Little Bears Pre-School

Inspection of Little Bears Pre-School Stadhampton Primary School, Cratlands Close, Stadhampton, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX44 7XL

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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

Staff enthusiastically ensure that children enjoy their time in this friendly and inclusive pre-school. They are cared for and nurtured by staff, who provide a positive start in a stimulating and inviting environment. Staff support children to feel safe in their surroundings. Children form close bonds with the caring staff and are comfortable seeking out staff and asking for support when necessary. They confidently follow the daily routines and chat freely with staff and their friends about events they can recall.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy exploring a wide range of activities, both indoors and outdoors. Staff plan experiences to build on children's learning and understanding, which helps to support children's positive attitudes to learning. For example, children take risks as they explore a range of climbing apparatus and obstacles in the garden, and they are extremely proud as they skilfully balance along planks and tyres.

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The provision is good

Staff help children to learn to share and take turns. They provide consistent praise for children's efforts and kindness, acting as positive role models. Children behave well. They receive consistent boundaries from staff, which helps them to understand the expectations for their behaviour. Children help to put resources away when they have finished playing, and they help staff to set the table at snack time. They develop their independence, as they are supported to pour their own drinks and serve their own fruit.

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need to do better?

n Some committee members have not provided Ofsted with the required information to check their suitability. However, the committee members have completed Disclosure and Barring Service checks and have no contact with children at the pre-school. In addition, they are not involved in any sensitive information or decision making. This means there is no impact on children's welfare. n Staff know the children and families well, including what interests the children have. Staff encourage children to share experiences they enjoy at home and use this to inform the planned activities. Staff have in the past provided children with a range of learning opportunities outside of pre-school. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, these activities have yet to be reintroduced. Although staff understand the importance of enhancing children's experiences of the local and wider community, this is not fully effective to support their understanding of the

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need to do better?

world. n Staff understand the importance of supporting children's language and communication skills. They plan a wide range of activities for all children based on the skills and knowledge they want them to learn next. However, methods of

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need to do better?

13 September 2023 team coaching and mentoring are not yet robust enough to improve staff practice. At times, staff deliver activities to support children with what they have planned for them to learn. On occasion, they do not fully consider more opportunities to develop children's wider skills, such as making predictions and offering their own ideas. n Children learn the importance of following a healthy diet and lifestyle. They follow good hygiene routines and enjoy trying different fruit and vegetables at snack time. They have good opportunities to be physically active and develop a wide range of physical skills, including fine motor skills. Children are adept at using various tools, developing their small-muscle movements as they do. For instance, they demonstrate their curiosity and concentration as they arrange small, colourful pegs onto a board, making patterns and identifying sequences. This supports children's muscle strength for early writing skills, as well as their

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need to do better?

mathematical development. n Leaders have a clear vision for the pre-school. Staff morale is good. The manager supports staff's well-being and conducts regular appraisals and supervision sessions with all staff. This helps to identify additional training opportunities. For example, recent training supporting the language lead has helped staff to successfully weave language-rich opportunities into all areas of the curriculum. n There are good partnerships with the local schools and parents. Staff gather detailed information about children's individual needs and preferences. Parents and carers explain that staff communicate with them about all aspects of children's care and education, including how they can help to develop their learning further at home. Parents say that their children love attending and build close relationships with staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure understanding of their role and responsibilities to keep children safe. They can identify the signs and symptoms that may indicate that a child is at risk of harm. They know the correct process to follow when raising a concern about a child's welfare, and they are familiar with the whistle-blowing procedures. The provider has a thorough recruitment process. This ensures that staff receive a comprehensive induction programme and that their ongoing suitability is monitored effectively. All staff complete regular safeguarding training. They have a good understanding of broader areas of safeguarding, such as radicalisation and county lines.

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Due date

ensure the required procedures are followed to supply Ofsted with the information necessary to check the suitability of all committee members. 04/10/2023

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should:

n build on the already good practice to enhance methods of coaching and mentoring for staff, to focus on recognising the most of learning opportunities during activities and further raise the quality of teaching n enhance children's experiences of the local and wider community to support their understanding of the world.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY271846 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10305623 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 15 Name of registered person Little Bears Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01865 400 033 Date of previous inspection 28 February 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Little Bears Pre-School registered in 2004. It operates from premises within the grounds of Stadhampton Primary School, in the village of Stadhampton, Oxfordshire. The pre-school is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 9am until 3pm, and Tuesdays, from 9am until 12pm, term time only. There are four members of staff, who work a variety of sessions during the week. All staff have appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or level 3. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two and three years.

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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 setting and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector observed activities in the main base room and garden. She talked to staff about the progress individual children are making and what they want the children to learn. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk across all areas of the pre-school to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the manager. The inspector observed interactions between staff and the children and the impact these have on children's learning. n The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children. n The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including evidence of paediatric

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Inspection activities

first-aid training. The inspector had a discussion with leaders about the evaluation of the setting and plans for improvement. n The inspector spoke to parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views. The inspector gathered further parent feedback through their written comments.

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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

13 September 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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