Lydlynch Preschool

Lydlynch Preschool

Unique reference number (URN): EY309670 Address: Lydlynch Infant School, Lydlynch Road, Totton, Southampton, SO40 3DW Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 15/07/2005 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Lydlynch Pre-School Limited

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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 Needs attention

Younger children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not make the progress they could from their starting points, particularly in communication and language. They are not prepared for their next stage of learning and development due to weaknesses in the pre-school's curriculum and teaching. Children do not have the opportunities to extend their learning as the environment is not conducive to their needs.

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Achievement Needs attention

Children arrive excited and ready to learn. They play well together and show a positive attitude to their learning. Children develop their physical skills through balance and climbing. They concentrate and show perseverance as they play with the trains in the outside area. For example, they join them back together when they come apart and start their play again.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Staff do not teach children the importance of showing respect for the resources. As a result, toys and equipment are left on the floor. This does not create a safe environment and could potentially create trip hazards, particularly for the youngest children who are still developing their coordination skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Staff gain information about children when they start at the pre-school but this is not considered during daily activities to ensure that all children are engaged.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Staff do not always understand children's individual needs and circumstances and there are no adaptations made to the environment to meet children's requirements, such as during large-group times. For example, younger children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are left to wander with no interactions from staff.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Children understand the importance of washing their hands before mealtimes. However, staff sometimes vary the routine, and children clean their teeth before lunch and at other times they do this afterwards. This may cause confusion when children generally understand what happens next, such as hanging coats when they arrive. Children play well together and get along with each other.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders promote the importance of punctuality and attendance to parents and follow up any unexplained absences. This helps to ensure children's safety and supports children to begin to learn about the importance of preparing for school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

There is insufficient oversight by leaders to ensure that policies and procedures are implemented well enough to consistently promote children's wellbeing.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff establish positive relationships with children and parents to help develop secure attachments and wellbeing. They find out what children know and can do when they first

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Urgent improvement

start at the pre-school. However, there are some inconsistencies in practice, particularly for the youngest children. This does not help to always ensure their attachment, and this often goes unnoticed or challenged by leaders. In addition, children do not always develop a sense of belonging during large-group times and can be observed wandering with no interactions from staff.

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Urgent improvement

Staff help children to understand the importance of developing good hygiene practices. Key persons change their key children's nappies, which helps build a sense of belonging. Children know the routines well. Staff provide daily access to the outdoor area, which helps to support their emotional health and wellbeing. They support children to develop their personal safety as they remind them how to use the climbing frame safely and how to use scissors appropriately.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders do not provide an ambitious high-quality curriculum. Staff do not have a clear understanding of curriculum expectations and therefore this is not embedded effectively. Although supervision sessions are now in place for staff, these do not focus on driving improvements in the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

There is no sustained focus on communication and language despite staff's training in language programmes. This does not ensure children develop the skills they need to progress steadily in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

There is no clear intention for developing children's mathematical skills and knowledge. While some children and staff talk about shapes during a creative activity, there is no programme of development to help children learn mathematics sequentially. For example, displayed number lines are missing some digits and do not help children to learn to recognise numbers in order.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Children show good fine motor skills as they squeeze water bottles containing red paint onto the black background. Staff talk to the children about the current theme 'people who help us' and encourage children to 'put the fire out'. However, staff struggle to adjust their teaching to support all ages. There is no extension of the activity for older children, and there is also some confusion about the purpose of the activity as children ask, 'Are we pretending to put a fire out?' This does not help to extend children's learning and development.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Children have some opportunities to develop their physical skills in the outside area. They climb on the climbing frame and balance on blocks. However, they are limited in their play due to several areas, such as the mud kitchen, language hut and growing area, being closed off due to them needing improvements. This restricts children's learning in other areas of development, such as imaginative play. Children develop good social skills and play well together. They enjoy making 'ice creams' in the outside sand tray. Children confidently talk about their favourite flavours and converse well with each other.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders lack an awareness of application and implementation of funding to support children who face barriers to their learning. There appears to be some confusion about the process. As a result, some children have not yet received their funding. This does not enable them to receive the additional support they need in a timely manner to ensure they make consistent progress in their learning.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

