Menston Infant School

Twyford Pre-School Yalding Village Hall, Lyngs Close, Yalding, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6JT

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Inspection date 5 February 2019 Previous inspection date 9 February 2016

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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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This provision is good

n The well-qualified manager is dedicated to providing a good learning environment for children. She is a committed and ambitious leader who has high expectations of her staff team. n Children demonstrate good levels of independence. For example, they take themselves to the toilet and put on their own coats to go in the garden. They choose what they would like to do from the good range of activities available inside and outdoors. n Children develop their early reading and writing skills well. For example, they find their own name cards on arrival and make patterns with chalk and paintbrushes on the blackboard. n Parents are closely involved with the pre-school. For example, they accompany their children on outings and join in activities such as the 'teddy bears picnic'. They speak highly of the manager and her team, and comment that staff are always friendly and approachable. n Staff promote children's hand control and physical skills through a variety of activities.

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This provision is good

For instance, children confidently use scissors and apply stickers when making Chinese lanterns. n Partnerships with other settings that children attend are not fully developed to ensure a consistent approach to children's learning experiences. n Staff do not always identify children's starting points in a timely way on entry to the pre-school. They are not consistently clear about what children already know and can do in order to extend learning from the outset.

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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 partnerships and information sharing with other settings that children attend in order to support consistency of care and learning n collect information from parents in a more timely way about what children already know and can do when they start at the setting.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and held discussions with the management team. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during indoor and outdoor activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with parents and took account of their views. n The inspector viewed a sample of documents, including children's records, staff suitability checks and some policies and procedures.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The manager evaluates the provision effectively. She includes the views of parents and children to help set realistic targets for improvements. The dedicated manager monitors staff performance well, such as through regular supervision and meetings. She carefully checks the progress that children make. This ensures any emerging concerns are quickly identified. The manager works closely with external agencies to ensure children receive the support they need. The manager supports staff to attend training to update their knowledge and further enhance their already good teaching skills. Safeguarding is effective. Staff know the possible signs of abuse and neglect, and know who to contact should they have concerns about children's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan a good range of activities that interest children and keep them motivated to learn. For example, children thoroughly enjoy exploring green spaghetti in the outdoor kitchen. Staff successfully adapt activities to suit children's age and stage of development. For example, children of all ages develop their imagination and physical skills with junk modelling. Staff observe children at play and make accurate assessments of their development. They effectively identify next steps in learning to help children make good progress. Staff listen carefully to children and praise their contributions so that children feel valued. This helps positively promote children's self-esteem. Staff help children to learn about people and communities in the wider world. For example, children celebrate festivals, taste foods and listen to music from other countries.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff provide a calm, warm and welcoming environment for children and families. Children form strong bonds with staff, who know them well and are sensitive to their needs. The strong key-person system ensures children feel safe and secure, and can ask for help when needed. Children enjoy being together and share resources fairly. Children's personal, social and emotional development are promoted well. For example, staff support less confident children to join in activities with their peers. They encourage children to persist with more-difficult tasks to gain a secure sense of achievement. For example, younger children shout with delight as they manage to climb to the top of the steps by themselves. Staff have consistently high expectations of children's behaviour and regularly remind them of the rules.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are well mannered and polite. They are happy and enjoy spending time together at pre-school. They learn to respect each other and the environment. For example, children help to sweep the floor and tidy away toys at the end of a session. Children express themselves through a range of activities. For example, they enthusiastically sing, dance and play musical instruments to popular nursery rhymes. Children reach good levels of development appropriate for their age and some exceed these. They gain the skills they need for their next stage in learning, including the move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127736 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10063878 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Twyford Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 February 2016 Telephone number 01622814024 / 07970981794

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reference number

Twyford Pre-School registered in 1960 and operates from the village hall in Yalding, Kent. The provision operates on Mondays from 9.15am to 12.15pm and on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9.15am to 2.45pm, during term times. There is a breakfast club from 8.15am for those children attending the setting. The provision employs six staff. Of these, five have childcare qualifications, including one at level 6, two at level 3 and two at level 2. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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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reference number

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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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