Sonning Common Pre-School

Inspection of Sonning Common Pre- School Sonning Common Cp School, Grove Road, Sonning Common, READING RG4 9RJ

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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 warmly welcome children and their families at this inclusive pre-school. Children happily enter the setting and are eager to find their friends and choose what they want to play with. For example, children choose to join their friends in decorating dinosaur models. They demonstrate their impressive listening skills as they hear stories being read to them. Staff's interactions with children are nurturing and supportive. They offer children lots of encouragement and praise when they try hard to achieve their best. This helps to support children's self-esteem and confidence.

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The provision is good

Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They readily use new words to build on children's increasing vocabulary. For instance, as children help to make play dough, staff introduce descriptive words, such as sticky, floury and squidgy. Children then use these words in their own play. Children show their impressive problem-solving skills as they think of ways to remove the play dough from their hands. Staff provide ideas to some children who struggle to do this. This helps to support children's independence as they play.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. For instance, children are reminded to use please and thank you. Staff teach children to be patient and take turns. They plan small-group sessions, such as when children choose a number from a box to name and place correctly on a number line.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff work together to evaluate the pre-school. They hold regular meetings to discuss what is going well and identify areas for improvement, such as ensuring their planning takes account of children's needs, abilities and interests. They actively take into account the views of children, staff and parents. For instance, a lending-library service is available for parents to read stories with their children. This helps to promote children's love for books at the pre-school and at home. n Staff support children to gain essential knowledge and skills for their next stage in education, such as when they encourage children to be independent from an early age. Staff provide ample opportunities for children to practise and manage their self-care needs. For instance, younger children follow older children to take off their wellington boots and place them on the rack before they come indoors. n Children learn how to adopt healthy lifestyles from the outset. They understand

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need to do better?

the importance of thoroughly washing their hands and eating healthy foods. Children benefit from exerting themselves physically. For example, they run, jump and balance on outdoor equipment with increasing agility. n The manager and staff create a pre-school that is at the heart of the community.

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need to do better?

12 January 2024 Children go on outings in the local area, such as to the hardware shop and the library, where they meet the shopkeeper and librarians. In this way, they learn about local people and experience opportunities that are valuable. n The pre-school manager engages regularly with the local authority advisors to gain further advice and support to help meet the individual needs of children. This includes using effective strategies to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress. Staff complete regular mandatory training to keep their knowledge up to date, such as safeguarding. The pre- school manager observes staff's practice and provides some constructive feedback to them. However, she does not always focus precisely enough on improving individual staff's existing skills and teaching. For instance, some staff do not consistently identify opportunities to extend children's learning.

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need to do better?

n Staff get to know children well. They carry out home visits before children start at the pre-school, which helps them to build close relationships from the start. This important information forms a large part of helping new children to settle in. On the whole, staff are available to offer the reassurance and comfort these children may need. However, on occasions, not enough consideration is given to ensuring staff can prioritise time with their key children to best meet their care and learning needs. n Parents are highly complimentary about the pre-school. They feel that staff are supporting their children very well to make good progress, particularly in their speech, independence and readiness for school. Parents are impressed with the good communication they receive from staff about their children's development. They say they try many of the activities that take place at the pre-school, at home. This helps to support children's continual learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n target staff's professional development needs more precisely to support their continuous professional development n review and improve the organisation of the key-person system to fully take account of the specific needs of the key children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 403386 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10307845 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 30 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Sonning Common Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01189 724760 Date of previous inspection 20 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Sonning Common Pre-School has been operating since 1981 and is situated in the Sonning Common Primary school site, Reading, Berkshire. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions run from 9am to 3pm. There are six members of staff, all of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of early education for 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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The pre-school manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years 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 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 pre-school manager carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the inspector. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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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

12 January 2024 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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