Let's Play Pre-School
Lowca Community School, Lowca, WHITEHAVEN, CA28 6QS
Inspection date
Previous inspection date
The quality and standards of the
early years provision
24/02/2014
Not Applicable
This inspection:
2
Previous inspection:
Not Applicable
How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who
attend
2
The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children
2
The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision
2
The quality and standards of the early years provision
This provision is good
 The welcoming and stimulating environment and the staff's caring disposition and
friendly approach, helps children to develop secure relationships so that they settle in
easily.
 The staff have a very good understanding of how children learn, which ensures that
each child is fully supported in making good progress in their learning in relation to
their starting points.
 Very good relationships with parents are established. Staff share and exchange
information about children's care on a daily basis, to ensure their care, welfare and
learning needs are met well.
 The staff demonstrate a good understanding of their responsibilities with regard to the
welfare and safeguarding requirements. Consequently, children are cared for in an
environment that promotes their safety and well-being.
It is not yet outstanding because
 Occasionally, staff do not give children sufficient thinking time for them to be able to
put their thoughts into words as part of their language development.
 The strategies implemented by the pre-school do not always support all children to
make independent choices and decisions at snack time. Therefore, children with limited
speech are not as able to input their thoughts and ideas at this time.
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Information about this inspection
Inspections of registered early years provision are:
 scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July
2016
 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example
where provision was previously judged inadequate
 brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that
suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years
Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early
inspection
 prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the
requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may
not be safe
 scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the
requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Inspection activities
 The inspector observed children playing in the classroom and outdoor play areas.

The inspector held discussions with the manager, the staff and the children
throughout the session.

The inspector held a meeting with the manager and discussed the activities
undertaken by staff.

The inspector took account of the views of parents of the early years children
attending the setting who were spoken to on the day of the inspection.

The inspector looked at children's assessment records, the planning documentation,
and the systems for the monitoring of children's progress.
The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with
 children, the policies and procedures for the setting, and the documented selfevaluation systems that support the service.
Inspector
Carys Millican
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Full report
Information about the setting
Let's Play Pre-school opened in 2003 and was re-registered in 2013. It is managed by a
voluntary committee. It operates from within Lowca Community School, Cumbria. The preschool serves the immediate locality and also the surrounding rural areas. The pre-school
opens Monday to Friday from 9am until 12 noon, term time only. Children attend for a
variety of sessions. Children are cared for in two adjoining classrooms and they have
access to an enclosed outdoor play area and the school yard. There are currently 24
children in the early years age range on roll. The pre-school receives funding for the
provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The preschool supports children for whom English is an additional language and children with
special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently three staff employed at
the nursery. Of these, two staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3.
The pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and receives support from
the local authority. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register.
What the setting needs to do to improve further
To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:
 enhance teaching strategies by consistently giving children thinking time to put their
thoughts into words to further support their language development
 increase younger children's opportunities to provide their thoughts and ideas about
what they would like to plan to eat at snack time, for example, by introducing a
form of picture exchange system linked to healthy snacks and food choices.
Inspection judgements
How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children
who attend
Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop in the
Early Years Foundation Stage. They provide an interesting, broad curriculum which
successfully engages children in a wide range of purposeful play. Children are active,
independent learners. Staff provide a good balance between adult-led play and free time
for children to initiate their own ideas. As a result, children are motivated and enthusiastic
learners who make good progress in relation to their starting points. Staff's quality of
teaching is good. They know the children and engage them well by using their interests.
For example, a recent visit to a father's wet fish shop was planned for. This was linked to
the children's interest in sea creatures and Larry the lobster who lives in the fish tank at
the shop. Staff encourage children's language development and communication skills by
providing a good range of activities that capture their imagination and help children to
relive their own real life experiences. For example, children create their own fast food
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restaurant in the role-play area and staff support the activity by joining in when
appropriate. As a result, staff successfully challenge and extend children's learning during
activities. They make sure that the resources that interest children are available to them.
For example, children enjoy matching numbers on the large wooden number line. So staff
place them on the table so children can transport these to the floor and match them to
the number they recognise. Children are developing a love of books and enjoy sitting and
listening to stories. Staff constantly interact with the children and ask them questions so
that they develop early vocabulary while listening to the stories. However, during the small
groups story time activity, there are occasions when staff do not always give children
sufficient time to think and reflect on their responses. Therefore, sometimes they answer
for them or ask them another question too quickly. As a result, during these times
children's communication and language is not as effectively promoted.
