual needs, involving parents and external specialist support where needed. Where there is a delay in

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need to do better?

receiving external intervention, the leaders put in place their own plans to support individual children. Children receive one-to-one support, where needed, but the staff approach is very inclusive, so the children feel involved. n Partnership working with parents is very good. Parents receive lots of information about what their children are learning, and they are also provided with support to continue their children's learning at home. Parents report that attending the setting has had a transformative effect on their child's development. n Children develop a real group ethic. They learn to work together and to take turns during conversations and group activities. They all contribute to tidying up and eagerly volunteer to carry out other tasks at the request of staff. n Leaders have put in place effective arrangements to evaluate the practice of their staff and support their development. Staff have regular supervision

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need to do better?

discussions and access to a range of training opportunities. They are supported to study for higher qualifications if this is something they want to do.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment, where risks are assessed and mitigated appropriately. All staff know their roles in safeguarding children well and are aware of what to do in the event of a concern about a child or an allegation against an adult working with children. The manager, who is the designated safeguarding lead (DSL), ensures that there is appropriate professional curiosity when children arrive at the setting with injuries or when a child is absent. The setting works closely with professionals from children's services when needed.

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should:

25 May 2023 n develop staff practice to ensure that opportunities to extend children's learning during activities and interactions with staff are consistently followed through.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY439978 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10283786 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 24 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person Wiggins, Katie Danielle

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reference number

Telephone number 01886832295 Date of previous inspection 3 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Villages Childcare registered in 2011. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff, including the provider/manager. The provider/manager and deputy hold degrees in early years, and the other staff hold level 3 qualifications. The pre- school opens Monday to Friday, during term time. Sessions are from 8am until 3pm. 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 inspector undertook a learning walk with the manager, where they discussed the setting's curriculum and how it is planned to meet children's next steps. n The manager and the inspector observed a phonics activity together and discussed what went well and what could have been done better. n The inspector discussed the arrangements for safeguarding with the DSL and other staff. n The inspector observed a variety of activities for the children, both indoors and outdoors. n Parents and carers were able to share their experiences of the setting 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

25 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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