Bell Day Pre-school

Inspection of Bell Day Pre-school Lord Butler Leisure Centre, Peaslands Road, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3EG

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are at the centre of this unique pre-school. Fun-loving staff personalise care and teaching to ensure all children's individual personalities and characters shine through and they flourish. Staff get to know children incredibly well before they start. They offer a home visit, bespoke settling-in processes and a robust key- person system, all adding to children's steady transition to pre-school. Staff use their in-depth knowledge of children to plan activities that consider individual interests and are familiar to them. Therefore, they feel safe and comfortable in their environment and ready to explore, play and learn.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from a superb and endless array of wider experiences in the local community, where they learn about the wider world and their place in it. These extra-curricular activities include swimming, trips to the local town, market, pet shop, forest school and visits from the local police and fire service. This well- rounded start to children's early education, creates curiosity and wonder for life- long learning. Children develop care and empathy for living things. They remind visitors to look at a spider from a distance, so not to hurt or scare it. Staff reinforce expected kind and positive behaviours with meaningful praise for children's care of the spider.

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need to do better?

n Staff set out the knowledge and skills that they want children to be able to know. To enhance children's pencil control and support early writing skills, staff bring the curriculum to life with imaginative and fun teaching. For example, following children's interest in mini-beasts, staff plan stimulating activities to help children to develop their fine motor skills. While some children enjoying painting a picture of a ladybird, others practise their scissor skills, cutting pretend worms made from spaghetti. n Robust assessment of children's progress means staff identify any gaps in children's learning and plan activities to help reduce these. Consequently, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make very good progress from their starting points. However, at times staff do not consistently use spontaneous learning moments that naturally arise during children's play, to fully extend children's overall learning and

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need to do better?

development. n Children are proud when staff praise them for their good behaviour and positive attitudes towards others. This contributes to children's growing ability to regulate their own behaviours and emotions. When children become upset, staff comfort and reassure them sensitively. However, there are some inconsistencies in how staff respond to unwanted behaviours such as when children start running indoors. This reduces children's ability to fully understand the

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need to do better?

16 May 2025 importance of following fair rules and expected behaviours, so they can begin managing and adapting their behaviour themselves, to assure their own safety and well-being at pre-school. n Children develop healthy eating habits as they experience growing fruit and vegetables in the allotment and cooking and eating it at the pre-school. Physical exercise is engaging, varied and supports healthy lifestyles. n Consistent daily routines mean children learn to take responsibility and develop skills they need to be independent and make choices, for example, about when they want to have a refreshment and snack. Mealtimes are incredibly sociable and well organised, preparing children for when they have lunch at school. For example, they carry their own plates to the table and pour their own drinks confidently. n Parental partnership is at the heart of the pre-school. Parents are overwhelmingly complimentary about daily updates they receive about their

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need to do better?

children's care and learning. Regular invites to discuss their children's progress means parents can further their children's learning at home. Staff make timely referrals and work closely with parents and outside professionals to ensure all children with SEND leave the pre-school prepared for their next school. n The management team has strong links with local schools. This fosters good relationships between the teachers and parents and supports children's smooth transition to school. Staff have a wealth of opportunities to attend training and develop their skills. Staff express that they feel valued by the management team and really love their jobs. This helps ensure a positive and happy atmosphere for everyone.

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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 help staff to consistently provide meaningful interactions to further enhance and extend children's learning n implement effective teaching strategies consistently to support children's deeper understanding of safe and positive behaviours and the impact their behaviour has on others.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2524094 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10388540 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 39

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Name of registered person

Bell Day Nursery Community Interest Company

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reference number

Telephone number 01799 524228 Date of previous inspection 16 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Bell Day Nursery registered in 2019. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. They are supported by directors and managers from the sister setting, who hold qualifications at level 6 and have early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm Monday to Thursday and 8am to 5pm on Friday. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The management team and inspector completed a tour of the pre-school, both indoors and outdoors to understand how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. Additionally, the management team showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure it is safe and suitable. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact that this had on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of group activities with the manager and also discussed self-evaluation. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector held a meeting with the management team and also discussed self-evaluation. The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of the staff working in the pre-school and a selection

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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

16 May 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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