PCC St Stephen's - STEPS

PCC St Stephen's - STEPS 37 Waterloo Road, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2SW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 March 2017 13 January 2015

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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 manager and staff evaluate and review their practice effectively. For example, staff have designated areas of the pre-school environment that they keep fresh and exciting.  Staff establish positive relationships with other professionals. For instance, they hold regular meetings to discuss children's development. Children make good progress.  Children have many opportunities to practise their literacy skills, such as writing their names and making marks in a variety of ways, such as using clipboards to write lists.  Staff are positive role models. Children are polite and behave well. For example, they say please and thank you without prompts, and happily share resources.  Children develop good communication skills. For instance, staff ask challenging questions that encourage children to think and respond. Children are confident to share their thoughts and ideas, such as making up songs during group singing times.

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This provision is good

 There are good opportunities for children to explore and learn about the world around them. For example, they enjoy using binoculars to participate in bird watching.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff miss some opportunities to extend children's awareness of diversity, to help increase their knowledge of the wider world.  Staff do not make full use of opportunities to support children to manage daily tasks for themselves, to further strengthen their independent skills.

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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

 extend children's opportunities to develop their understanding of other peoples' similarities and differences in the wider world further  increase opportunities for children to develop their independence to enhance their skills even further, in preparation for school.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff's interactions with children.  The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector looked at written documentation, including a sample of policies and procedures, risk assessments and staff training records.  The inspector spoke to children, parents and staff, and considered their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager effectively monitors teaching practice. For example, she observes staff and holds daily discussions to offer ongoing support, including evaluating activities. She monitors staff's overall performance well and makes plans to drive improvement. This has had a positive impact on children's learning. The manager ensures that she keeps staff's knowledge and skills up to date, as well as building her own. For example, staff attend regular training on the different ways to teach early mathematics. Staff establish positive relationships with parents. For instance, they share children's achievements on a regular basis as well as resources, such as books. Staff build good links between home and the setting, and keep parents fully involved in their children's learning. Safeguarding is effective. All staff have a secure knowledge of the safeguarding procedures, and know who to contact to follow up any concerns to protect children's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff closely monitor children's progress. This enables them to promptly highlight any gaps in their development and provide individual support to children to close these effectively. Overall, staff support children to prepare for their transfer on to school well. For example, they talk to children about school and describe the changes they may experience. Staff build on children's interests well. For example, while children create pictures with pasta, staff encourage them to look at different types of pasta and then support them to make their own homemade pasta.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff know children and their individual personalities well. They establish secure and trusting relationships with them. This helps children settle quickly and develop their well- being, self-esteem and a good sense of belonging. Children develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. For example, they have many opportunities to be physically active as well as rest, such as partaking in quieter activities. Children have good opportunities to challenge their physical abilities. For example, they climb trees and explore different ways of moving as they negotiate obstacles, such as balancing beams.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children of all abilities make good progress in their learning in relation to their starting points. Overall, they learn the necessary skills to move on to the next stage in their learning. For instance, they develop good early mathematical skills, such as counting and doing simple sums. Children learn about complex ideas, for example, they enjoy exploring light and dark and creating shadows with torches.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 956291 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1085779 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 66 Name of registered person St. Stephens Tonbridge Parochial Church Council

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 13 January 2015 Telephone number 01732 363642

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reference number

PCC St Stephen's - STEPS registered in 1979. It is located in Tonbridge, Kent. The pre- school operates term time only. It is open Monday to Friday, from 8.45am until 3.45pm. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs nine members of staff, four of whom hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 and five hold relevant early years qualifications at level 3.

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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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