Castle Hill Pre-School

Inspection of Castle Hill Pre-School Fort Hill School, Kenilworth Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG23 8JQ

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Staff create a warm and nurturing environment for children. The cheerful and relaxed atmosphere ensures that children feel comfortable and settle in quickly. Children arrive happy and excited to see their friends. They independently put away their belongings and enthusiastically engage in activities of interest. For example, children enjoy taking on different roles as they engage in pretend play. They use clipboards and pens to collect orders in their café and practise their early writing skills.

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The provision is good

Leaders place a strong focus on developing children's physical development and understanding of the world. Children show great pleasure as they carefully lift objects to seek out bugs in the garden. Staff offer them magnifying glasses, which further builds on their curiosity as they excitedly talk about the insects that they find. Staff build on their learning further with daily opportunities to feed the pre- school pets. This helps children learn how to care for living things.

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The provision is good

Staff are kind and patient, and manage children's behaviour well. They have secure and consistent boundaries in place, which helps children to understand what is expected of them. For example, children naturally help to tidy toys away before they move on to the next activity. Staff praise them for their efforts, which boosts their confidence and self-esteem.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, leaders have made positive improvements that benefit children. They work closely with staff and use information from assessments to provide a curriculum that is focused on children's learning needs. They place a stronger focus on children's next steps in learning and have enhanced the experiences they provide. All children make good progress in their development n Staff provide good support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They seek support from the local authority early years team and work closely with other professionals involved in children's care. This ensures children swiftly receive tailored support to help close gaps in their learning. n Leaders use additional funding well to benefit the specific needs of all individual children. For example, they recognise some children do not have access to a wide range of play and learning experiences outside of the setting. Therefore,

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need to do better?

they regularly plan outings to local shops, parks and woods, to help broaden children's curiosity and an understanding of the world. n Overall, staff support children's developing communication and language skills well. For example, they engage children well in stories, model words and provide a narrative as children play. However, at times, the staff are a little directive. They ask children questions, but are quick to answer for them. This does not

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need to do better?

11 October 2024 give children time to think for themselves and use their own words, to help build on their developing speech and vocabulary even further. n Staff provide children with many opportunities to develop their physical skills. Children happily run around the outdoor play spaces and delight in creating obstacle courses alongside staff and their friends. Staff foster opportunities such as these, to build on children's confidence in taking safe risks. They demonstrate this as they sensitively give children encouragement to balance across equipment and independently jump off apparatus. n Staff place a strong emphasis on supporting children to develop their independence skills. For example, they give children assistance to help them successfully butter their toast at snack time. They give them gentle encouragement to wash up their plates and cups when they have finished eating. Children manage their personal care needs well. They wash their hands

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need to do better?

and open their own food containers at lunch time. This supports children gain the skills they need in preparation for school. n Staff are good role models. For instance, when children have small disagreements about the mode of transport to use during their imaginary play, staff encourage them to negotiate and take turns. Consequently, children happily continue their play and work as a team to find the props they need. n Partnerships with parents are a strength of the pre-school. Staff share information on their children's on-going learning through digital media as well as discussions at drop off and collection times. Parents comment they feel involved in their children's learning. They say that staff are always available to offer advice and support, when needed.

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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 strengthen staff interactions with children to continually support and enhance their developing speech and vocabulary to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 110024 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10326463 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 30 Number of children on roll 11 Name of registered person Castle Hill Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01256 355 719 Date of previous inspection 6 December 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Castle Hill Pre-School registered in 1990 and is based in Winklebury, Basingstoke, Hampshire. It is open from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9am to 3pm. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff, including the manager. Of these, four hold relevant early years qualifications at level 3. The pre- school provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the pre-school with the inspector. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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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

11 October 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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