Strawberry Fields Pre- School

Strawberry Fields Pre- School The Anchorians Club, Darland Avenue, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3AN

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Inspection date 9 October 2018 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Not applicable 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 Children form strong emotional bonds with the staff from the start. They are happy and benefit from the consistent support staff give. Children thoroughly enjoy their company and are eager for them to join in their play. Children show confidence and high levels of self-esteem. Parents talk about the, 'Brilliant and attentive' staff team. n The ambitious, qualified manager works hard with her deputies to relay her expectations to all staff. Regular meetings and monitoring help the manager to recognise ways to motivate and support staff to increase their confidence and enhance their roles. They work well as a team to maintain the good quality of care and teaching. n Children progress well during their time at the pre-school. Staff provide a well- resourced and interesting environment that effectively supports children to learn through play. These exciting opportunities enable children to make choices, and think

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The provision is good

about and use their own ideas in their play. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff establish effective two-way communication that helps to support a positive shared approach to children's care and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

n At times, staff do not always make the most of opportunities to further encourage children to practise and extend their emerging speaking and language skills. n The sharing of information with other settings that children attend is not yet fully effective in promoting a consistent approach to children's care and learning experiences.

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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 focus more precisely on supporting children to develop their speech and language skills even further n strengthen information sharing with other settings that children attend to further support consistency in their care and learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children during play sessions and on a nature walk. n The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including the pre-school policies and staff records. n The inspector spoke to key people and viewed individual children's development records. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector gained feedback from parents and children, and considered their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager ensures staff are confident with their responsibilities to protect children from harm. Staff know the children and their families well, and they have a good understanding of their roles in keeping children safe. They know the procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child's welfare. The manager monitors staff practice. She supports them to reflect on their skills and consider how these could be further developed. They attend training opportunities, which help them keep their knowledge up to date and develop their skills and practice. The manager works effectively with the staff, parents and children to consider and evaluate aspects of the practice. She uses this information to help her review what is working well and implement relevant changes when required. For example, staff reflected on the impact a free flow snack was having on the time available for outside experiences. They

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

made immediate changes and introduced a group snack time. This has enabled children to spend more time playing and learning outside.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff record accurate observations of children's learning as they play. They work well with the deputy manager to monitor children's progress. They identify and address areas where extra support may be required. Overall, staff are good teachers. They recognise how and when to involve themselves in children's play. Staff use simple techniques, such as questioning effectively to encourage children to extend their understanding, and learn and practise new skills. For example, staff use well-considered questions to encourage children to think about the differences in the towers they have made with magnetic shapes. Using their developing mathematical understanding, children talk about the square shapes. They add shapes to some towers and start to recognise which tower is 'taller', 'biggest' and 'smaller'.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff maintain a safe and welcoming environment. Children enjoy their time at the pre- school. They behave well and develop good social skills. They are effectively supported to develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, staff talk to the children about simple rules before going on a nature walk. Children show a good understanding as they tell their friends, 'If the staff member blows the whistle, you have to come back'. Staff encourage children to be healthy by supporting them to eat nutritious snacks and involving them in planting and growing fruits, such as strawberries, which they eat at snack time.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are keen learners who practise the skills they need to support their future learning and move to school. For example, children develop early reading skills as they confidently recognise their names. They search for their name on a table to recognise where to leave their modelling creations, ready to take home. Children develop lifelong skills, such as managing aspects of personal care and independence. For example, from a young age, children learn to pour drinks and carry their dirty plates and cups to the washing up bowl.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY536077 Local authority Medway Inspection number 10076859 Type of provision Full day care Registers Early Years Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 27 Name of registered person Strawberry Fields Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07807815433

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reference number

Starwberry Field Pre-school registered in 2016 and is based in Gillingham, Kent. It is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am to midday on Fridays, during term time only. The pre-school employs eight staff. The manager and 6 other staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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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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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