St John's Sunshine Pre School

St John's Sunshine Pre School

Unique reference number (URN): 2772149 Address: Delmar Morgan Centre, Copthorne Bank, Copthorne, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 3QX Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 13/12/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: St John's Sunshine Pre-School

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Safeguarding standards not met

Since the last inspection, leaders have taken steps to strengthen staff knowledge in managing child protection concerns. However, the committee has not ensured that leaders and staff have a secure and robust understanding of safeguarding, particularly regarding the procedures they must follow if they have concerns about anyone working with children. This does not ensure that allegations are managed appropriately.

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Safeguarding standards not met

Additionally, the committee has failed to ensure that the setting's safeguarding policy is in line with the local safeguarding partnership and the early years statutory framework. As a result, leaders and staff do not have access to clear, up-to-date guidance to ensure that they follow the correct procedures if they have concerns about anyone working with children. This does not help to keep children safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children progress well from their starting points. They show what they have learned, such as recalling the rules of the setting and the reasons why these rules are in place. Many show growing confidence as they practise their speaking skills to share what they know. They talk about how they might hurt themselves if they run indoors, or on slippery surfaces. Children talk about needing a plaster if they hurt themselves, which helps them to make sense of the consequences of their actions.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children who face barriers to their learning show their growing ability to regulate their emotions as they settle into their session, such as sharing the resources with their friends. Overall, children are well prepared for their next stage of learning, such as their move to school. They learn to show positive behaviour during circle-time activities, and they wait patiently for their name to be called during the daily register routine.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, leaders and staff establish clear and consistent routines that help children understand what is expected of them. They regularly talk about the rules of the nursery and encourage children to explain these in their own words. This helps to embed children's understanding of how they are expected to behave. Staff continue to support children's positive behaviour by using appropriate praise, such as recognising when children have listened to instructions by putting their hands up when they want to talk during circle time. This encourages children to follow routines independently and contributes to their developing self-control. When children struggle with their behaviour or emotions, staff respond promptly and calmly.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally behave well and show increasing cooperation as they play alongside one another. For example, they enjoy spending time working together to build an arch and a bridge. Staff provide gentle encouragement during these times, to support them to remain engaged in their activity. This helps children to persevere and complete tasks with their friends.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders implement an effective attendance policy. They share the importance of regular attendance and punctuality to meet children's needs and support their development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff create an environment where children can feel safe, supported and confident. They support children to understand how to manage risks in age-appropriate ways. For example, staff encourage children to think about how to keep themselves safe indoors by not running, and children are beginning to develop an awareness of what might happen if they hurt themselves. They also talk about safety outside of the nursery, such as holding a parent's hand near the road. This helps children develop an early awareness of personal safety.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff support children to consider how their actions affect others. They talk to children about how to be kind to others. This enables children to learn to engage positively with their friends.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children learn how to look after their bodies. For example, staff recognise opportunities during children's play to talk to them about healthy eating. This promotes children's understanding of making healthy choices. Staff also encourage children to develop independence in everyday routines. For instance, children serve their own snacks. This helps to build on their confidence to be able to do things for themselves.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

However, routines such as snack time are not always organised effectively, which limits how closely staff can supervise during these times.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that supports children, including those who face barriers to learning, to progress well. However, staff practice is not yet consistent, and some planned learning opportunities are not always accessible or used as intended, which means children do not always benefit from opportunities to extend their learning. They understand what they want children to know and be able to do, and teaching is typically delivered in a way that helps children build knowledge over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff prepare children effectively for their move to school by introducing routines such as responding to their names during registration. Children engage well with these activities, demonstrating patience, turn-taking and an understanding of what will be expected of them in the future. Staff also help children to make sense of the world by encouraging regular

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Urgent improvement

discussions about familiar concepts, such as the weather, which broadens their vocabulary and deepens their understanding.

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Urgent improvement

Staff support children's mathematical development throughout their daily interactions. For example, staff encourage children to count, recognise numbers and make simple connections. Children show growing confidence in sharing their ideas and solving problems, such as working out what double-digit number is made when they put two single numbers together. This promotes children's early numeracy skills.

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Urgent improvement

Children benefit from opportunities to build on their communication and language skills. For instance, staff talk to children as they play, and they allow children time to express what they want to say. Staff adapt their teaching to enable all children to communicate their wants and needs. This includes using visual aids that children are familiar with and can easily recognise, so that they can communicate with staff.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff promptly identify delays and emerging needs in children's development. When concerns arise, they take swift and targeted action, working closely with parents to ensure that support is consistent and collaborative. This enables leaders and staff to put in place appropriate support at the earliest opportunity. Leaders also engage well with external agencies involved in children's care, ensuring that children benefit from a coordinated approach that meets their individual needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff implement effective strategies to reduce barriers to children's learning. This includes using visual aids to help children communicate their wants and needs. This enables children to participate in daily routines and activities. Children respond positively to this support, showing increasing confidence and emerging communication skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff regularly review the support in place, adapting strategies as children's needs change to ensure that support remains effective. Leaders also ensure that children entitled to additional funding receive it, and they spend time observing children's needs so they can best decide on how to use the funding.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Since the last inspection, leaders have made some positive changes, including establishing a more effective curriculum, strengthening recruitment procedures and ensuring personal mobile phones are not accessible in areas used by children. However, the committee does not have effective oversight of the provision, which has not enabled them to ensure that it is meeting the requirements of registration. In particular, the committee has not ensured that the safeguarding policy is up to date or aligned with the local safeguarding partnership and the early years foundation stage. This has impacted on leaders' and staff's ability to have an effective understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities in relation to managing allegations against staff. This lack of robust governance does not provide assurances in relation to the committee's, leaders' and staff's ability to manage these concerns appropriately.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Furthermore, the committee did not notify Ofsted of a change of manager within the required time frame. However, Ofsted is satisfied that they now understand their responsibility to make the appropriate notifications to Ofsted in a timely manner.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Since the last inspection, the provider has taken steps to address the breaches identified. However, these do not go far enough to ensure that leaders and staff have robust knowledge of all safeguarding matters, particularly in relation to managing allegations against staff. This does not provide assurances in relation to keeping children safe.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

While children experience a calm, welcoming and well-organised environment day to day, weaknesses in safeguarding leadership mean that leaders cannot yet provide consistent assurance that children are fully protected.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children are warmly welcomed by staff as they arrive to start their day, which helps children to quickly settle and immerse themselves in their learning. This lends itself to the incredibly calm atmosphere, where children can confidently select the activities that they want to engage with. Staff have embedded familiar routines, which enables children to know what is expected of them. For example, they independently register themselves after they have put their belongings away. This gives children a sense of ownership in completing tasks for themselves.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Overall, children are enthusiastic to learn. They eagerly join in with group activities and show their increasing ability to tolerate delays as they wait patiently for their turn during these times. The learning environment is generally well considered and thought out by staff. It is arranged so that children can freely access a range of resources, which enables them to quickly engage with activities that interest them. This supports children to make choices, develop independence and immerse themselves in purposeful play. Staff follow children's emerging interests and typically use these moments to extend their learning. For example, when children explore making faces, staff gently prompt them to identify features such as their noses. This supports children to recall what they know.

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Address:

Delmar Morgan Centre Copthorne Bank, Copthorne Crawley West Sussex RH10 3QX

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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ensure the committee has effective oversight of the provision to

promptly identify and address weaknesses appropriately. 16/02/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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. Registration date: 13/12/2023

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About this inspection

Registered person: St John's Sunshine Pre-School

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:45 - 14:15

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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