Buddies Preschool

Inspection of Buddies Preschool Harold Wood Sports Pavilion, Harold View, Romford, ESSEX RM3 0LX

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

The staff at the pre-school are patient, kind and very caring. They are experienced and understand how young children learn and develop. Staff provide children with exciting and challenging activities which cover all curriculum areas. Children enjoy their time at the pre-school and are confident and self-assured. Staff are highly responsive to children's needs. They follow children's fascinations with vehicles and play dough, ensuring that these resources are available when they arrive. This motivates and inspires children to learn and helps new children to settle quickly. Children show good levels of independence as they explore their environment.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff provide good support for children's communication and language development. For example, children love talking about their experiences, such as going to London and riding their bicycles. Children also develop early, secure reading skills. For instance, they eagerly repeat familiar phrases and learn words while engaging in a story about a bear hunt. Children use words and phrases, such as 'deep, cold river' and 'sloshy mud' to describe the story setting.

p.2

The provision is good

Children exhibit good behaviours. They develop positive relationships with staff and their peers. Children also learn about safety through everyday activities and routines. For instance, older children know not to run indoors and to take turns during their play. This is part of the staff's efforts to ensure that children play safely and follow the behavioural boundaries in the pre-school. Children gain the skills they need to help them with the next stage in their learning, including school.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff's observations and assessments of children's learning and development are accurate and focused. This provides staff with the necessary information to plan what children need to learn next. This helps to ensure that all children, including children in receipt of additional funding, make good progress from their starting points in development. n Staff skilfully use children's play to develop their understanding of mathematics. For example, as children use shape cutters with dough, staff encourage them to name simple shapes. Children use language associated with size, such as 'tall', 'bigger' and 'small', as they build towers with construction blocks. n Staff provide good support to help children to learn how to manage their behaviour. They remind them to be kind and about taking turns fairly. This helps children to work together and to respect each other. For instance, children collaborate to build roads and tracks for their favourite vehicles. They develop

p.2

need to do better?

good negotiation and problem-solving skills as they figure out how to lay the construction bricks and mats to create the track. Children are highly motivated and persevere with challenging tasks.

p.2

need to do better?

26 September 2024 n Staff support children's physical development effectively. Children benefit from daily outdoor activities in the small pre-school garden and the adjoining park. For example, children climb, play ball and ride wheeled toys. Additionally, staff ensure that children strengthen their small muscles while exploring malleable materials such as sand, paint and play dough. n Children generally gain a good understanding of healthy living. For instance, they learn about the importance of regular their brushing and and staff provide with healthy snacks. However, staff do not consistently monitor whether the meals in children's packed lunches are healthy, to support children's understanding of health eating further. n Leaders regularly monitor staff's practice to ensure good-quality teaching, such as through regular supervision meetings. Staff report they feel supported by leaders and have access to valuable learning opportunities. For instance, staff

p.2

need to do better?

have attended training in mindfulness for young children, which positively impacts children's emotional well-being and self-regulation. n Partnerships with parents and other settings, such as local schools, are well established. Parents and carers speak highly of the pre-school and praise the friendly and caring staff. They comment on how well staff support their children's interests and needs. This promotes continuity in children's care and learning. n Staff use creative methods to communicate children's accomplishments to their parents effectively. For example, they organise 'stay and play' sessions where parents can discuss their child's progress with the key person. However, they do not further enrich children's learning by involving parents and carers more in their children's learning at home.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

p.3

should:

n ensure that the contents of children's packed lunches and snacks promote their understanding of healthy eating even further n enhance children's learning potential by engaging parents and carers more in their children's learning at home.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY479145 Local authority Havering Inspection number 10355142 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 15 Number of children on roll 11 Name of registered person Buddies Pre School Limited

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 07708629841 Date of previous inspection 19 November 2018

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Buddies Preschool registered in 2014. It is located in Harold Wood, in the London Borough of Havering. The pre-school operates during term time, from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. It employs four staff. Of these, three staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level three and one holds a qualification at level two. The pre-school provides provides government funded childcare for children aged two, three and four years.

p.4

Inspection activities

n Parents shared their views of the pre-school with the inspector. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with the managers about the leadership and management of the pre-school. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The deputy manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

26 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6