The staff provide interesting and stimulating play areas for the children where they are
happy, enthusiastic, and motivated to learn. There is a wide range of resources that are
well organised in low-level storage units so that children can help themselves. This
contributes to their choice and decision making in their play. Everyone is warmly
welcomed into the pre-school and children enjoy large and small group discussions at
circle time which help promote their personal, social and emotional development. They
learn to tolerate each other by taking turns to speak with staff to confirm their
attendance. Children enjoy using a variety of craft activities. They play with modelling
dough and use a variety of different media to create pictures. The older children are
developing their writing skills well because they practice writing their names every day.
Children play with information and communication technology resources, including a
computer and programmable and interactive toys, calculators, mobiles and phones. These
provide opportunities to enhance children's understanding of how things work for
understanding the world.
Staff are confident in using well-established assessment and planning processes. They
take the time to find out about children's interests and starting points when they first
attend the pre-school. Staff use this information, along with regular observations, to plan
interesting activities for children. They summarise children's learning and discuss this
information with parents on a regular basis, so that parents are fully aware of their
children's overall progress. This also includes the progress check at age two where parents
in partnership with staff contribute their thoughts and ideas about how their children are
developing. Parents are provided with excellent opportunities to contribute to children's
learning and development. For example, they share information with the staff on arrival
and at collection times, in the all about me sheets, in updated transition sheets, in
children's records, in the message book, through the butterfly take home toy and
communication book, observations sheets with parental comment entries, and through
questionnaires. All these ways encourage parents to share what they know about their
child and what they also see children do at home. This results in good partnerships for the
overall benefit of children.
The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children
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Children soon settle in to the pre-school because they are supported by kind, caring and
sensitive staff members. A well-established key person system is in place which helps
children to form secure attachments and a close bond with all staff. This supports their
emotional well-being. Children show they have established close relationships with the
staff by including them in their play. Staff work closely with parents to address children's
individual needs and to effectively support their emotional development. Children's
artwork is attractively displayed in both play areas. There are a variety of photographs and
pictures set at a low level so that they are easily seen to promote conversations and
discussions. This helps children develop a secure sense of belonging and their finished
artwork shows respect and places value on children's contributions and efforts. Children
see a variety of words in the form of labels and posters, helping them to understand that
print carries meaning.
Staff effectively arrange resources so that children can independently help themselves and
make their own choices and decisions about what they do. Although, there is still scope to
further improve this with regard to practical routines and choosing snack options. For
example, children are asked what snacks they would like at the beginning of the week so
staff can purchase what they choose. Although this is an excellent idea, not all children
contribute their thoughts and ideas because they do not have the language to do so or
have less confidence to speak out. Staff make sure that children's choices remain healthy
and nutritious so they continue to learn what is good for them. Children who stay for
lunch enjoy a meal cooked in the school's kitchen. They sit in the hall with the school
children which is a wonderful way of introducing children to their future move onto school.
Therefore, they become familiar with the school environment and the staff who will
eventually be looking after them. A wealth of information is displayed in the reception area
to inform parents of the snack children have, and the teaching staff in school inform
parents of how much they have eaten at lunchtime. Staff follow children's dietary needs
and drinking water is continually available and accessible to all children. Snack time is a
social occasion. Staff sit with the children and encourage learning during these practical
routines. For example, children help to hand out the plates and talk to staff about who is
beside them opposite them or behind them. Children are encouraged to pour their own
drinks and hand out the snack. Therefore, children gain responsibility for simple, ageappropriate tasks and independent skill they require for starting school. Children begin to
understand basic hygiene routines in the pre-school. They learn to wash their hands
through gentle reminders after messy play, and before they have their snack. Children
respond well to these reminders and listen and understand as they follow staffs guidance
or requests. Overall, children are well behaved and well mannered, learning the skills
necessary in preparation for their move to their next stage of learning.
Children enjoy opportunities to play outside in the fresh air. This also gives them the
opportunity for them to be physically active. They enjoy running around the school
playground and play ball games and active circle games. Children investigate and explore
the environment, helping themselves to large paint brushes and buckets. They
competently fill them with water and pretend to paint the fence and other resources.
Children undertake simple scientific experiments by examining and recording the amount
of rainwater that has fallen over half term holidays. They check how tall their daffodils are
growing and if there are any new shoots in the soil. Staff facilitates children play well.
