Totterdown Preschool

Inspection of Totterdown Preschool Harpers Scout Hut, Harpers Road, Ash, Surrey GU12 6DA

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children arrive happy. Staff work hard to build positive relationships with children and their families. They greet children warmly, helping children to settle into their routines. Staff's friendly and nurturing interactions help children to feel safe and secure and support their emotional well-being.

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The provision is good

Children learn how to make good friendships and manage their behaviour. Staff develop children's emotional literacy effectively. For example, they ask children how they are feeling during group circle time. Staff receive 'thumbs up' and 'happy' responses. Children are highly motivated and eager to join in the wide range of activities on offer. They share and cooperate extremely well with others and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and play. Even when children struggle with self-control, staff sensitively and swiftly use highly effective strategies to support them. Through staff's role modelling and effective guidance, children's behaviour and attitudes are an outstanding aspect of the pre-school.

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The provision is good

Staff plan the environment well. Children explore a variety of textures, tools and the natural world with curiosity. Overall, the curriculum is ambitious and designed to give children the knowledge they need to succeed in life. For example, staff foster children's independence and self-confidence well. Children make independent choices in what they wish to do. They self-register as they arrive and are supported to dress themselves and serve their snack and drinks. All children, including those in receipt of additional funding and those in need of specific support, make good progress.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are ambitious and have a clear vision for providing high-quality inclusive care and education. Leaders engage effectively with staff, children and parents and use the curriculum to widen experiences for children. For example, they invite parents in to share special pre-school events and they welcome external visitors into the setting. For instance, a visiting farm attended the pre-school to enrich the children's learning opportunities. n Staff are well deployed in the pre-school and ensure that their time is spent well, supporting children as they play. They have a secure understanding of child development and know how to plan for children's next steps in learning. However, on occasion, these plans are not implemented or sufficiently focused to support staff in recognising and creating more challenges for children, based on the skills and knowledge they want them to learn next. n Staff know that children like to continue their learning outside and provide lots

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need to do better?

of activities in the garden. Children enjoy creating and playing with dough, sand and water. They have opportunities to use tools, such as scissors, paintbrushes

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need to do better?

20 March 2024 and small garden equipment. They develop an understanding of the world and learn about habitats and nature as they make bird feeders to hang in the garden. n Staff recognise the importance of children being able to communicate well. They model speech effectively and take time to enhance children's communication skills. Staff read familiar stories and sing frequently with the children. They encourage a love of books, words and literature to ignite children's early vocabulary, creativeness and imaginations. n Children benefit from fresh air and a wealth of outdoor experiences all year round to enhance learning, resilience and curiosity. Older children delight in weekly forest-school sessions provided by an external teacher. These provide children with opportunities to explore the natural world and build on their communication. The sessions also encourage risk-taking in a safe environment and promote good opportunities for adventures and physical activities.

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need to do better?

n Parents and carers offer the highest praise for the team and the work staff do. They comment that their children are very happy at pre-school, are making progress and that action is taken to act swiftly on any comments or suggestions. Furthermore, parents say that staff have the children's best interests at heart. Staff's attention to detail reassures parents that children receive good care. n The pre-school's special educational needs coordinator is experienced and knowledgeable in her role. She works closely with each child's key person, family and relevant agencies to ensure all children, including those on the pathway to any diagnosis, receive targeted support to meet their developmental needs. n The leadership team is strong and supportive of all staff. Staff are enthusiastic and say they really enjoy working at the pre-school. They are encouraged to further their training and build on improving their practice. For example, staff are

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need to do better?

supported through appraisal meetings and supervision sessions, mandatory training and various informal communications.

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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 continue to build on staff's interactions and professional development to help raise the standard of teaching to the highest level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2659989 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10332916 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 32 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person I Can Preschools Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07846993052 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Totterdown Preschool registered in 2021. It operates in the village of Ash, Surrey. Session times are from 9am until 3pm on Monday to Friday. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school employs eight members of staff, six of whom hold relevant qualifications at level 3 or above. The two owners work directly with the children and both hold qualified teacher 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 this into account in their evaluation of the pre-school. n The inspector observed activities in the main base room and garden. She talked to staff about the progress individual children are making and what they want the children to learn. n Leaders and the inspector completed a learning walk across all areas of the pre- school to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the leaders. The inspector observed interactions between staff and the children and the impact these have on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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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