Norton Community Pre-School

Inspection of Norton Community Pre- School The Old School Hall, Matthews Lane, Norton, Sheffield S8 8JS

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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 make a positive start to their learning in this warm and nurturing pre- school. They are helped to build strong bonds with the staff who care for them and smoothly settle into pre-school life. They make good progress overall and are well prepared for the next stage of their learning, including starting school. Staff use their knowledge of children's interests and abilities well to systematically develop their skills and understanding. Children develop their fine motor skills, for example, through making and moulding their play dough or drawing around their friends with chalk on the playground. These, and other skills, lay the foundations for their later writing development.

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The provision is good

Staff help children to feel safe and to follow directions and behave well. Children rise to the high expectations of the staff. For instance, children politely work together and give each other directions as they develop and work on their balancing obstacle course or help prepare their own snack. Children learn to assess their own risk as they develop their climbing skills in the well-resourced pre-school garden. Parents are very appreciative of the positive impact staff have on their children's independence, confidence and social skills.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and staff have precise expectations overall for children's development at each stage of their learning. The curriculum is planned well to support children's progressive development in the different aspects of their learning. The planning is not as sharply developed for mathematics and, as a result, work is not always finely matched to children's learning needs. This includes, for example, building systematically on children's knowledge of quantities represented by different numbers and the early understanding of measures, such as length and capacity. n The pre-school strongly supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged learners. They identify gaps in children's learning and development at an early stage. Leaders make good use of their staff's skills and partnerships with other professionals, such as speech therapists, to target and support children's development. They use additional funding to prepare

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need to do better?

children well for their further learning. n The development of children's communication skills is central to their learning and development. Staff are trained well and skilfully introduce children to a varied vocabulary built on their interests and increasingly broad knowledge of the world. They help children to use their emerging language skills through carefully considered questions, such as 'I wonder how…' or 'What do you think will happen?' n Staff strongly encourage children's engagement with books and songs to support their learning in many aspects of their development. They support children to

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need to do better?

25 March 2025 enjoy a carefully considered range of fiction and non-fiction that introduces them to exciting new vocabulary and experiences. Staff regularly read stories in highly engaging ways that builds children's concentration and anticipation and leaves them with memorable words and phrases that develop their knowledge of the world and communication skills. n Staff promote children's good behaviour and personal development well. Staff successfully encourage children to say 'please' and 'thank you' throughout their play and healthy snack times. They support children to make decisions and persist in activities. They skilfully help children who find it hard to manage their emotions to learn to play with others and control their behaviour. n Leaders are ambitious to ensure that all children leave the pre-school as happy, confident and eager learners. They are well qualified and are strong role models

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need to do better?

to staff and children. Leaders support staff's professional development well. Staff are passionate about their roles. They work well as a team and share their training and experiences. There is a very low turnover of staff, and morale is high. n Staff work closely with parents to support children's learning. Parents positively recommend the pre-school. They appreciate the warm and caring attitudes the staff consistently show towards their children and themselves. They welcome the guidance they are given on supporting their children's learning at home and involvement in pre-school life through, for instance, the management committee and supporting the regular trips and visits.

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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 planning and focus support for staff on the systematic development of children's mathematical learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY376725 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 10376235 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 41 Name of registered person Norton Community Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 0114 2747968 Date of previous inspection 22 May 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Norton Community Pre-School registered in 2008 and is in Sheffield. It operates during term time only from Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 9am to midday every morning and from 12.10pm to 3.10pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The pre-school employs 10 members of childcare staff, nine of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including six at level 3 and one at level 4. The pre-school provides the government funded places for childcare and receives funding for disadvantaged children.

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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 children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector and the deputy manager completed a joint observation of children's learning experiences and evaluated the activity together. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to children about their experiences as they played. n The inspector spoke with the manager about the leadership and management of the pre-school. n The manager provided the inspector with relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of staff. 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

25 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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