Hilltops Pre School

Hilltops Pre School

Unique reference number (URN): 2741097 Address: Stones Methodist Church, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, HX6 4JU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 24/07/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Hopscotch Corner Out of School Club Partnership

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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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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children thrive in a calm and nurturing environment where expectations for behaviour are clear, consistently applied and highly effective. Staff act as exemplary role models, and children behave exceptionally well. When staff ring the pre-school bell, children immediately stop, listen carefully and follow instructions. Children recognise their feelings and begin to regulate their emotions appropriately for their age. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have access to a quiet area to support effective self-regulation when needed. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure, promoting highly positive attitudes to learning. Staff use praise purposefully to celebrate effort and achievement. Daily 'star of the day' awards foster pride, strengthen confidence and build resilience. Children use good manners, share resources and take turns. They play cooperatively, form positive

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

relationships and resolve minor conflicts with minimal support.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Secure relationships with key persons help children develop strong self-esteem and emotional security. Well-established routines enable children to anticipate what happens next and move seamlessly between activities. Children arrive settled, ready to learn and eager to participate. Attendance is promoted rigorously, and absences are followed up promptly. This maintains continuity, supports ongoing progress and reinforces the strong sense of belonging within the pre-school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the knowledge and skills needed for their next stage of learning. They build knowledge over time and confidently apply what they have learned through play and daily routines. Children recall previous learning and use it to support new experiences. They demonstrate curiosity and positive attitudes to learning. All children make secure progress from their starting points, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children show increasing independence as they manage personal care, make choices and follow familiar routines, preparing them well for their eventual move to school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children communicate effectively. They listen attentively during group times, join in with familiar songs and engage in purposeful conversations. Children share their ideas, ask questions and use an increasingly broad vocabulary to express their thoughts. They cooperate with their peers and confidently apply their skills in different situations. As a result, children are well prepared for future learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders recognise the needs of all children and place emphasis on promoting their welfare and wellbeing, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They provide a safe and secure environment where children feel safe and valued. Children develop secure, trusting relationships with their key person, who knows them well and responds sensitively to their individual needs. Staff demonstrate a secure understanding of safer sleeping and eating practices, and implement these consistently to support children's safety and overall welfare. Children are supported to recognise and manage their emotions through thoughtfully planned activities and meaningful conversations. For example, during group time, children are asked how they can be kind and welcome visitors to the pre-school.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Overall, staff actively promote healthy lifestyles and physical wellbeing. Children benefit from daily opportunities to be active in the fresh air. Regular forest school sessions further enhance children's confidence, resilience and self-esteem as they explore and take managed risks in the natural environment. Staff provide nutritious, well-balanced snacks, encouraging positive attitudes towards healthy eating. However, leaders and staff do not yet consistently support parents and children to understand the importance and benefit of a healthy diet.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is carefully designed to support children's development across all areas of learning. Teaching builds on what children already know and can do. For example, children extend their mathematical understanding as staff encourage them to count toppings on pretend pancakes and match these to numerals. Staff adapt teaching to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so they can access the curriculum alongside their peers. However, at times, the organisation of planned activities means that staff focus on supporting individual children. This means all children are not fully included in the intended learning during these times. Despite this, children engage well and demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, leaders have a clear vision for the pre-school and understand the strengths and areas for development. They engage in regular reflection to identify priorities and drive improvement, using this information to make targeted changes. For instance, weekly forest school sessions now enrich the curriculum and support children's confidence, resilience and understanding of the natural world.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Ongoing assessment is used effectively to identify next steps and tailor learning to children's stages of development. Communication and language are promoted well. Staff model vocabulary and encourage conversation. For example, when making pancakes, children learn new words such as 'whisk', helping them develop vocabulary and become increasingly confident communicators. Staff prioritise children's physical and emotional wellbeing. Children benefit from regular music and exercise sessions that encourage movement and cooperation. Indoors, children confidently play together on the climbing frame, further developing balance, spatial awareness and physical competence.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff understand children's individual needs and family circumstances well. Effective systems identify children needing extra support through observations, assessments and detailed information gathered from parents. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. Staff use their knowledge to adapt teaching, plan targeted experiences and support children to make progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Inclusive practice is prioritised across the pre-school. Leaders make reasonable adjustments, such as using 'now and next' visual boards, to reduce barriers to learning and promote wellbeing. Staff receive targeted training to help them recognise emerging needs and respond promptly. Leaders work closely with parents and professionals, such as portage and the local SEND team, to agree strategies and maintain consistency.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders carefully monitor the progress of children receiving additional support and review strategies to check their effectiveness. For instance, regular meetings with parents, external agencies and staff are used to reflect on children's progress and adapt support where needed. Leaders recognise the importance of continuing to strengthen their knowledge of effective support for disadvantaged children and the purposeful use of additional funding, and they are taking appropriate steps to develop this further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and those responsible for governance demonstrate a suitable understanding of the pre-school's strengths and some priorities for improvement. They identify some areas for development and take action to enhance provision. Overall, leaders maintain effective oversight of the quality of education, ensuring continued improvement for all children. Recent leadership changes have been managed well, maintaining stability in the day-to-day running of the pre-school. Leaders consistently prioritise staff wellbeing and workload. They are attentive to individual circumstances and provide personalised support. Staff benefit from regular wellbeing meetings, and the long-standing staff team reports high levels of morale.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders make informed decisions that are firmly in the best interests of children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Professional development is highly prioritised for all staff. Staff access regular training to keep their knowledge current and are encouraged to achieve higher-level qualifications. For example, leaders fund specialised training in outdoor and adventure learning, further enriching the forest school curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Partnerships with parents are highly effective. Parents are warmly welcomed and attend regular meetings to review their children's progress. Staff feel valued and motivated, contributing to a stable team and a culture of continuous improvement that benefits children.

