A preschool in south Bristol was praised for supporting all children to “feel a sense of belonging” as it received a good inspection by Ofsted in September. The Brislington Village Pre-School, located within St Luke’s Church Hall on Church Parade, was rated as ‘Good’ in every key judgement category when the inspector visited on September 27.
The preschool, providing education for children aged between one and four years old, currently has 41 children on its school roll. Whilst the school registered in 2015, it took over the pre-existing preschool at the same premises, which was established in 1972.
Staff at the preschool “prioritise children’s emotional well-being” and children form close bonds with their key person, seeking comfort from them throughout the day. Children become familiar with routines and behave well.
When children start at the pre-school, staff complete home visits and establish partnerships with parents. Children have individualised plans for settling in and staff know children well and are confident in supporting children’s next steps. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress from their starting points.
Staff are passionate about outdoor learning, so they ensure that children have opportunities to explore the natural world. This includes visits to the local allotment and planting, caring for and harvesting their own produce, which is then baked and cooked by the children.
The Ofsted report said: “Leaders have clear aims for their curriculum, they know what they want children to learn and why. They work in close partnership with local schools to understand what they want children to be able to do before starting school, and this is woven into their curriculum. This means that children are well prepared for the next stage in their education.
“Staff skilfully use observations to assess what children know and can do. Children make good progress, and staff know how to identify and support children’s next steps.
“Children have lots of opportunities to develop their communication and language skills. Younger children enjoy choosing their favourite songs to sing, as staff encourage them to join in with the actions, and children join in enthusiastically. Staff teach children new vocabulary through modelling language and ask them some questions as they play, however, some staff do not consistently use a range of questions, including open-ended questions, that give children opportunities to extend their thinking.”
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The preschool encourages children to develop independent skills, which includes the youngest children learning basic hygiene practices and older children being able to put on their own outdoor clothing and boots before going outside. Children are able to identify and learn to manage safety risks for themselves.
Children learn to respect their friends and the environment. Staff discuss with children about “what makes them unique” and children become engaged in play, they “learn to appreciate differences” and play with their peers.
The report said: “Parents share positive feedback about the pre-school, they are happy with the support they receive from staff and are pleased they have the opportunity to share relevant information about their children’s interests and routines. Staff share regular ideas for how parents can support children’s learning at home.
“Leaders ensure that the pre-school is fully inclusive and meets the needs of children with SEND and those in receipt of additional funding. Referrals are made in a timely manner to ensure that children have the right help at the right time. Leaders work in partnership with families to seek support from external agencies as needed.
“Leaders are very reflective and continually evaluate to make changes and improve the provision for both children and staff. Leaders provide supervision and coaching to staff to support them to carry out their roles even more effectively. They ensure that staff complete regular training to raise the quality of their teaching even further.”
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