Little Explorers Pre-School

Inspection of Little Explorers Pre- School Greenstead Community Centre, Hawthorn Avenue, Colchester CO4 3QE

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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 enthusiastically skip into the inclusive pre-school with an eagerness to play and explore. They show how they feel valued and part of their pre-school community when hanging up their belongings on their named peg, before self- registering their arrival. Children build strong and trusting attachments to staff who are incredibly attentive and caring towards them. Children excitedly show their independent drawings to staff and visitors, highlighting they have fostered a sense of accomplishment. Staff show high levels of genuine interest and ask questions about children's artwork. Because children have a chance to express themselves freely and receive specific and meaningful feedback, they build a positive self- image. This leads to increased engagement in their play and learning and a great sense of well-being.

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The provision is good

Children thrive from real-life experiences, such as trips to the farm and outings in the local community. These opportunities ignite a love of exploration and learning to discover the around them. Children have good recall of recent experiences, such as visiting a butterfly house and watching the life cycle of a butterfly. Because staff introduce stories about a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, children begin to consolidate and make connections in their learning, as they discuss how the story links to their past experiences.

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need to do better?

n Teaching is very good quality. Staff are knowledgeable about what they want the children to learn. They plan a rich curriculum that helps all children make good progress in all areas of learning. The curriculum has a strong emphasis on active learning through physical, outdoor play and supporting children's social communication skills. Staff implement robust assessment processes to ensure the curriculum is ambitious and continually meeting the individual needs of all children. n Staff plan learning experiences that consider children's interests and the weather to provide meaningful and purposeful play experiences. For example, children enjoy the cool, sensory experience of washing their babies with soap and water on a hot day. Staff adapt activities when adding jugs so younger children can practise their tipping and pouring, to support them to successfully pour their own drink at mealtimes. However, at times staff do not use all opportunities to

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need to do better?

ensure older children consistently benefit from appropriate challenge to extend their learning even further. n All children, including those with special educational needs and or disabilities, make significant progress in their speech and language development. Staff can tap into the expertise of professionals working on site, such as speech and language therapists. Parents report that in-depth communication and ongoing

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need to do better?

26 June 2025 involvement in their child's development plans, means they know strategies they can use to support their child's further learning at home. n The management team works with parents closely to share information and meet children's daily needs, including offering regular meetings to discuss their child's progress. Parents express how they feel comfortable to share any concern they may have about their children. However, sometimes the quality of staff discussions and information sharing with parents is reduced, when there is a high volume of parents dropping their children off to the pre-school. n The supportive management team provides good opportunities for staff training and support. Staff report excellent well-being and explain training recently completed has helped them to bolster children's mathematical skills to a higher level. n Children are developing independence from a very early age because of

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need to do better?

excellent opportunities presented to them from staff. For example, children cut up their own fruit for snack and wash up their plates after eating. Water stations are great visual reminders to support children's good hygiene routines. Children often wash their hands without prompting before eating and after visiting the toilet. n Children develop confidence in their ability to make friendships, with good modelling from staff. Staff provide opportunities to help children develop their social skills, such as reminding them to use sand timers to take turns. These life skills can help when they progress to school. Staff provide meaningful praise when children play cooperatively, which reinforces good and expected behaviours.

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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 challenge all children's learning and build upon what they already know from learning opportunities provided n improve how information is shared between staff and parents when children arrive to ensure children's daily needs are consistently met.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY438275 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10407956 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 24 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person Little Explorers Pre-School

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reference number

Telephone number 07902000264 Date of previous inspection 22 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Little Explorers Pre-School registered in 2011. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school operates from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions run from 9am until 1pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the 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 manager 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

26 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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