St Thomas Children's Centre CIO

Inspection of St Thomas Children's Centre CIO St. Thomas Children Centre, Wyberton Low Road, BOSTON, Lincolnshire PE21 7RZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy and settled. They enter the provision excited to seek out their friends. Children are safe and secure and are quick to engage in activities. They show good independence and an ability to take care of their own needs. For example, they serve themselves food and drink with minimum support. Children enjoy the responsibility of looking after the pre-school guinea pigs. They handle and feed them and make sure they receive good care. Children behave well and show consideration towards others. Staff support children to manage their own feelings and emotions. They are consistent in encouraging friendly attitudes such as sharing and taking turns during activities.

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The provision is good

The environment is interesting and challenging. Staff know children well and have high expectations for their good progress. They plan an exciting range of learning opportunities to stimulate children's interests. For example, they use toy sacks to raise children's curiosity and intrigue. Children show delight and surprise as they make a 'lucky dip' into the sack. They take out a toy or an object and staff link this to singing nursery rhymes and songs. This supports children's language skills well.

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The provision is good

Managers and staff make regular improvements to the setting. They have added to the range of resources and natural materials to further develop children's play experiences. Indoors, this includes wooden building blocks and a workbench. Outdoors, there are new water play facilities and an extended construction area.

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need to do better?

n The committee, managers and leaders have a shared vision for ongoing improvements in the provision. This helps to establish good-quality care and learning. Children make good progress. Managers and staff make regular observations of what children know and can do well. They use this information to plan what children need to learn next. Staff prepare children well for school. They provide many opportunities to support children's early literacy and mathematical skills. n Staff are well qualified and work with enthusiasm as a team. They support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. Strong partnerships with outside agencies help to ensure children receive timely support. Precise and individual care plans cover all aspects of learning and development. n Children enjoy taking part in a variety of activities and experiences. They persevere with tasks and sustain their interest for extended periods of time.

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need to do better?

Children are curious and eager to explore. For example, they show an interest in emergency vehicles. Staff arranged for the fire brigade to visit. Children learned about the equipment used and the role of the firefighters. Outside, staff support

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need to do better?

26 September 2019 children to develop their physical skills. Children develop their confidence to play on the climbing frame, bikes and ride-on toys. n Children listen to instructions and pay attention. Staff praise them for their good behaviour as they sit well and show they are ready to learn. This prepares them well for their next steps and their eventual move on to school. However, on occasions, some groups are too large. This limits children from learning as much as possible from the session. n Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents are very happy with the service provided. They describe staff as friendly and approachable. Parents receive regular summaries of children's progress and achievements. Staff supply them with ideas on how they can support learning at home. This helps the continuity of learning. n Communication between staff and children is warm and expressive. Staff listen to what children have to say. They promote language skills well through stories,

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need to do better?

rhymes and activities. Children show great delight in music sessions. They bang their drums with enthusiasm and clap their hands to the rhythm of the music. Staff model new words and encourage children to describe what they are doing. They extend their sentences and introduce new vocabulary. However, sometimes, staff do not give children enough time to respond to the questions asked of them. n Managers raise the quality of teaching through strong supervision processes. This leads to regular feedback on observations of staff performance. Additional funding is used well to give children the extra support they need. Staff workloads are managed effectively. They have time away from children to prepare resources and complete learning records. Staff have good opportunities to attend courses. This helps to build on their existing skills and knowledge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are deployed well to help ensure that children are fully supervised at all times. They have a very clear understanding of the signs that lead to possible child abuse. Staff know what action they must take to keep children safe. They regularly update their training to support their safeguarding knowledge, which includes training around wider safeguarding concerns. This helps to promote children's safety and well-being. Regular checks of the environment are undertaken to help ensure that it is a safe place for children to play. Children are reminded of the importance of considering their own and each other's safety, especially when playing outdoors.

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should:

n review the organisation of large-group times to maximise learning opportunities

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should:

26 September 2019 for all children n give children more time and opportunity to think and answer questions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY545547 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10107604 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 to 11 Total number of places 132 Number of children on roll 132 Name of registered person St Thomas' Children's Centre CIO

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reference number

Telephone number 01205311227 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

St Thomas Children's Centre re-registered in 2017. It is based on the school site of St Thomas' CE Primary School, Boston, Lincolnshire. The provision employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, one holds level 5, one holds level 4, 10 hold level 3 and two hold level 2. The provision opens from Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The provision operates a breakfast club and after-school club for children who attend the school. It provides funded early education for two- three- and four year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed joint observations with the deputy manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and deputy manager. He looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the provision. The inspector also discussed how the setting uses self-evaluation to drive improvement. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

26 September 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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