West End Pre-School

Inspection of West End Pre-School Hilldene Annexe, High Street, West End, SOUTHAMPTON SO30 3DU

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children show a keen sense of belonging at this welcoming pre-school. On arrival, they are warmly welcomed by staff and settle quickly into the routine. Children independently put their belongings away, find their names to self-register and enjoy a calm start to the day. They form close bonds with staff, who are sensitive and attentive to children's care needs. This helps them feel safe and secure.

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The provision is good

Staff carry out home visits before children start, to gather important information from parents about children's interests and find what they can already do. This helps them to plan a meaningful learning environment that engages and motivates children to explore and learn more. For example, children who have an interest in scooters and tricycles, practise whizzing and manoeuvring around obstacles in the garden, displaying great control. This contributes to children's development of good physical skills. Staff support children's understanding of why exercise is important. They talk to children about the impact on their bodies when making healthier food choices.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They teach them to use a sand timer for turn taking. Older children impressively identify when to use the sand timer, such as when more than one child wants to play with the same toy. This shows children's social skills are developing well. Children continue to show a clear understanding of the rules and routines throughout the day.

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need to do better?

n The highly knowledgeable and experienced manager creates an ambitious curriculum, which is understood well by staff. For example, staff provide new experiences to increase children's knowledge of how objects change over time. Children hold pretend chats with close family on an old fashioned telephone with a cord and dial. They expertly turn the dial using the small muscles in their hands to register a number. Children also use modern cordless telephones, where they punch in the number and walk around as they speak. n Staff place a strong emphasis on promoting children's language and literacy skills. They introduce new words, such as 'nocturnal', and explain the meaning clearly when children play a game about animals. Children love to speak about their home experiences related to topics they are learning about. They make marks and talk about them proudly, showing their increasing understanding that

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need to do better?

marks carry meaning. Staff skilfully use props to help bring children's favourite stories to life. For example, children experience different textures on their bare feet, which represent the various places in the story 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. In this way, children learn to describe the materials and apply these words in context, such as 'long, wavy grass'.

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need to do better?

21 September 2023 n The special educational needs coordinator is instrumental in overseeing and ensuring the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are met appropriately. Staff use targeted programmes with children when needed, for example, to boost their speaking and listening skills. They liaise effectively with parents and other external agencies to ensure that children with SEND make the best possible progress. Children who speak English as an additional language are successfully supported by staff. They collect key words in children's home languages and use them to aid their comprehension. n The manager uses a range of methods to involve parents, staff and children in evaluating the effectiveness of the pre-school. This helps to identify areas to improve and further training for staff. However, the arrangements to monitor staff practice are not fully effective in identifying when individual staff would

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need to do better?

benefit from precisely tailored support. For instance, some staff do not always build on children's individual knowledge and skills when interacting with a group of children with mixed ages, abilities and needs. The manager acknowledges that further support and monitoring is needed for some staff to ensure that all children benefit from a curriculum that is implemented well. n Parents are very complimentary about the education and care their children receive. They say their children are always keen to attend and have lots to tell their families about their experiences. Parents value the comprehensive information about their child's progress and care, such as through an online application, termly meetings with the key person and collection time feedback. Parents feel that the pre-school is at the heart of the community and appreciate their attendance at events, such as harvest festival at the local church.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff follow safeguarding procedures well. They fully understand their responsibility to keep children safe from harm. Staff know the potential signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse, including exposure to extremist views and behaviours. The manager regularly reviews the setting's policies and procedures and shares updates with staff and parents. She has a clear whistle-blowing process in place if staff have any concerns. The manager follows robust recruitment procedures, including checking that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff complete daily and ongoing risk assessments to help minimise risks and teach children how to identify potential hazards.

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should:

n strengthen the monitoring of staff practice and target support as necessary to maintain consistently high standards of care and education for all children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 507860 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10301635 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person West End Pre-School

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reference number

Telephone number 02380 466 764 Date of previous inspection 22 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

West End Pre-School registered in 1979. It operates from a private premises in West End, Southampton, Hampshire. The pre-school is open from 8.30am to 3pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 8.30am to midday on Wednesday. It operates term time only. The pre-school accepts funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are nine members of staff in total. Of these, seven hold a relevant childcare qualification from level 3 to level 6.

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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 how the provision is organised and what they want their children to learn. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at nursery. 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 The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability

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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

21 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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