Caterpillar Pre School

Inspection of Caterpillar Pre School Mountsorrel Methodist Church Centre, Church Hill Road, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire LE12 7JB

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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 when they arrive at the pre-school. Children form secure and trusting attachments with staff and each other. Children are eager to get into the pre-school and begin to explore the environment and reconnect with their friends. Staff encourage children to follow simple rules. For example, children recite the rules of group times, such as good sitting and good listening. Children are well behaved and use manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you'.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage children to choose where they want to play. Children can explore indoors or go outdoors. In the outdoor space, children test their handling skills. They do this as they fill and empty buckets. They hide shapes in the sand and ask staff to guess which shape they have hidden. Indoors, staff sit with children as they develop role-play skills, imagination and social interactions in the pretend kitchen. Children of all ages and abilities show they have made good progress from their starting points. Children show especially good physical skills. For instance, children copy staff during a music-and-movement session. Outdoors, children take risks to practise their balancing. When they wobble very slightly, staff give them gentle support to keep them safe.

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need to do better?

n Staff benefit from a supportive training programme and opportunities to develop their knowledge. For example, staff attended a course on physical development. They now talk confidently about how movement helps children's focus. This is seen in practice, when staff enthusiastically lead a music-and-movement session at the end of welcome time. This helps children to focus and be ready to learn. Staff feel enthusiastic, positive and valued. The manager is knowledgeable about her role, committed, and is an inspiring role model to her team. n Staff provide an environment that sparks children's curiosity and imagination. Children are fully engaged in playing and exploring at all times. Although children spend long periods doing activities that interest them, such as making marks, staff do not always recognise when to join in and build on what children already know and can do. n Staff act as good role models and reinforce their expectations of children's

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need to do better?

behaviour. They encourage children to listen to each other, take turns and share resources. Staff use praise and encouragement to support children's positive behaviour. Consequently, children display respect and kindness towards one another. n There is a highly effective key-person system in place. This enables staff to have an in-depth knowledge of each child and how best to support them. The staff go above and beyond to build relationships with their key children, which is demonstrated in the excellent bonds they have. Children demonstrate that they

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need to do better?

7 March 2024 feel safe and secure with a familiar adult there to guide and support them. n The pre-school curriculum takes into account the skills children need by the time they go to school. For example, children sit in large and small groups and concentrate for long periods. They put on their own coats and peel their own fruit at snack time. Children are independent and confident. n Staff provide children with opportunities to visit places in the local community, such as the library and the shops. These new experiences add to the children's learning. They also broaden their interests and support their sense of belonging in their community. n The manager and staff value and treat every child and their family as individuals. Parents and carers cannot speak highly enough of the pre-school staff. They comment that their children have made 'impressive' progress and that they are given ideas for continuing learning at home with their children. This helps to

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need to do better?

promote a united approach to children's learning and development.

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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 support staff to use their interactions to build on what children already know and can do while children follow their own interests.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY499345 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10316751 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 30 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Castle View Nursery Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07745299555 Date of previous inspection 3 May 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Caterpillar Pre School registered in 2016 and is based in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 4, and three hold qualifications at level 3. The pre-school is open on Monday from 9am to 1pm and Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 2.30pm, term time only. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 pre-school. n The manager showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure that they are safe and suitable. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked about the pre- school's curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Staff and children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during a communication group activity. n Parents and carers shared their views of the pre-school 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

7 March 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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