The Garden Pre-School

Inspection of The Garden Pre-School Emmanuel Baptist Church, Western Terrace, FALMOUTH, Cornwall TR11 4QJ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children enjoy the time they spend at the pre-school. Staff are caring and nurturing towards the children. Relationships between the staff and children are positive, and children feel safe and secure in staff's care. Children show kindness towards others and, with support from staff, they are developing an understanding of sharing and turn taking.

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The provision requires improvement

Children gain some knowledge and skills that prepare them for school and the next stage of their learning. However, there are some inconsistencies in the quality of education that the children receive, which hinders their progress. The curriculum for children's communication and language development is not good enough, especially for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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The provision requires improvement

Staff celebrate children's achievements well. For example, when children count how many animals they have, they receive a clap from staff, alongside verbal praise for their efforts. This promotes children's self-esteem and positively contributes towards their happiness. Children engage in a variety of activities. However, staff do not ensure that the experiences for children to develop their physical skills are consistently available. For example, when a relevant weather warning is in place, children are unable to access the outside areas until safe to do so. Some staff do not consider providing experiences inside to support the development of children's physical skills. This has a negative impact on their behaviour and attitudes.

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need to do better?

n Weak curriculum planning and inconsistent interactions from staff mean that children do not always engage in purposeful play. They sometimes lose interest in the activities available, and staff do not always know how to support the children with their learning. For example, when the older children cannot participate in outdoor learning, they chase each other, and staff do not respond quickly enough to their needs. However, in the toddler room, staff explore other ways to promote children's physical development. For example, they engage in soft-play activities, where they practise moving their bodies in a variety of ways. This helps to strengthen their muscles in preparation for the next stage of their development. n Leaders and staff ensure that they assess the needs of the children on a regular basis so that they can monitor the progress of individual children and identify gaps. However, they are not quick to implement robust strategies to support

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need to do better?

those children who need extra help with their learning. This means that children with SEND do not always get the tailored support to help them catch up with their peers. n The manager provides staff with supervision and training. She identifies that

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need to do better?

14 July 2023 staff need to be consistent in their quality of interactions and questioning skills when engaging with children. However, due to a lack of targeted support, staff do not receive the help they need to improve their planning and interactions with children. This hinders the progress that children can make, particularly in their communication and language development. n Staff encourage children to attend to their care needs. For instance, children use the toilet and wash their hands independently. They make choices about their play and are confident to ask for what they want and need. For example, children ask for help with the buttons on their clothes, and staff skilfully support children to do them up. n Staff support children to be healthy and independent. They teach children how to safely cut fruit using a knife and encourage them to count how many pieces of apple they now have. Staff help children to learn good manners, such as

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need to do better?

saying 'please' and 'thank you'. Children listen to staff's instructions as they line up to go outside, and staff remind children about 'switching their listening ears on'. n The manager and staff promote children's early reading skills. For example, children access books independently and find a quiet space to enjoy these with staff. Staff read with great enthusiasm and help children to develop their attention and listening skills. The manager has recently introduced a 'lending library'. Parents comment that this has allowed them to borrow books to share with their children at home. n Parents praise the staff at the pre-school. Children and parents are welcomed when children begin to attend, and this makes settling in a smooth process. Parents receive detailed feedback from the staff about the care provided. Parents feel reassured by the regular updates given to them. n Leaders are mindful of staff's well-being. They have created an area where staff

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need to do better?

have a comfortable place to relax during their breaks. Positive comments are displayed to raise feelings of self-esteem. The manager keeps in regular contact with the team, and staff comment that they feel supported and valued.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse. They can reliably identify what might indicate that children are at risk of harm and know what action they must take to report any concerns. The provider has robust procedures in place for the recruitment of staff to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. The provider has taken action to ensure that there are risk assessments in place to minimise any potential risks for children.

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Due date

ensure that the curriculum for children with SEND is ambitious and meets their individual needs 13/10/2023

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Due date

improve the physical development curriculum for the older children 13/10/2023

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Due date

improve the support for staff to ensure that they consistently implement the curriculum, with a particular focus on the development of children's communication and language. 13/10/2023

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Setting details

Unique reference number 102879 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 10299681 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 47 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person The Garden Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01326 315002 Date of previous inspection 30 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The Garden Pre-School is a committee-run group that registered in 1998. It operates from two rooms adjoining the Baptist church hall, in Falmouth, Cornwall. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, from 8.30am until 3pm, during during term time. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs eight members of staff. Of these, two hold qualified teacher status, five hold early years qualifications at level 3 and one member of staff is unqualified.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 The manager and the inspector conducted a learning walk of the areas used by the children and discussed the setting's curriculum. n The inspector observed the interactions between the staff and children throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke with children and their parents to take account of their views and feedback. n The inspector spoke with staff and the provider at appropriate times during the inspection to consider their knowledge of their responsibilities and the setting's procedures. n The provider and the inspector carried out a joint observation of an adult-led activity to reflect on the quality of teaching and learning. n The inspector viewed relevant documentation.

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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

14 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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