Devonshire Rooms Pre-school

Devonshire Rooms Pre-school Waghorn Road, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5BQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/10/2013 02/11/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend 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

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This provision is good

 Staff create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere where children quickly feel confident and at ease.  Staff are skilled at making effective use of children's current interests to extend their learning. As a result, children make good progress towards the early learning goals.  Staff competently use the space and good quality furniture and resources to meet children's needs.  Staff form strong partnerships with parents and these contribute positively to children's ongoing development and welfare.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always take advantage of all the opportunities to develop children's early literacy skills.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 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.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the play room and outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the owner/manager of the provision and carried out a joint observation with her.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled children's learning records and other relevant documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's evaluation documents and development plans.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and from information in the group's comments book.

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Information about the setting

Devonshire Rooms Pre-School opened in 2005. It operates from one room adjacent to council office buildings in Snodland, Kent. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Opening times are from 9am to 3pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On Thursdays, the session is from 9am to 12 noon. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

The group is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 40 children on roll in the early years age range. The group is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. Children come from a wide catchment area. The group employs six staff. All of the staff, including the owner/manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 increase ways in which children can recognise names and words around the environment and write for a purpose.

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who attend

Staff competently work with parents to find out what they know about their children. This enables staff to settle new children in well as they make sure they have resources that reflect their interests. The effective key person system helps ensure that children's individual needs are met and that they continue to achieve. Staff carry out good ongoing observation and assessment of children's progress, including the required progress check for children aged two years. They successfully identify learning priorities for each child. Staff plan challenging activities that they use to narrow gaps in children's learning. They interact effectively with children as they play and actively promote their learning. As a result, children continue to make good progress across all areas of learning. Staff keep parents well informed about their children's ongoing learning and development. Parents' observations about their children's achievements are valued and used to inform the

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who attend

learning records. Parents also become actively involved in supporting learning at home, which further promotes children's ongoing progress.

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who attend

Staff skilfully question children and encourage them to share their ideas, for example as they engage in counting activities together. Children respond well as they know the adults listen to them and value their contributions. As a result, children are confident speakers and communicate well. Children develop good early writing skills as they have access to a wide variety of different tools. However, staff do not always further extend children's literacy skills through everyday activities and play. For example, staff do not encourage all children to 'write' their names on their work. In addition, although children find their names when they arrive at the group and see some words around the room, staff have not fully extended such opportunities. This slightly reduces children's early literacy experiences.

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who attend

Staff actively encourage children to become independent learners. They provide good support and encouragement to them. This results in children having great fun exploring and investigating for themselves. For example, they learn how to use technology as they take pictures with the digital cameras. They like to dig in the soil tray and share their findings with adults. Staff develop children's understanding of the natural world as they talk to the children about what they find. Children handle the bugs they find carefully as they discuss what the bugs like. Staff support children's interest in spiders well by providing activities for them to extend their understanding of them. They show good creativity as they confidently draw good representations of spiders. Staff then provide additional suggestions that result in children making spiders using cut out hand shapes and different materials. This helps extend children's creativity and physical skills as they

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff are caring, supportive and friendly. As a result, children form strong emotional bonds with adults. The key person system is effective as it results in every child having a special adult they relate to. This means that children are very settled and happy. They quickly develop a strong sense of belonging. Children play amicably together and form friendships. They behave well and happily share resources. Children show good manners, for example, as they say 'thank you' when an adult helps them. Staff implement good behaviour management strategies when needed that help children learn what is acceptable behaviour.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children show they feel very safe and secure as they move around freely and independently. They make decisions about their play and help themselves to resources. Children engage in purposeful play and show they are keen to learn. They develop well in the skills they need to move on to school. Staff create a learning environment that supports children's skills in exploring and investigating. Children develop good levels of independence, as there is plenty of accessible low-level storage. They choose from a broad range of exciting toys and resources. The toys and furniture are of good quality and well maintained. Staff make effective use of the space, both indoors and outdoors. They create interesting safe play areas for children that cover all the areas of learning. Children develop a good understanding about how to stay safe. For example, they regularly practise what to do in an emergency. Staff also gently teach children how to safely use

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

equipment, such as scissors, which further promotes their awareness of safety. Staff competently promote children's health. They provide healthy snacks and easy access to drinking water. Children adopt good hygiene procedures as they wash their hands before snack. They develop good self-care skills as they use the 'tissue station' when they have a runny nose. Children develop good physical skills and coordination as they play with the challenging equipment outdoors. For example, they throw the balls into the net and ride on the trikes. Children take risks as they try to walk using the stilts.

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provision

The owner has a good knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. She makes sure that all the requirements are met well. The owner has rigorous recruitment and induction procedures that help ensure all staff are suitable to work with children. There are robust safeguarding procedures in place that contribute to children's safety and well-being. Staff are fully aware of what to do if they have a child protection concern. All the required documentation is in place and well maintained. The documentation is used effectively to keep parents informed and to promote consistency of care. Parents give very positive comments about the friendly, professional and caring staff. They say they feel involved in their children's learning and like the formal meetings where they discuss children's progress and individual needs.

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provision

Staff carry out robust daily safety checks and risk assessments that help them identify and successfully minimise potential hazards to children. As a result, children stay safe and move freely around the child friendly environment. There are good procedures for keeping children safe when they are playing in the outdoor area. These include making sure the gates are safe and secure.

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provision

The staff team is well established and they work well together. They regularly monitor and review their educational programme to make sure it meets the needs of all children. The owner and staff team use robust development plans to help identify and address areas for improvement with helpful input from the local authority. The owner actively encourages staff to attend further training to improve their knowledge and skills. Good use is made of training to evaluate staff practices and improve the childcare provision. For example, following recent training on physical play staff have reviewed the use of outdoor play equipment. They have introduced a number of new ideas that are helping children gain more from the learning experiences outdoors. The owner is currently well focused on developing the care for children aged two years. She is taking positive steps such as accessing a course and visiting other settings to increase their knowledge of how to

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provision

provide a nurturing environment for these children.

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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 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. 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 inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY303225 Local authority Kent Inspection number 939969

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 40 Name of provider Tracy Jane Hann Date of previous inspection 02/11/2009 Telephone number 01634 240139

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Type of provision

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 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

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.

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Type of provision

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 and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

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.

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Type of provision

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. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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