The Learning Tree Nursery School

The Learning Tree The Parish Rooms, Cranbrook Road, Maidstone, Kent, TN12 0AZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 November 2016 11 February 2013

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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

 Children learn to behave well. For example, staff support them to work together on projects and learn that their actions could hurt other children's feelings.  Staff are skilled at including mathematical learning and ideas throughout the day and children have good mathematical knowledge. For instance, staff talk to children about counting, shapes and numbers during activities and play.  Children are confident and self-assured. They thrive on using their independence, such as helping to prepare snacks. Children make good progress in their learning and development.  The qualified staff team has good opportunities to develop its skills and uses focused professional development plans. For example, staff have attended training on how to support two-year-old children and have developed appropriate play spaces to meet their needs more effectively.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Partnerships with other settings that children attend are not fully developed to support continuity of care and education.  Staff do not consistently give parents opportunities to understand how to further support their children's learning at home to help them make even better progress.

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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 further partnerships with other settings children attend to support continuity of care and education  continue to develop the support for parents to enable them to extend their children's learning at home to help children make the best possible progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and assessed the impact of this on children's learning.  The inspector spoke to parents and took their views into consideration.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the owner.  The inspector held a meeting with the owner and the deputy manager.  The inspector viewed written documentation such as policies and procedures and children's learning records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The leadership team monitors children's overall progress well and identifies gaps in their learning. It puts effective strategies in place to ensure that children catch up. Additional funding is used well to support good outcomes for all children. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a detailed knowledge of the areas that could affect vulnerable children and families. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about children's safety and welfare. The leadership team and staff reflect on their practice well to continually improve the nursery. For example, they have plans in place to ensure that they improve all aspects of children's experiences as they play and learn.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff regularly observe children's play and plan good experiences to support the next steps in their learning. Staff know children well and use their interests to make sure that activities are interesting and motivate children to learn. Staff provide good support to enable children to extend activities and continue to develop them over time. For instance, they build on ideas and help children develop their interest in a particular project over a number of weeks. Children experiment with creative activities and ideas. For example, they use a wide range of craft materials to decorate a cardboard box to make a house. Staff support children to explore with sound and they support their communication and language development well. For instance, children enjoy using microphones to experiment with noises and sing to each other.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children look forward to coming to nursery and quickly settle into activities. They particularly enjoy the well-resourced and interesting outside area. For example, they choose where they would like to play and enjoy the activities and opportunities to explore sand and mud. Staff support children well to manage their own personal hygiene. For instance, they help them to recognise when they need to wipe their nose and clean their hands afterwards. Children are encouraged to share their views with each other. Staff are careful to ensure that all children are included and involved in discussions.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children enjoy learning and gain the necessary skills they need to be ready to start school. For example, children learn about letters and sounds and older children tell staff that they have brought toys in for the letter of the week and sound it out. Children have good attitudes towards trying new things and build confidence in their own abilities. For instance, they follow positive role models and acknowledge their own achievements.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127693 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1061335 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 24 Number of children on roll 21 Name of registered person Anna Mary Reiss

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 11 February 2013 Telephone number 07754 948230

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reference number

The Learning Tree Nursery School registered in 2000 and is in Staplehurst, Kent. It is open from 9am to midday on Monday, Thursday and Friday and from 9am to 3pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. There are seven members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early qualifications to at least level 3. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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

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