The Dormston School

Swallow Risers Playgroup and Out Of School Club Maudene School, Swallow Rise, Chatham, Kent ME5 7QB

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Inspection date 25 January 2019 Previous inspection date 4 June 2018

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 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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This provision is good

n Staff establish positive relationships with children. This helps children settle quickly, happily and confidently into their play and supports them to make good progress. n All staff establish good partnerships with parents and keep them fully involved and informed in their children's learning. For example, they share activity ideas and encourage them to add to their children's learning records regularly. n The manager closely monitors the consistency of care and teaching opportunities that staff provide children. For instance, she observes them daily and provides them with helpful advice and targets to meet, to support their future performance. n Children have good opportunities to be creative. For example, they explore making patterns in interesting ways, such as using forks and bubbles in paint. n All children have good opportunities to challenge their physical skills. They negotiate a good range of equipment, such as climbing walls and firefighter poles.

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This provision is good

n There are good opportunities for children to develop their writing skills to support their future learning. For instance, they write their name and simple words with confidence. n Staff do not consistently encourage children to be independent and complete their own tasks, to extend their skills to support their future learning further. n Staff miss some opportunities to strengthen their partnerships with other early years professionals even further.

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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 review and improve children's opportunities to be independent and complete their own tasks more consistently n build on partnerships with staff at settings that children also attend to strengthen the consistency of their shared care and learning experiences even further.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the staff interacting with children and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor environments. n The inspector looked at written documentation, including evidence of the suitability of all those working at the setting. n The inspector spoke to the manager, children, parents and staff and considered their views n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The manager ensures that she follows good recruitment and induction procedures. This helps ensure that all staff are safe, suitable and fully understand their roles and responsibilities. The manager and staff effectively evaluate their practice together. For instance, they hold daily discussions to consider how well the day's events motivated children. They use their findings to support their future activity plans to help keep children interested to learn. All staff are keen to build on their knowledge and skills further. They attend regular beneficial training. For example, they have learned about the different ways to plan for children and accurately track and monitor their progress. This has enabled the staff to ensure that they complete all required checks to accurately identify any gaps in children's development. This includes the required progress check at age two. Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff have a good knowledge of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures to follow to help protect children's safety and welfare. This includes completing thorough risk assessments.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff closely monitor and track children's individual and specific group progress. This enables staff to promptly highlight any gaps in children's development and provide them with good support to help them catch up in their learning and quickly close any gaps. Staff support children to develop good communication skills. For example, they ask challenging questions and give them time to think and then respond. Staff help prepare children for their eventual move to school. Children recognise letters and simple words with confidence. Staff build on children's interests well. For instance, children who enjoy an insect hunt go on to make their own bug creations using clay. Children have good opportunities to gain good control of one handed equipment, they confidently use scissors to cut paper or magnetic rods to catch fish in fishing games.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are polite and behave well. Children develop a good understanding of the importance of healthy eating. For example, they are keen to harvest their own healthy produce for snack, such as spring onions, and they pick apples off their tree. Children gain a good understanding of other people's similarities and differences from around the world. For instance, they learn about cultural dress as they use materials to make saris.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress. Children gain good abilities to support their future learning. For example, children confidently recognise and order numbers up to 10. Children develop good social skills and build meaningful friendships. They help each other to complete tasks. Children explore the world and learn about life cycles. For example, they enjoy watching their caterpillars transform into butterflies before releasing them into the wild.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 103855 Local authority Medway Inspection number 10089411 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 57 Name of registered person Swallows Under 5's Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 June 2018 Telephone number 01634 671450

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reference number

Swallow Risers Playgroup and Out Of School Club is located in the school grounds. The setting is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3.30pm and offers a before and after school club for children over four years old, from 7.30am to 8.45am and 3.30pm to 6pm, during term time only. It receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting employs 10 members of staff. Of these, nine hold a relevant early years qualifications at level 2 and 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.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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