While leaders recognise when children are not developing as well as they should, they do not take effective action in a timely manner to ensure children receive the support they need as swiftly as possible.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

When referrals are made and leaders are awaiting outcomes, there is no forethought or planning as to what can be done in the interim period to help these children. There are limited activities to support communication and language skills. Leaders are not proactive in putting simple next steps in place to help children while they await formal diagnosis.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Although leaders demonstrate a good knowledge of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), they do not apply this information to ensure that children with SEND have access to high-quality provision. For example, interactions are minimal for those children choosing to opt out of large-group times. There are a lack of strategies to support their learning and development and to encourage them to join in group activities.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

There are significant weaknesses in leadership and governance. Leaders do not ensure that staff receive the targeted training and support they need. Although supervision arrangements are in place for staff, these are not always regular or fully effective. For example, they do not always focus on promoting the interests of children through the curriculum or support staff's individual needs. Staff report that their workload has increased due to the high number of young children, and this has not been recognised, or actioned, by leaders.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders and staff do not meet the needs of the children effectively at all times. For example, during large-group times, younger children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities wander around and receive no input or interactions from staff. This does not ensure they are fully supported in their learning.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Partnership with the school is in its infancy, and leaders have not always accessed this support to ensure that transitions are as smooth as they can be. For example, they have not made links with the Reception teacher to find out what children need to know or be able to do before they start school. This does not ensure that children are prepared as well as they could be for transition to the next stage of their education. Leaders have met the actions set in the welfare requirements notice. Checks are now in place to ensure staff's suitability. Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding have accessed appropriate training to ensure they know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about children or adults working with children.

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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

There are significant weaknesses in leadership and governance. Leaders have insufficient oversight of the pre-school. This does not ensure that practice is effective and meets the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and the youngest children who attend.

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

Staff do not have a clear understanding of the curriculum and therefore it is not embedded and tailored to meet children's individual needs. This does not ensure all children, including those with SEND and the youngest children, make sustained progress. Consequently, learning is incidental.

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

Children generally build secure attachments with their key persons and often seek them out during the session for comfort. However, leaders do not always respond and make changes to this arrangement if children form attachments with different staff. This does not fully support children's wellbeing and sense of belonging.

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

Children arrive happily and most separate from their parents with ease. They generally know the routine and confidently hang their coats on the pegs. Children recognise their named pictures, which helps develop their self-esteem. They show familiarity with the routine to wash their hands before they begin to play.

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

Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure as they access a range of activities, including play dough and small construction blocks.

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

Lunch is a sociable occasion. Children sit down and chat animatedly with their friends. They know the routine and place their rubbish in the central basket provided on each table. They confidently share with their friends and staff what they have in their lunch boxes and how they like, or do not like, the crusts on their sandwiches.

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

Children enjoy accessing the outdoor area. They confidently navigate the climbing frame and skilfully balance on the blocks. However, several areas of the garden are closed off, which means children do not fully benefit from the potential of the pre-school outdoor area.

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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 actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure that staff supervisions focus on driving improvements in curriculum delivery 24/04/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure leaders have effective oversight of the areas for development and implement improvements to raise quality 24/04/2026

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Address:

Lydlynch Infant School Lydlynch Road Totton Southampton SO40 3DW

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Lydlynch Pre-School Limited

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Action Completion Date

ensure the curriculum is known by all staff and embedded and tailored to meet the needs of the youngest children and those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities 06/05/2026

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Action Completion Date

implement high-quality inclusive provision to meet the needs of the youngest children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities 06/05/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the manager, directors, practitioners, 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. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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

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