Saplings Extended day pre-school

Saplings Extended day pre-school Willow-Dene School, Swingate Lane, Plumstead, London, SE18 2JD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 November 2017 5 June 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 leadership team uses feedback from parents and outside agencies to help evaluate the service effectively. It uses the information it gains to tailor its service well to meet the needs of the children in its care.  Staff work closely with other professionals involved in children's care and development. Information about children's health and learning is shared effectively and their transfers to school are very well managed. This helps children to receive consistent care and teaching as they move forward in their learning.  Staff provide regular opportunities for children to exercise. Children enjoy taking part in active play and gain confidence as they practise their developing physical skills.  Staff receive effective support to enhance their knowledge and teaching practice. They skilfully meet the needs of children of varying abilities, and those who have special educational needs (SEN), with the involvement of parents and wider family members.

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This provision is good

 Leaders make good use of local resources to further enhance children's learning experiences. For example, children respond well to music sessions that they attend. This contributes to the good progress that all children make, given their starting points.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Leaders do not consistently monitor the progress made by different groups of children as well as they do for individual children.  Although children make good progress overall, staff do not provide regular opportunities for children to recognise or use languages that they hear at home.

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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

 review the way information about learning is monitored, so that the progress made by different groups of children is more clearly defined  extend the opportunities available for children to recognise and use the languages they speak at home as they play and learn.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed documents, including children's learning records, documentation for staff and policies.  The inspector jointly observed and discussed a children's activity with the deputy manager.  The inspector assessed the quality of interactions between staff and children, and the impact of these on children's learning.  The inspector considered the views of parents during the inspection visit.  Discussions were held with staff at appropriate times.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff are aware of the potential risks posed to children and know how to correctly report concerns, should the need arise. Leaders complete training updates to enhance their knowledge of child protection procedures. Staff monitor children's learning well to identify and address potential gaps in learning at an early stage, with the involvement of parents. They use their good knowledge of local referral processes to access support for children and their families. Staff develop and maintain good partnerships with local schools. They have effective systems in place to support children and parents to prepare for change. For example, staff help teachers to understand how older children learn best before they start school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff help children to solve problems, such as when they work out how to twist and arrange shapes to fit into holes. Staff encourage children to use their bodies in a range of ways. For example, they play alongside children in the soft-play room, as they wriggle through gaps and climb. Staff help children to link sounds to letters, which contributes to children's good literacy skills. Staff sit alongside children as they build using magnetic pieces and speak with them about the shapes and structures they make. They count pieces of fruit and ask children how many more are needed before they get to the required number. They help children to understand quantity and support their mathematical development well.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Key persons use the initial information they gather from parents effectively. For example, they discuss children's familiar routines and interests with them. As a result, staff plan activities that engage and motivate children from the start. This helps children to quickly settle and supports their good emotional well-being. Staff implement arrangements to manage children's health needs well and confidently provide effective support for children with a broad range of abilities. They plan activities that relate to children's personal experiences, such as providing opportunities for children to pretend to be patients or doctors in the role-play hospital. Staff support children to develop effective ways to communicate. For example, the use of visual signs and symbols helps children to understand different concepts and allows them to make choices.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop a strong understanding of the differences between others and themselves, and learn to respect and care for others. For example, they wrap each other in bandages and speak about looking after their friends. They learn how to make things work as they press buttons in order to squirt water in the sensory garden. They recognise and talk about the effect of exercise on their bodies after active play. Children of all abilities develop increasing social skills and independence as they get ready for their move to school. They are well prepared for their next stages in learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 401764 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 1091001 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 18 Name of registered person Saplings Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 5 June 2015 Telephone number 0208 317 7544

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reference number

Saplings Extended Day Pre-School registered in 2001. It is run by a management committee and operates within Willow Dene School premises, in the Plumstead area of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The group opens from 9am until 3.30pm on Monday to Friday, during term time. The setting receives funding for the provision of early years education for children aged two, three and four years. Four members of staff work with the children, two of whom hold qualifications at level 3, and two hold qualifications at level 2.

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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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