The Ark Children Centre

The Ark Children Centre Evelyn Street, Deptford, London, SE8 5RB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 February 2018 Not applicable

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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

 Children make good progress with their learning and development. Staff know the children extremely well, and plan good-quality activities to support and progress their learning and development further.  Staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management. They take time to explain to the children the importance of sharing and taking turns. Children behave well.  Staff work well in partnership with parents. They gather their views and use these to help shape the service they provide. Recently staff have reinstated multicultural events. Also parents come in and join in activities with their children to learn about how they play and the foods they have. This helps to support good continuity of care and learning.  The provider evaluates staff practice well. She clearly identifies areas for improvement to help aid the quality of teaching. Recent staff training has helped them to identify children's attachment needs, supporting children's self-esteem and confidence well.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Tracking of groups of children is in its infancy. The provider has not fully identified all groups of children and areas to work on to narrow gaps in their learning.  Routines do not always support children's individual needs. Children are left waiting when they are moving between the inside and outside play areas. This reduces the time they have to play and learn as they wait for all children to be ready before they go outside to play.

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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 tracking systems to help narrow the achievement gaps between groups of children  review routines for all ages when moving from inside to outside play, to maximise the time spent playing and less time waiting.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children in the main play areas and garden.  The inspector spoke with the provider, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector sampled documents, including safeguarding policies and procedures and children's assessments.  The inspector took into account the views of the parents.  The inspector discussed with the provider how she monitors practice in the nursery.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The provider and staff have a clear understanding of the procedures to take if they have any concerns regarding the welfare of the children. The staff work closely with other professionals to support children's individual needs. They regularly attend meetings, sharing children's targets and progress, so they can all work together to support children's learning and development. This helps to provide good continuity of care and learning for the children. Staff work well with parents to identify swiftly when children require extra help and support, and this assists them to work together to provide these.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff work closely with the parents to identify children's starting points and stages of development. Staff effectively use these alongside children's interests to plan enjoyable activities to help to progress children's learning. Children of all ages are highly engrossed in exploring different textures as they enjoy malleable play. Younger children learn how to use spoons to fill up different sized containers. This helps to support their physical development. Older children use trains to make different marks in rice. Staff use effective questions to help the children to think about their answers, enhancing their language development. Staff make good use of pictorial cards to help children with special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities with their learning. They teach them words for different routines and show pictures, so children can anticipate what will happen next. This helps to support children and also helps staff to narrow gaps with their learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are very happy and settled. They have excellent bonds with the staff. Staff use these bonds effectively to help to support children's progress. For example, they are fully aware of how children learn and do not disrupt their learning to carry out activities such as nappy changing and snack times. Staff talk with the children and ask them if they wish to have snack. If children say no, staff allow children time to finish their task before they check again to see if the children are hungry. This helps the children to express their feelings and builds their confidence in sharing their views. Children develop good physical development and are skilled in getting themselves ready to play outside.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are highly confident learners. Younger children develop their physical skills well. They master using the slide and learn how to climb the steps up to the top. Older children learn how things work and why. They explore a fire engine learning how to move switches to make lights work. They also start to learn mathematical language, such as 'bigger than', 'more than' and 'smaller than', when exploring materials of different textures during their play. All ages of children develop good early reading skills. They self-register on arrival, learning to recognise their names in print. Children are gaining the necessary skills for their future learning and their subsequent move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY492926 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 1025248 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 27 Number of children on roll 18 Name of registered person The Ark Chidren Centre Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07828601937

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reference number

The Ark Children Centre registered in 2015. It operates from a converted hall in the London Borough of Lewisham. The nursery is open Monday to Friday all year round, except for one week at Christmas and three staff training days. Sessions are available from 7.30am to 12.30pm and 12.45pm to 6.15pm. Extended hours from 7am to 12.30pm and 12.45pm to 6.30pm are available upon request. The nursery also provides before- and after-school care for children aged five to eight years. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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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