Little Ducklings Preschool

Inspection of Little Ducklings Preschool Park Lodge, Vibrok shanakiel Ilkeston Road, Heanor DE75 7DR

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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 a sense of belonging in the pre-school. For example, when they arrive, they hang their coats and place their shoes in their allocated space. Children who speak English as an additional language use objects in their play that reflects and celebrates their culture. For instance, at snack time, staff provide children with chopsticks to eat their snack. Staff encourage children to help each other. For example, when children make play dough and a child has two bowls of flour, staff ask other children what the child can do. Children reply, 'You can share'.

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The provision is good

Outdoors, children show good balance and coordination when they use tricycles to negotiate space and when they climb on stepping stones. They receive praise from staff when they say 'I'm doing it'. This shows their positive attitude to learning. Children are very sociable with their peers. When they initiate a ball game of catching and throwing, they laugh when it lands on top of a parachute. Staff use this opportunity to encourage children to use language to describe position. When staff ask if the ball is underneath, children happily reply, 'on the top'. Staff support children's understanding further of mathematics when they talk to them about shapes. Children learn that a rectangle has two long sides and two short sides, and that the building blocks they use are called cubes.

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need to do better?

n Staff effectively support children's language development. For example, they ask children to use descriptive words. Children say the play dough is 'gooey'. Staff hold conversations with children, encouraging them to communicate. They help them to understand words that are displayed outdoors. This helps them understand that written print has meaning. n Staff encourage children to develop a love of books. After they read children stories, staff ask them to remember what happened. This encourages children to recall events and share their thoughts. Children have opportunities to take books home for parents to read with them. This helps to encourage parents to continue children's learning at home. n Staff provide children with opportunities to learn what makes them unique and the similarities and differences in people around them. For example, children bring in photos of themselves standing in front of their homes. Staff provide

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need to do better?

children with opportunities to build and create their own house in craft activities. Children look at these and talk about the different houses they live in. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well by the managers and staff. Parents comment positively about the support their children receive. They appreciate how the managers work tirelessly to involve other professionals to support their children's individual needs. n Additional funding is spent effectively to support the individual needs of children.

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need to do better?

19 June 2023 For example, additional hours are offered to help manage children's behaviour during times of transition. The manager buys toys and resources to support children's interests. These are used during small-group times to help close gaps in their learning. n Overall, staff support children's development well. However, during some planned large-group activities, staff are not allocated effectively to help all children benefit from the learning offered. For example, not all children are supported to follow a recipe accurately when they make play dough. n The manager and staff use a curriculum that broadens children's knowledge and skills. For example, staff provide opportunities for children to learn about different cultures, such as China. Children make a pretend dragon and learn a dance to show their parents. n Staff have rules and boundaries in place and these are developed with the children, helping them to understand what is expected of them. One of these

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need to do better?

rules is to remind children to use 'walking feet' when they start to run in the corridor. When children begin to walk, staff praise their achievements, promoting positive behaviour. However, staff do not consistently support less confident children to join in team games with their peers. This results in some children not being as involved as others or helped to understand how to play. n The managers attend training courses to help develop their knowledge of how to provide opportunities for children to learn about oral hygiene. Children are able to practise cleaning their teeth. They learn how long to brush their teeth for and to use a pea-sized piece of toothpaste on their brush.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children are supported by staff to understand how they can keep themselves safe. For example, they discuss road safety when walking in the street. Children learn to land in a safe space when they jump off apparatus. Staff read stories to children to help them learn about internet safety. They give parents information to help them to keep their children safe online at home. The managers and staff understand their role in keeping children safe from harm and abuse. This includes identifying the signs that children may be subject to radicalisation. They know where to report concerns about children's safety or welfare.

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should:

n explore how to allocate staff more effectively during planned large-group activities to help children get the most from the learning offered n help staff to be more aware of children who need support to develop their confidence to play games with their peers.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY491367 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10286096 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 36 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Little Ducklings Pre School Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 07903896680 Date of previous inspection 31 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Little Ducklings Preschool registered in 2015 and is situated in Heanor, Derbyshire. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time, from 8.30am until 3.45pm. 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 pre-school 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 One of the managers and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed how the manager implements the curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n Children spoke to the inspector throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with staff and the managers at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with one of the managers. n The inspector held a meeting with one of the managers. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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Inspection activities

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

19 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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