Little Hearts Pre-School

Inspection of Little Hearts Pre-School Sacred Heart RC Aided Junior & Infant School, Byermoor, Burnopfield, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NE16 6NU

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are very happy and settled in this nurturing pre-school. They confidently enter the pre-school, greet their friends and are eager to start their day. Children use resources to create games and play imaginatively. For example, children add feathers and eyes to dough to create a parrot. They add golf tees to their dough and pretend they are candles in a birthday cake. They enthusiastically sing 'Happy Birthday' to their friends. Staff encourage children's mathematical development effectively. Children are encouraged to regularly use mathematical language in their play. They confidently count and measure as they make dough. This helps children to develop their understanding of weight and quantity.

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The provision is good

Children's behaviour is good. They demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning as they become fully engrossed in activities. For example, children concentrate and work together as they design and create a bug hotel.

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The provision is good

Children have excellent opportunities to develop their physical skills. They access a well-resourced outdoor area and forest school. Children use planks and crates to create their own obstacle course. This helps to develop children's balance and coordination. Children learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know they must wear helmets when riding on tricycles. Staff teach children how to safely handle scissors as they move around the room. In addition, children are beginning to carry out their own risk assessments of the outdoor area.

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need to do better?

n The manager is an excellent support to the team. Staff attend regular meetings, where their reflect upon their practice. Regular training sessions help to keep their knowledge up to date and support them to carry out their roles. Staff's well-being is paramount. They share how they feel during one-to-one weekly meetings and through regular supervision sessions. Staff comment that the manager is caring and approachable. n Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Children who might need additional support are identified quickly. Staff work closely with the local authority, other childcare providers and health visitors. The dedicated special educational needs coordinator ensures individual plans are put in place to help them to make the best possible progress. n Parents say that staff are warm, caring and nurturing. The pre-school uses an online app to send parents photos and information about what children are

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need to do better?

learning. Staff share ideas and suggestions with parents about how to further support children's learning at home. n The manager and her team have an ambitious curriculum. Staff sequence the curriculum to support children's continued development well. For example,

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need to do better?

16 June 2023 children learn to pour their own drinks and collect their plates at lunchtime. However, occasionally, staff do not consistently focus on what specifically they want children to learn next. n Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children behave well and are beginning to manage their feelings. When children struggle with their behaviour, staff encourage them to resolve their own conflicts, before stepping in to provide support. This helps children to learn empathy and to understand different feelings and emotions. n When children are ready to move on to school, staff set up a transition meeting. Children see their new school uniforms and find out about what it will be like when they go to school. Children share their lunch break with school children. Furthermore, they attend church with the whole school, weekly. This helps to prepare children for their next stage in their education.

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need to do better?

n Overall, staff provide a language-rich environment. They speak clearly to children and introduce new vocabulary. For instance, children learn how bees 'pollinate' flowers. Staff ask age-appropriate questions. However, occasionally, staff answer the questions they pose too quickly, without giving children the chance to reply. n Children's literacy skills are well supported. Staff share books with children and read with excitement in their voices as they become the characters from the story. Children identify their own name cards and are beginning to write independently. For instance, children write signs for their bug hotel and eagerly tell staff the sign says 'bugs only'. This helps to develop children's early reading and writing skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding. They are able to recognise signs of abuse and neglect. Staff know the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child. They know the procedure to follow, should they have any concerns about a member of staff. Staff understand the signs that would indicate a child is at risk of radicalisation or extremism. Staff receive regular training in safeguarding. The management team checks the suitability of staff and have a stringent staff recruitment process in place. Risk assessments are robust and completed regularly. This helps to keep children safe.

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should:

n develop staff's understanding of curriculum intentions to enable them to focus specifically on what children need to learn next n provide children with more time to respond in conversation and independently

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should:

16 June 2023 think through their ideas to extend learning even further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY396552 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 10289144 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 20 Number of children on roll 25 Name of registered person Little Hearts Pre-School Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01207270396 Date of previous inspection 14 November 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Little Hearts Pre-School registered in 2009. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Four staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded 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 and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with the registered individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The manager carried out a joint observation 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

16 June 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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