Little Bells Pre-school and Nursery

Little Bells Pre-school and Nursery

Unique reference number (URN): 2805980 Address: Parish Church Hall, Withycombe Village Road, Exmouth, Devon, EX8 3AE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 30/08/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Little Bells Pre-school and Nursery Ltd

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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

Overall, children at all stages of development make steady progress from their starting points. They access a wide range of learning experiences across all areas of the early years foundation stage. Children are generally prepared with the necessary skills they need to move on to school. For example, children engage in 'school ready' group sessions which teaches them to tie their shoelaces and dressing independently.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children enjoy exploring with motivation to try things for themselves and celebrate their achievements. For example, toddlers proudly clean their own faces after lunch and the adult says, "good job". Children typically sustain attention by listening, responding and maintaining high levels of concentration during interactions and play. They communicate confidently with peers of all ages and adults. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are typically supported one-to-one, to maintain their engagement in activities. Children show growing curiosity as they explore learning areas, demonstrating interest across the curriculum.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders and staff have established a welcoming and supportive environment for children where their regular attendance is promoted. There are effective settling-in processes for children on entry, which are bespoke to individual needs. Staff have developed warm, trusting relationships with children. Typically, they provide familiar daily routines to help children feel secure and know what to expect. For example, staff and children sing a daily song together to signal tidy-up time and mealtimes. Children use visual timetables to understand routines, supporting those with special educational needs and/or disabilities to anticipate what comes next.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, children of all ages engage in activities and staff support children to sustain their interest. They generally benefit from the mixed-age environment, which supports the development of a wide range of skills. For example, younger children enjoy playing alongside older peers, who effectively model turn taking and language. In turn, older children gain from acting as role models, developing a sense of responsibility and confidence as they support younger children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children enjoy their time at the setting. They play together happily across mixed-age groups, both indoors and outdoors. They move safely and confidently through the learning spaces. Leaders and staff provide nurturing care, enabling children to build positive relationships and secure attachments. For example, children are welcomed warmly by staff on arrival, which helps them to leave their parents and feel comfortable, safe and secure. Children enjoy being physically active, and relish their time spent in the soft play area and outdoors in the garden, supporting their wellbeing. Typically, staff share information with parents and/or carers, ensuring there is a two-way communication system. Parents speak very positively about the support they receive, especially for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know each individual child well, which means they can implement effective care practices that meet

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff encourage independence in managing personal needs. For example, children wash their hands independently before mealtimes and help themselves to their food. Likewise, children of all ages receive encouragement to wash and dry their own plates after mealtimes. Staff are knowledgeable about children's individual dietary requirements and are attentive to children's likes and dislikes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear curriculum intent. They have developed their own curriculum, which is built around themes and learning opportunities that incorporate children's interests. For example, during a theme on transport, staff support children to develop their play by drawing on children's interest from a recent holiday. Leaders have considered how the curriculum develops skills over time through identifying key milestones. Staff incorporate mathematics into daily routines and experiences. For example, staff ask pre-school children to name colours and numbers while walking in the local area. However, leaders should strengthen curriculum delivery to ensure that teaching consistently offers high-quality, intentional learning opportunities that extends learning for all children.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff read stories to children regularly to foster a love of books and build warm, trusting relationships. For example, children actively seek out their key person. They often choose to sit on their knee to share a book together, demonstrating strong bond-building interactions. Typically, children develop their small and large physical skills well with opportunities provided indoors and outdoors. For instance, babies use low-level furniture to pull themselves up on, while pre-school children access larger equipment in the garden, such as swings, to develop strength and coordination.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, staff are highly attuned to children's needs, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Typically, key persons identify when children require movement or sensory breaks and respond promptly. For example, the use of the soft-play area provides effective regulation support, helping children remain settled and engaged in their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Overall, leaders and staff have a secure understanding of children's circumstances and are committed to meeting children's individual needs. They draw on external support from professionals when needed, and work closely with parents to help them know and understanding how best to support children's needs. They develop plans, with targeted support, and deliver interventions that are specific to children's individual needs. Staff typically ensure that all children are included in sessions and activities to create a sense of belonging. They are attentive to children's individual needs and make adaptions, such as ensuring resources are accessible for all children and allowing movement breaks where the need is identified. The effective key-person system enables staff to observe, assess and monitor their key children's learning developments closely. Leaders have identified developmental milestones which are used to measure progress and to quickly identify and respond to any emerging

