The Red School

Inspection of The Red School The Queens Hall Community Centre, The Pavilions, School Green Lane, North Weald, Epping CM16 6EY

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is outstanding

Children are very happy in the pre-school and their behaviour is impeccable. They thrive in the exceptionally nurturing care of the dedicated staff team. Staff ensure that all children receive the individual support and care they need to make exceedingly rapid progress. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, progress in an incredibly short space of time. Parents are amazed how quickly they learn.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff place a strong focus on developing children's speech and language and children make exceptional progress in this area of learning. Children who speak English as an additional language make superb and rapid progress. Staff support them to learn English using their home languages and sign language to aid communication. Staff make learning fun. They are particularly skilled in building children's confidence and all children flourish.

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The provision is outstanding

Children develop independence from a young age. For example, children as young as two years old learn to recognise their name as they place name labels into a basket to show they are ready for a snack. Children carry their plates to the table and select their fruit pieces with small tongs. This strengthens their grip and prepares them for pencil control and early writing. Children know how to use the water dispensers and help themselves to a drink when they are thirsty.

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need to do better?

n Staff work extremely closely together to ensure a highly consistent approach to managing children's behaviour. They teach children to embrace the routines of the day. Children see pictures of themselves engaging in particular tasks with enjoyment, such as pouring drinks and listening to a story. This structured and consistent environment helps children to feel safe and secure. n Staff are extremely supportive to children and help them to manage their emotions with kindness and understanding. They exude an atmosphere of happiness and calm and all children feel included. Children are fully engaged in their learning and their concentration is remarkable. They are fully focused on the task in hand. For instance, they concentrate hard as they pick up corks with pliers and transport them to a basket to tidy up. Children have a love of reading and regularly choose books to sit and read with staff. They point to the pictures

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need to do better?

on the page and discuss what the characters are doing. n Children thoroughly enjoy spending time in the outdoor area. They water the herbs, fruits and vegetables they have planted without any prompting. They fill watering cans from a tap dispenser. Children know how to put on aprons to keep their clothes dry. They challenge themselves physically when they pull up and push down on a pump to fill their buckets with water. Staff talk to children all the

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need to do better?

1 July 2024 time, extending their vocabulary. They teach children how to measure water in jugs. They teach children how to balance objects in scales and children learn about things that are 'heavy' and 'light'. n Children are physically active. Staff hire a sports coach and a dance teacher to help children to become aware of their bodies and how they can move. Children zoom around on balance bikes and remember to wear helmets. They enjoy clambering up the climbing frame and whooshing down the slide. Children develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination as they tear tiny pieces of dough to give to their friends. n Parents say that the pre-school is outstanding and they would not take their children anywhere else. They say that they travel miles to get there. Parents say that the staff are unique. They say their children have progressed so much in such a short time, and they are amazed. Parents say that their four-year-old

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need to do better?

children are extremely well prepared for starting school and they will be sad to leave this wonderful pre-school. n The manager and staff evaluate everything they do and discuss how they can continually make improvements. The manager and staff are constantly striving to be the best that they can be for the benefit of the children they care for. All staff undertake plenty of training to enhance their skills and knowledge. They support each other and exchange ideas for the planning of new activities and resources. n The manager supervises the staff conscientiously. She observes their practice and they discuss suggestions for improvement in staff meetings. Staff retention is excellent and staff say how happy they are to work in the pre-school. The manager ensures that staff take time to relax and take breaks. She is concerned for staff well-being and promotes a positive work-life balance.

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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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Setting details

Unique reference number 2662674 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10339476 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 40 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Sheehan, Louise

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reference number

Telephone number 07801299549 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Red School registered in 2022 and is situated in North Weald, Essex. The pre- school opens Monday and Thursday, from 8.45am until 2.45pm, and Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8.45am until 1.15pm, during school term time only. There are seven members of staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed areas of the premises available for children, including the outdoor area. n The manager discussed the early years curriculum with the inspector on a learning walk. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to staff and children. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager to discuss the leadership and management of the pre-school. n The inspector took account of the views of parents by speaking with some of them during the inspection and reading written testimonials.

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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

1 July 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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