Thorverton Pre-School

Inspection of Thorverton Pre-School School Lane, Thorverton, EXETER EX5 5NR

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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

Children confidently say goodbye to their parents and come into the pre-school, settling quickly with the familiar and caring staff. Children soon become engrossed in activities, such as listening to a story or looking for flowers and bugs in the forest school area.

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The provision is good

Staff plan ambitious and engaging opportunities for children, which supports the development of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, staff understand how long children will focus on an activity and identify when they need to engage children with SEND in a more active way. Staff talk to children about the wildlife and plants they could find in the outside area and encourage them to look for different ones. Children show curiosity in exploring the outdoors and become deeply involved in their play. For example, they ask staff to help them turn over a log, look for worms and other creatures and talk about what they find.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour, and children behave well. Parents are highly complimentary about the setting and the care and learning that their children experience. They value the opportunity to talk to staff about their child's development and how they can further support their child at home.

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need to do better?

n Staff encourage children to develop their communication skills well. They engage with children in meaningful conversations, encouraging children to think about what they are doing and to explore the natural environment. For example, staff use words such as 'spiky' to describe leaves and talk to children about the bird sounds they can hear. n Staff teach children about the environment around them, and children are keen to share their new knowledge with others. Children enthusiastically talk about what they have learned previously, for example talking about stinging nettles and that they need a dock leaf if they get stung. n Staff know children and their individual needs well. They adapt learning opportunities for each child to enable them to further their development. Staff challenge children's learning and recognise when they need to challenge the most able children as well as supporting them when they have identified gaps in

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need to do better?

children's development. n Children are starting to show some independence, for example in washing their hands. However, staff do not consistently support children to do things for themselves. For example, staff prepare and hand children their snack, lunch and drinks. This limits children's opportunities to do things for themselves, ready for moving on to school.

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need to do better?

11 March 2024 n Children know the clear routine of the setting and respond well when moving from one activity to another. They listen intently to instructions and to each other, and they patiently wait for their turn at an activity, for example for a turn on the swing. n At times, the deployment of staff during mealtimes means that staff are not able to support children as well as they could. Some groups of children who are further from staff lose focus, which results in mealtimes taking longer and children not benefiting from mealtimes being an opportunity for engaging in social interactions with peers. n Staff support children to take appropriate risks and learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, when climbing trees, children know to 'hold on tight' and that they could fall if they slip. Children know that staff are close by to help them and keep them safe. n The setting works with other professionals, such as health visitors and local

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need to do better?

support networks, to help children and their families. They share information with other settings that children attend so that they can work together on supporting children's learning and development. n Managers and staff develop their skills and knowledge through research and attending training and use what they have learned to improve their practice. For example, following recent training, staff have introduced new ways to teach children about their emotions and build their emotional security.

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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 provide more opportunities for children to do things for themselves, to improve their readiness to move on to school n deploy staff more effectively so that they can support all children to engage and maintain focus at mealtimes.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY354401 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10317364 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 21 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person Thorverton Pre School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01392 861 707 Date of previous inspection 2 May 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Thorverton Pre-School opened in 1997 and registered in 2002, before moving to its current premises in 2011. It operates from a purpose-built building on the site of Thorverton Primary School, in the village of Thorverton, near Exeter. Sessions run each weekday during term time, from 8.45am to 3.30pm. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. Eight members of staff work with the children, all of whom are qualified to at least level 3. The manager holds a degree in early years.

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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 and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection 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 The inspector carried out a joint 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 manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

11 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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