St Clares Pre School

Inspection of St Clares Pre School St Clares Primary School, Hawthorne Road, Lache, Cheshire CH4 8HX

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children attending this pre-school arrive with smiles on their faces. They quickly settle to the range of resources and opportunities available to them within the indoor and outdoor environment. Staff know children well. They talk to children about their families and engage in thoughtful conversations with them. This helps children to feel happy and secure.

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The provision is good

Children are curious and, on the whole, they demonstrate high levels of engagement. Staff interactions during play are of consistently high quality. This supports the implementation of the well-planned curriculum. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress in their learning. Staff place a strong focus on supporting children's behaviour and attitudes. They take the time to explain to children how to manage their feelings and use visual prompts to support children to develop their understanding of rules and boundaries. This supports children's good behaviour.

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The provision is good

Children have lots of freedom to explore the outdoor environment. They are taught about, and practise how to manage, appropriate risks in their play. For example, they balance on beams and play on the see-saw in pairs, delighting as they move up and down. This helps children to increase their understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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need to do better?

n Leadership and management of the pre-school are effective. Staff are qualified and experienced. They say that they feel well supported. Regular supervision sessions are held to review staff performance and to identify further training. This effectively supports staff to build upon their professional knowledge and teaching skills over time. n The individual needs of children with SEND are effectively met. Staff work closely with other professionals, when required, to help to ensure that children with SEND make good progress from their individual starting points. Furthermore, additional funding is used to provide specific resources and additional adult support for individual children. This helps to ensure that a tailored approach to children's learning and development is effective. n Staff develop children's communication and language skills well. They use both spoken words and visual prompts to support children in developing their

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need to do better?

understanding of language. Staff frequently join in children's imaginative play, such as playing in the role play area. They use these opportunities to develop children's language skills. For example, staff use effective questioning techniques. This approach encourages children to talk and to share their ideas. Children become confident communicators.

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need to do better?

26 November 2024 n Children are happy and confident learners. Staff skilfully support children to develop in their next learning steps as they play independently. For example, staff encourage older children to have a go at independent writing while they play in the role play area. That said, during group times, staff do not always consider how activities are organised so that all children's learning needs are met precisely. This sometimes means that some children become distracted and they lose interest in the activity. n Children understand the clear routines and behaviour expectations of the setting. The atmosphere is calm and settled. Staff support children to learn good social skills and behaviour. They encourage children to use their manners and support children to work through any potential conflicts with their friends successfully. Children learn to express their feelings and regulate their behaviour

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need to do better?

effectively. n Staff support children to develop independence skills. For example, staff encourage children to persevere as they try to put on dressing-up clothes while engaging in role play. They patiently support children by showing them where to hold the costume and how to pull it over their head rather than doing it for them. Staff praise and encourage children until they are successful. This supports children's developing independence and sense of well-being. n Children demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They show curiosity and enjoy taking part in the different learning experiences available to them. For instance, children excitedly take part in a bug hunt in the outdoor area. They delight when they find bugs and are eager to talk about them. Staff support children to develop a love of learning. n Parents are extremely positive about the pre-school and the support they receive for their child. Parents comment that their child 'loves coming to pre-school' and

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need to do better?

remark upon the progress their child has made, especially in their social and communication skills.

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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 the organisation of group times so that all children's learning needs are met precisely.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 305317 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 10363776 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 123 Name of registered person St Clare's Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07936 413246 Date of previous inspection 9 January 2019

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Information about this early years setting

St Clare's Pre School registered in 1984. The setting operates from the premises of St Clare's Catholic Primary School, Monday to Friday, term time only. Pre-school care from 9am to 3.25pm is offered for children aged from two years. Also, care for school-age children is provided before school from 8am to 9am and after school from 3.25pm to 5.30pm. The setting employs nine members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications, including one with qualified teacher status. 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 inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The manager and the inspector completed a joint observation together. n A number of parents spoke to the inspector during the inspection. The inspector took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the staff team during the inspection. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and deputy manager. The inspector looked at relevant documentation and 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

26 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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