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

Children arrive happy and excited to start their day at this warm and nurturing pre-school. They eagerly rush off to greet their friends and explore the wide range of activities and resources on offer. Children form secure attachments with their key persons, who know them well. Staff maintain a safe and secure environment and deploy themselves effectively to supervise children. Children develop positive social skills. They cooperate during play, take turns and build friendships. As a result, children feel safe, secure and develop positive attitudes to their learning.

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

Children show curiosity as they engage with experiences that are matched to their current interests and level of development. For example, children engage enthusiastically in imaginative play in the outdoor mud kitchen. They use water, mud and grass to make 'pancake soup', stirring and serving their creations to visitors. Staff value children's uniqueness. They support and extend learning so that children build on what they already know and can do. As a result, children make secure progress and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including school. Staff have high expectations for all children, ensuring that barriers to learning are swiftly identified and reduced.

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

Staff support all children to develop confidence and independence. Children enjoy age- appropriate responsibilities, such as dressing themselves before outdoor play. Staff give children the time and encouragement they need to succeed, which builds their confidence and resilience. Children have a secure sense of belonging and thrive in this inclusive pre- school. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from individualised strategies and targeted support. This enables them to engage fully in experiences, learn alongside their peers and continue to make progress.

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

Leaders welcome parents and carers into the pre-school and value their contributions. This is echoed in parent feedback. Parents describe the pre-school as welcoming and praise the knowledgeable staff team. Leaders actively encourage parents to place a strong emphasis on their children's attendance. Consequently, children attend regularly, and attendance is consistently maintained across the setting.

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Next steps

Leaders should support staff to understand how to plan and deliver group activities to more effectively maintain children's attention. Leaders should strengthen the arrangements to involve parents in the pre-school aim to promote healthy eating.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, parents, children and the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator during the inspection.

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Address:

Stones Methodist Church Ripponden Sowerby Bridge HX6 4JU

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Hopscotch Corner Out of School Club Partnership

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 09:00 - 15:00

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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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2 to 4

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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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

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

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