St James Church Pre-School CIO

Inspection of St James Church Pre- School CIO St. James Church, Kingfisher Drive, Woodley, Reading RG5 3LH

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children enjoy spending time in this warm and welcoming pre-school. They settle well and display good levels of emotional well-being as they play harmoniously with their friends. Staff have a good understanding of the children in their care. They invest time in getting to know them before they start attending. This helps to build trusting relationships so that children feel safe and secure.

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The provision is good

Outside play and experiences are an important part of the day for all children. Staff make effective use of the garden to provide children with a range of play experiences, based on their current interests. Children delight in exploring for insects in the garden and eagerly show staff the frog and centipede they find. They demonstrate great skills in balance and coordination as they balance along logs and use climbing apparatus with confidence.

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The provision is good

Children have a positive attitude to learning and consistently behave well. Staff encourage children to work together during learning experiences to form friendships and further build on their personal, social and emotional development. Children are kind and respectful towards one another from a young age. They actively share resources and demonstrate that they understand rules and boundaries at this inclusive pre-school.

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need to do better?

n All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, develop knowledge and skills across all areas of the curriculum. Leaders have established good links with other professionals involved in children's care, including speech and language therapists. They follow their lead to ensure continuity in children's learning. As a result, children with speech and language delay are quickly catching up. n Overall, teaching is good. However, at times, staff knowledge of what they want children to learn is less well explored. Consequently, teaching is not always tailored to support what children need to know or learn next as fully as possible. n Children show a positive attitude to learning. They are motivated and demonstrate critical thinking skills. For instance, as they build a tower using different-sized bricks, they carefully consider how to do this. After several failed attempts they discover that they need to put the larger blocks at the bottom.

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need to do better?

These experiences help children to develop a 'can-do' attitude and recognise when a change in strategy may be needed. n The manager and staff support children's communication and language skills effectively. They encourage more-confident children to engage in back-and-forth conversations, showing genuine interest in what they have to say. Staff introduce new words and repeat words back to children, so they hear the correct

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need to do better?

13 June 2024 pronunciation. However, during group activities, staff do not always recognise when the younger and less confident children need support to join in. n Children benefit from many opportunities to learn about their wider world, including where their food comes from. For instance, they plant seeds and discuss what they need to grow. Children know that seeds need soil, water and sunshine. They eagerly talk about the vegetables they have grown in the garden, including recently shelling and eating peas. n The staff promote children's independence well. They teach children to manage self-help tasks for themselves. For example, children put on their shoes, hang their coats on their named pegs, cut up their own fruit and feed themselves at mealtimes. Children develop knowledge of good hygiene routines. For example, they know they must wash their hands before eating. n Parent partnerships are good. Parents speak highly about the staff and comment

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need to do better?

that their children enjoy the time they spend at the pre-school. Effective communication, including electronic and verbal feedback, ensures that parents are fully aware of the activities provided and the progress their children make. n Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that staff working directly with children are suitable. However, members of the management committee do not have a secure knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They have failed to inform Ofsted of changes to committee members. As a result, Ofsted has not been provided with the information required to check the suitability of all committee members. However, action has been taken by leaders to rectify this.

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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 support staff to implement the precise learning intentions of activities more effectively so that they are clear about what skills and knowledge they want children to gain n recognise when the quiet and less confident children need help to engage in more purposeful play and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2671616 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 10347138 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 20 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person St James Church Pre-school CIO

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reference number

Telephone number 07305 399689 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

St James Church Pre-School CIO registered in 2022. The pre-school is situated in Woodley, in Reading, Berkshire. Sessions run from 8.45am to midday and 12.45pm to 3.45pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and from 8.15 to 12.15pm on Wednesday, with an optional lunch club from 12.15pm to 12.45pm. Of the five staff who work directly with children, three hold early years qualifications at level 3. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four 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 her evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and discussed the quality of teaching. n The inspector asked staff questions to establish their understanding of how to safeguard children, and how they assess and plan for children's learning. n The inspector took account of the views of parents through face-to-face feedback provided.

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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

13 June 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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