We are delighted to announce that in July 2011 we received our first Ofsted inspection and the judgement is that our provision is “strong” – we have received an overall rating of good.

In addition to this the inspector identified four aspects of our provision as “of exceptionally high quality” and in these areas we received the outstanding rating.  We are very proud that in the space of just four months from opening our doors, we were able to achieve this. To put this Ofsted result into context, of the 22 pre-schools within a two mile radius of Hambrook Hedgehogs, we are one of only two pre-schools that have been rated Good with several Outstanding areas (source Ofsted, 9th January 2012). 

Here is a summary of the inspector’s judgements:

The quality and standards of the early years provision and outcomes for children

“Children are happy, settled and secure.  They enjoy their time in pre-school where they play and learn in a friendly atmosphere…children develop a strong sense of belonging and being part of a community”

“Children behave well.  They know what to expect through familiar routines and clear explanations…children who attend the after school club agree rules for behaviour that contribute towards a harmonious group.  Children receive regular praise and encouragement for effort and achievement, which helps boost their self-esteem and confidence”

“Staff have a good knowledge of the early learning goals and how children learn through play.  They plan a broad range of activities, both inside and out, linked to children’s interests and topical events”

“Children use language well to communicate, confidently making their needs known and organising their own play.  They enjoy stories and books and select independently from the attractive display in the playroom and from the ‘lending library’”

“Staff have developed a clear assessment system that identifies children’s achievements and interests; incorporating information from home.  They use this effectively to plan for children’s next steps in their learning”

“Staff interact positively in children’s activities, which provides good support for children’s overall development”

“Children enjoy a healthy lifestyle.  They learn good procedures and independence for their own personal hygiene”

Effectiveness of leadership and management

“Staff implement very clear policies and procedures to promote children’s welfare and safety”

“There are clear recruitment and induction systems to ensure that new staff are checked for their suitability to work with children, and are sure about their responsibilities.  All records are in place, well organised, completed appropriately and stored confidentially”

“The enthusiastic, well-qualified staff work well as a team; they communicate effectively, which results in sessions running smoothly and children settling quickly”

“There is a good range of resources, which staff arrange effectively to enable children to make spontaneous choices”

“Children learn a positive attitude to people’s differences through the excellent example set by staff.  Staff are pro-active in seeking information about family backgrounds and traditions, which enables them to provide appropriate resources so that children develop a positive self-identity”

“Staff work closely with connected professionals to share information so that children with specific needs are fully included and effectively supported”

“Staff promote excellent partnerships with parents”

“Staff implement some effective methods to identify areas for development.  They have clear plans for the future to improve children’s experiences”

“Staff are committed to developing their own roles through training and by studying towards high level qualifications”

For the full Ofsted report please click here