Early Birds, Night Owls & Little Ladybirds Pre-School

Inspection of Early Birds, Night Owls & Little Ladybirds Pre-School Northgate Primary School, Cricketfield Lane, Bishop's Stortford CM23 2RL

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy and relish their time in the calm and relaxed pre-school. Careful consideration is given to key-person allocations, and an effective buddy system is in place. This helps the children to form strong and trusting relationships with staff. Children receive a warm welcome on arrival and quickly settle into the activities on offer. Those who are a little unsettled when they first arrive, can access their family pictures and display them where they are playing, for comfort. Staff are polite and kind to children and are excellent role models. The children behave well and are caring and respectful towards each other and the environment. They help each other to open food packets at lunchtime and assist each other in putting shoes on when they go outside.

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The provision is good

There is a well-thought-out and ambitious curriculum in place at the pre-school that is adapted according to the needs of the children attending. Leaders have a clear vision of what they want children to learn and achieve, and have high expectations for all children. Staff know all the children well and plan activities that ignite their curiosity and further their development. Children spend extended periods engaging in activities. They can lead and develop their play as they wish. Staff use their interactions during these times to promote the next steps in children's learning. As a result, all children make good progress.

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need to do better?

n Children are extremely well supported in learning to be independent. The environment is set up so that children can engage in self-chosen play. At mealtimes, children are provided with child-sized jugs so that they can pour their own drinks successfully. Additionally, they self-serve their food and are taught to wash up their own plates. Staff ask children if they would like help with tasks before they support them, and verbally guide children to allow them to be successful. This gives children the opportunity to persevere with tasks independently if they wish. As a result, children show good levels of independence and confidence. n Children are becoming confident communicators. Staff have meaningful conversations with children that are personal and individual to the child's needs. They model words for the children to hear, and introduce new words to extend their vocabulary. They draw children's attention to noises in the environment,

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need to do better?

encouraging them to listen carefully to what they hear. Staff make effective use of sign language to support children. Strategies are in place to support children who speak English as an additional language. This helps all children in their good communication and language development. n Children curiously explore and remain engaged in the enticing activities on offer. During a painting activity, children spend time pouring different paint colours

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need to do better?

16 October 2024 together and mix them with twigs. They watch intently as the colours swirl together, and invite their friends to join in. Staff use these spontaneous opportunities to extend children's learning. For example, when children decide to rearrange the obstacle course, staff encourage the children to think for themselves about how they can make it safe to use. This aids their development as they use trial and error to work things out. However, some staff require further support to raise the quality of their interactions with children to a consistently high standard. n The staff place an emphasis on developing a strong partnership with parents. Parents speak positively about the pre-school and report that their children are happy to attend. They comment that their children have made progress since starting. They are aware of the next steps in their children's learning and are given suggestions about activities that they could complete with their children at

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need to do better?

home. Parents report on the strong key-person system and valuable home visits that the children receive. They feel that these help their children to settle when they start. The staff work in close partnership with the on-site school and nursery. This ensures continuity of care for the children. n Staff benefit from supportive and encouraging leaders. Their welfare and well- being are important to them. Leaders identify areas of development for staff. They provide effective mentoring and targeted coaching throughout the day to help them carry out their roles effectively. Staff report that they are well supported in their roles.

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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 support staff to develop their interactions with children to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2710031 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10366771 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 72 Number of children on roll 131 Name of registered person Early Bird and Night Owl Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01279 771367 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Early Birds, Night Owls & Little Ladybirds Pre-School re-registered due to a change in legal ownership in 2022. It operates from a classroom in Northgate Primary School, in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. The pre-school and out-of-school club open each weekday during school term times only from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The pre-school employs 10 members of staff, of whom five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. 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 inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children communicated with the inspector during the inspection. 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 that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out joint observations with the manager of free play outdoors. 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

16 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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