Lucky Ducks Pre-School

Inspection of Lucky Ducks Pre-School Scremerston First School, Scremerston, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland TD15 2RB

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Staff welcome children and families into their inclusive and inviting setting. Children demonstrate that they develop positive relationships with staff. For instance, they rush to greet them with open arms, as they arrive at the start of their session. The manager and staff understand what it is that they want children to learn. They complete regular observations and assessments to help them identify what children need to learn next. There is a strong focus on helping children to develop good personal development skills and become confident learners. Staff offer positive comments and sensitively join in with children's play. They are enthusiastic when children create models and proudly show their work. For instance, they applaud children's efforts when they use their hand-eye coordination to successfully join large objects together on long pieces of thread. This helps children to develop good levels of self-esteem. Children's behaviour is excellent. They show good listening

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The provision is good

and attention skills, and kindness towards others. This helps children to form strong friendships with each other.

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The provision is good

The manager and staff work closely with teachers from the onsite school, to help to ensure smooth transition arrangements are in place for children ready to start school. This includes teachers visiting children at the setting and arranging short introductory sessions into school. The manager and staff share information to help to provide a continued approach to meet children's individual needs.

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need to do better?

n The manager evaluates the setting well. She works with the local authority to help her to ensure staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. She seeks the views of staff, children and parents to help her to identify key priorities of the setting. The manager reviews children's learning and development needs and identifies any development areas. This helps her to continue to provide good-quality care and education for children. n Children benefit from exciting activities that help them to develop good physical skills. For instance, they spend time in the large pre-school garden, laughing as they run up and down a large hill with their friends. Children roll small tyres down a hill and watch to see how fast it goes. They learn to blow bubbles and jump to catch these as they float in the air. Children demonstrate good climbing skills as they master the challenges of the climbing apparatus outside. Children

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need to do better?

concentrate as they play with construction toys. They use their small-muscle control and hand-eye coordination to complete jigsaws and puzzles. n Staff receive regular supervisions and attend team meetings with the manager. They are highly qualified and demonstrate a good understanding of how children learn. The manager places a strong emphasis on promoting staff's well-being and staff comment that they feel well supported. Staff have the flexibility to

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need to do better?

24 November 2023 choose training courses that they would like to complete. However, training is not specifically targeted to help staff to build on their already good teaching to raise this to an even higher level. n Partnership working with parents is a key strength of this setting. Parents are highly complimentary about the care and learning that their children receive. They state that they are fully involved in all aspects of the pre-school and children are able to bring library books home for parents and children to enjoy together. Parents are aware of who their child's key person is and compliment the strong bonds that their children form with staff. Parents are provided with activity ideas to try at home. This helps to provide a continued approach to children's learning. n Children are aware of the setting's routine. They show good levels of independence. For instance, they arrive at the setting, hang up their coats, bags

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need to do better?

and self-register using their individual tags on a display board. Children help to set the table for snacks and mealtimes. Staff provide children with a range of healthy choices and children learn the importance of following good hygiene practices. This helps children to keep themselves healthy. n Staff promote children's good communication and language skills through stories, songs and rhymes. They regularly talk to children and encourage them to remain engaged in their play and learning. However, on occasions, some adult-directed activities focus on an end product for children rather than the process of learning and children show reduced levels of engagement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding practices. They understand the process to follow in the event of a concern about a child. Staff liaise closely with external professionals to ensure information is shared to help to promote children's safety. Children's attendance is monitored and any unexplained absences are followed up. The setting is safe and secure and staff carry out regular risk assessments. The manager reviews the detailed policies and procedures for the setting and ensures that all staff fully understand these. There are safe recruitment processes in place to ensure those working with children are safe to do so.

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should:

n provide focused training to help staff to build on their already good teaching and to raise this to an even higher level n review adult-directed activities to support children to remain deeply engaged in their play and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 301856 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 10307841 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 24 Number of children on roll 10 Name of registered person Lucky Ducks

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reference number

Telephone number 01289 307 536 Date of previous inspection 16 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Lucky Ducks Pre-School registered in 1996. It is based in a classroom within Scremerston First School in Scremerston, near Berwick, Northumberland. The pre- school employs six members childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including three at level 6. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 8.45am until 3pm. The pre- school provides funded early education for two-year-old children.

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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 provider. n The manager and the inspector discussed how the early years provision is organised, including the aims and rationale for their early years foundation stage curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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 special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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 inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the

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Inspection activities

manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting 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

24 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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