Infinity Pre-School

Inspection of Infinity Pre-School Hest Bank Memorial Hall, Lancaster LA2 6JB

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

All children flourish in this unique nursery. Children enter a home-from-home environment where they feel respected and valued by staff. All staff are aware of children who need reassurance and ensure that they are supported effectively on arrival and throughout the day. Children are happy and confident and make wonderful friendships. They benefit from exciting and innovative activities that motivate them to want to learn. Leaders are passionate about providing children with the best start to their early years. This ethos is shared by a committed staff team that goes above and beyond to create relationships with their key children. Consequently, all children make exceptional progress from their starting points.

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The provision is outstanding

Managers plan a curriculum that encompasses all aspects of children's learning. Staff provide an exceptionally enabling environment in this pack-away setting that is outstandingly well thought out. High-quality interactions mean children are continuously exposed to a language-rich environment. Children are curious about the world around them. They excitedly explore the outdoor garden, searching for dinosaur footprints among the soil, bark and plants. Children read familiar stories and explore information inside and outside, fostering their love of reading.

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The provision is outstanding

Children are exceptionally well behaved. Staff set clear boundaries in a calm and gentle manner. Children are incredibly kind and caring and show superb skills to share and cooperate. They are extremely polite and considerate. Children know exactly what is expected of them and show high levels of respect for staff and each other. For example, one child teaches another how to wipe their nose while looking in a mirror and follow hygiene rules to wash their hands afterwards. Staff adeptly support children to manage their emotions. They have implemented areas, such as cosy areas, where children can go for a calm time should they need to.

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need to do better?

n The staff place the children's love of physical activity, songs and books at the centre of much of their learning. They support children in learning a wide range of songs linked to routines, welcoming peers and physical movement. Staff and children sing with confidence and support each other, with the more reserved children given time to feel more comfortable. Staff introduce children to a breadth of fiction and non-fiction books, often linked to specific topics at the time. This systematically deepens children's language skills and enriches their knowledge of the world. n The well-qualified and experienced leaders lead a highly motivated staff team. They undertake many focused training opportunities to develop a rich and well- balanced subject knowledge. Dedicated leaders and skilled staff work together to facilitate the development of the setting, having equal input with ideas and

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need to do better?

24 September 2024 creativity. This makes an exceptional impact on the well-being of staff and, consequently, the quality of teaching and interactions between staff and children. Staff speak very positively about how they are supported in their roles. n Staff strongly support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help prepare them for the next stages in their learning. They work very closely with other professionals, such as speech therapists, medical support and inclusion services, to plan for and promote children's progress. They make very good use of any additional funding to meet the children's learning and emotional needs. For example, the setting purchases unique technology resources that enable calm reflection to music and stories. This supports children's emotional well-being. n Staff skilfully identify what they need to teach children at each age and how this contributes to their ongoing development. Younger children are supported to put

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need to do better?

their belongings away and quickly learn routines and transitions with increasing independence. As they get older, children have mastered routines and take ownership of their roles within them. For instance, a young child takes a chair to the carpet to be 'teacher' and leads a singing activity with her peers. She selects a child to choose a 'song spoon' and the group sings the associated song. This shows that they can build on what they know and can do. n Staff take every opportunity to develop children's mathematical understanding. For example, children are taught to 'touch count' as part of singing activities. They count during a yoga dance and when setting tables for snack. Children learn number recognition during a hunt for dinosaur footprints marked with numerals. Staff encourage the use of emerging subtraction skills. For instance, children check how many people are in the role-play area by counting them and

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need to do better?

realise they have more than the rules allow. With support, they work out how many children need to play elsewhere for now. This helps to develop children's mathematical language and broadens their vocabulary. n The nursery has fantastic partnerships with parents. Parents and families are highly involved in their child's learning. Staff engage parents extremely effectively from the beginning. Parents share their child's routines, interests and what they know and can do. Staff then use this information to plan for children's future learning. Staff give parents ideas of how they can extend children's learning at home, and they provide support for milestones such as toilet training. There is a lovely sense of 'family' at this nursery. This helps to create a collaborative partnership between parents and staff which is highly focused on children's care needs and development.

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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 EY540163 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10351363 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 39 Name of registered person Infinity Pre-School Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01524 874331 Date of previous inspection 30 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Infinity Pre-School registered in 2016. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications from level 2 to level 6, including one with early years professional status. Three staff hold a qualification at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the deputy manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The manager discussed the leadership and management of the nursery with the inspector and shared relevant documents. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

24 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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