Central Preschool

Inspection of Central Preschool Landau Forte Academy, Ashby Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire B79 8AH

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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

Staff welcome children, showing an active interest in how they are feeling and what they would like to do while at pre-school. This promotes children's happiness. Staff repeat activities, such as number and action songs, to enable all children to have the same opportunities as their peers. This is particularly beneficial for children who need support in their concentration skills, as they have more opportunities to practise. Parents and carers comment on how 'nurturing' and 'caring' staff are. They particularly value how staff plan for children's individual needs and interests.

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The provision is good

Children develop independence. For instance, they collect their own water bottles and sun hats prior to going outdoors, playing an active role in their own health and safety. They have opportunities to engage in independent play, such as making their own potions. Staff join in with play, encouraging children to explore their ideas. For example, when children ask, 'What will happen if I mix orange, yellow and brown together?', staff support them to find out and observe the changes.

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The provision is good

Staff help children to relate to their peers as they play amicably alongside one another. For instance, children learn to share and take turns. Staff provide children with meaningful praise to celebrate expected behaviour, such as 'good sharing'. Children demonstrate good social and personal skills. For example, as one child operates the water dispenser, another holds a cup securely underneath to collect the water, demonstrating effective teamwork.

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need to do better?

n The curriculum has been designed to enhance children's cultural capital. For example, staff organise visits to the local care home and invite external visitors in to promote children's future success, such as local authors who share their stories. Additionally, there are plans to enhance the garden area to further benefit children who do not have a garden of their own. n Children explore a range of activities that link to familiar stories and enjoy making up their own 'magic words'. Staff use actions and open-ended questions to help children remember phrases and finish sentences. Consequently, children demonstrate a love of books and develop good language skills and vocabulary. n Children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. For instance, staff use gestures, signs and translation tools to communicate with children. They conduct

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need to do better?

communication screening to identify any delays in children's understanding and speech. This helps them to create supportive interventions to aid children's learning. n Children are confident and able in mathematics. They learn to count, recognise

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need to do better?

21 June 2024 numbers and put items into size order. Children enthusiastically join in with number songs. For instance, as they sing the song 'Five Little Ducks', they confidently subtract the rubber ducks in front of them. n Any funding that the pre-school receives is used effectively. For instance, staff have purchased books to help them to talk to children about their emotions. Disadvantaged families benefit from food vouchers, and staff signpost parents to various external agencies to ensure they receive early help. n Staff display information about children's allergies clearly to ensure their safety at mealtimes. Recent training about veganism has helped staff to understand children's different diets, strengthening their awareness of children's nutritional needs. Parents comment on how well staff work in partnership to support children's welfare. n Overall, staff have good relationships with parents. They talk to them about their

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need to do better?

children's progress at drop-off and collection times and use an online app to share pictures and ideas. However, there is scope to further engage with parents and other professionals, including staff at settings that the children have previously attended, to further promote continuity in children's learning. n The manager uses supervision sessions to discuss staff training and well-being. She encourages staff to identify their own training needs to build on their skills and interests. Staff report positively on the training opportunities, saying that they have 'significantly enhanced their professional development'. n The manager is currently counted in ratios and spends most of her time working with the children. Consequently, she is not always able to oversee staff practice and procedures, and some areas of practice do not fully align with her expectations. n Children engage positively with students from the on-site school. Staff value the

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need to do better?

students and support them to plan and implement activities. Students say they enjoy their time at the pre-school.

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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 engage further with parents and other professionals, including staff at settings that the children have previously attended, to further promote continuity in children's learning n monitor staff more precisely to ensure that expectations for practice and procedures are consistently implemented.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2678888 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10350753 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 38 Name of registered person Central Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07456525420 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Central Preschool registered in 2022. It is situated on Landau Forte Academy school site in Tamworth, Staffordshire. The pre-school operates from 8.45am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff, of whom, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 the inspector completed a learning walk. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of a communication activity. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children throughout the day and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The views of parents were considered by the inspector, through verbal discussions and testimonials. n Relevant documentation was reviewed by the inspector, including evidence of the suitability of those working with children.

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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

21 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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