Heckington Pre-School

Inspection of Heckington Pre-School Howell Road, Heckington, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 9RX

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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 independently explore their learning environment. They are supported by skilled staff to develop their curiosity and understanding of the world around them. For instance, children use everyday objects that staff provide, such as kitchen utensils, to play with sand and water. They enthusiastically add water to dry sand and use their growing imaginations as they pretend to bake the mixture. Staff regularly share books with children. This helps children build a vocabulary of new words. Children explore a range of factual and fiction texts. They read recipes when baking and enjoy sharing their favourite stories. Staff and children sing songs and rhymes throughout the day, which further enhances children's communication and language development.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy the choice of activities available to them in the outdoor area. Staff provide children with support to develop their large muscles and their physical skills. They help children to balance safely and move across stepping stones. Children grow their own pumpkins, tomatoes, courgettes and strawberries at the 'Pre-school Patch'. They tend to the plants as they grow them from seeds, and have the chance to to enjoy the results of their efforts when the fruit is ready to eat. Children show kindness to one another by ensuring they all have their sun hats on before going outside. They explain how sunglasses protect their eyes from the sun's rays. Children take part in discussions to help them understand about personal health and how fresh air is important.

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need to do better?

n Staff understand the intent of the curriculum they provide and offer real-life opportunities to help children learn. For example, they take children on visits to the local library to select and order books. This supports children's growing love of reading. n Staff carry out assessments of children's communication and language development. They use this information to decide what children need to learn next in order to become confident communicators. Staff share the outcomes of these assessments with parents and suggest ideas that they can do at home to help their children make good progress. n Staff know what they want children to learn. The use children's interests and prior learning to provide activities that are relevant for children's stages of development. However, sometimes staff do not plan activities in the best way to maximise this learning. For example, staff plan a baking activity to promote

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need to do better?

children's use of descriptive language. However, they do not provide enough resources for all children to engage at the same time. This means that while some children can describe what they are doing, such as mixing and stirring, other children sit and watch.

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need to do better?

20 May 2025 n Staff promote children's oral health by showing children how to clean their teeth and explain why this is important. They provide parents with information to continue this good practice at home. n Staff strive to involve children in the local community. For example, they visit community groups and venues where children can meet different members of the community. This helps to promote children's personal development and sense of belonging. n Staff provide children with opportunities to learn about different cultures and their traditions, such as the Irish culture and their celebration of St Patrick's Day. Staff plan activities for children to mark events such as Chinese New Year and Diwali. n Staff support children's emotional well-being by planning relaxation activities, such as yoga sessions. They say this form of exercise promotes children's concentration as well as providing children with techniques to feel calm. Children

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need to do better?

respond quickly when another child looks sad or cross. They inform a member of staff, who then discusses with the children how the situation can be resolved. n Parents say that their children are happy and safe. They describe how staff nurture their children with love. However, occasionally, staff do not know enough about children's lives outside of the pre-school. This means children's care experiences are not always consistent between what happens at home and what happens at pre-school. n Parents talk positively about the opportunities offered to their children to experience new tastes and textures, especially from the food that children have grown themselves. They say this has a positive impact on the range of foods their children will try at home. n Staff are reflective. They identify areas for change and future training. Staff respond positively to feedback. They help one another to improve their practice

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need to do better?

and to manage their well-being and workload.

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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 with the planning of activities so that their intent for children's learning is implemented effectively n strengthen the methods of communication between staff and parents so that children receive consistent care between home and pre-school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY268241 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10399677 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 19 Number of children on roll 25 Name of registered person Heckington Pre School Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01529 469 567 Date of previous inspection 11 December 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Heckington Pre-School registered in 2011 and is located in Heckington, Lincolnshire. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. One holds a qualification at level 5 and four hold qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens from Monday to Thursday during term time. Sessions are from 8.30am until 3.30pm. The pre-school provides funded early years education.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children confidently communicated with the inspector during the inspection. 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 The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

20 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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