Storrs Road Pre-School

Inspection of Storrs Road Pre-School Storrs Road Methodist Church & Centre, Upper Moor Street, CHESTERFIELD, Derbyshire S40 3NR

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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 into the pre-school at the start of their session. Children are very familiar with the pre-school routines and quickly settle on where they want to play. Staff are on hand to give them support and encouragement. Staff help children to learn how to share and take turns during play and circle time. For example, during circle time, children delight in sharing their news and wait patiently for their turn to choose an item from the song bag. Children who need extra support or who struggle to join in group activities are helped by staff to play alongside other children and to begin to include other children when they play.

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The provision is good

Children show that they understand socially acceptable behaviour. When they are reminded by staff that unkind actions upset other people, they change their behaviour accordingly. Children receive praise from staff when they follow pre- school rules, such as remembering to wash their hands before they sit down for a snack. Older children are beginning to form friendships and join in role play with each other. They use their social skills to negotiate roles and to develop the story they are acting out. Staff show children how to use equipment, such as climbing frames, safely. They gently remind children to be careful on slippery floors.

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need to do better?

n Staff find out all about children from their parents. They also observe the children in the pre-school environment to find out what skills and knowledge children have. They then use a wide range of experiences to build on what they know about children. Staff use their strong understanding of child development to break down what they want children to learn into manageable steps that are suitable for each individual child so that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make progress. Occasionally, too many staff are involved in one activity. At these times, some children do not have the support they need to play. n Staff expertise is used to good effect to support their key children. The staff member who is key person for two-year-olds, for example, has had training specifically about understanding that age group and how to support their learning and development needs. Children with SEND have a key person who is

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need to do better?

very experienced in working with children with SEND. Children's achievements, no matter how small, are celebrated and shared with their parents. For example, children who struggle to communicate are praised when they make physical contact to attract an adult's attention. n Staff have strengthened their focus on children's social and emotional development since the COVID-19 pandemic. They recognised that children struggled to play with other children when they returned to pre-school. Staff carefully reintroduced children to the setting, giving them one-to-one attention

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need to do better?

20 March 2024 and building up to eventually playing in larger groups. Children still have some gaps in their social skills and some do not yet understand how to look after the pre-school environment. They leave toys where they have been playing with them. Other children then do not benefit fully from the resources because they are in different parts of the room. n Children hear a wide vocabulary at pre-school. Staff introduce words into conversations and during activities. They plan opportunities to reinforce new vocabulary through activities that build on children's curiosity. For example, children showed an interest in ice, following a discussion about a favourite film. Staff captured this interest and talked to children about water and ice, and children put water in the freezer. Staff developed this activity by using the children's ice cubes and large block of ice with a small figurine in it. Children

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need to do better?

remembered the process they had gone through and used words such as freezing and slippery with understanding. Staff introduced new words such as melting and dissolving, and children shared their ideas about how they could melt the ice. n Leaders and managers think carefully about how they spend any additional funding that children receive. To support children with SEND, for example, they bought resources for a breakout room where children can spend time away from the larger group when they need it. A sensory tent in the main room also gives the children space to spend time away, while still being able to see the other children playing. n Staff provide children with a varied programme of activities to develop their physical strength and control. Children use paintbrushes and glue spreaders with precision. They learn to control their arms when they throw balls at a target and balance well as they play games, such as hopscotch.

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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 deploy staff effectively throughout the pre-school room so that children have access to adults to support their play during the whole session n develop children's understanding of how to look after the pre-school so that all children benefit from complete resources when they choose to play with them.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 509209 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10312325 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 26 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Storrs Road Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07790434909 Date of previous inspection 26 April 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Storrs Road Pre-School registered in 1974. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of whom, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Sessions are from 9am to 3pm. 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 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 setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all of the areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years foundation stage curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector carried out a join observation of an activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation relating to evidence of the suitability of staff working at the pre-school.

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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

20 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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