Little Explorers Pre-School@Pulborough

Inspection of Little Explorers Pre- School@Pulborough St. Marys C Of E Primary School, Link Lane, Pulborough RH20 2AN

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are warmly greeted by staff on arrival. This helps children to enter the pre-school confidently and excitedly greet their friends. The nurturing staff are attentive, and particularly sensitive to children who have recently started attending. This supports all children to settle quickly. Children independently put their belongings away and find their own names to hang on the 'self-registration tree'. This helps children feel a positive sense of belonging. They are eager to explore the day's activities, which have been thoughtfully created by staff, and swiftly become engrossed in their play.

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The provision is good

Children have a positive attitude towards their learning. Staff encourage children to persevere when challenges occur. As such, children confidently embrace challenge and keep trying, even when they do not succeed at first. They are proud of their own achievements and those of others, and staff regularly praise and encourage them. Children have good relationships with their friends as they share, take turns and play imaginatively together. Staff calmly support children to work through occasional minor conflicts, which helps them to understand their emotions. Children have good personal, social and emotional skills.

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The provision is good

Staff provide frequent opportunities for children to practise their skills. This helps children to develop independence. For example, children pour their own drinks and cut their own fruit for snack. Children delight in sharing their pride when they complete these tasks. The relationships staff have with all children are strong, and children seek them out for comfort, play and praise.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff plan an ambitious, well-balanced curriculum, which is effectively sequenced throughout the pre-school. Staff know the children particularly well. They understand children's uniqueness, how they learn and what sparks their individual curiosity to engage them in their play and learning. Staff know what skills children have already learned and what they need to learn next. As such, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make the good progress they are capable of. n Staff carefully plan interesting and exciting activities for children to delve into. Generally, children immerse themselves in their play, while skilful staff support them and extend these experiences. However, some planned group activities are not well organised. As a result, occasionally, some children become distracted and disengaged, and so do not fully benefit from the learning opportunities on

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need to do better?

offer. n Children have ample opportunities to develop their physical skills. They access the 'funky finger station', which is continually set up with activities to promote

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need to do better?

18 October 2023 their dexterity, strengthen their small muscles and develop hand-to-eye coordination. For example, children concentrate as they pinch tweezers to pick up conkers, and intently practise their threading skills with fine strings and threading boards. Through these activities, staff help children gain important physical skills for early writing. Children also have access to a large outdoor area, where they run, jump and balance with friends. This supports children's overall physical development and builds effectively on their existing skills. n Staff understand the importance of supporting children's communication and language. They model and repeat words, engage in meaningful back-and-forth conversations with children, and carefully narrate children's play. They read stories with enthusiasm, and children join in with familiar words. Staff are skilful in their approach to asking children questions. They give children time to pause,

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need to do better?

think and respond. Staff expose children to new words such as 'textures' and 'squashy'. This supports all children, including those with speech delay, to make good progress in their language development. n Leaders and staff recognise the importance of creating an inclusive culture. Staff adapt and tailor activities, as well as the environment, to suit the needs of all children. They are positive, inclusive role models. As such, children are kind and thoughtful and recognise when others may need some help. For example, older children take the hands of younger, less-confident children and lead them to join in with their play. This culture enhances children's abilities to recognise and respond to the needs of others, which helps to prepare them for life in modern Britain. n Staff feel well supported by leaders, who work closely alongside their staff. Although staff supervision is in place, this is not fully effective. Leaders have not

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need to do better?

fully developed the use of supervision sessions to support staff to refine their practice and continually improve their effectiveness. n Partnership with parents is a strength at this pre-school. Parents are highly complementary of the support that they and their children receive from all staff. Parents comment that 'staff go above and beyond'. They report that their children are making good progress. Staff ensure that their communication with parents is a priority and offer a variety of communication methods for families.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders implement robust recruitment processes to ensure that staff are suitable to fulfil their roles. All staff have a clear understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. Leaders monitor staff's knowledge of child protection effectively, ensuring that training is regularly updated in a variety of ways. All staff demonstrate a clear understanding of what to do if they are concerned about a child, including how to report concerns to local safeguarding partners. They are confident about the reporting process in the event of an allegation against a staff member, or if they are concerned about a colleague's behaviour. Staff identify and minimise risks effectively to ensure children safety. Children are well supervised, including during mealtimes.

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should:

n support staff to develop the planning of group activities so that all children taking part benefit more fully from the intended learning n strengthen staff supervision to help staff continually improve their personal effectiveness.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2653094 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10305093 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 32 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Little Explorers West Sussex LTD

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reference number

Telephone number 07445185010 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Explorers Pre-School@Pulborough registered in 2021 and operates from a school site in West Sussex. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, from 8.45am to 3.15pm, term time only. The setting employs six staff, five of whom hold early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting is in receipt of funding for the free early years education of children aged two, three and four years.

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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 setting. n Leaders and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n Leaders carried out a joint observation of group activities with the inspector. 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 provision 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 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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