Woolston Preschool

Inspection of Woolston Preschool Woolston Infants School, Florence Road, Woolston, Southampton, Hampshire SO19 9DB

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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 are welcomed into the setting by friendly staff who know them well. They settle quickly and enjoy spending time with their friends and engaging in the activities available, both indoors and outdoors. Children are offered a broad choice of experiences and are encouraged to try something new, such as role-playing in the hairdressers or exploring the noise they can make with a guitar.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and are praised for sharing and turn-taking with their friends. Staff give children a 'high five' or thumbs up to support their understanding of how to play cooperatively and praise their achievements. They teach children to listen carefully by singing a short song to capture everyone's attention. This helps children understand that the routine will soon be changing or there is a new instruction to listen to.

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The provision is good

Staff work hard to support children to recognise and understand their emotions. For example, children respond well when staff ask how they are feeling, using pictures on their lanyards and a feelings board to support these conversations. Children benefit from small groups where they can talk to staff about how they are feeling. This means children feel listened to, and it makes them feel safe and secure.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide a curriculum that uses children's interests to engage and challenge them. For example, children enjoy learning about animals that live in the sea and use scissors to cut strips of tissue paper to make jellyfish tentacles. This extends children's understanding of a new topic and encourages them to be curious about the world around them. n Staff use their knowledge to ensure the needs of all children are met, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Experiences are fully inclusive, and staff are well-deployed to ensure all children are given the same opportunities to succeed. Leaders use funding effectively to provide children with the right support at the right time. This helps to move children's learning on and provides every child with a sense of achievement. n Staff use conversation to engage children and encourage their communication and language development. Staff model language and respond to children with

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need to do better?

comments and questions. However, there are occasions when children are not consistently given enough time to process a question and then respond. This means that children do not have time to think, respond and fully engage in the intended learning. n Staff have developed positive relationships with parents. For example, parents/carers are invited to a breakfast morning, where they eat bacon

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need to do better?

13 June 2025 sandwiches and croissants with their children and spend time playing together. This means that children's care is consistent and communication is effective. n Children are taught how to keep themselves safe. Staff work in partnership with children to decide the rules for the soft-play area and agree on how many children can play in this area at a time. Children are asked to think about whether something is safe and what they can do to ensure it stays safe for themselves and their friends. This helps children to develop an awareness of managing risk. n Parents and carers are delighted with the progress their children are making in the pre-school. They say that communication with staff is very good, and they feel fully informed about their child's learning. Parents enjoy attending events, including grandparents' sessions and Mother's Day tea parties. They value the support provided by staff on topics such as toileting and accessing funding.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have a clear overview of the setting. They have spent time working as a team to provide an environment where staff enjoy working and are happy and focused. Staff feel well supported and attend training regularly to ensure their knowledge is up to date, and they have a good understanding of how children learn and can apply this to their practice. This means the environment meets the needs of all children attending, including those with SEND.

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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 provide children with enough time to process information so that they can join in with discussions and answer questions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 148862 Local authority Southampton Inspection number 10398860 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 28 Number of children on roll 40

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Name of registered person

Woolston And Woolston Adventure Pre- Schools Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 023 8068 5202 Date of previous inspection 13 November 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Woolston Preschool is a committee-run pre-school. It operates within the grounds of Woolston Infant School in the Woolston area of Southampton, Hampshire. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school is open each weekday from 8am to 11.45am and 12pm to 2.30pm during school term times. The pre-school employs seven members of staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 2 and 3.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this was having on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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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

13 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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