St Joseph's Pre-school Playgroup

St Joseph's Pre-school Playgroup The Old School Building, Scratton Road, STANFORD-LE-HOPE, Essex SS17 0PA

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Inspection date 9 May 2019 Previous inspection date 27 November 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 Outstanding 1 Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision is good

n Staff place a highly significant focus on supporting children's good health and well- being. They create a wonderfully calm and enriching environment for children. Children are sensitively supported to understand their feelings and emotions, and explore appropriate ways to express them. n Staff know the children and their families well. They regularly share information with parents about children's care and learning. Parents have many opportunities to be involved in their children's learning. Staff provide them with ideas of how they can support their children's learning at home. This contributes to the good progress children make. n Children play happily and form excellent relationships with staff. They respond very well to the daily routines of the pre-school. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and give clear reminders of the rules and boundaries. Staff show genuine warmth and care in their interactions with children.

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This provision is good

n Staff use regular forest school sessions well to help enhance and extend children's understanding of the natural world. Children delight in making stars out of twigs and branches. They take part in exciting activities that allow them to roll down hills and enjoy getting wet and muddy. n Children choose to spend a lot of time outdoors. The outdoor learning environment at the pre-school has been imaginatively developed. It includes activities and experiences for all areas of learning, to support children who learn best outside. n The pre-school is well established within the community, with many parents returning with younger siblings. Some of the staff, including the manager, have worked at the pre-school for several years. This helps to provide stability for parents and children. n Systems to monitor the quality of teaching and evaluate staff practice do not focus sufficiently on raising the quality of teaching to the highest levels.

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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 build on the current arrangements for the performance management of staff so that it focuses more specifically on raising the quality of teaching to the highest possible levels.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the pre-school manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the pre-school manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The manager and staff work very well together, which helps to provide a welcoming and happy atmosphere within the pre-school. Together, they provide very good care and learning opportunities for children. Additional funding is used well to help close gaps in children's development. Safeguarding is effective. All staff have a good understanding of how to manage any concerns they may have over the welfare of a child. Staff are vigilant at all times and supervise children very well, inside and outside. Effective risk assessments are completed to help ensure children are safe. The manager accurately evaluates the strengths of the pre-school. She welcomes the views of children, parents and the local authority to help her identify areas for development to continually improve the setting.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children settle well and happily engage in their play. They confidently move around the room, taking toys from the different areas to extend their play. Staff plan good opportunities for children to develop their creative skills. They have great fun responding to music as they use feathers to paint their pictures. Children happily take part in activities to support their early reading skills. For example, they listen to different rhythms and then copy them, such as tapping their knees, head and nose. They show a keen interest in books. They choose their favourite stories and join in with rhyming words, such as 'frog' and 'log'. Children learn about the natural world through activities that help them to understand about growth and change. For example, they know that trees need light to grow and find a suitable place to plant them.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children demonstrate that they are extremely confident and happy at the pre-school. Their emotional well-being is significantly enhanced through the nurturing and close relationships they have developed with staff. The exceptional settling-in procedures ensure that every child begins their pre-school life in a positive way. Staff act as excellent role models and are calm, patient and kind. They use daily routines and a variety of innovative play experiences, such as movement sessions and group time, to talk to children about the benefits of eating well and taking exercise. Children display a very strong sense of belonging as they play and explore with confidence and independence.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children of all abilities achieve well throughout their time at the pre-school. They are eager to join in activities and learn new skills. They confidently count objects, recognise numbers and use good mathematical language to describe shapes and sizes of objects. There are many opportunities for children to practise their drawing and early writing skills. They learn about sitting quietly and taking directions, for example, at small-group and story time. Older children write their names and link sounds to letters. All children have a lot of fun and take pleasure in their learning. They are developing the skills to be ready for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 204386 Local authority Thurrock Inspection number 10072131 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 26 Number of children on roll 26

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Name of registered person

St Joseph's Pre School Playgroup (Thurrock) Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 27 November 2015 Telephone number 07889 900510

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reference number

St. Joseph's Pre-School registered in 1998. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school opens on a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during school term time only. Sessions are from 8.50am until 3.30pm. The pre-school 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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