Thundersley Congregational Church

Thundersley Congregational Church Congregational Church, Kenneth Road, BENFLEET, Essex, SS7 3AL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 February 2017 4 November 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

 Partnerships with parents are successful in helping children to be emotionally secure when they first start. Staff make good use of the home diaries to share information about children's ongoing learning.  The manager has a good relationship with the church committee. The staff's use of the spacious environment enriches the teaching and the learning, particularly the large indoor hall, which is used for soft play and physical games.  There are strong links with staff at the local schools. Information about children's learning is passed on to their new teachers when they move on to the next stage in their learning.  The manager is clear about providing good quality care and learning for children. The quality of the teaching is consistently good and this results in children making good progress.  Children behave very well. They share take turns and cooperate with others. They are encouraged to be part of the 'Kindness Tree' and follow the 'Superheroes Rule Book.'

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always provide a broad range of experiences for children to find out about and develop their understanding of different communities, customs and faiths.  Older children are not always able to have more choice about what they want to play with outside.

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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

 provide children with a greater variety of opportunities to learn about different people and their communities beyond their everyday experiences  explore further ways to support children to be able to make more free choices about what they play with outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor play area and in the outdoor play space. She conducted a joint observation with the manager and discussed the practice.  The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and held a meeting with the provider of the pre-school.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and their written comments.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures to safeguard children's welfare. She checked evidence of the suitability of staff and the committee and discussed the self-evaluation process with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a good knowledge of the possible signs of abuse. They know what action to take if they have concerns about children's safety or welfare. Children play in a safe and secure environment indoors and outdoors. Supervision meetings are beneficial in supporting staff to reflect on their practice and identify training opportunities. Recent training has helped them to improve their knowledge of supporting children's communication and language skills, particularly for those children with English as an additional language. The manager reflects on practice and has improved on the areas that were recommended in the previous inspection. She gathers feedback from the church committee, staff, parents and children. This helps her to effectively review the environment and practice, in order to help improve experiences for children. Parents talk positively about the pre-school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff use observations and assessments well to help them identify where children may need extra support. Staff play alongside children and ask them a good range of questions, helping them to develop good problem-solving skills. They enable children to lead their play and develop their imagination. For example, children are challenged to make good use of their finger skills by using a screwdriver to build a model dinosaur or deftly use tweezers to find dinosaur bones buried in the sand. Older and more able children experiment with resources to develop their understanding of weight and measure. Staff encourage them to put toy bears into bowls on weighing scales. They watch carefully as it moves up and down, depending on how many they put in.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff provide a good range of healthy snacks and discuss with the children how to develop a better understanding of good eating habits. Mealtimes are social occasions where staff sit with children and talk about their family life and interests. This is one of the ways staff help children to develop their social skills in preparation for their move on to school. Opportunities for children to develop their independence are good. For example, they confidently pour out their drinks and initiate tidy-up time. Children enjoy daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise in the newly refurbished, well-equipped outdoor area. Children use spades to transport sand and soil into different containers. They ride bikes and trikes and negotiate pathways by avoiding different obstacles.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are motivated and enthusiastic to play outdoors. They thoroughly enjoy playing in the mud, making cakes and playing cooperatively with their friends. Older children make good progress in their literacy and speaking skills. They sing songs that help to remind them of the letters of the alphabet and how to count in order. Younger children are beginning to recognise the letters in their name and they choose the card with their name on when they arrive. The older and more able children can write their own names correctly and are learning letters and the sounds that they make.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY343931 Local authority Essex Inspection number 1064943 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person Thundersley congregational Church Trust

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 November 2013 Telephone number 01268754731

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reference number

Thundersley Congregational Church was registered in 2006. There are nine members of childcare staff, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications ranging from level 3 to level 6. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday during school term times. Sessions are from 8.45am until 11.45am and 12.30pm until 3.30pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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

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

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