Happytots Pre-school

Inspection of Happytots Pre-school St. Hildas Church Hall, Stanwell Road, Ashford TW15 3QL

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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 receive a positive start to their early education. Staff have developed strong relationships with children and know them well. They use key information to plan effectively for children's learning and well-being. There is a strong focus on supporting children's communication and language skills, as well as their personal, social and emotional development. This is particularly evident for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders act swiftly to target support to help children close gaps in their learning and development. All children make good progress at the setting.

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The provision is good

The curriculum is carefully sequenced and builds on what children already know and can do. Staff implement the intention of learning through their interactions effectively, and they skilfully follow children's interests. This helps to maintain children's high levels of engagement in their learning. Children love being outdoors in all weathers. Staff understand the importance of physical activity, and they share the children's enthusiasm as they are encouraged to stomp like dinosaurs to help burn off some of their energy and emotions. Younger children show their delight by laughing as they splash in the water trays as they fish out and match coloured bears into the correct trays.

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need to do better?

n Managers are dedicated and have effective oversight of the pre-school. There are clear systems in place to monitor practice and give staff valuable support and guidance. Managers understand the pre-school's strengths and where their attention is best placed. Staff say that they feel well supported and are encouraged to grow within their role. This has a positive impact on the care and education that the children receive. n Managers and staff foster effective relationships with multi-agency partners, such as health and local authority advisory teams. This helps to ensure that staff receive specialist advice and guidance to support their key children and promote their well-being and development at the earliest opportunity. As such, the support for children with SEND and those that may benefit from early help and intervention is strong, and these children make rapid progress. n Children are developing a love of stories and books. Staff encourage parents to

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need to do better?

read and share stories with their children. Children develop their listening and attention skills as they sit for significant periods, for their young age, engaged in the stories and song sessions that staff creatively lead. They look at books independently and enjoy dressing up for World Book Day. They are learning that print carries meaning, and they enjoy making marks that begin to represent letters in their names through craft activities. This prepares them well for their next stage in learning.

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need to do better?

6 March 2025 n Children demonstrate a clear understanding of the pre-school's routines. They are eager to join in with group times and happy to help tidy up their toys. Staff are clear about the support strategies in place for those children that require additional help to manage their emotions. In general, children behave well. However, when minor disputes occur, inconsistencies in managing these does not prevent them from reoccurring. This can leave some children unclear about what is expected of their behaviour at the setting. n Staff deploy themselves well to ensure that children are in sight and listening at all times. This helps keep children safe and ensures that staff are readily available to meet the children's learning needs. For example, staff closely supervise children as they explore cutting real fruit and vegetables in the home corner. They also ensure that they are down at children's level, reinforcing

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need to do better?

spoken words and new vocabulary with visual cues and signs for non-verbal children and for those who have English as an additional language. This ensures that all children can make progress in their learning and feel safe and secure due to being fully included and welcomed at the setting. n The provider has effective systems in place for sharing information with parents relating to their children's learning and development. Parents are able to share the good progress that their children make. For example, parents have seen a noticeable improvement in their children's social and communication skills. These skills ensure that children are ready for their next stage in learning. The setting is particularly good at sharing joint strategies and targets for children with SEND and regularly reviewing these with parents. The systems are less established for routinely providing all parents with information and ideas about how to support

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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 understand and consistently implement the setting's behaviour management strategies to help all children understand what is expected of them n strengthen systems in place for providing parents with information on how to support their child's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2709730 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10376615 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Ho, Man

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reference number

Telephone number 07834868900 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Happytots Pre-school registered in November 2022 and is situated in Ashford, Surrey. It is open each week day from 9.15am to 3pm, during school term time only. The provider currently employs seven members of staff, of whom five hold appropriate L3 early years qualifications. The setting receives funding for the early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

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 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 Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

6 March 2025 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

6 March 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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