The Beacon Church Preschool

Inspection of The Beacon Church Preschool Canford Heath United Reform Church, 1-3 Mitchell Road, POOLE, Dorset BH17 8UE

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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 know the children well. They love them, care for them, and give children their wholehearted attention. Leaders and staff take time to know each individual child's developmental needs. They gather views from parents and use a range of assessment tools to pinpoint children's next steps. They provide children with a curriculum that is bespoke to their needs, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children learn to sustain their concentration for longer periods of time, as staff carefully build on children's previous learning. They also benefit from engaging in physical activity, such as balancing, crawling and climbing in the sports hall.

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The provision is good

Children feel safe. Leaders and staff are vigilant in making sure that the premises is a secure and inviting environment for children. Staff are affectionately known as 'Aunties' by children, contributing to the family feel that children experience. They promote children's positive behaviour by teaching them to take turns, say what they would like and learn to wait. Staff actively spot good behaviour and let children know when they have done a good job. Children are polite, gentle and kind. They take pleasure in their achievements and know how to be a good friend to others.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are ambitious and passionate about the achievements of every child that attends the pre-school. They accurately evaluate the quality of the provision. Leaders work closely with staff to make continual improvement to their curriculum so all children make good progress from their starting points. They have detailed plans that they implement to support staff development through training, feedback and professional discussions. Leaders value their staff and carefully monitor their workload, making sure that they have the time to try new ideas and reflect on how they can improve. n Leaders and staff prioritise the development of children's social and emotional development. Staff teach children the vocabulary to talk about their emotions. Children are beginning to use words that express how they feel in their conversations with staff. Staff provide children with warm responses that cultivate friendly, respectful relationships. Children feel safe and cared for.

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need to do better?

n Staff model language well to children. They verbally label and name everyday objects during daily routines. Staff design activities that offer children the opportunity to learn new words through hands-on experiences. For instance, young children learn the meaning of words such as 'hot' and 'cold' by playing with ice cubes and warm water. n Staff consider what children need to learn and plan activities that will help them make good progress. When they identify children's specific individual needs,

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need to do better?

30 January 2024 staff are confident in teaching the skills that children need to make progress, particularly for those with SEND. However, some staff occasionally do not clearly understand what children should be learning during some planned activities. When this happens, staff model less vocabulary and knowledge and fewer skills, and children do not learn as effectively. n Children behave well. Staff provide clear expectations, and children know how to follow the rules of the setting. Children listen and follow instructions. Staff praise and celebrate children who demonstrate kindness towards others. They build good attachments with children. Children know their key person well and feel safe and secure. All children settle quickly, including the youngest ones, who become engrossed in play. n Children love stories. Staff skilfully read exciting books and stories to children throughout the day. They captivate children's attention using puppets and

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need to do better?

encourage them to join in with characters from traditional tales, enthusiastically shouting, 'Not by the hairs of my chinny, chin, chin!' Leaders provide children with books to share at home. They provide incentives that foster children's positive attitudes toward books and value their participation in shared reading, both in the setting and at home. n The setting has developed good partnerships with parents. Staff communicate children's developmental needs through day-to-day feedback and termly reports and discussions. They share children's progress with parents and support them with ideas to help with children's next steps.

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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 make sure that staff know the learning intention for all planned activities to help improve the consistency of teaching and learning that children experience in all areas of the pre-school play spaces.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 109555 Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Inspection number 10311967 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 48 Number of children on roll 39

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Name of registered person

Canford Heath United Reformed Church Charity

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reference number

Telephone number 01202 686 965 Date of previous inspection 17 April 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The Beacon Church Preschool registered in 1971. It operates from a church and youth centre building in Canford Heath, Poole. It is open every weekday, from 8.30am to 2.30pm, during school term time. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are 11 members of staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, one holds a qualification at level 5, one holds level 4, seven hold a qualification at level 3 and one is qualified at level 2.

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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 inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing while they are at pre-school. 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 inspector carried out joint observations of group activities with one the managers. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and managers about the leadership and management of the setting.

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Inspection activities

n The managers showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff. 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

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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