Woodlands Pre-School

Inspection of Woodlands Pre-School Netley Marsh Community Hall, Woodlands Road, Woodlands, SOUTHAMPTON SO40 7GE

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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 are keen to learn. They enthusiastically engage in the interesting learning experiences and activities. They form strong relationships with their key person and other staff, who all know the children very well. This helps all staff support children's care and learning. Children confidently learn to do things for themselves. They generally behave well and staff mostly provide consistent guidance. Staff skilfully weave teaching into their interactions with children to promote their learning. For instance, staff developed children's mathematical understanding at snack time. Children cut up fruit into 'halves', counted spoonfuls of oats, and set the microwave time to cook their porridge. Outside, children filled plastic syringes with water and estimated how far and high the water would travel when squirted. This continued the development of their mathematical understanding and small physical skills.

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The provision is good

Staff plan an ambitious curriculum which takes very good account of what children already know and can do. There is a strong focus on closing gaps in children's development, such as language skills. Staff provide focused language activities alongside exceptionally well-thought-out resources to support children's learning. For instance, children choose books in all areas where they play, including outdoors. They enjoy using two-way radios, which encourages children to use their developing communication and language skills. As a result, gaps in children's learning quickly start to close and they make good or better progress from their starting points.

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need to do better?

n Children who need extra help in their development receive support from knowledgeable and skilful staff. The pre-school special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a confident understanding of her role. Regular assessments are completed, including progress checks for two-year-old children. When appropriate, the SENCo puts in place individual educational plans to meet children's needs successfully. She understands the processes for education health care plans and the importance of making prompt referrals to outside professionals when needed. n Staff value the uniqueness of children and families. For example, they display photographs and provide words and books in other languages that children see and hear at home. Children develop their confidence effectively. They feel safe and confident to express their thoughts and views, such as during group discussions. Children benefit from positive praise and encouragement which

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need to do better?

strongly promotes their self-esteem and confidence. n Children develop their independence very well, including managing their personal care and gaining skills in dressing. They gain a sense of responsibility

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need to do better?

21 November 2023 and learn to take care of their belongings, such as putting away their lunch boxes on arrival and after eating. Overall, staff guide children's awareness of behaviour well. At times, they are not always consistent in promoting the expectations, such as to walk indoors, to help embed children's understanding of what is expected. n Staff provide effective teaching to children. They ask questions that help children to recall their prior knowledge and understanding. The focused small-group language activities are successful in promoting children's communication and language development, such as building their vocabulary and sentence structure. n Staff engage positively with children to help them explore and experiment. For example, staff support children to identify the tools that were most successful to cut up fruit and vegetables in the role play area. Staff encourage children to observe and to describe the changes to these once cut. This contributes to

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need to do better?

children building on their skills and knowledge for the future. n The manager has a good understanding of her role. The staff team work effectively together which promotes a consistent approach to children's care and learning. Staff benefit from team and individual meetings and complete regular training. This helps staff to extend their knowledge and skills. There are some good strategies to evaluate the quality of the provision and practice. On occasion, leaders do not always identify some areas to improve further, such as small gaps in record keeping and staff's understanding. n Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to promote continuity in meeting children's needs. Staff work closely with parents to support children to settle in and understand their development on entry. Parents receive regular updates about their children's progress and ideas to support learning at home. Parents feedback about the pre-school and staff is very positive. They comment

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need to do better?

that the staff are 'welcoming' and 'lovely'. They highlight the progress their children have made since starting, such as in their language and social skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff give children's safety and well-being a high priority. They follow clear procedures to keep children safe. For example, staff complete regular head counts during their daily walk. They communicate effectively when children move from the indoor area to the outdoor allotment. Staff are deployed effectively to supervise children. They monitor where children are playing, such as keeping a record of those playing outside in the allotment. The designated safeguarding lead and other staff recognise potential indicators that would raise their concerns. They have access to the local referral processes, including contact numbers, and know when they might need to follow these.

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should:

n enhance staff's awareness of consistently promoting children's understanding of the behaviour expectations n build on leaders' oversight of the pre-school to maintain and enhance the quality of provision and practice further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 507964 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10275723 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 26 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person Woodlands Pre School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07880921627 Date of previous inspection 5 January 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Woodlands Pre-School has been operating since 1982. It runs from the Community Hall in the village of Netley Marsh, Hampshire. The pre-school is open term time only on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 9.15am to 3.15pm. The pre- school is in receipt of funding for early education for children aged three and four years. There are four main members of staff, including the manager, who work with the children, and they all hold early years qualifications at level 3. In addition, there is a bank staff member who holds a level 2 early years qualification.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager took the inspector on a learning walk and explained the curriculum intentions to the inspector. n The inspector observed children's daily routines, play and activities and their interactions with staff, indoors and outdoors. n The manager and inspector observed and evaluated an activity together. n Some parents discussed their views and gave feedback about the pre-school. n The inspector chatted and interacted with the children at appropriate times during the inspection. n Discussions and meetings were held with the manager and staff during the inspection. n A sample of documentation was reviewed during the inspection, including evidence of suitability checks for staff and committee members.

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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 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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