Sunnybank Pre-school

Inspection of Sunnybank Pre-school Sunnybank Pre-School, Saddleworth Road, Greeetland, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX4 8LZ

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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

The manager and staff provide a highly valued and homely pre-school that is at the heart of the community it serves. Staff provide children with a wonderful welcome and consistent, nurturing care. Children feel happy, safe and secure at pre-school. They talk fluently about the Christmas concert and the songs they will sing. Children know lots of songs and sing extremely enthusiastically.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage children's independence in doing things for themselves. Children confidently put on their own coats, zip them up and manage their personal self- care. They know why it is important to wash their hands. Staff teach children how to hold and use scissors to cut. Children delight in cutting shapes. Staff provide plenty of uninterrupted time for children to practise and develop their concentration.

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The provision is good

Staff provide an ambitious curriculum for children, overall. They invite professionals to pre-school to talk to the children about their role. Children learn about how the police and community nurse can help them. They also learn about the importance of 'hearing dogs' to people who are deaf. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and provide consistent guidance. Children enthusiastically tidy up. Staff promote kindness and inspire children to remember, 'it costs nothing to be kind'. Older children are caring towards younger children. They hold their hand and play with them. Children develop empathy. Their behaviour is excellent.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide a strong focus on developing children's love of books and stories. Staff read to children at group time and on request throughout the day. They read with expression, leave time for children to join in and talk about the pictures. Children enjoy taking books home from the pre-school library to share with their parents. They also take 'Sunny', the pre-school bear home with great enthusiasm. Children delight in telling stories about the adventures that 'Sunny Bear' has with them, including trips to Paris and making pasta at home. n Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) particularly well. This is a real strength of the pre-school. The special educational needs coordinator is well trained and knowledgeable. She supports children and colleagues well. Staff are swift to identify any concerns in children's development. They work closely with a range of other professionals. Staff

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need to do better?

provide one-to-one support to help children develop the knowledge and skills they need for the future. n Children are curious and display an impressive understanding of a range of topics. They know the names of many dinosaurs and accurately describe which dinosaurs lived on the land or in the sea, as well as which could fly. However, at

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need to do better?

6 December 2023 times, staff's expectations of what children can achieve are not always high enough. For example, some staff do not consistently build on children's existing knowledge to encourage their early scientific thinking. Children enjoy exploring the ice on wintery days, but are not taught about how the ice was formed and what makes it melt. n Children are energetic and highly motivated. They excitedly run up and down the slope outdoors. Children make independent choices and build towers using large connecting bricks. They concentrate extremely well and persist. Staff teach children how to play traditional games and encourage their drawing and writing skills. Many children can write their own name. Children's physical skills are developing particularly well. n Parents speak very positively about the pre-school and recommend it. They are kept informed about their children's learning through daily discussions, online

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need to do better?

learning journals and summaries of their development. The manager provides a wide range of information for parents, including how to support children's toilet training and oral health. Parents enjoy taking on the role of the 'secret reader'. They make surprise visits to pre-school to read their own children's favourite stories to all the other children. Partnerships with parents are strong. n The manager prioritises staff's well-being. She ensures that their workloads are manageable. Staff regularly complete well-being questionnaires and comment that they feel safe, supported and treated equally. The manager encourages staff to present information and share their knowledge of specific early years topics during staff meetings. Colleagues value each other's knowledge. They find the topics interesting and beneficial to their work with children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures that all staff are suitable to work with children. She also ensures that all staff and committee members are registered with the Disclosure and Barring Service to keep their suitability updated. The manager and deputy manager are trained as lead practitioners for safeguarding. Staff and students understand the safeguarding policy and the procedure to follow should they have any concerns about a child's welfare or the behaviour of a colleague. The manager provides induction, supervision, staff meetings and training to ensure that all staff understand their role. The manager organises regular fire evacuations to ensure that everyone, including children, know what to do in an emergency.

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should:

n ensure that staff consistently challenge children's thinking skills and further extend their existing knowledge, specifically to maximise children's

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should:

6 December 2023 understanding of the natural world.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY357177 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 10311960 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 20 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person Sunnybank Pre-School

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reference number

Telephone number 01422 370162 or 07960387314 Date of previous inspection 17 April 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Sunnybank Pre-school registered in 2007. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, from 9am until 3pm, term time only. There are five members of staff, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including the manager who holds a level 6 qualification and the deputy manager who holds early years professional status. The pre-school provides funded early education for three- and four-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 completed a learning walk together. The manager told the inspector about her intentions for children's learning, and how the curriculum is planned for children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a planned painting activity with the manager. They discussed teaching and the impact this had on children's learning. n Parents told the inspector, through face-to-face discussions and written comments, how their children's learning is supported and how staff keep them informed about their children's learning. They also told the inspector how staff keep their children safe. n The inspector spoke with the manager, the special educational needs

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Inspection activities

coordinator, staff, students, committee members and children during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.

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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

6 December 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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