Sutton Valence Pre-school Group

Sutton Valence Pre-school Group The Parish Rooms, Chart Road, Sutton Valence, Maidstone, Kent, ME17 3AW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 2 November 2017 20 March 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 is experienced and focused on improvements. Since the last inspection, there has been a focus on developing more challenging activities for two-year-old children.  Staff know the children well. They successfully help children progress well and consistently support them to ensure they reach their learning potential.  Children learn good mathematical skills. For example, staff routinely use mathematical language to support children's play and many children enjoy simple counting.  The key-person role supports children well. Children are confident and independent, and are offered many opportunities to explore their own play.  Children enjoy a good range of interesting and challenging activities to stimulate their learning. For example, they experiment with items for sorting indoors and outdoors.  Staff support all children to develop good language skills. For example, they introduce new words and bring creative language into many activities.

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This provision is good

 Behaviour management is consistent and staff always consider the development needs of children. Children treat each other well.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not consistently make good use of opportunities to help children understand about diversity in their community.  The manager does not frequently monitor staff assessments of children's progress, to ensure there is an up-to date and accurate awareness of children's 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

 extend children's current understanding of the differences and similarities between people in their local community  review and improve the frequency of monitoring staff assessments of children's progress, to ensure even greater accuracy.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff interactions with children.  The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector looked at written documentation, including evidence of the suitability of all those working at the pre-school.  The inspector spoke to children, parents and staff, and took their views into consideration.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager leads a motivated and well-qualified staff team. For example, staff identified a need to improve children's physical development and, following recent training, introduced regular yoga sessions to develop children's strength. Regular staff support and individual meetings help the manager to assess and develop staff practice. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a good understanding of how to identify any child protection issues. They know the action to take if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Overall, the manager monitors children's progress and action is taken to address gaps in children's learning. Staff have successful partnerships with parents, who report that they feel included in their child's learning and development. For example, they receive regular updates about their children's progress. The manager and staff work well together to evaluate their practice and identify areas to develop.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children are particularly well supported in their learning. Assessment and planning are based on children's interests and learning needs. Children are supported well by staff who have a good understanding of each child's stage of development and their planned next steps for learning. Staff successfully support children in their communication and language skills, providing age-appropriate support and guidance. For example, they use simple language when supporting younger children in their role play. Staff encourage thinking through creatively providing resources which create new learning opportunities through play. For example, they provide various objects of different shapes and sizes to encourage children to solve problems as they attempt to build with them. Children engage in challenging activities with enthusiasm, for example, time is spent trying to work out how to balance wooden discs on top of each other.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children confidently choose their own resources and activities. They have a good awareness of the high expectations that staff have about positive behaviour. Children independently manage their personal care needs and understand how to keep safe. Children develop independence skills, such as changing their shoes at the start of the day and taking themselves to the toilet. They have good social skills and enjoy chatting to one another during play, sharing their ideas. Children enjoy imaginary play, often involving staff in their scenarios as they explore real-life events, such as putting out pretend fires in the garden.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are making good progress in relation to their starting points. Children express a keen interest in the outdoors and the natural world as they explore the outdoor space and learn about various insects. They have a wide range of opportunities to practise their early mathematical skills. Children learn to recognise numbers. For example, they comment on numbers they see in the environment as they play. These skills help to prepare children for their future learning at school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127665 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1089373 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 30 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Sutton Valence Preschool Group Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 20 March 2015 Telephone number 01622 842388

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reference number

Sutton Valence Pre-school Group operates from Sutton Valence Parish Rooms in Sutton Valence, near Maidstone, Kent. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, during school term times only, from 9am until 3pm. The provider is in receipt of funding to provide free early education for three- and four-year-old children. There are eight members of staff and, of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications from level 2 to 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

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