Star Kids Children's Nursery

Star Kids Day Nursery and Pre-School 31 - 33 Hythe Street, Dartford DA1 1BE

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Inspection date 3 October 2018 Previous inspection date 27 April 2018

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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 newly appointed manager is an effective leader with high aspirations. She has implemented well-targeted improvements that have led to staff feeling like part of a family and greatly improved outcomes for children. n Children develop strong bonds with the warm and caring staff team and they know who to seek guidance and reassurance from, knowing that this will be given willingly. n Since the last inspection the staff team have undertaken intensive training, which has increased their knowledge and skills enabling them to deliver better learning opportunities for children. n Staff have a good awareness of child protection procedures including the wider aspects of safeguarding, such as government guidance and legislation. n Children are constantly engaged in their play and learning and staff clearly know each child's individual needs, helping them to move on to their next stage in development.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

n Staff do not always have time to revise and refine their planning to make sure the activities are fully effective in extending learning to the highest levels. n The provider and manager have not yet explored different ways to further include parents in the nursery to enhance their involvement and to enable staff to share their reasoning and meaning behind the activities their children take part in. n Occasionally, staff complete tasks, such as nappy changing or snack time in line with nursery routines, which sometimes disrupts babies and children from their activity rather than allowing their play to come to a natural end.

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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 continue to embed the systems for planning to allow staff time to refine the activities to enable children to make even greater progress n enhance opportunities for parents to be more involved in the setting to enable them to gain further insight into the activities their children undertake and how these help children to make good developmental progress n make sure that children's play and learning is not disrupted by nursery routines.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector viewed written documentation and held discussions with the manager and staff regarding children's progress. n The inspector sampled the settings policies and discussed safeguarding procedures with leaders and staff. n The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector discussed the self-evaluation process with the manager. n The inspector spoke with parents and viewed parental questionnaires to gain their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff complete daily risk assessments and the manager analyses accident and incident records. This helps to ensure that children play in safe surroundings. The staff team have been receiving support from the Local Authority and have worked tirelessly to evaluate and identify key areas for improvement. For example, they have resourced training for staff to improve their awareness of how to precisely identify children's current levels of development and undertake required progress checks. Partnerships with parents are good and they comment that 'my children are very happy at Star Kids' and my child 'adjusted very quickly and is extremely happy at nursery'. The manager seeks the views of parents and children and takes action to address their feedback, for example, they have improved parents access to nursery policies.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff complete regular observations of children during their play and record 'WOW' moments as part of each child's learning journal. They engage children successfully, for example, babies watch in wonder as staff spin the shiny discs on the hanging mobile and young children learn to count as staff help them to assess how many play dough balls they have made. Staff encourage young children's sensory development successfully. For instance, they explore how it feels to touch and pour runny jelly from one cup to another and learn the skills they need to use tools to manipulate play dough. Staff readily sing to babies helping to extend their enjoyment. For example, while babies attempt to fit the parts of an animals jigsaw, staff break into chorus' of Old MacDonald. Staff support children's early literacy skills well. They sit together and enjoy stories that staff know are their favourites and will capture their current interests.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff canvas children's views through recording what they like and their wishes for further resources. Management value these opinions, for instance, by providing further play food in the home corner. Children have healthy meals and snacks prepared on-site and readily access their clearly labelled water flasks throughout the day. Staff support children's emotional well-being successfully, such as when planning the move on to the next age group room. They assess children on an individual basis as to when they are ready and children show their eagerness calling to their friends to let them know they are visiting. Children have regular opportunities to strengthen their physical skills, such as while in the garden or as they negotiate the large play equipment indoors.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make at least typical progress from their starting points and some make better progress in certain areas of learning. For example, even young children learn to recognise the letters of the alphabet and numbers. Children take the lead and follow their chosen play. They take great care in doing the washing up in the home corner and confidently ask staff for more things to wash. Young children receive effective support to manage their own personal needs, such as removing their coats and shoes when they return from playing in the garden. Babies learn empathy and how to care for others, for example, they cradle and feed dolls bottles of milk and make a sucking noise.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY481842 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10069323 Type of provision Full 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 0 - 4 Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 17 Name of registered person Star Kids Club Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 27 April 2018 Telephone number 01322293920 or 07960654380

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reference number

Star Kids Day Nursery and Pre-school registered in 2014 and is located in Dartford, Kent. The setting employs 10 members of staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm and they also offer extended hours if required.

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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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