Colgate Pre-School

Inspection of Colgate Pre-School Colgate Memorial Hall, Blackhouse Road, Colgate, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 6HS

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

p.1

The provision is good

Children behave well and they respond positively when staff engage with them. They enjoy exploring their surroundings. They show a good attitude to learning as they focus their attention intently on their chosen activity, with gentle support and guidance from staff. For instance, when children find worms in the soil, staff encourage them to find more. Children dig with purpose as they continue their search. When they struggle to regulate their feelings, staff speak calmly and help to redirect their attention. This supports children to quickly re-engage in their learning.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for all children to succeed in their learning. For example, children are supported to learn how to look after themselves. The daily routines are firmly embedded, so they know to wash their hands before they eat. They show pride in cutting up their own fruit and serving themselves at snack time. When they have finished eating, children use mirrors to check that their faces are clean. Staff recognise when to step in to help children, and when to give them time to complete these tasks on their own. This provides children with support that is precisely targeted to meet their individual needs.

p.2

The provision is good

Children benefit from opportunities to develop their physical skills. For instance, staff encourage them to move their bodies in different ways as they take part in music activities. This helps children to learn to control their body movements.

p.2

need to do better?

n Leaders design an ambitious curriculum that aims to support all children to make good progress. They include information from schools and their knowledge of the children to identify the skills and knowledge that they want them to learn before they start school. This is shared effectively with staff so that planning can be tailored to enable all children to develop well. n Leaders and staff value the importance of getting to know all children and their families extremely well. They actively promote the sharing of appropriate information so that staff and parents can work collaboratively to meet children's needs. Leaders understand that each parent accesses information differently, so they ensure that all relevant communication is accessible to them. For instance, children's next steps are shared through the parent app, verbal discussions, and 'bag tags' on children's backpacks. They provide ways for parents to get involved

p.2

need to do better?

in their children's learning and development. For example, they host parent events throughout the year and offer a lending library to support families to share books together at home. n Staff receive strong support from leaders for their well-being and professional development. Leaders ensure that staff have access to a variety of training

p.2

need to do better?

17 March 2025 opportunities. They provide effective coaching, mentoring and support in order to support staff to develop their practice. Staff also share new knowledge and skills learned from the courses they have completed, which helps them to work together as a team to support children's learning. n Staff implement an exciting curriculum which overall, is taught well. For instance, as children build towers with foam bricks, staff ask them if they are taller or shorter than their towers. Staff provide children with the right answer when they guess incorrectly, which helps to correct any misconceptions. However, at times, staff do not use high-quality interactions to extend children's knowledge and skills. For example, staff do not take the time to extend children's learning during some activities, or discuss how activities link to the children's own experiences. n Staff support children to learn about the world around them. For instance, they

p.2

need to do better?

teach children about different fruits. Staff encourage them to use their senses to explore these new foods, by looking, feeling and smelling them. Children respond well and actively engage in these learning opportunities. Leaders also organise weekly visits to a mobile food shop. Children spend time weighing the produce they would like to buy and learn how to pay for these items. This helps to give children the skills they need in later life. n Children are supported to develop their language skills. For instance, staff read books to small groups of children. They successfully bring the story to life by using props and encouraging children to join in with repeated phrases. This helps to embed children's knowledge and understanding of different words to further develop their vocabulary.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

p.3

should:

n support staff to consistently provide high-quality interactions to fully extend children's learning and thinking skills.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 113443 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10389621 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

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

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 38 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Colgate Playgroup Committee

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 01293 851606 Date of previous inspection 10 May 2019

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Colgate Pre-School registered in 1992 and operates from the village hall in Colgate, West Sussex. The pre-school is open from 8.15am to 3.45pm, Monday to Friday, during term time only. Tuesday morning sessions offer forest school activities. The setting receives funding for two-, three- and four-year-olds. There is a core team of 12 staff who work directly with children, nine of which are qualified to level 2 to level 6. The manager holds an appropriate childcare masters degree at level 7.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this has on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during snack time. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

17 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6