Noah's Ark Preschool

Inspection of Noah's Ark Preschool The Wooden Classroom, Farrington Road, Paulton, Bristol BS39 7LW

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Staff are nurturing and form strong bonds with children in this welcoming pre- school. Children are greeted individually and warmly welcomed by staff, who prioritise their emotional well-being. This helps all children feel safe and secure. Staff find out detailed information about children and their families and provide settling in periods, helping children new to the pre-school to settle quickly. Children respond well to routines. For instance, when staff indicate it is group time, children confidently move to the area. Children show enjoyment as they actively join in when staff encourage them to shake their bodies. This helps children to develop their physical skills.

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The provision is good

The committed staff team ensures daily that the layout, use of the environment and the resources provide a range of learning experiences and opportunities for children to develop their independence. Children show delight as they play outdoors. They demonstrate physical dexterity when they access a complex obstacle course. Staff provide appropriate support for the younger or less confident children. Staff help children to understand the pre-school's expectations. For example, they give clear and consistent messages to children by modelling good manners and behaviour.

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need to do better?

n Staff are skilled at identifying children who may need extra support. They use targeted interventions provided by external professionals to help close any gaps in children's learning. n Children benefit from the knowledge of well-qualified staff, who support the planning and implementation of the curriculum. Staff meet before each session to discuss all children. This helps provide children with consistent care and education from all staff. n The committee and staff team are very reflective. For instance, they continuously look at ways to improve the provision and have plans for future development that will benefit all children. n The management team carefully plan the use of additional funding. For example, professionals attend the pre-school to share different ways to support children's communication and language development. n Staff professional development and well-being are supported by the management team. For instance, staff have many opportunities to get together

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need to do better?

outside work and they are encouraged to identify any courses they would like to attend. n Staff say that after recent local authority training, they have changed some teaching practices. For example, they have introduced a cutting tray filled with a range of materials adjacent to a range of self-select tools to help children

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need to do better?

6 September 2024 develop their cutting skills. n Children are supported to develop healthy practices. For example, they are encouraged to wash their hands after playing outside, after using the toilet and before lunch and snack times. n The management team monitor staff practice through various methods, such as one-to-one meetings and annual appraisals. However, processes are not precise enough to ensure that all staff receive the necessary support and coaching to raise the quality of their teaching to the highest level. n The pre-school works very closely with teaching staff at local schools. Staff attend joint training with the school focused on supporting language and communication skills, including visits to the school. This helps children to receive consistent messages as they enter the next stage of their education. n Parents value the care and attention that staff provide. The provider uses an online platform to provide a wealth of information to help them understand what

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need to do better?

their children are learning while in the pre-school. However, robust processes are not in place to ensure this information is shared with parents who do not access this type of communication. n Children's awareness and understanding of the wider world is promoted in a range of ways. For example, parents attend pre-school to share their cultural identity and the library service visits weekly. n A large range of books are available for children to self-select. Staff respond to children's emerging interests well. For example, when children have selected a book, they sit and read the story with them. This helps children to develop a love of books.

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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 improve the ongoing coaching and support for staff to further develop their teaching skills n develop ways to share information with all parents about children's next steps and ideas of how they can extend children's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 133056 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council Inspection number 10354952 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Noah's Ark Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01761 413 529 Date of previous inspection 13 November 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Noah's Ark pre-school registered in 1969. It is located in Paulton, Bath and North East Somerset. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9am to 3.30pm, term time only. The pre-school employs 10 members of staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff is qualified to degree level. Funded early education is provided 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 their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector and the provider completed a learning walk to understand how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. n One joint observation was conducted by the inspector and the provider. n The inspector held discussions with parents at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector looked at a sample of the provider's documents. n A meeting was held between the inspector and the nominated individual.

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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

6 September 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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