Dingley Family & Specialist Early Years Centres (Reading Centre)

Inspection of Dingley Family & Specialist Early Years Centres (Reading Centre) Community Centre, Kennet Walk, READING RG1 3GD

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive in the warm and welcoming environment. They are eager to come into the centre, showing that they feel safe and secure. The committed manager shows a clear vision for the intent of the curriculum. She works effectively with staff, parents and other professionals. This ensures children receive the support they need, to enable them to progress. Staff have high expectations for every child and effectively analyse and identify children's learning needs. This enables them to provide an environment that focuses on helping children to develop skills across all areas of the curriculum. They place a significant focus on supporting children's communication and language skills. Children benefit from small-group activities to help boost their listening, and attention skills.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. Staff act as very good role models and frequently use positive language to help children understand expected behaviour. For instance, staff praise children for good listening and sitting. They are particularly supportive in helping children who struggle to control their feelings. For example, they use language, such as, 'I understand' and 'I know how you feel', alongside providing gentle physical comfort to help children calm and regulate their emotions.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff are committed to their roles and responsibilities. Staff receive good levels of support, to help them improve their knowledge and skills. For instance, through ongoing training and regular supervision meetings. All staff are qualified and use their experience and knowledge well to provide positive outcomes for children. n A well-established key-person system promotes children's emotional well-being and helps them to form secure attachments. When children first start attending the centre, staff meet with parents/carers to find out about children's unique characteristics and what they enjoy. n Staff have a good understanding of children's learning needs. They assess their progress accurately and know what they need to learn next. They plan activities to build on children's strengths to help them to progress further. Subsequently, all children make progress from their starting points.

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need to do better?

n Staff incorporate children's interests well into activities. For example, when children show an interest in shredded paper, staff extend this by introducing additional activities using flour. They sprinkle flour into a large tray, sing songs and encourage children to make marks and patterns. n Children have access to a range of high-quality resources that support their learning and development successfully. They make independent choices in their play as they explore and investigate. Throughout activities, staff provide a

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need to do better?

Centre) 21 November 2019 dialogue, repeat words and phrases and introduce new words appropriate to individual children's level of understanding. n Overall, staff interact well with children and children respond positively to them. However, on occasion, staff interrupt children's play and concentration by moving them on to an activity before they are ready. As a result, staff lose children's interest. n Children enjoy the time they spend outdoors. There are a good range of resources to support their physical skills, including climbing apparatus, swings and ride-on toys. Children with physical disabilities show great skill as they manoeuvre around obstacles with confidence. Staff gradually challenge their abilities, such as encouraging them to climb in and out of play cars independently and push a car tyre while holding on to a walking frame with one hand. n Although staff ensure that children wear coats for outdoor play, they do not

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need to do better?

regularly check that they are warm enough. For example, during the inspection, some children with limited language had cold hands and were not able to express this to staff. n Partnerships with parents are very strong. Staff work very closely with them. They speak to them daily and keep them abreast of their children's progress. Parents regularly share information with staff about what children are learning at home so that this can be extended within the centre. n Self-evaluation is effective. The manager and staff are committed to continuously drive improvement. They regularly involve parents in evaluating the practice to help develop the provision further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures that staff keep up to date with all safeguarding training and, as a result, they have a very good knowledge and a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms which could indicate a child is at risk. They know what procedures to follow to protect children from harm. There are comprehensive safeguarding procedures in place and staff have a broad understanding of wider safeguarding concerns and how to identify and report these. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that those working with children are suitable.

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should:

n enhance the opportunities to support children more effectively to sustain their concentration during activities n review the arrangements for outdoor play, so that children who are not able to express themselves are adequately dressed for the weather conditions.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY428241 Local authority Reading Inspection number 10108786 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 0 to 4 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 22

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Name of registered person

Dingley Family and Specialist Early Years Centres

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reference number

Telephone number 01183277424 Date of previous inspection 23 April 2015

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Information about this early years setting

Dingley Family and Specialist Early Years Centre - Reading registered in 1996 and re-registered at the same premises in 2011. The centre is a voluntary organisation with charitable status who provide places for children with SEND from birth to five years. It operates from the Kennet Walk Community Building, near to Forbury Retail Park, in the centre of Reading, Berkshire. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting operates between 9.15am and 2.45pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 9.15am to 12.15pm on Friday. There are nine staff employed to work with the children. Two staff are qualified to level 6, and all other staff hold suitable childcare qualifications and experience of working with children with SEND. The centre employs a number of volunteers and receives support from a variety of specialists and the local authority.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk across all areas of the centre to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum is organised. n A joint observation of an activity was completed with the manager. n The inspector asked the staff questions throughout the inspection to establish their understanding of how to safeguard children, and how they assess and plan for children's learning. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and the children and considered the impact on their learning. n Discussions were held with parents and their views considered.

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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

Centre) 21 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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