Lilypad Preschool

Inspection of Lilypad Preschool Bishops Waltham County Infant School, Oak Road, SOUTHAMPTON SO32 1EP

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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 arrive at the pre-school ready to explore and join in with their friends. Staff are friendly and welcoming and have developed secure relationships with children. For example, children are greeted as soon as they arrive in the morning and encouraged to find an activity that interests them or a friend they enjoy spending time with. This promotes an environment where children feel safe and are ready to learn.

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The provision is good

Children understand the behaviour expectations of the setting and respond well to subtle prompts that are provided by staff to help friends and join in with keeping the resources tidy. For example, when children hear the pack-away song, they know it is time to tidy up. This provides children with a sense of responsibility. Children are curious and have a positive attitude to learning. They enjoy watching Tony, the giant African land snail, and take turns feeding him pieces of cucumber. This helps children to understand the importance of caring for an animal.

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The provision is good

Staff provide a curriculum that is ambitious and meets the needs of every child. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well supported and activities are inclusive and carefully planned. For example, staff use pictures and sign language to support communication and promote concentration. This helps to keep every child interested and make progress in their learning.

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need to do better?

n Staff carefully plan a wide range of experiences that are well sequenced and support children's next steps in learning. For example, staff provide a variety of activities to support children's early writing skills, such as tweezers to pick up small plastic bugs from the light box. This helps to develop their fine motor skills, which builds muscles ready for mark making. n Staff encourage children to count and recognise numbers during every day activities, such as counting how many blueberries there are in the snack bowl. However, staff do not build on this to include mathematical concepts, such as weight, volume or sequencing, to fully extend children's mathematical knowledge and understanding. n Children enjoy learning about the world around them and respond well to staff teaching them about caring for the planet. Activities are provided to learn about not dropping litter and keeping plastic out of the ocean to protect the fish and

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need to do better?

other marine life. Children talk to their friends about the beach and how they will use rubbish bins. This means children are learning how to take care of the natural world. n Staff engage in conversations with children throughout the day. They ask

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need to do better?

3 February 2025 appropriate questions, and children are keen to respond. However, there are times when opportunities to introduce new vocabulary are not utilised. n Staff develop positive relationships with parents and work closely to share information about children's progress and next steps in learning. Staff and parents share photos of children taking part in activities or achieving a new skill, and this helps to provide a consistent approach to learning. Parents share that they are extremely happy with the care their child receives and the progress they are making. n Staff support children to begin to recognise and manage their own emotions. For example, at the start of the session, children are asked how they are feeling and place their name next to the feeling on a display. They are also encouraged to consider the feelings of others if they take a toy from another child or do not want to share. n Leaders have a clear vision for the setting and work hard to ensure that the care

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need to do better?

and education provided is effective. Practice is regularly evaluated to ensure that it meets the needs of children who attend. This means there is regular oversight of the pre-school and the provision is of a high quality. n Staff enjoy working in the pre-school and are well supported by leaders. They are encouraged to attend training, and they share new information with their colleagues. This helps staff stay up to date and work together to improve their practice.

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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's practice to build on children's knowledge of mathematical concepts to further support their development n develop staff's knowledge of how to support children to learn new vocabulary and enhance their communication and language skills further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY338740 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10380792 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 24 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Lilypad Preschool Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01489892375 Date of previous inspection 24 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Lilypad Preschool registered in 2006. It operates from a classroom within Bishops Waltham Infant School in Bishops Waltham, Hampshire. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. It is open each weekday, during school term times, from 8.45am to 3.15pm. There are seven members of childcare staff. Of whom, all have appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 5.

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Inspection activities

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 manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years foundation stage curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. 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

3 February 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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