Pebbles Pre-School

Inspection of Pebbles Pre-School 11a Wedgewood Road, Luton LU4 0RH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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The provision requires improvement

Children are warmly greeted by the manager and staff as they arrive at nursery. Children develop secure attachments with their key person. Babies are gently supported through transitions of sleep and play. Older children are confident to explore the activities the staff have prepared for them. This supports children to feel safe and secure. Staff know the children well. They understand their needs and how to support them to engage in play with their friends. They can identify current learning and next steps, especially for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, the quality of the curriculum is not yet good. Staff do not focus enough on what they want children to learn from activities and there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and interactions from staff. Children do not consistently benefit from the intended learning. That said, the provider recognises where they need to implement further improvements and has a

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The provision requires improvement

plan in place to help raise the quality of the provision.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are helpful and happy to follow instructions. They line up ready to go into the garden. They cheerfully chat to their friends about what they might do once in the garden. Staff model positive behaviour to help children learn to share and take turns.

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need to do better?

n The provider and the team have worked hard since the last inspection to improve their curriculum for children. They have designed a curriculum with the intention of helping all children to make good progress in their learning. However, the implementation of the curriculum is not yet fully embedded to consistently meet the needs of all children. When teaching is successfully implemented by staff, children show a good attitude to learning and engage well. For example, children enjoy imaginative play as they wash toy cars in the pretend car wash. n Overall, staff engage and interact with children well as they play. For example, children who show an interest in transport, enjoy matching transport puzzle pieces together. However, staff do not always plan for the transitions between routines. For example, while some children are still eating their lunches, staff encourage other children to join in with a group story. However, younger

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need to do better?

children are getting ready to sleep and staff are noisily preparing other activities. Children are left waiting for extended periods and not engaged. This means, at times, children do not benefit from frequent staff interactions to support their development. n Staff introduce a book of the week to help promote children's literacy development. Babies choose their favourite book and cuddle up with staff to read with their friends. Staff frequently sing with children, ask questions, and

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need to do better?

9 June 2025 help children's understanding. Older children are eager to share their weekend news about birthday celebrations. Staff and children sing 'Happy birthday' and talk about their celebrations. Children develop their language structures and vocabulary well and are becoming confident communicators. n Staff talk to children about the importance of personal care, such as tidying away resources, putting on their own shoes and washing hands before eating. This contributes to children's good independence and school readiness from an early age. n Children have regular opportunities to direct their own play in the well-resourced garden. Staff set up activities inspired by children's own suggestions and the current theme. Children enjoy searching through the sand looking for shells. They scoop and fill buckets which helps to strengthen the small hand muscles, in readiness for early writing. Children show impressive balance and, coordination

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need to do better?

as they manoeuvre the bikes and trikes around the obstacle course. n Staff get to know children with SEND well and have a secure knowledge of how best to support them. They find out about children's individual needs and work with other professionals involved in their care. Parents of children with SEND feel well informed about the plans that are in place for their children. n Parents speak positively about the setting. They praise the staff for the relationships they make with their children and the support they offer families. They feel their children are happy at the setting and make good progress.

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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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Due date

support staff to implement the curriculum intent so that activities focus more precisely on the skills children need to learn next 31/07/2025

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Due date

improve the staffing arrangements and ensure that staff are deployed effectively, so that all children get the support they need to help them make good progress. 31/07/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY542812 Local authority Luton Inspection number 10389341 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 30 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Pebbles Pre-School (Luton) Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07854030710 Date of previous inspection 9 January 2025

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Information about this early years setting

Pebbles Pre-School registered in 2017 and is located in Luton, Bedfordshire. The setting employs 11 members of staff who hold relevant qualifications at level 2, 3 or above. It opens Monday to Friday, for most of the year, from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The setting offers the government funded places for all eligible 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 the children to learn. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with the provider about the management of the nursery. 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 carried out joint observations with the manager. n Parents spoke to the inspector during the inspection and took account of their views. n The provider and staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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

9 June 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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