Highfield Road Pre-School

Highfield Road Pre-School Highfield Road, Spring Vale North, Dartford, Kent, DA1 2JY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 September 2017 28 March 2017

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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 provider and staff have made significant improvements since the last inspection. They have worked closely with the local early years support team to improve their practice. These changes have has a positive impact on staff knowledge and confidence, and on the outcomes for children.  Staff welcome partnership working with the local community and outside agencies. For example, they invite early years professionals in to provide continuity in support for children who have special educational needs.  Children form very warm relationships with staff and this helps support their emotional needs well. For example, children less confident or with additional needs look to familiar staff for guidance and reassurance and receive this.  Children behave very well. They receive lots of praise from staff which encourages them to behave well and be polite. They respond well to this positivity and are eager to

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasions, staff help children with simple tasks that they could learn to carry out for themselves.  Staff do not consistently make a wide range of reference materials available to further support children's emerging writing and literacy 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

 make the most of opportunities to develop further children's independence skills  extend the range of materials available for children to reference during activities they are doing, to help further develop their emerging writing skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed teaching practices and the impact these have on children's learning.  The inspector held discussions with the provider and spoke with children and staff at relevant times during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint inspection with the manager and discussed the children's learning outcomes.  The inspector spoke to a few parents during the inspection and took account of their views.  The inspector sampled documentation, including children's records, assessments, staff information, policies and procedures, and the self-evaluation form.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a secure understanding of their responsibility to protect children and keep them safe. They know what to do if they have any concerns about a child. Suitable recruitment and vetting processes are implemented to help ensure children's welfare and well-being. The manager supports staff well and encourages them to attend courses and focus on professional development opportunities. For example, after training they are now aware of how to successfully narrow the achievement gap in children with speech and language needs. Self-evaluation is developing well and managers use feedback from parents, staff and children to help ensure they make necessary improvements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Overall, staff ensure that their teaching and learning programme provides a wide range of interesting and challenging experiences. They base these experiences on their assessments of children interests and skills. Staff obtain information effectively from parents about what their children know and can do when they start. They share their assessments of children's learning regularly with parents to help keep them well informed of their children's progress and encourage their support. For example, children can take a book home so they can read with their parents and build on their emerging literacy skills further. Staff engage children in meaningful conversations and ask questions to build on what they already know. This helps to further support their communication skills. Children use puzzles and construction to accurately assemble different-sized structures and build on their number and shape recognition.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children and their parents are greeted warmly by staff and are made to feel welcome. The established key-person system supports new children to settle in quickly. Staff work closely with parents to help ensure children's care needs are known and met. Children enjoy going outdoors and they extend their play choices, for example, as they bury dinosaurs in the sand or make soup in the mud kitchen. Staff use large physical equipment to encourage children to keep active. Healthy snacks also support children to follow a healthy lifestyle. Staff are good role models and children learn to share and take turns, and wait patiently, such as when they wait to use the dressing-up clothes they like best.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress in their learning given their starting points. They are gaining the skills they need in readiness for their future learning, such as school. Children enjoy learning together and develop good communication skills, such as listening to others. They instigate many activities and have good physical skills, using large and small equipment confidently.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127248 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1096838 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 38 Number of children on roll 14 Name of registered person Highfield Road Pre-School Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 28 March 2017 Telephone number 07754 149998

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reference number

Highfield Road Pre-School registered in 1985. It is located in Dartford, Kent. The pre- school opens on Monday and Thursday from 9.30am to midday, and on Tuesday and Wednesday from 9.30am to 3pm, during term time only. The pre-school provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are eight members of staff. Five staff hold relevant qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 3 and the manager has level 4.

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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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