St Mary's Pre-School

St Mary's Pre-School Parish Room, Betchetts Green Road,South Holmwood, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 4JX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 March 2016 11 October 2011

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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

 Staff have a highly impressive knowledge of children's needs and stages of development. Precise observations and assessments help them provide challenging learning opportunities which enable children to make rapid progress. Any gaps in children's learning are closing quickly.  Managers and staff make exceptional use of self-evaluation and clearly identify improvements to enhance the outstanding provision for children and parents.  Partnership with parents is excellent. Staff are highly effective in identifying ways to encourage parents to be part of their children's learning and regularly share information with them. Parents praise staff highly for their support and commitment.  Managers work closely with staff to identify training that will have the most beneficial impact on children. For example, they have considered ways of making the most of the outdoor learning environment to support those children who prefer to learn outdoors.

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This provision is outstanding

 Communication between staff is highly effective. They work as a tight-knit team and support one another. For example, they suggest activities to meet children's needs.  Staff have excellent relationships with other professionals and the settings that children attend. They actively share information and welcome input to improve the outcomes for children.

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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

 develop the use of number during children's play to strengthen their knowledge and understanding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the interactions of staff with children in the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector took part in a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took account of parents' views through discussion with them.  The inspector viewed a range of written documentation, including children's development records and policies and procedures.  The inspector spoke to staff and managers about different aspects of their role, including safeguarding, behaviour management, health and safety and recruitment procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Monitoring of children's learning is inspiring. Managers skilfully assess the progress of groups of children and staff practice to improve the highly stimulating environment. Managers strive for continuous improvement and value feedback from parents, children and other professionals. They make changes where possible and have made many improvements since their last inspection. For example, they have extended the opening hours. Recruitment and induction procedures are thorough and comprehensive to ensure the suitability of staff. Managers are committed to developing their staff. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a very secure knowledge of how to keep children safe and the procedures to follow if they have any concerns.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff are highly successful in engaging children. They demonstrate secure skills when taking children's ideas and building challenging learning opportunities into activities. Staff plan a wide variety of activities to maintain children's outstanding progress. For example, children learnt how to grow vegetables and look after them. Children explored compost, used impressive number language and wrote their own measurements. Children thoroughly enjoyed 'cooking' and had a wide range of 'ingredients' to use. Children mixed soil and sawdust and then added different amounts of water to change the consistency. However, staff do not always make the most of opportunities to develop children's understanding that print carries meaning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children are exceptionally happy and their behaviour is outstanding. Children have an excellent understanding of routines. For example, they find their names and know where to put their belongings. Staff develop children's confidence and sense of belonging; for example, they constantly praise children for their achievements and celebrate achievements from home on the 'Wow Wall.' Staff changed the procedures at snack time in order to develop children's independence skills.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are exceptionally well prepared for school. They are determined and work hard to achieve their desired goal. Staff promote children's thinking skills; for example, they ask an extensive range of questions. Children have strong literacy and social skills. For example, they show care towards each other and write their names confidently. Staff support children's emerging language development with exceptional skill and confidence. They adapt their conversation to the stage of the child, allowing them time to think, and also use pictures to help develop children's understanding.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 122676 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 825304 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 37 Number of children on roll 87 Name of provider St Mary's Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 11 October 2011 Telephone number 01306740135

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Setting details

St Mary's Pre-School registered in 1980 and operates from the grounds of St Mary's Church in South Holmwood, near Dorking, Surrey. The pre-school is open from 9.15am until 3.45pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and from 9.15am until 12.45pm on Thursday. The pre-school provides free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting employs 12 members of staff; 11 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3.

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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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