Ladybirds Preschool Playgroup

Inspection of Ladybirds Preschool Playgroup Ticehurst and Flimwell Primary School, Ticehurst, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 7DH

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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

Children make very good progress in this caring, nurturing setting. Particularly good provision is in place for children who need extra help with their learning. Staff work closely with parents to identify children's unique qualities and learning preferences swiftly. Every child and family are welcomed. Parents say staff go 'above and beyond' to accommodate their needs.

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The provision is good

Children show how happy, safe and secure they feel. They form close attachments to the familiar staff who look after them. Leaders build a strong, supportive and professional team. Staff are relentless in their efforts to meet every child's needs continually. Children behave well. They show care, respect and concern for others. For example, older children quickly recognise when one of their friends is upset and spontaneously offer comfort and support. Babies and younger children form positive relationships with their peers. Staff sensitively help them learn to play alongside friends and learn to share and take turns in their play.

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The provision is good

Leaders have high expectations of all children. They work tirelessly to provide high- quality play experiences that support children's development. Any gaps in children's learning close quickly. Specialist teachers work alongside staff to support individual children. Parents praise the level of support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive. They fully appreciate the rapid progress their children make at the setting.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have developed a play-based curriculum, which is fully embedded across the setting. Staff are clear about what they want children to learn and focus carefully on each child's priority learning needs. They work closely and effectively with parents to address any gaps in children's learning. The expertise of staff means that children benefit from high-quality learning experiences. n Across the setting, teaching is good. Staff are particularly well qualified and have access to ongoing professional development opportunities. Some staff have completed additional training to enrich the programmes for literacy and mathematics. This has resulted in a significant improvement in the development of children's skills in these curriculum areas. Links with the host school are good, and leaders work closely together to understand what children need before they start school. n Children make good progress through the age groups and build on what they

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need to do better?

have already learned. Staff use well-planned play opportunities to support children's learning. For example, children show interest in using sensory materials in creative play. Children use these opportunities well to recreate their favourite stories, such as 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea', and to practise using

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need to do better?

30 January 2024 spoons to feed their dolls. n Children's safety is given high priority. Staff are vigilant in making sure the premises are continually safe and secure. They supervise children closely, and staff deployment is good. There is a positive safeguarding culture within the setting. Staff are confident in knowing how to identify and report any concerns they may have. n There is a strong focus across the setting on building children's language skills. Staff use creative strategies to help improve children's abilities to communicate clearly. For example, babies use 'choice cards' to convey their wishes. This helps to reduce their levels of frustration in communicating what they need. Older children recognise rhyming words and sound patterns. For example, they excitedly 'wait at the gate' as part of daily routines and understand that these words sound the same. This gives children a good foundation for future reading.

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need to do better?

n Parents are very happy with the level of care their children receive. They praise the staff highly and say how well their children's individual needs are met. One parent summarised the view of many by saying, 'My child was given the very best start he could have been given from Ladybirds, and we are forever grateful.' n Younger children are independent in most aspects of the routine and manage this well. However, sometimes, such as at lunchtime, children aged two and three years do not always have the opportunity to manage tasks they can do by themselves. This does not give children the opportunity to practise the skills of which they are capable.

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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 improve the routine for children aged two and three years to ensure they are always given opportunities to practise becoming independent and managing tasks themselves.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY293520 Local authority East Sussex Inspection number 10312247 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Ladybirds Playgroup (Ticehurst) Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01580201617 Date of previous inspection 25 April 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Ladybirds Preschool Playgroup registered in 2004. It operates from self-contained premises within the grounds of Ticehurst and Flimwell Church of England Primary School, in Ticehurst, East Sussex. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Funding is accepted for free early education for children aged two, three and four years. A team of 15 staff work with the children. Of these, 13 hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 2 or above. Four staff are qualified to degree level. This includes the manager, who holds early years professional status and two staff who hold qualified teacher status.

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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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they want children to learn. n Staff spoke to the inspector at convenient times during the inspection and talked about how they plan for children's learning and what they do to keep children safe. n The children told the inspector about what they enjoy doing at the setting. n The inspector met with the manager and the committee chairperson to discuss the leadership of the setting. n Written feedback from parents was taken into account, and a small number of parents spoke directly with the inspector to share 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

30 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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