Meltham Community Pre-School

Inspection of Meltham Community Pre-School Meltham Baptist Chapel, Mean Lane, Meltham, Holmfirth, West Yorkshire HD9 5QS

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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 and settled in this friendly pre-school. They confidently move around the setting, making choices about what they want to do. Children enjoy spending time with staff, and relationships are positive. Staff are responsive to children's needs. They ensure that children feel safe, secure and listened to. When children seek out comfort, staff are quick to respond. They offer affection by way of a reassuring word, a smile and a hug.

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The provision is good

Leaders have developed a curriculum with a strong focus on preparing children for the next stage of their education. This includes supporting children with their language skills. Staff also want children to be confident, independent, make choices and be respectful and kind to others. Children play board games to develop their turn-taking skills. They build independence, such as by washing their own hands and serving their own snack. Children are gently reminded to be kind to each other and can recall the pre-school's rules.

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The provision is good

Children develop lovely relationships with each other and enjoy playful moments together. They show curiosity about what other children are doing and join in. For instance, staff encourage children to test out their ideas. Children work together to use large magnets to find magnetic items, such as paper clips and jar lids. In the garden, children's cheerful voices ring out as they engage in fun activities, such as a game of skittles. Children enthusiastically call out to each other as they pedal away on their bicycles. They giggle joyfully as other children chase them.

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need to do better?

n Staff regularly assess children's development. This helps them to promptly identify any gaps or delays in children's learning. Staff act quickly to put in place targeted interventions to support children's needs. They make timely referrals and work with parents and other professionals to ensure that support for children is effective. This helps children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to make good progress in relation to their starting points in development. n A well-embedded key-person system means that staff know the children well. Staff consider children's interests and stages of development when planning next steps to support their learning. However, sometimes they do not plan activities, such as group times, to consistently take account of what children need to learn next to help them make maximum progress. n Parents are complimentary when speaking about the pre-school. They are happy

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need to do better?

with the regular information that they receive from staff about their children's learning and development. Parents recognise the progress that their children have made while attending the setting. They speak fondly of the friendly staff

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need to do better?

5 July 2023 team and highly recommend the pre-school to friends and family. n Staff feel well supported by management. Leaders hold regular team meetings, and all staff have supervision meetings. A mentor system for less-experienced staff and frequent training opportunities facilitate a culture of continuous professional development. This ensures that the pre-school continues to provide a good-quality service. n Staff weave opportunities for children to learn mathematical concepts into their play and daily routines. For example, staff encourage children to count stairs as they walk down them. They learn concepts such as 'more' and 'less', as they count how many items they have left on the plates as they eat their lunch. This helps to build children's mathematical understanding over time. n Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. Staff introduce children to new words such as 'aubergine', 'magnetic' and 'straighteners'. Staff

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need to do better?

work with parents to build up a collection of key words in children's home languages to use in the pre-school. This supports children who speak English as an additional language. Staff use single words and repeat them clearly for children who may need more support with their speaking skills. Children become confident communicators with the support that they receive. n Children have lots of opportunities to practise their physical skills. Children climb and jump, pedal bicycles around the garden, negotiate the space and avoid obstacles. They manipulate small tools, such as pencils, while drawing, hold chalks to write their names outside on the ground and squeeze tweezers to pick up grains of rice. This helps children to develop the muscle strength and manual dexterity needed for future success.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have a very good understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe and protected from harm. The premises are secure, and staff work together to ensure that children are always supervised and safe. The pre-school has procedures in place to keep children safe from harm. These are understood and implemented consistently by all staff members. For example, staff have a good understanding of the pre-school's whistle-blowing procedures. They understand what action they should take if they have concerns about a colleague's behaviour. Staff confidently recognise signs that children may be at risk of harm and know what to do if they have any concerns about a child's welfare.

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should:

n plan activities more precisely, particularly group times, to take account of what all children need to learn next.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY452474 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 10280267 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Meltham Community Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07703594434 Date of previous inspection 27 September 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Meltham Community Pre-School registered in 2012 and is located in Holmfirth. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens during term time. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm, Monday to Friday. 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 staff and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the pre-school. n The inspector viewed the pre-school and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they want children to learn. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and management of the pre-school. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and

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Inspection activities

outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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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

5 July 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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