Noahs Ark Pre-School

Inspection of Noahs Ark Pre-School Cairns Road Baptist Church, Cairns Road, Bristol BS6 7TH

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children flourish in this exceptional pre-school. Extremely passionate and highly skilled staff plan a rich and effective curriculum where children make rapid and sustained progress. Children are exceptionally motivated in their learning and staff know the children exceedingly well. They make sure that activities have clear outcomes for children's learning. For example, children use safety knives to cut vegetables and use tongs to put rice noodles into their vegetable pots making themselves a noodle salad. Children learn about healthy eating and how to use a variety of tools. They also have good opportunities to increase their vocabulary, such as repeating 'twist' and 'squeeze' as they extract the juice from a lemon to add to their salad.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are exceptionally kind and considerate to each other and the staff. Children build very good relationships and invite others to join in their play. For example, a child waits by the door with some toys ready for their friend to arrive. Both children get excited and confidently go off to play together. Children cooperate well with each other in activities. For example, they learn about animals and their habitat and take turns to take an animal from the bag. Children know that fish live in the water and birds live in the trees, and help each other to identify that the beetle lives under the log. This helps children to learn new vocabulary such as 'habitat' and 'nocturnal'. They count the legs on the beetle, reinforcing their mathematical knowledge. In addition, they learn about the natural world.

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need to do better?

n Partnerships with parents are exceptional. Parents report that they are exceedingly well informed about how their child is progressing and how they can support their child at home with their continued learning. Parents talked about the warm friendships their children build in the setting with children and adults. Parents take part in activities such as modelling clothes for a sustainability fashion show. Parents report that it is very much a 'Noah's Ark' family that you join when your child attends the setting. Parents state that their children are making very good progress. n Children have excellent opportunities to support their health and well-being. The pre-school is working with a local organisation to educate children on where food comes from, including tasting foods such as fruits and vegetables, and watching seeds grow into vegetables. Children enjoy tasting a wider variety of vegetables, such as mushrooms, courgettes and spring onion as they make their

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need to do better?

noodle salads. Children highly benefit from the forest school, where they take part in physical challenges such as getting up the big hill and balancing on logs. In addition, they pedal bikes in the outside area and use loose parts to create

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need to do better?

7 February 2024 obstacle courses. This helps children to develop core muscle strength. n The managers and staff are exceptionally passionate about giving children the best start in life. They work particularly well together as a team. The special educational needs coordinator is exceedingly knowledgeable and works very closely with parents and other professionals to make sure that children make the best possible progress given their starting points. All staff are very keen to attend training to make sure their knowledge is up to date. Staff have regular supervision and they feel well looked after and respected. n There is a highly effective key-person system to make sure that every child has an adult that knows them exceptionally well. Parents welcome the home visit when their children first start, as this makes the transition to pre-school much smoother. All staff know their key children exceptionally well and are able to plan

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need to do better?

a highly effective curriculum that supports children in becoming confident and independent learners. Children are exceptionally well prepared for the move to school. n Highly skilled staff deliver excellent learning opportunities in small groups to help support children with their communication and language and personal, social and emotional development. This helps children to make progress in these areas. For example, children look at photos and talk about objects such as boots. Staff ask the children when boots are worn, to extend and reinforce children's communication and language skills.

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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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Setting details

Unique reference number 107020 Local authority Bristol City of Inspection number 10317372 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 47 Name of registered person Noah's Ark@CRBC

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reference number

Telephone number 0117 9446229 Date of previous inspection 4 May 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Noah's Ark Pre-School registered in 1986. It operates from Cairns Road Baptist Church in Westbury Park, Bristol. The pre-school is open Monday from 8.45am to 5pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7.45am to 5pm and Friday from 8.45am to 3.30pm, term time only. It receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs 26 members of staff. Of these, seven hold early years qualifications at level 3, and 10 members of staff, including the two managers, hold qualified teacher status and/or early years professional status.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the pre-school 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 inspector completed a joint observation with one of the managers and discussed their findings. n The management team and the inspector held a leadership and management discussion, and the inspector viewed documentation relating to staff records. n The inspector spoke to parents to gain their views. n The inspector spoke to children and staff throughout the inspection at appropriate times. n The inspector completed a learning walk with the joint managers and discussed the curriculum.

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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

7 February 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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