Squirrels Pre-School

Inspection of Squirrels Pre-School Priory Park Pavillion, Priory Street, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7HX

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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, safe and well cared for. They benefit from the staff's focus on supporting their personal, social and emotional well-being. Children develop strong, trusting relationships with staff and their friends. Staff teach children the importance of kindness and respect, modelling this with children and embedding consistent behaviour expectations. Consequently, children learn to take turns, to use good manners and behave well. For instance, as children tidy away toys, they ask their friends for help and say 'thank you' as they work together to put toys onto the shelves.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for children's learning. The curriculum is created to focus on priorities for children's learning. Leaders have a good understanding of what they want children to know or to be able to do next. Children benefit from activities which excite and engage them in learning. For instance, children relish opportunities to make 'potions'. They learn how to tip and pour coloured liquids and add stars, glitter and label their mixtures. Staff support children's hand-eye coordination and encourage them to count and measure mixtures. Children listen intently and become absorbed in activities as staff skilfully weave learning into these experiences. All children, including those in receipt of additional funding, make good progress from their starting points.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and the staff team are passionate about providing children with the best start to their early education. They work well together, and their shared vision of continuous improvement enables children to benefit from a wide range of learning experiences. For instance, staff have reflected and improved how they celebrate the important events in children's lives. They help children learn about their own cultures and those of their friends, throughout the year. This helps to build children's awareness of other people and communities to prepare them for life in modern Britain n Staff teach children the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Children enjoy plentiful opportunities to be physically active. For instance, they push themselves along on ride-on bicycles and practise using hula hoops, developing their good coordination skills. Staff encourage children to take age-appropriate risks as they

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need to do better?

play. For example, children think about how they can cross low-level planks between the tepees as staff encourage and praise them. Children develop a positive attitude to trying new activities and gain confidence in their growing abilities. n Leaders support their staff well. Staff say that they enjoy working at the pre- school and feel well supported. They have regular supervision sessions and meetings to discuss their well-being and to develop staff knowledge and skills.

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need to do better?

18 July 2023 However, although staff benefit from a broad range of training opportunities, leaders do not focus staff professional development to refine and enhance staff's good teaching skills. n Children benefit from good opportunities to develop their mathematical knowledge. Staff focus on this area of learning well. For instance, children learn how many pieces of fruit they can choose at snack time. Staff provide written numbers and encourage children to count out the pieces. Opportunities for children to learn about numbers, shapes, size and weight are a constant theme in their learning experiences. Children learn how to be confident in using mathematics purposefully in their play. n Staff work well with parents and other professionals involved in children's care. They share a range of information regularly, to reflect children's interests and unique needs. This helps to ensure that all children, including those with special

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need to do better?

educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from a shared and consistent approach to their care and development. Staff devise targeted plans of support for each child. This ensures that all children who need extra help receive the support they need. n Overall, children's communication and language skills are supported well. Staff use opportunities to introduce new language to build on children's growing vocabulary skills. For instance, staff teach younger children the names of colours as they teach them about the red and yellow hoops. Children listen well and gain good attention skills. However, where some children need additional help to communicate their wants, needs and wishes, staff are yet to embed techniques to consistently support this area of their communication.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. They make good use of training to keep their knowledge of safeguarding up to date. Staff know how to recognise signs and indicators of abuse or neglect and how to report and escalate these concerns, to keep children safe. Staff complete daily risk assessments to identify and minimise hazards to children. They supervise children well, indoors and outside, to ensure that they remain safe.

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should:

n target staff professional development opportunities in order to help to refine and enhance teaching skills more precisely n develop the use of techniques that encourage and support children to communicate their wants, needs and ideas more consistently.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 511276 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10303324 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 26 Number of children on roll 150 Name of registered person Squirrels Educare Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07702 202921 Date of previous inspection 5 November 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Squirrels Pre-School registered in 2000 and is located in Farnborough, Hampshire. It offers care to pre-school children and a holiday playscheme. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. Pre-school sessions run from 8.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. The holiday playscheme runs during school holidays from 8am to 4.30pm. There are 10 staff working directly with the children, eight of whom hold appropriate qualifications from level 2 to level 6.

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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 viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The nominated individual joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. 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 Parents shared their views 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

18 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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