Poplar Pre-School (CIO)

Poplar Pre-School (CIO) Giddyhorn Lane Pavilion, Poplar Grove, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0DE

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 March 2018 Not applicable

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is good

 The manager and staff know how to identify signs and symptoms that might indicate that a child may be at risk of harm and the procedures to follow to help protect them.  Staff make good use of their qualifications and experience to support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work closely with parents and other early years professionals to provide a continuity of care and learning.  Children are inquisitive and actively involved in their learning. They have an abundance of stimulating and vibrant experiences to choose from which allows them to make very informed choices in their play.  Exceptionally secure settling-in procedures help children forge close attachments to all staff. Children are very confident and eager to interact with staff who effectively support their emotional well-being extremely well.  Staff support children's communication and language skills well. For instance, they

p.1

This provision is good

introduce new vocabulary and reinforce actions with words, such as talking about the 'squidgy' sound that mud makes as the children add more water.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 The manager does not critically evaluate the progress that groups of children make, to precisely target improvements to provide learning of the highest quality.  Staff do not constantly support younger children's mathematical understanding and language, in particular, the relationship between numbers and quantity.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 strengthen the monitoring process to effectively track the learning progress of individuals and different groups of children  review and improve the opportunities younger children have to develop a greater interest in and build on their early mathematical skills.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the pre-school with the manager.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector observed staff's interactions with children, indoors and outside and spoke to them at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector discussed the plans the manager has to develop the pre-school to improve outcomes for children and their families.  The inspector spoke to parents and read reference letters to gain their views on the service they receive.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager works closely with the pre-school trustees. They follow secure recruitment procedures to make sure staff are suitably checked before they work with children. The manager monitors staff practice and opportunities for their professional development are good. For instance, they have recently attended training on science and enjoyed making a volcano with the children. The manager effectively evaluates and reflects on the service they provide to improve outcomes for children and families. For instance, they added some classroom signs as a result of feedback from parents. Staff have formed positive partnerships with parents. For example, they share information with parents regularly about their children's progress. Staff hold stay-and-play sessions and more formal parent meetings to help support children's learning at home.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff make strong use of observations and assessments to identify children's interests, achievements and what they need to learn next. Children enjoy exploring using their senses, such as feeling the ice in the water and watching it melt. Staff provide children with a good range of resources to explore making marks. For instance, they use their fingers and tools to mix colours into the cornflour to explore patterns. Children enjoy dressing up as princesses and superheroes, as they engage in imaginative play. Staff encourage children to play cooperatively with friends, such as taking turns to post the ball into one of the coloured tubes and predicting where it will reappear.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children are extremely happy and demonstrate excellent manners and behaviour. Staff help children learn about having a healthy diet incredibly well. For instance, they are highly effective in engaging children in helping to prepare their nutritious snacks and meeting any specific health or dietary requirements. Children have excellent opportunities to exercise. For example, they have a wealth of opportunities to practise balancing and develop their spatial awareness in the highly impressive and constantly evolving outside play space. Staff offer children an abundance of opportunities to prepare for and learn about their local community. For example, staff show children photographs and talk to them about what will happen when they visit the church for their spring concert. They are also very enthusiastic about the highly anticipated visit from the chicks and lambs.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. They have a positive attitude towards learning. Children listen well and engage in activities, such as joining in with action songs in preparation for their Easter concert. They learn to value and respect the differences and similarities between themselves and other people. They acquire the key skills they need for the next stage in their learning and eventual move to school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY495735 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1033362 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 44 Number of children on roll 82 Name of registered person Poplar Pre-School (CIO)

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01622 763638

p.4

reference number

Poplar Pre-School (CIO) registered in 2015. It is located in Maidstone, Kent. The pre- school is open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm during term time only. The provider receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. They employ 20 members of staff, of whom 18 hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or above. This includes the manager who has early years professional status, one member of staff is a qualified teacher and one member of staff is qualified to level 6.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.5