St James's Pre-School

St James's Pre-School St James's Church Hall, St. James's Avenue, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4HF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 May 2016 12 February 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

 The leadership and management of the pre-school are inspirational. The provider and managers are incredibly knowledgeable, highly skilled and show a complete dedication to providing the highest quality care and education for all children. They are exceptional role models for the staff team, who emulate their commitment and passion.  The atmosphere within the pre-school is vibrant and dynamic. Children become deeply engaged in their play, excitedly exploring their ideas as they confidently navigate around the beautifully presented play areas.  Partnerships with parents are highly effective. Regular information sharing helps to ensure that parents are entirely involved in their children's learning. Parents are very complimentary about the pre-school and the progress their children make. Partnerships in place with other professionals are equally exceptionally strong.  Children behave impeccably. They play cooperatively, show respect for others and

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This provision is outstanding

display exceptional levels of self-control in many situations. They form wonderful friendships and show genuine care and concern for their peers.  Children who have special educational needs or disability are given superb support and make excellent progress. Intervention is sought at the earliest stage from external agencies and services. Advice received is threaded effectively into daily planning and ensures that children receive a consistent approach from all adults working with them.  The nursery managers demonstrate very high expectations of the staff team. They provide highly effective systems of support and performance management based on incisive and rigorous monitoring of staff practice. Professional development of the staff team is sharply focused and helps to maintain the exceptional quality of teaching.

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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

 review the implementation of the planned changes to the monitoring of children's progress and evaluate the impact of this on children's learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning, both inside and outside.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with one of the managers of the pre- school.  The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and held a meeting with the provider and managers of the pre-school.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation, evidence of the suitability of staff and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding issues and are extremely alert to any changes in children's welfare. Staff at all levels are well versed in the procedure to follow to report any concerns they may have about a child in their care. The pre-school managers demonstrate very high expectations of the staff team. A culture of evaluative practice is extremely well embedded within the pre-school. Staff routinely reflect upon their own practice and look at ways to further improve the pre-school as a whole. Incisive and targeted improvement plans help to drive continual improvement. Managers are currently working on extending the already detailed monitoring of children's progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff show that they have very high expectations of all children as they plan exciting and imaginative activities and experiences that provide endless challenge. Highly effective systems of observation and planning are implemented with outstanding results. Staff make accurate assessments of children's learning and plan according to children's interests and known next steps. Staff are extremely well qualified and highly effective in taking every opportunity to extend children's learning. Children delight in exploring the effects of light in the blackout tent. They experiment with different light-reflecting textures and gain a deep understanding of the world as they learn about how light rays work. Staff join in sensitively with children's play. They use their highly tuned knowledge and understanding of how children learn to decide when best to intervene with support or challenge. Children thoroughly enjoy play with construction bricks. Staff skilfully suggest things they could

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

build and effectively engage children's mathematical thinking as they estimate how big their constructions need to be.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children develop a strong sense of emotional well-being. They benefit from the extremely high ratio of staff, who are expertly deployed, provide close support and have an excellent understanding of their needs and interests. This helps children to feel safe and secure in the pre-school. Great emphasis is placed on providing children with an in-depth understanding of healthy lifestyles. They plant and harvest their own vegetables and learn about foods that are healthy and help them to grow. In addition, they learn about life cycles and the world around them, as they explore insects in the garden area and witness the caterpillars forming their cocoons.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children, including children who have special educational needs or disability, make excellent progress in their learning. They are self-confident and highly motivated. Children persevere, pay attention and become highly inquisitive and active learners. They learn tolerance and understanding for others and show excellent social awareness. Children practise their risk assessment skills with great success. They negotiate space and height as they manoeuvre across logs outdoors, demonstrating excellent critical thinking skills. Children are particularly well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY313952 Local authority Bromley Inspection number 1040068 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 - 4 Total number of places 68 Number of children on roll 135 Name of provider St James's Pre-school Limited Date of previous inspection 12 February 2010 Telephone number 0208 650 1144

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Setting details

St James's Pre-School is privately run and was registered in 2005. Morning sessions run from 9.05am until 12.20pm, Monday to Friday. Afternoon sessions run from 12.05pm to 3.20pm Monday to Thursday. There are no afternoon sessions on a Friday, however, children can stay for a lunch club that runs until 1.20pm. The pre-school operates during term time only. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. In total, 18 staff work with children, 16 of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. The managers hold 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

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

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