Katherine Wheel Pre-School

Katherine Wheel Pre- School St. Katherines School, St. Katherines Lane, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5EJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28 November 2016 5 December 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

 The well-qualified manager reflects very well on the strengths and weaknesses of the setting. She has a very positive attitude to providing good outcomes for children.  Staff provide children with a good range of quality resources with which to play. Children are engaged, motivated and follow their own interests. They make good progress in their learning in relation to their starting points.  Children develop very good mathematical skills. For example, staff teach them to use the scales to weigh materials and to count independently. Staff introduce new words to help children describe different weights and positions.  Children build positive relationships with staff and each other. For example, an effective key-person approach helps children to settle and gain confidence in the environment.  Children gain a good understanding of keeping healthy. For example, they follow good hygiene procedures and eat nutritious snacks.

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This provision is good

 The manager and staff monitor children's progress effectively to help identify and plan for the next steps in their learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The manager has not fully built on her existing procedures to monitor staff performance to help her precisely identify areas for staff development.  Staff have not fully considered how to involve parents in all aspects of their children's learning.

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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 the existing monitoring of staff practice to precisely tailor the support given to them to help raise the quality of teaching to a higher level  build on the existing good relationships with parents to involve them further in their children's learning at home and at pre-school.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff and children interacting together indoors and outdoors.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to parents to gain their feedback.  The inspector looked at a sample of paperwork including staff qualifications and evidence of suitability.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager has made many improvements since the last inspection. For example, she has provided more resources to support children's early writing skills, which was a previous recommendation, and has improved the tracking of children's progress to help staff plan for any gaps in learning. Staff have links with local schools, which help them to share information about children's achievements. Children see their new uniforms and visit the schools, which helps to prepare them for the move. The manager places a high priority on children's emotional development. For example, she meets weekly with staff to discuss children's well-being and progress. Safeguarding is effective. All staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding matters and understand their duty to protect children. They know the process to follow if they have concerns about the welfare of children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff interact well with children to help support their learning. For example, they remain at the children's level during play and join in with games such as hide and seek. Children develop good language skills. For example, staff ask questions while they share books together and talk to them about their families and homes. Children join in enthusiastically with repeated refrains during singing time. Staff provide a wide range of opportunities to help children develop their physical skills. For example, they help children use tweezers and build models with a range of materials such as bricks and sand. Children enjoy being creative. Staff provide children with interesting resources, such as mops and paint, which children use to create pictures.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff are friendly, enthusiastic and help children to develop good levels of self-esteem. For example, they display children's paintings and artwork and offer them consistent praise using words such as 'fantastic' and 'amazing'. Staff recognise and are on hand to offer additional support to children who need extra help. Staff meet formally with parents. For example, they share information about children's progress and provide daily feedback to parents about what children have enjoyed. Children learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, staff remind them how to use the chairs correctly and practise the evacuation procedure with them.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children actively engage with staff and each other, and develop a good range of important skills. For example, they share, take turns and help to tidy up and carry in the shopping delivery. Children are independent and are well prepared for their next stage in learning. For example, they pour their drinks and learn to recognise their names. Children confidently use technology such as the computer.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127287 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1061321 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 24 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person Katherine Wheel Pre-School

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 5 December 2013 Telephone number 01634 2401 40

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reference number

Katherine Wheel Pre-School registered in 1997. It is situated within the grounds of St. Katherine's School in Snodland, Kent. It is open for five days a week during school term time from 9am to 3pm, with the exception of Friday when it closes at 11.30am. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years old. There are seven members of staff including the manager. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications. The manager holds a degree in early 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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