White Road Preschool

White Road Preschool Community Centre, White Road, Keyes Avenue, Chatham, Kent, ME4 5UN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 May 2018 15 May 2015

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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 Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 The manager is very passionate about and committed to her role. She leads by example and effectively supports a well-qualified and enthusiastic staff team. Staff work well together to reinforce the manager's high expectations for the pre-school.  Staff develop exceptionally strong bonds with children from the start. They are highly skilled at recognising when individual children and their families may need support. Staff are sensitive and caring and children are happy and settled in the pre-school. Parents comment on the 'fabulous' staff team.  Staff are good teachers. They know how children learn and they tailor their interactions to meet children's individual needs and abilities. Staff effectively recognise children's interests and consistently support them to further their ideas and imaginations. This helps children progress towards being ready for school.  Children have endless opportunities to explore the rich environment. Staff provide an

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This provision is good

abundance of motivating and stimulating resources. Children are curious learners who freely explore a well-considered mix of natural resources and purchased equipment.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Some staff do not consistently complete high-quality observations of children as they play to help them sharply focus planning on children's next stages in learning.  Staff do not consistently make the best use of their initial partnerships with parents to gather a wide range of information about children to help inform initial planning.

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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 quality of observations so that staff gain the most precise picture of children's abilities  extend partnerships with parents to gain more in-depth information about what children know and can do when they first start.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the manager at different times throughout the inspection, to discuss practice and to invite her to complete a joint observation.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including the setting's policies and staff records.  The inspector observed interactions between the staff and children during a play session and planned activities.  The inspector gathered the views of parents and children, and considered these.  The inspector viewed a range of developmental records and spoke with key staff about children's progression.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager monitors staff practice well. She effectively supports staff to reflect on their skills and consider how these could be further developed. Staff attend training opportunities which help them enhance their knowledge and skills and make changes to practice. For example, through safeguarding training staff have developed a stronger understanding of current government legislation and safeguarding issues and requirements. Safeguarding is effective. The manager is dedicated to supporting families and ensures that staff recognise their responsibility to keep children safe and protect their welfare. Staff know the children well and are confident in recognising and recording concerns, such as any changes to their behaviour or well-being. The manager works well with staff, parents and children to reflect on pre-school practice and make changes to enhance the provision further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager oversees the monitoring of children's learning, individually and within specific groups. Staff work closely with the manager to recognise any gaps in children's learning and they use this information to provide meaningful and exciting learning experiences. For example, children use their senses as they explore and experiment with tea making. Staff use simple questions to encourage children to describe the smell of the different teas and the taste of the fruit. Children develop their physical skills as they use a pestle and mortar to grind the tea leaves, and use kettles to pour their tea creations into cups.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff are excellent role models and children are consistently listened to and respected. Staff have developed a culture of cooperation and understanding, and children are respectful of those around them and behave extremely well. For example, they gather toys to share with their friends. Without being reminded, they thank each other for sharing them. Staff maintain an exceptionally safe environment and they are highly skilled at offering advice and using simple questions to help children to consider how to manage their own health and safety. For example, children talk about needing a staff member 'nearby' to help them climb a small wooden ladder. They learn to be extremely independent and consider how to take care of themselves. For example, children take time to look at their shoes before they put them on their feet. They say 'yes' to themselves as they find the correct shoe for each foot.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress from their starting points. They develop and practise skills which help them to achieve their individual targets and support their progression to the next stages in their learning. For example, children start to use trial and error as they turn and match wooden puzzle pieces to fit on a board. Other children use well-developed mathematical skills to consider which of the different sized balls will fit through a cardboard tube. They talk about how the larger ball is 'too big'.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 103867 Local authority Medway Towns Inspection number 1088945 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 2 - 4 Total number of places 39 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person White Road Playgroup

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 May 2015 Telephone number 01634 401 961

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reference number

White Road Preschool registered in 1993. It is open each weekday from 9am to 3.30pm, term time only. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school employs nine members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 2 or above.

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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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