Childcare @ St Swithun's

Inspection of Childcare @ St Swithun's St. Swithuns Community Centre, Arncliffe Road, WAKEFIELD, West Yorkshire WF1 4RR

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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 Good

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The provision is outstanding

Children are at the heart of everything that the pre-school does. The managers and staff create a warm, welcoming and safe environment and have the highest aspirations for all children. Staff are exceptionally nurturing and greet children and their families with smiles on their arrival. Children feel safe and form secure attachments with staff who promote a strong sense of belonging to each child. This helps children to feel happy and settle quickly.

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The provision is outstanding

Children thrive at this exceptional pre-school. Staff provide a focused and sequenced curriculum based on children's interests and stage of development. Children access a rich and varied range of activities and experiences to encourage them to explore and learn. For example, children excitably use diggers to hunt for hidden treasure in the sand. Staff join in to extend children's learning. They challenge the children to count the treasure they find in sand to support their mathematical development. Children are extremely confident. This is evident in their engagement within both adult-led and self-initiated learning experiences.

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The provision is outstanding

Children behave exceptionally well and understand what is expected of them. Staff are excellent role models and have high expectations for children's behaviour. This is evident as they encourage children to use their manners, share and wait their turn. Children benefit from a good amount of praise and encouragement from staff, which supports their self-esteem and confidence well.

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need to do better?

n The provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is exceptional. The designated coordinator is experienced and passionate about her role. She works together with parents and other professionals to devise targeted strategies and support for children with SEND. For instance, children benefit from visual timetables and regular one-to-one intervention sessions. This means that children with SEND receive on-going support and make good progress over time. n Staff support children to be physically active. All children enjoy access to an outside area throughout the day, where they have opportunities to be active and explore. In addition, children have the use of a sports hall where they engage in weekly sports sessions with their friends. Staff provide an abundance of activities for children that encourage them to use and develop their small muscles. For instance, children use their hands to manipulate materials, such as when they

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need to do better?

explore dough. This supports children's physical development exceptionally well. n Partnership with parents is incredibly strong. Parents share exceptional feedback about the pre-school. They praise the knowledgeable and experienced staff and value the daily conversations and photos they receive. Regular meetings and

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need to do better?

29 February 2024 home learning ideas help to fully involve parents in their children's learning. The manager provides on-site family support to help parents access funding, support and useful advice about local services. n The pre-school provides children with an extensive range of experiences to learn about their community. For example, children regularly visit a community garden to plant the flowers they have grown at the pre-school and learn about nature. Staff take children to visit the local parks and plan exciting trips to the nearby town. Visits from the fire service and ambulance crew help children to learn about people who help us. These experiences help to shape children's understanding of the community in which they live. n Staff implement highly effective strategies that support children's language development. For example, they hold ongoing discussions with the children as they play, modelling new vocabulary and asking questions to promote

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need to do better?

conversation. Children have numerous opportunities to sing and take part in action rhymes throughout the day. Staff read books regularly to children to support their listening and attention skills. This helps children make superb progress and develop into confident communicators. n Children demonstrate impressive levels of independence from a young age. This is evident as they independently wash their hands and access the snack table where they serve their own food and drink. Children are confident to independently make their own choices in their play and learning. Staff support children to brush their teeth each day at the pre-school. This means that children are increasingly independent and learn skills they need for when they start school. n Staff ensure that children who speak English as an additional language are fully included within the pre-school. Staff work very closely in partnership with parents. For example, they learn key words in their home language and include

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need to do better?

children's cultures and traditions in the curriculum planning. In addition, staff who speak additional languages support children's understanding of English. n The managers are highly ambitious and passionate about the pre-school. They value the staff, their well-being and professional development. Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions and opportunities to further increase their skills and knowledge. Staff morale is exceptionally high and they feel extremely well supported. This contributes to the low staff turnover at the pre-school.

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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 EY459409 Local authority Wakefield Inspection number 10308402 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 32 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person St George's Lupset Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01924361212 Ext 240 Date of previous inspection 14 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Childcare @ St Swithun's registered in 2013 and is located in Wakefield. The pre- school opens Monday to Friday, from 9am until 12 noon and 1pm until 4pm, term time only. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff. One holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, one at level 4, five at level 3 and one at level 2. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

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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 The inspector spoke to parents 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 Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and managers about the leadership and management of the pre-school. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection.

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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

29 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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