Packington Childrens Centre @Bentham Court

Packington Childrens Centre @Bentham Court Bentham Under Fives Centre, New Bentham Court, London, N1 3AA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 February 2018 Not applicable

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Leaders demonstrate an uncompromising attitude to ongoing improvement. They are reflective and seek the views of others incredibly well to plan for continuous success and further enhance the already excellent outcomes for children.  Children are extremely confident and engaged in their play and learning. They show a natural curiosity to learn and increase their knowledge. Staff model language for children extremely well and help children develop their communication skills rapidly.  Leaders maintain an experienced and committed staff team. Staff have excellent opportunities for continued professional development. For example, staff have recently used training to make the play environment even more accessible to all children.  Staff make regular and precise assessments of what children know and can do, from when they first start at the setting. The children's key person plans thoughtful and interesting next steps for each child, to challenge and enrich their development.

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This provision is outstanding

 Children's needs are sensitively supported by warm and caring staff, with whom they form trusting relationships. Provision for children who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is excellent and staff take account of children's individuality remarkably well.  Staff skilfully balance opportunities for child-initiated exploration with adult-led tasks, and children investigate indoors and outdoors. For example, they enjoy mixing pasta and glitter in pots and pans outside, as they pretend to make food for their families.

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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

 strengthen the systems for comparing the progress made by various groups of children even more precisely, to ensure children continue to make excellent progress in preparation for school.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff's teaching practice and children's learning experiences, indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke to parents to gain their views and experiences of the setting.  The inspector spoke with children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection and held a meeting with the manager.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at a sample of children's learning records, staff's observations and planning, and a range of policies and documentation, including to check the suitability of staff and the setting's safeguarding procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Children receive an exceptional early education. Leaders have excellent relationships with other professionals and have an expert knowledge of how to provide continuity in children's care and learning. Partnerships with parents are highly effective. All staff take account of families' individual needs and offer a welcoming and friendly environment where parents feel valued. Leaders have a secure overview of children's individual progress and support staff to make accurate and thoughtful reflections on children's skills over time. They look closely at how well children for whom they receive additional funding progress. However, leaders have successfully identified the need to refine the process for tracking even further, to compare the progress made by all groups of children. Safeguarding is effective. All staff have a robust knowledge of their roles and responsibilities in child protection. Leaders ensure children's welfare is a central focus at

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

all times and this is embedded throughout the setting to keep children safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff are passionate and engage enthusiastically with children of different ages. They support them to develop their creativity and imaginations extremely well. For example, children have access to a wide variety of resources to extend their play. They excitedly invite others onto their pretend cardboard-box train, which is on its way to the 'seaside'. Staff think of highly inventive ways to support children's physical skills and children demonstrate an excellent ability to complete tasks that involve small-muscle coordination. For example, children use tweezers to pick up pasta or try using chopsticks to collect rice into bowls in the 'Chinese restaurant'. Staff foster children's love of books and early literacy skills remarkably well. For example, staff share familiar stories, which children are keen to join in with as they repeat phrases and talk about the characters.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff ensure the safe and well-organised environment promotes children independent discovery. Children are keen to take on jobs and tasks throughout the day. They benefit from an excellent variety of play equipment that reflects their diverse communities. For example, children learn about Chinese New Year, as they make vegetable spring rolls and explore role-play resources to extend this knowledge. Staff encourage children to be highly active, eat a broad range of healthy meals and learn about portion control. Children behave well and form very close friendships within the group. Staff help children to explore their emotions. Older children begin to show great care and concern for one another as they learn to talk about their feelings.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children make rapid progress in their learning. Where they do not, staff implement highly effective interventions to support them further. Children are highly confident and curious. They develop excellent early writing skills as they try out different tools to make marks or represent letters. Children talk fluently about their experiences and develop a rich understanding of the world. For example, they describe the giant snails which are classroom pets. Children gain a vast array of skills and are well prepared for the future.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY488672 Local authority Islington Inspection number 1024555 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person The London Borough of Islington

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0207 527 4008

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reference number

Packington Children's Centre at Bentham Court registered in 2015. The nursery is managed by Islington Borough Council and receives funding to provide free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery operates each weekday between 8am and 6pm, all year round. The nursery employs 14 members of staff, 13 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. There are three members of staff who hold early years professional status.

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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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