The Vestry Pre-School

The Vestry Pre-School St. Marks Church, Abercorn Place, London, NW8 9YD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 March 2016 Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Teaching is good. Staff provide a welcoming environment for children, with a varied range of stimulating activities, inside and outside. They make accurate observations of children and plan well, which helps children to make good progress in all areas.  The effective key-person system helps support children to settle quickly when they are new to the setting. Children build close bonds with staff. They explore and play confidently.  Staff successfully promote the communication and language of all children, including children who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Children gain confidence to talk in a variety of situations.  Partnerships with parents and other professionals are strong. Parents are happy with the care provided, and the manager ensures that they are kept well-informed about their children's progress. The manager works well with other professionals to support children with special educational needs.

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This provision is good

 The well-qualified manager and staff regularly evaluate their provision. They successfully identify its strengths and any areas for development, and they set clear targets for improvement, to continuously develop their practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasion, staff expect children to reply to questions too quickly before they have had enough time to think about how to answer.  Staff occasionally miss opportunities to help reinforce and extend children's skills in recognising written numbers.

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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

 strengthen children's good thinking skills further by making sure they have enough time to think about and answer questions for themselves, before stepping in to help them  provide even more opportunities for children to learn to recognise written numbers, to strengthen their good early mathematical understanding further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke with children, parents and staff at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector sampled documentation, including staff records and children's development folders.  The inspector observed as children took part in activities and daily routines in all areas.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a secure understanding of the setting's safeguarding procedures. They understand how to make a referral to the relevant colleagues and authorities if they have concerns about the welfare of a child. Staff provide a safe environment through effectively identifying and minimising risks to children's safety. The manager regularly identifies areas for staff training and development, to help continually improve the outcomes for children. For example, recent training has provided staff with new ideas for activities to strengthen children's knowledge of letter sounds. The manager and staff regularly review individual children's learning, to help ensure that they are planning well for, and meeting, the needs of every child.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff know children well. They recognise where children are in their development and plan stimulating activities based on observations of their needs and interests. For example, children become fully engaged as they search for different insects in the garden, happily naming and counting what they find. Staff provide further support for children's learning in a range of ways. For example, they provide models and books for children, to help them make links in their learning. Staff promote children's early language and literacy skills well. They provide many opportunities for children to see words written down, and they provide resources that stimulate children's interest and conversation. For example, older children predict the endings to stories as they take part in well-organised group times, and all children enjoy looking at photograph albums and displays with words and pictures, discussing past events with staff and with friends.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children's behaviour is good. Staff offer consistent guidance and support to children of different ages, and they help them learn how to manage their own behaviour. Children tackle small tasks by themselves and are learning how to care for their environment. For example, they enthusiastically take part in routines such as tidy-up time. Staff successfully promote children's awareness of keeping healthy. For example, they provide nutritious snacks and they find good opportunities to lead discussions with children about healthy foods. Children develop their physical skills well as they take part in an enjoyable range of activities, including outside play. For example, they use a slide in the garden and enjoy running around in the fresh air.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress from their starting points and some children make very good progress. For example, older children sound out letters and write words for their own books, which staff display around the setting. Children learn to be independent. For example, they choose what to play with, and they put their coats and boots on by themselves before outside play. They develop confidence in their own abilities, and this helps to prepare them well for their future learning, including the move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY458051 Local authority Westminster Inspection number 929127 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 14 Number of children on roll 12 Name of provider The Vestry Pre-School Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0207 624 2705

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Setting details

The Vestry Pre-School re-registered in 2013. The pre-school operates from three areas in the vestry at St. Marks Church in St John's Wood, in the London Borough of Westminster. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9am to 12 noon during term time only. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs three staff, two of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications, including the manager who holds a qualification at level 5.

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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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