Hummingbird Preschool

Inspection of Hummingbird Preschool Unit 1, Great Expectations Business Park, London Road, Suton, WYMONDHAM, Norfolk NR18 9SJ

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Leaders, managers and staff create a culture where all children are valued and respected. Staff focus on helping children to make progress in their communication and language. Recently, staff have added the use of sign language to their interactions with children to further support this aspect of their development. Staff understand and support children's behaviour effectively through the use of positive language, guidance and encouragement. Staff help children build a positive sense of self and celebrate their skills. Staff know children very well, and give them attention and time throughout the day. Children show that they feel safe with staff, seeking cuddles from them when they feel they need one.

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The provision is good

Children learn to engage well in their play and learning. They thoroughly enjoy being physically active outside, where they use wheeled toys, climb, dig and play in sand. These extended periods of physical play help their health and well-being. Older children create 'recipes' in the mud kitchen with their friends. Babies receive kind, gentle and supportive care from skilled and experienced staff. Toddlers play in a calm environment where they can explore various resources. For example, they use large play equipment to build shapes with staff. They join in with familiar and interesting singing and story times, which staff lead well. Children confidently sing the songs that they know.

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need to do better?

n A clear curriculum is in place for children. Staff place a strong focus on learning about the natural world. They help children to learn about making positive contributions to wider society, including learning about and following ecological principles. Children like learning about nature in the carefully considered outdoor spaces. Staff involve children in making decisions about their day and their learning. This helps the older children in particular to begin to understand values of democracy and social behaviour. n Since the last inspection, leaders and staff have engaged more widely in training and with other services, such as the county early years team that supports childcare providers. This has helped them to raise the quality of provision overall. Leaders remain committed to achieving continuous improvement. Managers monitor staff's teaching practice to some extent but this is not always highly purposeful, and is sometimes incidental to other activities. Consequently,

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need to do better?

managers do not always incisively pinpoint what staff can do to raise the quality of their teaching even higher. n Staff plan interesting and varied learning opportunities to inspire and engage children during their time at the pre-school. This provides children with a broad range of learning opportunities across all areas of learning. However, staff do not always clearly identify what they want children to learn during a specific learning

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need to do better?

23 May 2024 opportunity, and this affects the purposefulness of the teaching that they deliver. n Children's health and safety is treated with high importance. Staff are well trained and demonstrate that they understand their roles and responsibilities. Managers and staff ensure that they are up to date with current best practice guidance. For example, they check the sun safety ratings daily to ensure that they can protect children appropriately. n Staff report good levels of support for their well-being. They have regular supervision meetings. Leaders and managers focus well on ensuring that staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard children. For example, they make sure that staff know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about adults who work with the children. n Children join in as they wish and benefit from the learning opportunities that staff provide. However, sometimes staff's attention is taken by more verbal and

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need to do better?

more confident children, meaning that those still developing their confidence receive a little less attention and staff time during conversations. n Staff identify concerns about children's development and work closely with parents to help seek professional support and guidance. Staff work well with other professionals when children have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff make and use clear plans to help children with SEND make progress in their individual learning.

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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 monitor staff's practice with children more closely in order to identify where they can be supported to further improve their teaching n strengthen planning for the learning opportunities that staff provide, to more clearly define the learning intentions and to enable staff to focus their teaching more purposefully n find more ways to support quieter and less confident children to speak up and have their voices heard.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY491863 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10314575 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 64 Name of registered person Hummingbird Preschool Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01953 603 333 Date of previous inspection 12 September 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Hummingbird Preschool registered in 2016. The setting employs 12 members of childcare staff. The manager holds qualified teacher status. Eleven staff have a qualification at level 2 and above. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 One of the owner-managers joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children communicated with the inspector. Some children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at pre-school. 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 joint observations of group activities with one of the owner-managers. n The owner-managers met with the inspector to discuss the leadership and management of the pre-school. n The inspector spoke with parents and took account of their views. n Staff spoke to the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection.

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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

23 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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