The Learning Tree Preschool

Inspection of The Learning Tree Preschool St Philips Rc Primary School, London Road, Arundel BN18 9BA

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children arrive happy and eager to start their day. Staff individually greet children and their parents as they arrive, seeking any information they may need to know to support each child's day. Staff thoughtfully plan a variety of play experiences and activities. These include children's individual interests as well as their ongoing individual stages of development. For instance, children imaginatively create their own restaurant in the home corner. Staff carefully extend this play, adding real menus and mark-making materials. Some children become customers ordering their meals, while others assume the role of waiting staff, eagerly noting down their customers' orders. These opportunities mean children are quick to immerse themselves in their play and sustain interest. Staff skilfully identify how these experiences can be extended to broaden children's learning. This supports children to make good progress in their learning.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff understand the importance of supporting children's emotional well-being. They build nurturing bonds with children, who confidently seek out staff for play, praise and support. Children are excited to tell staff about things of personal significance. Staff are attentive and always respond. This helps children to feel valued. Staff know children well, and as such, they are responsive to children's individual needs, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff reinforce positive behaviour through praise and encouragement. This contributes to children's own good behaviour and the kindness they show their friends.

p.2

need to do better?

n Managers, alongside their staff, plan and provide a broad and well-balanced curriculum. Staff carefully intertwine all seven areas of learning into children's daily experiences. They personalise children's learning, providing them with meaningful experiences that appropriately challenge them. Staff know what skills children have learned and what they want to teach them next. They plan for their individual next steps, enabling them to continually strengthen their knowledge. This supports children to be successful in their learning. n Generally, interactions children receive are of good quality. Staff understand the importance of promoting children's communication and language skills. They use a variety of methods to support children, such as repetition, gesture and picture communication systems, alongside clearly spoken words. This supports children who are not yet confident with their speech to grow into competent

p.2

need to do better?

communicators. For children who have a broad range of vocabulary, this is further extended as staff teach them new words and their meanings, such as 'hydration' and 'moisture'. However, on occasion, staff do not always recognise when some children need more time to respond to questions and develop ideas

p.2

need to do better?

15 May 2024 for themselves. This does not always fully support children to develop their own thinking skills. n Overall, staff promote and support children's behaviour well. They help children who have minor conflicts to resolve them positively and give gentle reminders of their 'golden rules'. Staff understand the importance of proactively role modelling behaviour. This contributes positively to children's own behaviour. However, at times, staff do not provide consistent guidance to help children learn about acceptable behaviours. For instance, on some occasions, staff will challenge children as they run indoors, but on other occasions, this behaviour is not challenged. This gives children mixed messages when learning right from wrong. Despite this, generally, children's behaviour is good. n Staff seek opportunities to teach children about safety. They give explanations as to why they have asked children not to do something. This helps children to

p.2

need to do better?

begin to understand how to keep themselves safe. However, staff do not support children's understanding of online safety when accessing devices at home. As a result, children do not learn how to keep themselves safe when accessing the internet. n Staff provide children with an abundance of opportunities to promote their independence. For example, children relish the responsibility of taking turns to run their daily snack shop. Children are encouraged to wash their own hands. They then locate their own pictorial coin, exchanging this for their snack. Children encourage and support each other as they self-serve their own healthy snacks. This offers children superb opportunities to build on their independence, gain life skills and increase their confidence in social interactions with friends. n All staff recognise the importance of building successful partnerships with parents. Parents speak highly of the care and learning their children receive.

p.3

need to do better?

They particularly value the good communication they receive and the broad variety of learning opportunities on offer.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

p.3

should:

n support staff to recognise when children need more time to explore and develop ideas for themselves to challenge their thinking skills n support staff to consistently provide the best possible support for children's growing understanding of rules and boundaries n enhance the curriculum to provide opportunities to support children's

p.3

should:

15 May 2024 understanding of how to keep themselves safe online.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY491514 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10343260 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.5

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person The Learning Tree Pre-School Limited

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 07943 803390 Date of previous inspection 27 September 2018

p.5

Information about this early years setting

The Learning Tree Preschool registered in 2015. It is located in St Philips Primary School, in Arundel, West Sussex. It is open each weekday, from 7.30am to 6pm, term time only. There are nine members of staff, six of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The pre-school provides funded free early education for children aged three and four years.

p.5

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, deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the interactions between the staff and children. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. 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 manager and the inspector carried out joint observations of children taking part in a planned activity. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Parents and carers shared their views of the pre-school with the inspector.

p.6

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.

p.6

Inspection activities

15 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.

p.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7