Phoenix Pre-School

Inspection of Phoenix Pre-School Riders Infant School, Kingsclere Avenue, Havant, Hampshire PO9 4RY

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children and their families are greeted warmly by staff to help children settle happily into the pre-school. Staff know children well. They have high expectations for children and strive to provide them with strong foundations for life-long learning. Children develop good social skills. Staff create an environment where every child is welcomed and valued. Children display strong bonds with staff. New children quickly build attachments with their designated key person. Kindness and respect are intrinsic to the ethos of the pre-school. Children learn how to value and respect their friends. For instance, as children take part in song time, older children hold out their hands to their younger friends to help them join in.

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The provision is good

Leaders and staff work closely to plan and provide a broad curriculum that prioritises children's learning. This is particularly effective in targeting children's communication skills. Where children start behind in some areas of learning, staff quickly identify and put in place any additional support they need to catch up. This has a positive impact for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in receipt of additional funding. Children develop good attitudes to learning. They are excited to learn and gain good attention skills. For instance, children wait for turns to guess what might be hidden in the box as staff teach them how to listen, share their ideas and to take turns with friends.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have worked hard to address the actions raised at the last inspection to ensure the safe and efficient running of the pre-school. Improvements to the indoor environment ensure children's safety, including in the event of an emergency fire evacuation. The deployment of staff has been improved to make sure that children are supervised at all times. Leaders have reviewed the routines for visitors so that they are supervised at all times when visiting the pre-school. Procedures to provide Ofsted with information to ensure the suitability of those who make up the committee are effective. n Leaders recognise priorities for children's learning. The focus on children's communication and language skills is a strength of the pre-school. Staff recognise the importance of children developing good listening and speaking skills. Where children, including those with SEND, start behind their peers in this

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need to do better?

area of their development, staff swiftly involve other professionals to support children. The strong links with other partners means children benefit from a consistent approach to the areas of speaking and listening skills that they are developing. n Children are highly independent and take great pride in being able to do age- appropriate things for themselves. Staff recognise and value children's growing

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need to do better?

19 November 2024 independence. For instance, as children sit for lunch, they learn how to open packets of food from their lunch boxes and eat hot meals with cutlery. Staff praise children to promote their confidence in being independent. This helps children to understand and develop the skills that support their eventual move to school. n Staff provide a range of activities, which ignite children's curiosity. For instance, as staff join in with children's role play, children learn how to put on and fasten dressing-up clothes. Children understand how to help 'patients', they show care and attention by wrapping bandages around staff's arms. Staff understand the overarching aims for children's learning. However, sometimes, they do not fully consider what individual children need to learn next during their play and interactions with them. At times, this limits how staff can adapt their teaching to fully focus on children's next steps in learning to help ensure that all children

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need to do better?

make the progress they are capable of. n Staff recognise and value the partnerships they build with children's families and carers. Parents say that the 'family feel' of the pre-school contributes to children's confidence in new situations, including attending pre-school. Staff use daily conversations and online platforms to share children's daily activities and their progress. However, a clear two-way flow of information with parents to enhance and share ideas consistently to enable them to support learning at home is not yet fully embedded.

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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 focus their teaching on intentions for children's learning during planned activities to help all children make even better progress n enhance partnerships with parents to improve the two-way flow of information regarding children's learning and development to support parents to continue their child's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 507939 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10362590 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 50 Number of children on roll 78 Name of registered person Phoenix Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 02392498500 Date of previous inspection 16 July 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Phoenix Pre-School established in 1981. It operates from a purpose-built building on the site of Riders Infant School, situated in the Leigh Park area of Portsmouth. The pre-school is open each weekday, from 8am to 3pm, during term times. The pre-school is in receipt of government funded early education for children aged two, three and four years. A team of 13 staff work with the children. Of these, three hold appropriate qualifications from levels 4 to 6, and nine staff hold appropriate qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n Parents and grandparents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The 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 inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. 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 looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The manager showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure that they are safe and suitable.

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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

19 November 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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