Scallywags Pre-School

Scallywags Pre-School Northfleet Sports And Youth Centre, Hall Road, Gravesend, DA11 8AJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17 April 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

 Staff support children's emotional well-being effectively. They develop strong relationships with the children from the start. Children are happy and benefit from the consistent support staff give, to help them settle quickly and comfortably in their care. Parents talk about how 'lovely' and 'caring' the staff team is.  The focused management team has an ambitious director and dedicated senior staff. They establish and reinforce high expectations for the pre-school, which they effectively share with the enthusiastic staff team. The qualified and experienced staff work well together to consistently maintain the good standards of care they offer.  Staff identify children's achievements and track their development effectively. They work closely with the management team to close any gaps in children's learning, through tailored support and meaningful learning experiences. Children make good progress and develop the skills they need for their future learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, staff miss opportunities to support children to share toys, cooperate and play exceptionally well with others.  Staff do not organise group times consistently well, to ensure that all children taking part are fully engaged.

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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

 focus more precisely on ensuring children further enhance their sharing and cooperative play  organise group times more effectively, to help all children be fully involved.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of interactions and teaching, and assessed the impact this has on children's development.  The inspector spoke to key people and viewed individual children's development records.  The inspector carried out a joint observation and discussed the aims of a planned activity with the acting manager.  The inspector viewed a range of documentation, including staff records, monitoring information and pre-school development plans.  The inspector gained feedback from parents and children, and considered their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The management team ensures staff recognise the importance of providing a safe and secure environment for children and their families. Staff know the children well and are confident in recognising and recording any concerns. They work closely with other professionals, to help keep children safe and protected. The management team effectively monitors staff practice, and supports staff to reflect on their skills. Staff attend regular training opportunities, which help them implement positive changes to practice. For example, staff used the knowledge and ideas gained from training to provide children with more opportunities to practise their emerging mathematical skills. The director and manager welcome views from parents and children, and effectively use their close links with other settings to help review and make improvements to the pre-school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff are good teachers. They recognise children's interests well, and are skilled at using simple techniques to enhance children ideas and support their learning. For example, staff use simple questions to encourage children to talk about different insects, and consider where they could be living. Children show excitement as they locate different bugs and talk about how a spider creates its web. Staff skilfully encourage children to use their mathematical skills to discuss the size and colour of the bugs they find. Children show developing skills as they count the spider's legs and talk about the spider moving 'fast' or 'slow'. Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff work closely with parents to further support children's learning at home, and to identify targets to support children's progression. This helps to ensure a consistent approach.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff maintain a welcoming and stimulating environment. Children freely explore the resources available and enjoy being able to develop their own ideas in their play. Staff support them well to try new things and develop their independence skills. For example, snack times are social occasions, and children wash their hands and help themselves to plates. Children chat to each other as they confidently use their developing skills to peel and cut up bananas. Other children show independence as they use knives to spread butter onto the crackers. Overall, children behave well and staff support them effectively to understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Staff offer lots of praise and encouragement, and provide a good range of healthy and nutritious snacks.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress. They are keen learners who develop lifelong skills. For example, young children practise their developing communication skills, as they use simple words and signs to express if they are feeling happy or sad. Older children enjoy using their well-developed language skills in their play, as they make up stories. They use descriptive words to describe simple stories to staff, and show excitement and pride when staff read these stories to other children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY499530 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1045043 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Glynis Christopher Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01474537194

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reference number

Scallywags Pre-School registered in 2016. It operates from a youth centre in Northfleet, Kent. The pre-school is open during term time, on Monday to Friday from 9am to midday. The pre-school employs 10 members of staff. Of whom, all but one hold early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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