Ridgeway Preschool

Inspection of Ridgeway Preschool Ridgeway Sports & Social Centre, Centenary Room Main Road, Ridgeway Sheffield S12 3XR

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children enter the pre-school happily and with excitement. The staff create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, where children feel safe and confident. Children choose where they want to play. For example, they sit and enjoy books together, build structures in the construction area, or sit and draw pictures.

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The provision is good

Staff make sure that the environment is inclusive and provide activities and experiences that take into account a range of development needs, such as language and physical. For example, children practise using pipettes and sponges to move the water in the water tray. A staff member ably supports their learning and development as they do this. This is particularly positive for the development of children's vocabulary, as they are encouraged to listen carefully and use new words, such as 'soak' and 'trickle'.

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The provision is good

Staff are very positive role models and support children to share and take turns. Staff model how to play games. They let children take on responsible roles and lead the game for the other children. Staff are very aware of the needs of all children and offer gentle support to enable them to feel comfortable and safe.

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The provision is good

Leaders deliver a curriculum that is ambitious for all children. They have the knowledge needed to identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and have a range of effective strategies in place to support them.

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need to do better?

n Leaders construct a curriculum that enables them to prepare children to transition into school. This includes carefully-thought-out activities that enable children to learn necessary skills. Transition into school is a collaborative process between school, parents and the pre-school. n Staff use children's interests well to engage them in learning. When children show an interest in construction, staff provide different types of bricks, along with other interesting materials and items, to enable the children to build a range of different structures. Staff invited an architect into pre-school to speak to the children to extend their learning even further. n Staff notice what children can and cannot do and use assessments to inform the planning of activities. Activities are fun and engaging, such as the spaghetti worms that children pick out of compost with tweezers. Staff know the learning that is taking place and promote mathematical language like 'longer' and

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need to do better?

'shorter'. However, at times, staff are deployed in such a way that means they become absorbed with a small group of children and children playing independently, who may need support, are overlooked.

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need to do better?

18 July 2025 n Staff promote healthy lifestyles very well. They provide nutritious snacks, like fruit, and encourage parents to pack healthy food in children's lunch boxes. Staff also encourage children to drink their water and to play outside. Toothbrushing takes place in groups and a staff member ably takes children through the process, reinforcing vocabulary and the right way to brush. This is done very well and children show that they know how to do this confidently. This helps children to understand how to care for their bodies. n Staff appreciate the support and training they receive at the pre-school. They attend monthly staff meetings, where they discuss key information and share their knowledge about the children. This enables them to provide the next steps in learning for the children. They are positive about the appraisal process and they request training that will help them to strengthen their practice.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are focused on continual improvement. They all share an ambitious vision for the pre-school and actively make changes to the provision to meet the needs and interests of the children. They provide a rich range of experiences for the children, who recently enjoyed a visit from the police. They take the children to the local field to act out stories, and they teach children how to grow plants in their 'allotment'. n Staff know the children well and spend time building strong relationships with all children. They know details about the children that enable them to provide activities that will engage them in learning. For example, when children have a love of drawing, staff ensure there is a range of pencils and crayons, and sit alongside children drawing pictures too. n Parents are very grateful for the information that is shared in advance of the children going to school. This includes leaflets explaining what the desired skills

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need to do better?

might be when children start school, like being able to use the toilet and put their own coat on.

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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 deploy adults to make sure they provide support and challenge across the provision and meet the needs of the children attending.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2741977 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10407806 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 39 Name of registered person Ridgeway Preschool Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07815796173 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Ridgeway Preschool registered in 2023. It is situated in Ridgeway, Derbyshire. The setting employs six members of staff, all of whom are qualified to level 3. The setting is open from 8.15am to 3.45pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. The nursery receives early years funding for children aged two, three and four years old.

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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 Children spoke with the inspectors during the inspection. n The inspectors talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspectors spoke with the nominated individual, manager and deputy manager about the leadership and management of the pre-school. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how children with SEND are supported. n The inspectors 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 two joint observations of an activity and free-flow learning. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

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

18 July 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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