Little Oak Pre-School (Witney) Limited

Inspection of Little Oak Pre-School (Witney) Limited Queen Emma's Primary School, Burwell Drive, Witney, Oxon OX28 5LP

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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 settle quickly on arrival. They make their own choices from interesting activities. For example, children thoroughly enjoyed making junk models and tipping and pouring water into different-sized containers. They concentrated well during their play and exploration. There is a strong focus on building children's communication and language skills. Staff engage children in discussions during their play and model language well to children. Children enjoy singing songs and exploring books daily with their friends and staff.

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The provision is good

Staff have a secure understanding of children's individual learning needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There are clear processes to identify children who may need extra support in their learning. Staff implement individual learning plans that focus on supporting children's progress. All children's learning is regularly reviewed by staff to help plan for their ongoing progress.

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The provision is good

Overall, staff's practice and support for children's learning are effective. They promote children's independence and self-care well. For example, staff have displayed a picture sequence in the bathroom to help children manage their personal care needs. Children learn to do things for themselves, including putting on their coats and pouring their drinks. Staff praise children and guide their behaviour with care and consideration. This helps children to follow expectations and learn how to manage their own behaviour.

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need to do better?

n Staff have a secure understanding of children's and families' backgrounds and needs. This helps staff to work closely with families and to focus the curriculum on the skills and knowledge children need to gain. Staff plan activities that reflect the different backgrounds of children, such as cultural and religious celebrations. They also offer activities matched to children's needs, including offering different story sessions. These help children to build on their concentration and engagement over time. n Staff provide effective activities to help children who may need extra support in their learning and development. For example, they offer small-group activities to promote children's understanding of words, listening skills and confidence to speak to others. Staff work closely with other professionals when needed and use their guidance and advice to help support and meet the needs of children with SEND. They use additional funding effectively. This includes developing the

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need to do better?

garden area to offer equipment to promote children's social skills and providing outings, such as exploring the woods. n Staff plan good-quality activities and learning experiences. Overall, these help

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need to do better?

10 March 2025 children to practise skills and become ready for their future learning, including starting school. For example, children develop their hand strength to support their future writing skills, such as through exploring dough and using spray bottles to water the flowers. At times, staff are not fully aware of children who need support to help extend their skills further. For example, staff sometimes do not guide children who struggle to use tools effectively, such as scissors. In addition, staff do not always fully consider ways to organise popular activities to offer more effective interactions to promote children's learning. n Staff encourage children to understand their emotions. They explore these with children, including through books, pictures and mirrors. This helps children to identify, understand and express how they feel. Staff promote children's respectful behaviours and awareness of being fair, such as taking turns, sharing

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need to do better?

and using good manners. Children show understanding of these. For instance, they use a sand timer to take turns and learn to say 'please' and 'thank you' at appropriate times. n Leaders, including those with governance for the pre-school, have a good oversight of the quality of the provision. They work closely together to identify and make improvements. Following a recent incident, leaders and staff reviewed and strengthened procedures to promote children's safety. Staff feel supported in their well-being. They undertake training and professional development and use new skills in their work. For example, staff have been learning Makaton and are teaching the children to use this. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff work closely with parents about their children's needs from the start. This helps to meet children's care and learning needs consistently. Parents speak positively about the pre-school and

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need to do better?

compliment the staff's communication and the support for their children's learning.

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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 enhance staff's awareness of children who need extra support to help them to build on their skills, knowledge and understanding further n take steps to organise activities that are particularly popular with children to enable staff to support children's learning as effectively as possible.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY421302 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10391095 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 27 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person Little Oak Pre-School (Witney) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01993775940 Date of previous inspection 20 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Little Oak Pre-School (Witney) Limited registered in 2011. The pre-school has been in operation since 1983. It is located in a self-contained building within the grounds of Queen Emma's Primary School, in Witney, Oxfordshire. It is open term time only, Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 3pm. The pre-school offers the government funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children. There are six staff who work with the children. Of these, four hold recognised early years qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the pre-school's early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the interactions between the staff and children. 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 Discussions were held with staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a language activity and evaluated the impact this had on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to children and interacted with them to find out about their time at the pre-school. n A meeting was held with leaders of the pre-school to discuss the leadership and management of the pre-school. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of

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Inspection activities

their views. n A sample of documentation was reviewed during the inspection, including evidence of staff's suitability.

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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

10 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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