Happy Faces Pre-school (LAMPH)

Happy Faces Pre-school (LAMPH)

Unique reference number (URN): 251506 Address: Jane Garrod House, Colne Valley Road, HAVERHILL, SUFFOLK, CB9 8DT Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 22/09/1997 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Local Association For The Mentally And Physically Handicapped (Haverhill) Committee

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel 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

Typically, children achieve well from their individual starting points, particularly in their early mathematical understanding. They explore concepts such as volume as they pour water through different containers, observing how the water flows and changes. Staff model language throughout these experiences, supporting children's communication and helping them develop the vocabulary they need to express their ideas.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children's progress in communication and language is supported through daily interactions, storytelling and consistent modelling of new words. This helps children, including those who are disadvantaged, those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who are known or previously known to social care, to strengthen their understanding and ability to communicate.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children become increasingly independent in managing age-appropriate self-care routines. They hang up their coats and help to set up snack, demonstrating physical control and a growing sense of responsibility. They work together to prepare plates and cups, and respond well to routines that encourage them to look after their belongings.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children show care and consideration towards others. Staff model positive behaviour and help children understand the needs of their peers, which supports respectful and inclusive relationships. Clear boundaries are reinforced consistently, and staff use positive praise to help children learn what is expected. As a result, children behave well and develop an increasing awareness of how their actions affect others.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children form warm attachments with staff, invite them into play and seek comfort when they need reassurance, helping them feel safe and settled. Children are familiar with the routines of the day. They respond well when staff ring the bell to give a 5-minute warning before moving to a new activity, which helps them bring their play to a satisfactory end. Children generally follow instructions well, such as tidying away resources when asked.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff plan activities that capture children's interests and help them remain engaged in play for extended periods. Indoors, children practise balance and coordination using the spinning apparatus. They learn to take turns and wait patiently, showing that they understand boundaries and expectations. These experiences help build both their confidence and their positive attitudes to learning. Leaders promote the importance of attendance, supporting children to build the secure routines needed for regular participation in learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Warm, secure relationships are evident throughout the setting. Staff know children well and respond sensitively to their needs, helping them feel emotionally secure. This includes children who are disadvantaged, children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or children who are known or previously known to children's social care, who benefit from the consistent reassurance provided by familiar adults.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The environment is thoughtfully organised so that children can choose resources and move confidently between activities. Staff are attentive to children's cues. They recognise when to let children explore freely and when to offer guidance, helping them develop confidence in their own abilities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are supported to develop independence in caring for themselves. They hang up their belongings, help set up snack and prepare simple foods, such as buttering crackers, with encouragement from staff. They pour their own drinks and scrape their plates when finished, learning routines that promote healthy habits.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Daily routines contribute positively to children's sense of security. Children know what to expect, including getting ready for outdoor play and responding to reminders to bring their play to an end. They enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as cleaning tables and setting out plates for snack, which helps them feel valued and part of the group.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children's emotional wellbeing is supported well. They show pride in achievements, such as completing their bug checklists. Staff use positive praise to acknowledge kindness and helpfulness, reinforcing children's self-esteem and encouraging thoughtful behaviour.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum that reflects children's needs and interests, with purposeful use of the outdoor environment, where children can choose where to play. Staff understand how young children learn and plan meaningful experiences that build securely on what children already know and can do.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff model precise mathematical language outdoors, introducing ideas related to capacity and measurement. They talk about filling containers to specific amounts, which helps children hear and use mathematical vocabulary in context.

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Needs attention

Staff place a strong emphasis on language during story time. They introduce words such as 'author' and draw attention to initial sounds, demonstrating how to explore books and encouraging children to engage with stories.

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Needs attention

Interactions are warm and attentive. Staff know when to step back so that children can explore freely and when to offer guidance to extend play. They narrate children's actions and introduce new vocabulary, ensuring that language is woven throughout the day.

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Needs attention

The curriculum is inclusive and adapted thoughtfully. Staff consider children's different starting points, stages of development and additional needs when planning activities and making adjustments. Leaders promote opportunities for learning beyond the setting, such as offering a weekly book swap to support families in sharing books at home.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The provider has not ensured that staff consistently complete progress checks for children aged between 2 and 3 years. This gap means that some children's emerging needs are not identified early enough. This affects how confidently staff can plan and deliver support. As a result, staff are not yet supporting all children as consistently as they could across the setting.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff gather information from parents when children first start and use regular observations to monitor development. They use a language screening tool to identify gaps in children's communication and introduce strategies to support them. For example, staff have begun to use Makaton sign language during routines and play so that children understand what is being communicated and can take part more confidently.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff adapt activities to reflect children's learning styles. When they notice that children enjoy transporting resources, they provide bowls and containers so that children can move water between the water and sand trays. These adjustments help children remain focused and engaged.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders use additional funding to meet children's needs. Staff have attended training to develop their skills in supporting speech and language; in addition, leaders have provided sensory resources to enhance learning. Leaders are strengthening partnerships with parents and professionals, including where children are known or previously known to social care. This helps ensure that important information is shared appropriately so that support is more closely linked to children's needs.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The provider has not ensured that all progress checks are completed for children aged between 2 and 3 years. This is a breach of requirements and limits the routine sharing of key developmental information with parents. The new leadership team has acted quickly to understand the setting's strengths and the areas that require improvement. Since taking on their roles, leaders have made rapid progress in reviewing routines and the learning environment so that practice becomes more consistent. Leaders ensure that all required suitability checks are completed before new adults begin working with children. Staff complete safeguarding training and work with other professionals, helping to promote children's safety and welfare.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff describe a positive environment where they feel well supported and clear about expectations. Leaders are mindful of the additional workload and training required and consider how changes affect staff. Parents say that the new management team has had a positive impact, and leaders remain committed to continuing to strengthen the curriculum and care so that all children, including those who need additional help, benefit from more consistent provision. These experiences help children build the confidence, social skills and independence they need for their next stage of learning.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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

The provider has not ensured that progress checks for children aged between 2 and 3 years have been completed. This oversight means some children's emerging needs may not have been identified as early as they could have been, which may have hindered their progress. Since the last inspection, there have been changes within the leadership team. The new leadership team has begun to implement improvement, including developing the outdoor learning environment.

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

Children are happy in the setting. They arrive eager to explore the activities on offer and quickly settle. They form warm and trusting relationships with staff, seeking them out for comfort and reassurance when needed. Children make steady progress from their individual starting points as staff plan the curriculum around their growing interests.

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

Children who learn best outdoors can do so freely. This supports the learning styles of all children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their learning. Outdoors, they balance on the see-saw and work together digging in the mud to search for insects. They proudly call staff over to show them a millipede they have found, which helps them learn to collaborate and share discoveries with others. Children use their imagination as they make 'broccoli soup' in the mud kitchen.

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

Children show increasing independence as they manage their personal needs. They enjoy taking on small responsibilities, such as preparing the tables for snack, which builds confidence and a sense of belonging. They count how many plates and cups are needed, showing their developing mathematical understanding.

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

Staff take the time to get to know children and their families. This helps them consider how best to support individual needs. Leaders work with families to reduce barriers to attendance, including building consistent routines that support children's readiness for

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Address:

Jane Garrod House Colne Valley Road HAVERHILL SUFFOLK CB9 8DT

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registration date: 22/09/1997 school. Children know the patterns of the day and generally follow instructions. For example, when staff ask them to tidy away before going into the garden, most are keen to help.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure that progress checks are completed for all children aged between 2 and 3 years 11/03/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator 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. Registered person: Local Association For The Mentally And Physically Handicapped (Haverhill) Committee

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:15 - 15:15

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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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