Next Steps Preschool

Next Steps Preschool St Martins Church Hall, Church Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 9LW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 June 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 establish positive relationships with children and get to know them well. For example, they visit them at home and get to know them in their familiar surroundings. This helps children settle quickly, confidently and happily into their play.  All staff establish good relationships with parents and keep them informed. For instance, they regularly share information, such as healthy eating ideas.  The manager and staff closely monitor and track the progress of individual children and specific groups of children. This enables them to highlight any gaps in development quickly. Staff provide children with good support to help them catch up in their learning.  Children have good opportunities to develop their creative skills. They explore interesting ways to make patterns, such as using wet cotton wool in powder paint.  Staff effectively support children to prepare for their eventual move to school. Children

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This provision is good

develop good early reading skills. For example, they recognise letters and simple words.  Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills. For instance, all children explore climbing and balancing on equipment, such as rope ladders and tyres.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff miss some opportunities to extend children's respect and understanding for other people's similarities and differences from around the wider world.  The manager and staff do not make the most of opportunities to communicate with other early years settings children also attend to ensure a more consistent approach.

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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

 extend children's opportunities to gain further respect and understanding for other people's similarities and differences outside of their own communities and beliefs  strengthen the partnerships with other early years settings which children attend to build on the consistency of children's shared care and learning experiences even further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff interacting with the children.  The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector looked at written documentation, including a sample of policies and procedures, risk assessments and staff training records.  The inspector spoke to children, parents and staff and took their views into consideration.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager and staff effectively evaluate their practice together. For instance, they observe each other as they interact with children and provide each other with helpful advice to support their future practice. This helps staff keep children interested to learn. The manager closely monitors the quality of care and teaching that staff provide for children. For example, she holds one-to-one discussions to review their performance and highlight any training needs. Staff attend a good range of beneficial training to build on their skills and knowledge further. For instance, they have learned about the different ways younger children play and learn. This has had a positive impact on children's learning outcomes. Staff use additional funding effectively to meet children's individual learning needs. For example, they have purchased additional resources to support children to develop their communication skills further. Safeguarding is effective. The manager and

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

staff have a good knowledge of the safeguarding procedures to follow to help protect children's safety and welfare. This includes knowing whom to contact to raise and follow up concerns. Staff carry out thorough risk assessments to ensure the learning environments remain safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff skilfully build on children's interests and ideas. For instance, children who are fascinated by a story about fairies go on to make their own magical fairy garden. They enjoy painting pebbles to make fairy homes. Staff bring children's imagination alive. Children have good opportunities to explore the natural world. For example, they learn about how things grow and plant interesting items, such as lemon balm and lavender. Children are confident to communicate their ideas. Staff support children's listening and speaking skills well. For instance, they respectfully reinforce the correct pronunciation of words.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff are positive role models and children are polite and behave well. Children have good opportunities to learn about the importance of healthy eating. For example, they are keen to harvest and prepare their own healthy snacks, such as carrots and lettuce. Children gain good social skills and build meaningful friendships. For instance, they are happy to share and take turns during team games.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, make good progress in relation to their starting points. Children develop good early mathematical skills. For example, younger children enjoy number songs and older children confidently count as they play. Children gain good early writing skills. For instance, younger children give meaning to marks they make as they paint. Older children independently write their name with confidence.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY500822 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1054111 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 73 Name of registered person Next Steps Preschool Of Elms Vale

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01304 226234

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reference number

Next Steps Preschool registered in 2016. It operates from St Martins Church hall in Dover, Kent. The pre-school is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8.30am until 3.30pm and Tuesday from 8.30am to 11.30am. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs 10 members of staff, nine of whom hold a relevant early years qualification at level 2 or above. This includes one member of staff who holds qualified teacher status.

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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

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

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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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