Zion Community Preschool

Inspection of Zion Community Preschool Zion United Church Hall, Woodend Road, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol, Avon BS36 2HX

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children happily enter this friendly pre-school, and staff warmly welcome them and ask them their news. Children separate from their parents with ease, put their lunch boxes and water bottles away and hang up their coats. They show they feel safe and secure and know the routines of the day. Children are keen to join in with the activities. Some children enjoy playing with play dough, making faces and describing the features, such as a 'happy mouth' and 'eyes'. Children form good relationships with staff and other children. They readily engage in conversations, talking about their brothers who are at school, for example.

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The provision is good

The manager is now clear about her curriculum intent and how she delivers a balanced curriculum that covers the areas of learning. She places a strong emphasis on promoting children's social, communication and language skills. The manager and staff monitor children's progress carefully and put in place support to help children catch up when any gaps in learning are identified. They help children gain the knowledge and skills they need for starting school.

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The provision is good

Children develop good levels of independence. Staff help them learn how to put on their coats and use various tools to cut and peel fruit and vegetables. Children lay the table and blow their noses, disposing of their tissues and sanitising their hands afterwards.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff have made significant improvements to their practice since the last inspection. They have worked closely with the local authority and attended training and support sessions to improve the curriculum. Staff now place a high focus on developing children's communication and language skills and ensuring that children have access to all areas of learning. At times, they do not ensure the younger children are fully supported to engage them more in the learning opportunities. n Staff support children's communication and language development effectively. The environment is language rich, and adults and children readily engage in conversations. Staff repeat words correctly for children and introduce new vocabulary, such as 'segment' and 'peel'. Children enjoy singing songs and listening to stories. Staff help them learn the meaning of new words, such as 'proud' and 'lonely'. n Additional funding is used well to target areas where children need support, and

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need to do better?

it has a positive impact on children's progress. All children, including those who receive additional funding, make good progress in their development in relation to their starting points. n Staff attend training that has a positive impact on children's learning. For

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need to do better?

1 November 2023 example, staff have introduced a sensory area for children to have some quiet time if needed. Staff have clear areas for development in order to make improvements to practice. They are all attending training on using hand signs to support all children's communication and language consistently. n Partnerships with parents are positive. Parents report that they know their children's next steps and are pleased with the progress they have made, particularly in their speech and language and confidence. Parents say that communication with staff is very good and that they are very approachable to talk to at any time. However, staff do not ask pertinent questions about potential outside agencies working with the family to ensure that any information is swiftly shared. n Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. They demonstrate their confidence in using the see-saw, using their feet to push

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need to do better?

themselves up and down and around. Children climb up the slide and crawl through tunnels and balance on tyres. They develop their fine motor skills by, for example, manipulating dough, making marks in the sand with sticks and using various tools, including drawing and painting equipment. n Staff are skilled at weaving early mathematics into children's play. They talk about quantity, size, shape, and measure. Children show they are developing their mathematical language as they compare the height of a cup and plate, saying the cup is 'taller'. At snack, they compare the sizes of the fruits, confidently pointing to the 'biggest' and 'smallest' orange. n Children's behaviour is very good. Staff give them lots of praise and encouragement, and children persevere with tasks until they succeed. Children learn to share and take turns with staff, who use sand timers to support this. Staff regularly encourage children to talk about how they are feeling, and they

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need to do better?

offer support when they are unsettled, such as by reading their favourite story.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a sound knowledge of child protection and safeguarding issues. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about children's welfare. Staff know they can contact external agencies if they do not feel their concerns are being taken seriously. Recruitment procedures are robust and help to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Children learn to assess the risks in the outdoor environment. They carry out risk assessments with staff, learning what to check for, such as that the gates are locked. This helps them learn about the importance of staying safe.

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should:

1 November 2023 n gain more detailed information from parents when there are outside agencies involved with the family to ensure that information is shared more swiftly n ensure that staff provide more support for the younger children to engage them in the learning opportunities on offer.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY321532 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 10268685 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 16 Name of registered person Zion Community Preschool Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07715 467764 Date of previous inspection 24 November 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Zion Community Preschool registered in 1970 and operates from the church hall of Frampton Cotterell, South Gloucestershire. It is open each weekday, Monday and Friday, from 9am to midday, and Tuesday to Thursday, from 9am to 3pm, during term time only. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are four members of staff working directly with the children, three of whom hold relevant early years qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and talked about the curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector observed staff's interactions with children, indoors and outdoors, and the impact of these on children's learning. n Staff spoke to the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection. Children told the inspector what they enjoy doing while at pre-school. n The inspector viewed a sample of documentation, including suitability checks and qualification certificates. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager and discussed the impact of this on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the pre-school with the inspector, who took account of their views.

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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

1 November 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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