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Inclusion Expected standard

concerns. They understand how to refer children to relevant outside professionals, and use funding to ensure children receive the support they need.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff focus on children's speech and language development. They have designed ways to support children in understanding communications, such as the use of symbols on staff lanyards to reinforce behaviour expectations in picture format. Staff have received Makaton training which has enhanced their skills and typically supports children to become confident communicators.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have built a clear and well-articulated vision for the setting. Overall, staff demonstrate a strong, shared commitment to this strategic direction. They have identified strengths and areas for development. This has enabled them to make targeted improvements. They are clear about their next steps for development moving forwards. For example, leaders have identified the need to further strengthen school leavers' independence skills before transition.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff speak positively about the support they receive from leaders, and describe the team as reflective, as do leaders. Staff say their wellbeing is supported and monitored effectively. Leaders are mindful of staff workload and take steps to ensure it is manageable. For example, leaders have taken steps to reduce paperwork for staff. Leaders have reflected on their induction process and made changes to increase the level of support that new staff receive. Staff have access to professional-development opportunities and benefit from being part of a wider network of settings. However, leaders should strengthen professional development to improve teaching consistency and better engage older children during mixed-age learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and staff form effective partnerships with parents and communicate with them clearly and consistently. Parents express genuine appreciation for the detailed information they receive, and value the warm, friendly relationships that staff build with them and their child.

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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

Children arrive eager and ready to begin their day. They confidently follow familiar routines, such as hanging up their coats. Children happily enter the setting, showing they feel safe, secure and confident. They settle quickly into play and staff provide consistent reassurance through well-established routines and trusting relationships. Children show a positive sense of belonging. They receive reassurance and cuddles from highly responsive staff. Children benefit greatly from bespoke settling-in processes which helps them to settle quickly. Their individual needs are met, including those with additional needs. Children enjoy the variety of learning experiences on offer both indoors and outdoors. They benefit from learning alongside different ages, where older children act as positive role models to younger children. For example, older children wear leader badges during physical-development activities. This helps younger children feel supported and encourages

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

cooperative play across the mixed-age group. Children develop secure counting as staff model touching shapes and verbalising numbers to strengthen early mathematical understanding. For example, staff touch each shape while saying "one, two, three" at the mathematics table.

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

Outdoors, children are active and engaged in their play. They confidently and safely negotiate space, turn taking and cooperating with their peers. Pre-school children explore the mud kitchen freely, confidently following their own interests and engaging in child-led play that supports their creativity. Babies develop their physical skills as they pull themselves up at the water tray, showing clear joy as they experience the sensory play alongside a supportive adult.

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

Children make steady progress during their time in the setting. Parents speak highly of the setting. They value the continual communication and tailored support for learning and routines. Staff work with parents to help children continue to make progress at home. For example, a potty song and book are sent home to support children and parents at home with potty training. Children needing additional support in their learning make appropriate progress. This is due to timely interventions, particularly around supporting children's communication skills.

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Next steps

Leaders should develop the curriculum even further to provide consistency in activities to meet children's age and stage of development. Leaders should provide staff training to enable consistency in the delivery of the curriculum.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, children, parents, the designated safeguarding lead and the special educational needs coordinator 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.

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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

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Address:

Parish Church Hall Withycombe Village Road Exmouth Devon EX8 3AE

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Little Bells Pre-school and Nursery Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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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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