Springvale First School

St Aidans Nursery School St. Aidens Nursery School, The Christopher Centre, The Alma, Leander Drive, GRAVESEND, Kent DA12 4NG

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Inspection date 11 October 2018 Previous inspection date 5 May 2015

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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The provision is good

n The manager understands the benefits to children when she works in close partnership with other professionals. For example, she plans to work with the local school to introduce forest school and develop children's play in the natural environment. n Staff are skilful at extending children's learning as they play. For instance, they ask questions to promote children's thinking and problem-solving skills. Staff make suggestions to add challenge and interest. For example, they ask if two legs are enough, when children make an alien. Children make good progress from their starting points. n Staff build good relationships with children and their parents to ensure children's self- esteem and feelings of emotional security are promoted to a high level. For example, they help children confidently talk about the lives of people who are familiar to them. n Staff act as positive role models. They consistently treat children with respect and offer

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The provision is good

specific praise and encouragement to motivate them. Children behave well. n The manager consistently reflects on her practice. She regularly collects the views of staff, parents and children to help identify her strengths and weaknesses and help her continually improve.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

n Although staff identify the next steps in children's learning, they do not provide parents with the precise information required from the start, to support children's learning at home. n Children learning English as an additional language do not have access to a range of books, songs and nursery rhymes in their home language to help value their heritage.

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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

n strengthen the information provided to parents in support of children's next steps from the start to support their learning at home n develop the range of books, songs and rhymes further to support children learning English as an additional language and meet the needs of different groups of children.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed children's play and staff interactions indoors and outdoors and observed the quality of teaching. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation, evidence of staff suitability and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures to safeguard children's welfare. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff have a good knowledge of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. The manager works closely with the committee members to establish effective recruitment and induction procedures, to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Regular training and supervision has created a highly capable team, who clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. For example, specific training has been identified for staff to support children with additional needs. Parents are very happy with the care and education children receive, and they contribute actively to children's progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan a good range of stimulating and interesting activities based on accurate assessments of children's skills, knowledge and understanding. The quality of teaching is consistently good and, at times, outstanding. This impacts on children's ability to learn. Staff make good use of daily activities to promote children's mathematical skills. For example, they teach them to count, sort and match play-people. Staff promote children's communication and language well. For example, they encourage an enjoyment of stories, action rhymes and songs. Staff plan for different people to visit the nursery to build on children's learning. For instance, they show animals and put on a puppet show.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The manager gathers essential information from parents when they first attend to help children settle. Children learn to be fully independent in their self-care. For example, they manage their own personal hygiene routines and carry out simple tasks, such as pouring their own drinks at snack time. Staff actively listen to children and involve them in decisions that affect them. For instance, children decide on some appropriate boundaries for their own behaviour. Staff teach children about different cultures. For example, they learn about the Chinese Moon Festival. Children enjoy being active and play outside every day. Staff help develop children's physical skills well. For example, they teach them how to hit a ball with a tennis racket. Risk assessment is effective. Staff teach children during creative activities how to keep themselves safe, such as how to hold scissors correctly.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children grow in independence. They make confident choices and decisions, such as what to play with. Children are naturally creative. For example, they design faces, pets and aliens made from a ball of dough and a range of natural materials. Children expertly use a tablet to keep a record of their good work. They make good use of the strategies taught by staff to count the number of flowers in a book, such as pointing to each one in turn. Children become absorbed in activities and concentrate well. They learn the skills they need for the next stage in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127570 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10070436 Type of provision Sessional day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 51 Name of registered person St Aidans Nursery School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 5 May 2015 Telephone number 07715 337816

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reference number

St Aidans Nursery School registered in 1992. It operates from The Christopher Centre in Gravesend, Kent. St Aidens Nursery School is one of two nurseries run by the same provider. The nursery is open each weekday, from 9am to midday, for 38 weeks of the year. The manager and eight members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery provides funded 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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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