Kintbury Pre-School

Inspection of Kintbury Pre-School Preston Hall, Gainsborough Avenue, Kintbury, Berkshire RG17 9XN

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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

Overall, leaders and staff have appropriately addressed the actions raised at the last inspection. Some areas require some further work to ensure the quality of practice and provision is consistently good. There are clear aims for the curriculum based on the children who attend. Staff show awareness of the learning intent of activities. They generally support children's learning during some activities and routines appropriately, such as counting pieces of fruit during snack time. Staff have a good understanding of their key children and their next steps in learning.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are warmly welcomed on arrival by staff and settle quickly. Staff support new children with careful consideration. Settled children confidently explore activities indoors and outdoors and happily play with and without adult's support. However, staff do not always engage with all children effectively. Children gain some skills for the next stage of their learning, although not all make the progress they are capable of.

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The provision requires improvement

Overall, staff implement appropriate strategies to support children's behaviour. For example, they encourage good manners and use books to help children to gain awareness of their emotions. Staff provide some appropriate reminders about expected behaviour, such as using walking feet indoors. Children develop some independence, although staff are not fully consistent in their approach.

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need to do better?

n The committee has a secure oversight of the pre-school and support the staff team. Staff feel supported in their well-being and professional development. Some staff are working towards recognised qualifications. The committee and staff team have made improvements since their last inspection, although some areas are not yet fully embedded. n Staff plan some interesting activities. For example, children explore and observe changes to ice and paint. However, staff's teaching skills are sometimes variable. For instance, staff sometimes do not promote children's listening skills effectively as they do not explain about what is expected. Although staff chat to children during activities, they do not always extend children's knowledge and understanding. This does not help children to make further progress. n Staff organise the environment well to offer children a range of resources and play experiences. For example, children enjoy imaginative role play and make

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need to do better?

cups of tea for their friends. Sometimes, staff do not recognise that some children who play happily by themselves do not receive sustained interactions to help support and build on their learning. n Staff are kind and caring towards children. They consider children's emotional needs sensitively. For instance, staff provide a calming den for children who may

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need to do better?

16 September 2025 need time to regulate their emotions. They give comfort to children and recognise their needs for their comforters. Staff keep parents updated if children remain unsettled. This promotes children's emotional well-being securely. Children learn about their local area and community, including outings to the local church and school. This helps to support children's social skills and confidence outside of the pre-school. n Staff take steps to support children's behaviour. When children have disagreements, staff use some appropriate approaches, including suggesting using a sand timer to take turns with a toy. Staff remind children about what is expected. However, they do not always explain to children to strengthen their understanding about the behaviour expectations. Occasionally, staff do not teach children about safe behaviours, such as the safer use of water bottles, when children sometimes wander around drinking from these.

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need to do better?

n Staff provide some suitable support to promote children's awareness of healthy lifestyles. For instance, children have grown vegetables, which helps them to learn about where their food comes from. Staff offer children healthy based snacks and drinks. At times, they encourage children's independence and self- care, such as having tissues in easy reach. However, staff sometimes do tasks for children they may be able to attempt or do themselves. n Staff form positive partnerships with parents and other professionals. This helps to meet children's individual needs. Staff provide information to parents, including through discussions and the online app. Staff liaise with parents about how to use additional funding to support children. This has included buying resources to promote healthy lifestyles.

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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 build on staff's teaching skills to enable them to support and promote children's learning at a consistently good level n develop staff's awareness of engaging with children who play happily without adult support, to ensure these children receive interactions to extend their skills and learning n build on staff's confidence and skills in managing children's behaviour, to help children understand more about what is expected of them and safe behaviours n extend staff's awareness of how to promote children's developing independence to help them meet and manage their own needs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY349727 Local authority West Berkshire Inspection number 10402102 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 26 Number of children on roll 12 Name of registered person Kintbury Pre-School Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07765 040269 Date of previous inspection 2 April 2025

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Information about this early years setting

Kintbury Pre-School registered in 2007. It is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm, during term time only. The pre-school employs three members of staff. Of these, one holds a recognised early years qualification at level 7 and two staff are working towards level 3 early years qualifications. The pre-school offers the government funded places for childcare and receives specific funding for disadvantaged children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager talked to the inspector about the pre-school curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector observed the interactions between the staff and children. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity and evaluated this together. 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 Parents shared their views of the pre-school with the inspector. n The inspector interacted and chatted to the children during the inspection. n Discussions were held with leaders and staff during the inspection about how the pre-school is organised and run. n A sample of documentation was reviewed as part of the inspection process, including evidence of staff's suitability to work with children.

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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

16 September 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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