The Croft Pre-School

Inspection of The Croft Pre-School Gutterscroft Centre, Haslington, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 5RJ

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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 provide children with a broad and carefully sequenced curriculum in this bright and spacious pre-school. They follow children's interests and carefully weave learning opportunities into the daily routine. Children delight in the opportunity to dress up for World Book Day and share their favourite stories with their friends. Staff recognise this important learning opportunity and thoughtfully add related items in order for them to develop skills across other areas. For instance, children enjoy reading 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' and staff introduce themed play dough mats and a variety of tools. They encourage the children's creativity and ask them to think about what they might want to make. Children eagerly mould and shape the dough into blankets for Goldilocks and carefully position them onto the pictures of beds on the mats. This supports children to develop their small-muscle skills in readiness for future writing.

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The provision is good

Staff are calm and nurturing and form strong bonds with the children. This helps to support their emotional well-being. Staff give clear and consistent messages to children and model good manners and expected behaviours very well. Children become deeply engrossed in their play and are thoughtful and caring towards their friends. They enjoy playing in the role-play café and delight in their opportunities to make pretend cups of tea for visitors. Children demonstrate fluency in their language skills as they converse amicably with their friends.

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need to do better?

n The pre-school prides itself on being an inclusive setting. Staff are highly skilled at identifying and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and meeting children's individual needs. They make timely referrals and work closely with external professionals to provide tailored support for children. The manager acts with integrity in using the funding the setting receives and identifies resources that she considers will have the biggest impact on children's development. Resources and strategies are also shared with parents to strengthen the home learning partnership. n Partnership working and information sharing is well-developed. The manager has forged strong relationships with the local schools. Teachers visit the children in the pre-school to get to know them in familiar surroundings. The children's key person discusses their individual progress and end of term reviews are shared

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need to do better?

with their new teachers. This helps to ensure an effective and smooth transition. n The manager has implemented effective daily information sharing for parents. This helps to strengthen the partnership between home and pre-school. Parents are invited into the pre-school to read to the children and share their favourite stories. They speak highly of the supportive staff team and comment on the significant progress their children make. Parents have an enormous amount of

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need to do better?

8 March 2024 praise in particular for the 'rising four's' sessions, which aim to further prepare children for school. This helps to develop, consolidate and deepen their knowledge and skills in school readiness. n Staff support children to build on what they already know and can do and have high expectations for their progress. For example, children confidently recall aspects of previous learning, such as knowing that 'yellow means happy' after reading The Colour Monster. Children beam with pride as they receive praise for their recollection. n The manager has implemented a regular programme of supervision and offers staff further training to enhance their practice and improve outcomes for children. However, she has not yet identified specific training to help to close all gaps in learning. For example, the manager has purchased resources to extend children's interest in mathematics. However, staff have not had specific training

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need to do better?

on mathematics in early years to be able to deliver this part of the curriculum effectively to support children to achieve the best outcomes in this area of learning. n Staff support children to be kind and considerate of others as they become active members of the local community. Children go on walks to the local bakery and post office where they post letters, purchase items and get a receipt. These real-life experiences help children to develop confidence and a growing respect for different people. However, learning experiences for children to develop an understanding about cultures, faiths and traditions outside their own community have not been fully developed. This means some children do not always learn about diversity in modern Britain.

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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 identify training opportunities that have a specific focus on the areas of learning that children need to develop in order to sharpen the quality of education even further n build on the current practice for supporting children to learn about communities, faiths, beliefs and traditions beyond their own.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 305366 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 10308069 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 30 Number of children on roll 27

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Name of registered person

The Croft Pre-School Management Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07790 793353 Date of previous inspection 20 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The Croft Pre-School registered in 1981. It is managed by a committee and operates from the Gutterscroft Centre in Haslington, Crewe. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm during termtime. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6 and four at level 3. The pre-school provides funded early years 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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the pre-school. n The inspector had a learning walk with the manager of all areas of the pre- school and discussed the early years curriculum and the expectations for children's learning. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with parents, children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at a sample of relevant records and documentation, including evidence of staff's suitability and training. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises.

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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

8 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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