Owl Pre-School

Owl Pre-School Shears Green Infant School, Packham Road, Northfleet, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 7JF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 November 2015 15 January 2010

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Parents and carers are highly satisfied as they are significantly included in their children's learning and care. This enables staff to understand and meet the individual needs of the children exceptionally well.  Children form secure attachments with the staff, which help them feel very emotionally secure. Children settle in quickly as staff are exceptionally consistent in their routines and management of behaviour. Frequent praise and encouragement is given, which rapidly promotes children's confidence and self-esteem. Children behave extremely well.  Staff are highly effective as they adapt planning and activities to ensure they challenge all the children who are eager to learn. Activities focus precisely on children's interests and rapidly build their skills and knowledge.  The highly inspiring manager is committed to providing high quality care and excellent learning for children. Staff follow this attitude. They are highly motivated and work

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This provision is outstanding

exceptionally well together, creating a secure, safe and wonderful learning environment for children. Self-evaluation actively contributes to sustaining the highly effective provision and the outstanding service they provide.  Excellent partnership with other early years settings, nurseries and schools leads to continuous improvements in practices and outcomes for children. Children are exceptionally well prepared for school.

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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

 continue to strengthen children's mathematical skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outside, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector viewed a range of documents such as policies, children's records and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspector spoke with children, parents and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection and had a meeting with the manager.  The inspector discussed the self-evaluation process with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are extremely aware of their responsibilities and the child protection procedures to help keep children safe. The manager and staff monitor children's progress very effectively. They give the utmost priority to the provision of high quality teaching and assessments to identify where children are in their learning. The well-qualified staff work exceptional well with other professionals. This adds greatly to the quality of teaching and supports children's future learning. Staff receive excellent training opportunities and experiences to extend their knowledge. For example, they visit other early years settings and reflect on their practice during individual and group meetings.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff know the children exceptionally well and have a highly accurate understanding of children's development. This helps them to plan exceedingly well for children's future learning needs. However, on occasions staff do not fully extend children's mathematical skills, such as adding and taking away. The staff have high expectations and their skilful questioning encourages children to investigate for themselves. This contributes very strongly to the development of excellent communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. Children are encouraged to choose and create their own activities. For example, children use the water play outdoors in various ways. Some use paintbrushes to make marks on the wooden fence developing physical skills needed for writing. Others pour water into a water run to investigate and explore what happens next.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children have an excellent ability to concentrate and positively contribute during discussions. Children confidently and independently help themselves to resources that significantly support their play and learning. They have an exceptional awareness of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Staff have stimulating conversations with children which deepen their understanding about making nutritious food choices. For example, children indicate their favourite healthy snack by placing stickers under the picture. Parents are full of praise for the dedicated staff team and actively contribute to their children's learning at home. Staff are highly successfully as they engage parents in various ways. For example, they share information through the home-link book, newsletters, parents meetings and notice boards.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children make exceptional progress in their learning and development. Children actively participate in their own learning. This prepares them extremely well for the next stage of their education.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127430 Local authority Kent Inspection number 825421 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 3 - 4 Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 52 Name of provider The Owl Pre-School Date of previous inspection 15 January 2010 Telephone number 01474 331777

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Setting details

Owl Pre-School registered in 1976. It is situated in the grounds of Shears Green Infant School in Northfleet, Kent. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 11.45am and from 12.30pm to 3.30pm Monday to Thursday. There are 11 staff who work with the children and all have level 3 early years qualifications. The pre-school receives government funding for free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Setting details

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

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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Setting details

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Setting details

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Setting details

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