Ashingdon Preschool

Ashingdon Preschool The Cricket Pavillion, Ashingdon Road, ROCHFORD, Essex, SS4 1RG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 January 2015 22 September 2009

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This inspection: Good 2

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

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Teaching is good. Staff have a thorough understanding of how young children learn. They plan exciting activities that are in line with children's interests and abilities.  Staff successfully monitor the progress children make and are very aware of the levels children are working at. They effectively identify children's next steps in learning, providing additional support when necessary. As a result, children make good progress in their learning.  Children are eager to learn and they move around the pre-school confidently. This is because staff keep them safe and make them feel secure. Children are friendly to each other and welcoming to visitors.  Staff have a wide range of experience and expertise. They know the children and their families very well. Parents think highly of staff and appreciate both the quality of teaching and the caring approach they bring to their roles.  The leadership is strong. Managers continually review the quality of the pre-school and

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This provision is good

there is a clear drive for excellence. Good procedures are in place to support staff to continually improve their skills and knowledge.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 There is not a broad enough range of activities on offer to accelerate children's progress when they learn outdoors.  Staff do not use all opportunities to further develop children's thinking skills.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 improve the range of activities provided in the outside area, so that it offers maximum opportunity to learn across all areas and supports children make better than good progress  raise children's achievement even more by taking every opportunity to encourage children's thinking skills, such as using effective questioning and prompting discussions.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the two rooms of the pre-school and outside.  The inspector held discussions with the management team and staff.  The inspector and the manager took part in a joint observation.  The inspector took the views of the parents into account.  The inspector looked at children's development records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff, the provider's self-evaluation form and a range of other documentation.

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who attend. This is good

Children make good progress in all of the areas of learning. Staff provide an appropriate balance between activities planned and led by adults and those children can choose for themselves. This means children benefit from being able to explore their own ideas during periods of uninterrupted play, and they are never at a loss about what to do next. Children have great imaginations and thoroughly enjoy transforming a cardboard box into a boat, to keep safe in a 'flood'. Staff take advantage of the local area to support learning. Regular visits to the nearby wood teach children about nature, where they especially like finding insects living in their own habitat. Children develop their physical and coordination skills when riding wheeled toys in the immediate outdoor area. However, planned activities for this outdoor space are not as rich and varied as those provided inside. Staff spend time talking to the children, helping them to become confident speakers. Staff do not always

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who attend. This is good

make the most of opportunities to extend children's understanding. This is because their questioning techniques do not always encourage deeper and more complex thinking.

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good

Staff build very good relationships with the children and they are sensitive in their approach. Children who experience difficulty in forming relationships are quickly identified and helped to settle, and they soon begin to enjoy the happy atmosphere. Children play well together. They readily take turns and confidently share ideas with each other. Staff encourage children to be independent and do things for themselves. They are learning to fasten up coats and know when they need to wash their hands. Staff are mindful of children's safety and help them to gain an awareness of their own well being. As a result, children play together sensibly and safely.

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provision is good

The management has a thorough understanding of its responsibilities. Good safeguarding procedures are put into practice. Staff know how to identify and report concerns they may have about children in their care. Equally, robust recruitment procedures ensure only the most suitable staff are employed. Staff value training opportunities and this has a positive impact on children's learning. For example, staff now have a better understanding of how to fully support children's repeated patterns of behaviour. Staff liaise with external specialists, such as supporting children with speech and language difficulties. Good links have been made with nearby schools. This means, when the time comes, all children are ready to make the move to school. The very strong teamwork is a key feature of the pre- school's continuing effectiveness. All staff are involved in ensuring that children learn and are cared for to the best of their ability.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 402187 Local authority Essex Inspection number 868963

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 52 Name of provider Ashingdon Preschool Ltd Date of previous inspection 22 September 2009 Telephone number 07977955263

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Type of provision

Ashingdon Preschool opened in 1999. Session times are from 8.30am to 11.30am and 11.45am to 2.45pm, Monday to Friday, during school term time. The pre-school receives free early education funding for two-, three- and four-year-old children. A team of eight staff are employed. Of these, six hold relevant early years qualifications at level 3 and two hold level 4.

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Type of provision

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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Type of provision

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

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

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