Saltwood Play and Learning Centre

Saltwood Play and Learning Centre Saltwood C of E Primary School, Grange Road, Saltwood, HYTHE, Kent, CT21 4QS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20 April 2016 1 June 2015

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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

 The nursery is highly welcoming and stimulating. Children choose from an excellent range of inspiring activities and resources to extend their learning. Children are extremely engaged and motivated. Children make excellent progress.  The highly knowledgeable staff team works exceptionally well together and children build extremely positive relationships with staff and each other. The excellent key person approach helps children to thrive in this highly nurturing environment.  Staff place a high priority on children being outdoors and use every opportunity to extend their learning. For example, they have developed an exciting bug house and digging area where children excitedly hunt for worms and make camps.  Staff offer children consistent praise and teach them to behave well and to value and respect each other. For example, they use snack time exceptionally well to extend children's learning and children confidently remind each other not to run indoors.

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This provision is outstanding

 Leaders and staff monitor children's progress extremely effectively to clearly identify next steps. Parents are kept particularly well informed about their children's progress which is also shared highly effectively with other agencies involved with the children.  The enthusiastic management team is committed to providing excellent outcomes for children and has developed the setting significantly since the previous inspection. For example, there are robust polices in place for the suitability of staff and trustees.

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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 further the existing opportunities for children to access a range of materials to express their own ideas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children and staff interacting indoors and outdoors.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at a sample of paperwork and documents, including suitability records, policies and staff training certificates.  The inspector spoke to children and parents to gain their feedback.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Managers evaluate the nursery exceptionally well and consider feedback from children, parents and staff. For example, parents identify any concerns on a 'thinking tree' at the entrance to nursery. This has led to workshops for parents on many aspects of learning and has been particularly effective with regard to children being ready for school. Staff receive regular training and mentoring to identify further developments and to challenge children effectively. For example, training on mark making has resulted in extending the range of writing materials in all areas of the nursery. Furthermore, the boys' fascination with superheroes has been channelled into drawing symbols and arrows in chalk. Safeguarding is effective. All staff update their training regularly and are very confident with safeguarding procedures.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The enthusiastic staff team is proactive in engaging all children in learning, and readily maximises every opportunity for this. For example, an empty cardboard box becomes a 'magic' box where children jump up and show off their tricks, such as attempting cartwheels. Children develop their imaginations well. For example, they role play in a surgery and police station, and explore a range of sounds and instruments. However, staff do not always extend children's creativity further in other areas, such as exploring media and materials. All group activities are extremely well planned and engage all children exceptionally well. For example, staff read to the boys while they play in their den, using the climbing frame to encourage them to act and to make predictions.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Partnerships with parents are exemplary. Staff share detailed information with parents and actively include them in the work of the nursery. For example, the key person visits the family at home prior to children starting, and parents visit the nursery to read stories and attend workshops. Furthermore, parents contribute family pictures to display at the nursery and share their children's holiday and home activities. Staff support the individual needs of children exceptionally well and work very closely with other agencies to provide specific help for children with additional needs. For example, they provide visual prompts, signing and a dedicated area to enhance children's language and communication.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are independent and are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage in learning. For example, they learn to manage their clothes in preparation for physical education at school, and manage their own personal care, with the aid of a specific mirrored area. Children are confident and skilful. For example, they use scissors to cut out pictures of people who help them, discussing the role of the school-crossing officer.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY402676 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1016780 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 49 Name of provider Saltwood Play and Learning Centre Date of previous inspection 1 June 2015 Telephone number 01303 266058

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Setting details

Saltwood Play and Learning Centre registered in 2010. It is situated in Saltwood, near Hythe in Kent. The nursery operates from 9am to 3pm, during term time. The breakfast club opens from 7.45am to 8.45am, and the after-school club for school-age children opens from 3.20pm to 6pm. The nursery employs nine staff, six of whom hold qualifications to at least level 3. The manager holds an early years degree and Early Years Professional Status. The nursery receives funding to provide free early 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

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

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