Ellesmere Ducklings Pre-School

Inspection of Ellesmere Ducklings Pre- School Ellesmere Pre-School Unit, Ellesmere Primary School, Elson Road, Ellesmere, Shropshire SY12 9EU

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children are extremely happy and settled. They confidently and independently explore their environment, choosing where and what they want to play with. Children enjoy playing musical instruments and singing along to familiar songs and rhymes. Staff show the children high levels of care. This helps children to form lasting bonds with the staff who care for them. The curriculum covers all areas of learning. Staff provide the children with an array of rich learning experiences that spark their interests. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning.

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The provision is good

Children show their knowledge of the routine. For instance, they stop and raise their hands once staff shake the musical instrument. All children follow staff's instructions well. Staff are consistent with how they manage children's behaviour. Children behave well. Children thoroughly enjoy their time outside. They smile and laugh as they ride a range of bikes or scooters. They also use their imagination as they 'cook' in the home corner. Mealtimes are very social. Staff support the children to eat their meals, where required. They offer children water or milk throughout the day. Children have fun making marks using chalks or using their hands to fill and empty containers with sand.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are passionate about their work. They are keen to use the views of others to help make continued improvements to the setting. Leaders now carry out suitability checks on all staff and maintain accurate records of this. n Staff know their key children well. They find out key information about the children through discussions with parents. Staff then complete their own observations and assessments on the children. They use this information to help understand and better meet their key children's individual needs. n Leaders make swift referrals to other professionals when they become concerned about a child's development. Staff work well alongside other professionals and parents to develop plans for children based on their individual health, development or care needs. This helps to ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the timely and specialist help they require.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum, which staff have secure knowledge of. Staff use what they know about the children to help plan a range of purposeful and stimulating activities. However, the organisation of large-group or circle time activities is not well thought out. For instance, children are requested to sit, pay attention and join in with large-group activities, and some children become quite fidgety and lose focus during this time. n Leaders place focus on supporting children's communication and language development. Staff read stories clearly and with lots of expression and

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need to do better?

2 May 2024 enthusiasm. This helps to capture children's interest. Children become immersed into the story they are listening to. n Staff support children to build on their self-care and independence skills. They encourage children to try and complete tasks for themselves. However, there are occasions where staff do not notice when some children require support to use the tools they are given. n Staff are positive role models to the children. They talk to the children about their actions, while positively reminding them of the 'golden rules'. This helps children to understand what is expected of them. n Staff immediately notice and respond to children when they need the toilet or when they require changing. They support children to wash their hands, where required. This helps children to start to understand how they can keep themselves clean. n Parents speak highly about the staff and leaders. They state that their children

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need to do better?

enjoy coming to pre-school. Staff keep parents informed of their child's development and ways they can support their child at home. n Staff speak positively about how leaders support them. Leaders complete regular observations and review meetings with staff. Together they reflect on staff's performance and ways that this can be improved further. n Leaders have rooms they can use to hold confidential meetings with parents. They actively investigate all complaints and keep robust records of this. Leaders use this to help develop recommendations on where practice could be improved. They provide parents with an outcome from their complaint within a timely manner. n Leaders take steps to ensure their pre-school is accessible to all children within the local community. They make adaptations to the environment and activities based on the children's needs.

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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 organise large-group or circle time activities better with an aim to support all children to sustain high levels of engagement n support staff to provide children with the specific knowledge and skills they require as they attempt to complete tasks for themselves.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 224090 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 10324890 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 24 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Ellesmere Ducklings Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07549 134893 Date of previous inspection 22 November 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Ellesmere Ducklings Pre-School registered in 1997 and is run by a committee. The provider employs five members of staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The setting opens from Monday to Friday, during term times. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The provider receives funding to provide early education for two- and three-year-olds.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector viewed the pre-school and discussed the safety and suitability of it with leaders and staff. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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 observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in 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

2 May 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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