Hurstpierpoint Preschool

Inspection of Hurstpierpoint Preschool Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 9UY

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

All children settle well under the care of the warm and friendly staff team. Occasionally, younger children have the opportunity to be in a smaller group while older children are away from the setting enjoying their outdoor activities. This enables newer and younger children to build strong relationships with staff. Children enjoy selecting from the 'pick and play' resources, where they can independently choose what they would like to take to play with. They use the pictures on the boxes to help them identify the contents and then take a number jigsaw, which they complete eagerly.

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The provision is good

Older children delight in their outdoor play and learning experiences. They work together to find items on their autumnal scavenger hunt. Children talk about their home lives with staff and the pets they have at home. This helps them to understand about differences in families. Children thoroughly enjoy role play and excitedly make dinner for others. They use mathematical language and staff build on children's existing knowledge to enable them to understand how to recognise what numbers represent. Children develop skills for early writing and pencil control. They practise and embed how to use pegs and large tweezers to pick up a variety of different textural objects.

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need to do better?

n The manager has taken stock after the last inspection and has made effective use of action planning to make improvements. She has worked in partnership with her staff and has received support from the committee members. This has enabled them to evaluate practice and develop their knowledge of childcare. n The manager and staff team have worked hard to improve their planning for what children need to learn next and how they can achieve this. There are clear systems in place to gather information about children's individual needs and learning needs. Staff use this along with what they learn about children through their observations to assess what children need to learn next. n Overall, staff know children well and assess their current levels of development successfully. Staff plan as a team to enable children to move along in their learning. However, staff are not always fully aware of all children's next steps, to

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need to do better?

enable them to make the most of each interaction with children. n Staff embrace children's interests and curiosity. For example, they take a conversation about planets and stars to talk about the sizes of planets, including the sun and the moon. Staff introduce new words, such 'solar system' and 'rockets', to enhance this interest and provide a language-rich environment. n There is clear support in place for children with special educational needs and/ or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language. The planning for children's development across the areas of learning is ambitious for all

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need to do better?

16 October 2023 children. The manager uses additional funding effectively according to children's individual needs and interests. n Parents speak highly of the rapid improvements they have seen recently. They comment about the clearer approach to teaching and learning and the impact of this. One parent stated that their child is now showing a strong understanding of letters and their sounds. However, some parents are not aware of who their child's key person is. This does not always enable even greater communication and partnerships to enhance the sharing of learning information. n Children enjoy taking an active part in story times. They take turns to open the flaps on the pages of the over-sided book to discover what is behind. Children express how their animals in the book may be, including words such as 'angry'. Staff teach children about letters and their sounds from an early age. n The manager evaluates staff's practice and guides them to improve their

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need to do better?

knowledge. She reviews their training needs and enables staff to enhance their learning, such as through accessing professional qualifications courses. The manager is an effective mentor who role models good practice successfully. n Staff calmly support children to understand how to manage their behaviour. They use group times to talk about 'sharing is caring' and using 'walking feet'. Staff make sure that children do not miss out on their turn if a child is trying to dominate the situation. Children receive gentle reminders about their awareness of others, such as when manoeuvring on the ride-on toys in the garden.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding. They know the procedures to follow in the event of a concern about a child or adult. All committee members and staff undergo appropriate suitability checks to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. Staff complete risk assessments for the activities, premises and outings away from the setting. Staff trained in delivering outdoor activities understand the safety risks involved in providing certain experiences and how to minimise these. Older children learn about safety aspects through their outdoor activities, such as what to do if a dog approaches. Children readily cross their arms over their chest to move their fingers out of reach. This enables them to learn about their own safety.

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should:

n continue to enhance staff's awareness of what each child needs to learn next to enable each interaction to be more highly effective n build further on relationships with parents to update details of key persons and their child's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 113538 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10297038 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 30

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Name of registered person

Hurstpierpoint Pre School Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01273834144 Date of previous inspection 12 May 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Hurstpierpoint Preschool registered in 1967. The pre-school is open each weekday, term time only. Monday to Thursday sessions are available between 9am and 3.30pm, and on Fridays from 9am to 12pm. There are nine members of staff, five of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff has achieved early years teacher status. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the manager and had taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector spoke with staff and interacted with children. n Parents shared their views about the setting with the inspector. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises.

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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

16 October 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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