Puffin Pre-School

Inspection of Puffin Pre-School 25 Narvik Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth PO2 9PN

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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 and their parents receive a warm welcome by the friendly manager and her team. Children have strong bonds with their key person. They cuddle their key person and enjoy spending time with them. Staff foster a sense of belonging and happiness at the pre-school.

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The provision is good

In this small and friendly pre-school, children make their own choices, move between rooms and participate in activities that spark their interests. Older children explain to staff how to mix purple from red and blue paint. Staff and younger children follow these instructions and paint their hands and create purple handprints. Staff praise the children's painting, and they compare the size of their hands with each other's hands. These opportunities support the children to learn early mathematical concepts, such as size.

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The provision is good

Children show good behaviour. When younger children struggle to control their emotions, staff support them and children learn how their behaviour affects others.

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The provision is good

Children learn new vocabulary and concepts as staff talk about symmetrical patterns and explain what these are. Children who speak English as an additional language learn new words that build on their interests. For example, staff use cars to teach children the colours black, green and orange.

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need to do better?

n The manager places a strong emphasis on communication and language in the curriculum. Staff use stories to develop children's vocabulary and natural resources that encourage conversation. For example, they use a tray of natural materials to encourage children to talk about a stick man story. n Staff use assessment and focus on what children need to learn next. For instance, staff provide opportunities for younger children to extend their attention through painting activities. For older children, the focus is on school readiness and practising independence skills. n Children show good attitudes to learning, and staff plan experiences that capture their attention. For instance, the children learn about the life cycle of butterflies by looking after caterpillars. Staff use children's drawings to create a display that helps them remember how caterpillars turn into butterflies. n Staff teach children about being safe in the sun. Children use this knowledge

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need to do better?

effectively and make connections that support their self-care skills. For instance, they ask staff if they are going to put on sun cream today because it is sunny. Then, they pretend to put on sun cream and talk about how it protects their skin. n Staff encourage children's independence and hygiene skills. Young children like

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need to do better?

5 July 2023 to wash their hands independently after painting. Staff talk to children about the importance of washing their hands after going to the toilet and before eating. Children and staff eat lunch together and talk about their favourite fruits and vegetables in their lunch boxes. This helps children learn about healthy eating. n Staff understand the importance of supporting children's language development. However, there are times when adult-led group time does not support children's learning, and staff sing too quickly and read too fast. The effect on children is they do not join in and miss the opportunity to learn new vocabulary. n Staff talk about the supportive manager who gives them regular feedback and supports them in their practise. All staff keep their knowledge and skills up to date through regular training. For example, the manager and staff attend an annual training day and learn how to use expressive language to support

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need to do better?

children's learning. n The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with parents and external agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). She uses specialist funding to buy resources that support children's social skills and sensory learning. n Parents say their children are confident and make progress at the pre-school. They talk about the social skills their children have learned, including good manners. Parents are encouraged to take home stories, including bilingual books, to foster a love of reading. Parents who work away from home are given link boxes that support them and their children during this separation. n Staff use the local area to support children's physical development and take them on walks to visit the shoreline and the local community centre.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager prioritises safeguarding and keeping children safe. Staff are confident in their ability to identify if a child is at risk of abuse. They refer concerns to the designated safeguarding lead, who refers to local safeguarding partners. Staff know the process to follow if there is an allegation about a member of staff and referral to the local authority designated officer. All staff attend safeguarding training, which includes the 'Prevent' duty guidance and how to keep children safe from radicalisation and extreme views. The deputy manager is responsible for completing daily risk assessments. This includes the outdoors, which helps to ensure that children are safe outside.

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should:

n support staff to understand how to better organise and deliver group activities to ensure that all children can participate and learn.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY393239 Local authority Portsmouth Inspection number 10289125 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 14 Number of children on roll 15 Name of registered person Naval Under Fives (Eastern Area) Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 077 7315 7732 Date of previous inspection 13 November 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Puffin Pre-School registered again in 2009. The pre-school is owned and managed by the Naval Under Fives Organisation. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. All of whom hold a relevant early years qualification. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, term-time only. Sessions are from 9am to 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 pre-school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the pre-school. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what she wants the children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The SENCo spoke to the inspector about how the pre-school supports children with SEND. n The inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with the manager. n Parents shared their views of 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

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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