St Catherine's Childcare

Inspection of St Catherine's Childcare St Catherine's CE Primary School, Marlpool Lane, KIDDERMINSTER, Worcestershire DY11 5HP

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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 thrive in this nurturing pre-school. They enter with smiles and are greeted by the caring team. Children are excited to explore the vast array of carefully crafted activities, that have been planned to meet their individual needs. They engage in creative activities that support their strength and coordination. Children build enclosures for animals using blocks. Staff engage in conversation with children and teach them about the animals. Children know that they need to build a tall structure for a giraffe. They learn that giraffes have long necks so that they can reach up to eat leaves from tall trees. Children enjoy developing their mark- making and counting skills. They search for animals in the outdoor environment and record them on a tally chart.

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The provision is good

Staff and managers get to know children and families very well. Children develop positive relationships with their key person. This helps them to settle quickly and feel safe. Children confidently follow the rules and routines. They share these with others to help them understand what to do. For instance, children explain that it is important to count how many are in their group, so that they are safe in the event of a fire. Children invite others into their play and share resources harmoniously. They speak with kindness and demonstrate care and consideration towards one another.

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need to do better?

n Children are immersed in a curriculum that has been meticulously designed to support them to practise and master new skills. Staff work together to plan a broad range of activities that link to a theme. For instance, while learning about animals, they practise counting their features and clap out the syllables in their names. Staff support children to develop their concentration in preparation for school. They sit and take turns to listen to clues about animals and demonstrate pride when they name them correctly. n Communication and language development is prioritised and is weaved into all activities in this pre-school. Children develop a strong love of books. They sit together with friends to look at stories, exploring the textures and talking about the pictures. Staff share weekly stories and rhymes to teach the development of new vocabulary through repetition. Children enjoy sharing stories with their

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need to do better?

families at home, bringing them back and exchanging them when they have finished. n Staff and managers are passionate about creating an environment that embraces the differences between children and families. They share stories that celebrate children's individuality and teach them that they all look different but that they are all special. Staff get to know about children's early experiences and use this to further expand on children's knowledge of the world. For example,

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need to do better?

24 January 2025 visitors bring goats in to meet the children. This allows children to learn about animals that are new to them. n Staff and managers are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of all children. They respond in a timely manner to any concerns about the development of children and communicate sensitively with parents. Staff and managers deliver appropriate intervention. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress from their starting points. n Children are confident independent learners. They practise putting on their own coats when they go outside and make choices about what they would like to eat at snack times. Staff talk to children about the importance of hygiene as they eat. Children learn about the importance of good oral hygiene. They talk about water being a healthy drink to have in their bottles and practise brushing the

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need to do better?

teeth of crocodiles. n Parents speak with great fondness for the staff and managers at this setting. They feel that they become part of a large family. Staff and managers are passionate about building positive relationships with parents. Parents receive regular feedback about their child's progress and the activities that they take part in while at pre-school. This helps parents to become partners in their children's learning. n Leaders and managers are committed to supporting the development and well- being of the pre-school team. Staff attend regular training to enhance their knowledge and skills. Staff and managers work collaboratively to evaluate their practice and reflect on the learning that takes place in the setting. Regular supervision opportunities support staff to share their experience and discuss their practice. However, feedback from managers does not always focus fully on how staff can improve their teaching further.

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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 focus staff supervision more precisely, to help raise the quality of teaching to the highest level across the pre-school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 205442 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10372125 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 37 Name of registered person Baylie, Karen Linda

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reference number

Telephone number 01562 753 555 Date of previous inspection 3 April 2019

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Information about this early years setting

St Catherine's Childcare registered in September 2000 and is located in Kidderminster. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold early years qualifications at levels 2 and 3 and two hold qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Thursday, from 7.30am to 6pm and Friday from 7.30am to 5.30pm, during term time. It also provides before- and after-school care. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. 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 Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at pre-school. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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 January 2025 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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