Noah's Ark Community Preschool

Inspection of Noah's Ark Community Preschool St. Andrew's Church, 153 Colworth Road, London E11 1JD

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

The manager and staff provide children with a stimulating and well-thought-out learning environment, both indoors and outdoors. Staff gather detailed information about children's previous experiences to help them plan a rich and meaningful curriculum across all areas of learning. This motivates children well to play, explore and make new discoveries. For example, children enjoy using scoops and long containers to channel water to different places. Younger children explore confidently. They make up games with staff who throw collected leaves from bags into the air and watch them excitedly jump up and try and grab as many as they can. Overall, staff listen to children, introduce new words and help them to test out their ideas as they play. However, new staff do not always provide sufficient time for older children to think and work things out for themselves, to help them to further develop their problem-solving skills. Children feel safe and form close bonds

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The provision is good

with the friendly and nurturing staff. Staff have high expectations of children. They encourage all children to develop a 'can-do' attitude and persevere in their chosen tasks. Continuous praise and encouragement help children to have high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Children are happy and well behaved. Staff support children's health and welfare successfully.

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need to do better?

n Children benefit from varied visits in the local community and become exposed to opportunities that they may not otherwise experience. For instance, they visit a nearby Hindu temple where they make clay diva lamps and light candles to celebrate Diwali. This helps them gain an understanding of the wider world. n Staff assess what children can do and look for their next steps in learning. They provide a personalised learning and development experience for each child. This provides good opportunities for children to learn across the curriculum. n The manager monitors staff well and provides opportunities for them to continue their professional development to enhance the quality of their teaching. The management team regularly evaluates the quality of the provision and makes positive improvements. High priority is given to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In addition, the manager uses additional

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need to do better?

funding effectively to help those children that receive funding to progress well. All children make good progress towards their early learning goals. n Staff engage and motivate children to learn. Toddlers demonstrate good listening and attention and literacy skills. Children become thoroughly engaged in a storytelling session as staff skilfully capture their imagination when they use props and puppets that relate to the story. This helps to nurture an early love of books and reading. n The key-person system is very secure. Children have strong emotional attachments with all staff, not only their key person. This contributes to the

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need to do better?

11 November 2019 children feeling settled and secure. Children's behaviour is good, and staff help them to understand how to take turns and share with their friends, which supports children to become confident learners. n Staff attend specialised training and planning is particularly effective at supporting children with SEND. Staff work closely with other agencies and share detailed information with parents. Parents comment how delighted they are with the progress that their children are making. Partnerships with others agencies and parents are strong. n Staff use activities, such as daily routines, to help children adopt an understanding of healthy living. Children confidently explain to visitors that they need to reduce the spread of germs and wash their hands before eating. n Children have regular opportunities to exercise and be active. For instance, children learn new skills, such as climbing grass hills in the garden, and collect

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need to do better?

leaves and sticks in the local forest on nature walks. At the pre-school, staff invent physical games. For instance, they throw leaves into the air and encourage children to jump and catch as many as they can. n Overall, staff skilfully promote all children's communication and language skills. For example, staff introduce new vocabulary, concepts and ideas during activities, and they engage children well during imaginary play. For instance, when toddlers serve mud cakes to staff, they remind them to be careful before eating it, as it may be 'too hot'. However, some new staff prompt older children too quickly, providing answers to questions, and miss opportunities to challenge and extend children's learning and thinking skills further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff place a high priority on making sure that children feel safe and are cared for in a safe environment. Staff attend appropriate safeguarding training. Their knowledge of child protection is refreshed regularly in staff meetings. Staff know the signs and symptoms to look for and the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Managers conduct safer recruitment procedures and check that staff remain suitable in their roles.

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should:

n consider ways new staff recognise when children need more time to respond to questions, test out their ideas and work things out for themselves, to help them to further develop their problem-solving skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY471015 Local authority London Borough of Waltham Forest Inspection number 10102203 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 2 to 5 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 13 Name of registered person Noah's Ark Community Preschool Ltd.

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 558 1777 Date of previous inspection 22 March 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Noah's Ark Community Preschool registered in 2013. Hours of operation are between 8am and 1pm on Monday and Friday and 8am until 4pm on the remaining days. The pre-school is open during term time only. The pre-school employs five members of staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. One staff member holds qualified teacher status. The pre-school provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector walked with the manager through all areas of the pre-school and discussed how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of learning during an activity. n A meeting was held between the inspector and the manager. n The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at a sample of the relevant documents. She checked evidence of staff's qualifications and their suitability to work with children. n The inspector spoke to staff and children and observed activities indoors and outdoors.

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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

11 November 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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