St Augustine's Pre-School

St Augustine's Pre-School St. Augustines Church Hall, St. Augustines Road, Belvedere, Kent, DA17 5HH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26 April 2018 13 July 2015

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Managers do not monitor staff performance as effectively as possible to identify where individual staff need targeted support to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good level.  Some staff do not make good use of observations and assessments to accurately identify children’s next steps in their learning. They do not consistently plan activities that fully reflect children’s abilities and interests.  The environment indoors is overwhelming and cluttered. It does not fully support children to become engaged in what they choose to do.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are very sociable. They have formed close friendship groups. They play cooperatively together and have lots of fun.  Parents speak highly of the pre-school. They say ‘it is our home’ and ‘the staff are fantastic, highly recommend the pre-school.  The manager links extremely well with other childcare providers and teaching staff to help ensure children have a smooth transition when they go to school.  Staff are respectful and courteous towards each other and children. They are good role models.

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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 current arrangements for staff supervision to target support for individual staff to address inconsistencies in practice  extend the use of observations and assessment information to help plan children's next steps in their learning  review and improve the organisation of space indoors to meet the needs of children more effectively.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises with the manager.  The inspector tracked two children and discussed their progress with their key person.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and spoke with her and staff at convenient times.  The inspector spoke to and observed children during their play, indoors and outdoors.  The inspector viewed documentation, including staff suitability, administering medication, accident and incidents, staff qualifications and appropriate first-aid certificates.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The manager recognises she has not kept up to date with the supervision of all staff to identify strengths and any weaknesses in their practice and to allow them to share any concerns they may have. The manager and staff understand their roles and responsibilities to protect children and to keep them safe. They know what they need to do if they are concerned about a child's safety, or if an allegation is made against them. Safeguarding is effective. The manager regular seeks the views of parents to help identify areas for improvement. Following parents' consultation, the manager has most recently changed the time children start to reflect the new timetable at the local school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

On occasion, some staff do not identify children's next steps in learning, to help them make the good progress of which they are capable. Overall, staff interact well with children, asking questions, speculating and explaining to extend their learning. For example, children excitedly find a snail outdoors. Staff ask, 'What do snails eat?' and 'Where do you think the snail is going?' Children enthusiastically pick grass and offer it to the snail. Staff use letter sounds to support children's early literacy skills. For example, they help children to correctly sound out the letter of their name and practise repeating sounds. Staff support children's mathematical ideas. For example, staff help children to recognise different shapes and colours as they colour pictures designed from two- dimensional shapes.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

The environment indoors is cluttered with an overwhelming variety of resources and equipment. This does not fully support the individual needs of all the children who attend the pre-school, particularly those children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. A well-established key-person system helps children form secure attachments. Children's good behaviour shows they feel safe and emotionally secure. During circle time, staff reinforce pre-school rules. Staff are consistent with their approach to promoting good behaviour.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Overall, children make typical progress from when they first start, although this is not always as coordinated or rapid as possible. Children enjoy playing in the fresh air and taking physical exercise. They have fun as they balance over crates and climb the wooden climbing frame with increasing ability. Younger children attempt to pour drinks. They begin potty training, supported well by the close partnership working with parents.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 115369 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 1126660 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 3 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person St Augustine's Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 13 July 2015 Telephone number 0208 312 0616

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reference number

St Augustine's Pre-School registered in 1992. The pre-school operates from Belvedere, in the London Borough of Bexley. It is open from 9am to 12.15pm on Monday to Friday, term time only. There are six members of staff, five of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to level 3 and level 4. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged 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

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

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