They encourage children to explore the playground and look for bugs and insects. For
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example, children use magnifying glasses to look down the horizontal netball poles for
snails and under other items in the playground. Staff make sure children have sufficient
space to safely explore and investigate on their own. Children learn to take risks in the
environment and listen to staff when they ask them not to run inside and to sit properly
on chairs. Children know what to do in an emergency by regularly completing the fire
evacuation procedure and learn to keep themselves while walking on the pavement and
crossing the roads. Children are prepared well for their transition into other early years
settings and in to school. The staff make this a stress free as possible by talking to
children about future moves on to school and by initiating visits from the teaching staff
from the school they will eventually attend.
The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years
provision
The management and staff work together as a team. They are all able to demonstrate a
good understanding of their responsibility to ensure the safeguarding and welfare
requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are fully
met. As a result, children are effectively safeguarded and protected. The long standing
staff members are experienced practitioners who hold early years qualifications and have
a number of years experience looking after children. New staff members are gaining in
experience and are well supported to gain a qualification in early years. The staff's
continuous professional development further supports their good understanding of how
children learn and impacts on the pre-school's practice. For example, when staff attend
training they evaluate what they have learned and how they can implement the training
into their practice. For example, they have recently attended empathy doll training and
introduced the doll into the pre-school. After attending training, staff cascade what they
have learned to other staff during staff meetings held after the pre-school sessions. As a
result, everyone is kept up to date with any new ideas and new early years developments.
Designated staff attend safeguarding training and keep their first aid in date. They know
what to do should they have concerns about the welfare of any child in their care and how
to deal with any emergency situation. The management maintain robust recruitment
procedures and complete thorough suitability checks for all those in contact with the
children. New staff complete an effective induction procedure, and all staff have regular
supervision and appraisal meetings throughout the year. The management maintain all the
required policies and procedures which are available for parents in a folder in the main
entrance.
Children are kept safe and secure through thorough safety checks and risk assessments
completed for all the areas children use. This ensures that children are kept safe and
secure indoors and outdoors. The management monitor the educational programme and
staff track children's overall development. They do this regularly to make sure that any
gaps in children's progress are identified and help obtained quickly for any specialised help
required. Staff are very familiar with children's individual stages of development and with
their next steps in their learning. Children who may require additional help are quickly
identified and discussions are held with parents so that additional support can be obtained
to help close gaps in their development. Staff work well with other professionals when this
is required to ensure that all children continue to make good progress and gain the skills
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they require for their next move on to school.
The management and staff regularly review and monitor the service they provide. They
effectively use the self-evaluation and local authority action plans to ensure that the preschool's strengths and areas for improvement are clearly identified. This shows the preschool's ongoing commitment to further improve the service they provide. The staff,
parents and carers all contribute through questionnaires and positive statements are
recorded praising the staff and the service they provide. Parents express a high regard for
the service provided and the friendliness and approachability of the staff. Parents are kept
fully informed about all aspects of the pre-school through discussions on arrival and at
collection times, through newsletters and on noticeboard displays. Staff have established
good links with the other settings children attend. They contribute to a message book
which is used by parents, and each setting to share information so that staff provide
continuity of care and continue to support children's learning.
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What inspection judgements mean
Registered early years provision
Grade
Judgement
Description
Grade 1
Outstanding
Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs
of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are
very well prepared for the next stage of their learning.
Grade 2
Good
Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets
the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready
for the next stage of their learning.
Grade 3
Requires
improvement
The provision is not giving children a good standard of early
years education and/or there are minor breaches of the
safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years
Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within
twelve months of the date of this inspection.
Grade 4
Inadequate
Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement
and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give
children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or
is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of
the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and
inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection.
Met
The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement
is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for
registration.
Not met
The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement
is that the provider does not meet the requirements for
registration.
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Inspection
This inspection was carried out by Ofsted 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.
Setting details
Unique reference number
EY469630
Local authority
Cumbria
Inspection number
934337
Type of provision
Sessional provision
Registration category
Childcare - Non-Domestic
Age range of children
0-5
Total number of places
20
Number of children on roll
24
Name of provider
Let's Play Pre-School Committee
Date of previous inspection
not applicable
Telephone number
01946 67358
Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures
set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints
about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would
like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email
[email protected].
Type of provision
For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:
Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually
known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years
Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee
for registration.
Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in
any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools
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and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years
Register and pay the lower fee for registration.
Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of
more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are
usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and
must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or
after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years
Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their
Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning
and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children
receive in school.
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The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to
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