Mini Gems Pre-School

Inspection of Mini Gems Pre-School Crayford Baptist Church, Bexley Lane, Crayford, Dartford, Kent DA1 4DD

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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 eagerly arrive at the pre-school and demonstrate that they feel safe, happy and emotionally secure. They form close bonds with all staff, including their key person, and make friends with peers. Children are enthusiastic learners and become quickly absorbed in their play. They show good levels of focus and concentration as they take part in planned activities. Children interact with staff, enthusiastically telling them what they are doing. They are well behaved for their stage of development and have a good attitude to their learning. Children share well with each other and take turns in their play. For example, when children play in the sand, they share a big spade and take turns to fill the buckets.

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The provision is good

Children develop their independence as they carry out small tasks and enjoy being the 'helper' at mealtimes. Children's capabilities are understood by staff, who know them well. They are well prepared for the next stage in their education. The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strong feature in the pre-school. Staff skilfully support children's language development. The manager has high expectations for all children to do well, and this is shared by staff working with the children. Children enjoy listening to stories and sing songs throughout the day to develop their language skills.

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need to do better?

n Staff support children with SEND effectively. They work closely with children's families and other professionals. Staff set achievable targets to promote children's ongoing care and to help them make progress in their development. Staff work well with children, offering sensitive interventions when needed. n As children play, staff support their learning well. Staff know children well, and understand their developmental needs and interests. However, those children that attend all day are sometimes limited in the choices they have during their play. Therefore, on occasions, children become distracted and lose interest in the activities on offer. n Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, have many opportunities to develop their communication skills. Staff enable children to hear and repeat words, such as 'oily' and 'silky' as they describe the texture once the wet ingredients are added when making play dough. Staff model

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need to do better?

language very well to children. n Staff encourage all children to have a positive attitude towards their learning. Children move around freely and join in with their preferred activities. For example, they explore the different sounds that the musical instruments make and they concentrate hard to copy the musical patterns that staff make. Staff talk to children about what they are doing and how they can change sounds from quiet to loud.

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need to do better?

1 December 2021 n The manager and staff form successful partnerships with parents. Staff continually share information about children's activities and progress. Parents are complimentary about the pre-school. They feel that staff are available to support them, particularly with ideas to use at home. For example, staff share advice on how to help children's speech, suggest books to read or give help with potty training. Although parents and staff work together to enhance children's development, staff do not collect ideas from parents to enable them to work together to develop the pre-school further. n The curriculum is well designed to meet the emerging needs of the children attending. The manager considers the sequence in which children are taught the skills they will need to make good progress. A programme of training supports staff to deliver good-quality teaching effectively. n Staff promote children's early literacy and mathematical skills. They teach

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need to do better?

children to identify numerals and to use mathematical language when they play. Staff encourage children's participation during story times and help them to learn to recognise their names as they self-register each morning. n Staff promote daily routines to support children's understanding of healthy lifestyles. For example, children know the importance of washing their hands to reduce the spread of germs. They understand the need to cover their mouths and use tissues. Children eat healthy snacks and lunches, and enjoy physical exercise.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good understanding of how to safeguard children. They risk assess the premises and local environment to keep children safe. Staff regularly update their safeguarding training, including refreshing their knowledge of broader issues. They understand their role in identifying and responding to concerns about a child's welfare. Staff know the procedures to follow for reporting child protection matters or if an allegation is made against an adult in the setting. The manager uses a robust recruitment process to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. She has effective induction and ongoing supervision arrangements of staff.

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should:

n organise activities to support those children attending all day to have more choices as they play and learn n provide wider opportunities for parents to contribute to identifying areas of development for the setting to improve further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY557088 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10175132 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 17 Name of registered person Uranje, Tosan Bemigho

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reference number

Telephone number 0208 914 7955 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Mini Gems Pre-School registered in 2018. The setting is open during term time from 8.50am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 8.50am to 11.50am and from midday to 3pm. The manager holds a level 6 qualification and all staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting offers early funded education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager led the inspector on a learning walk and told her about what they want children to learn at the setting. n The manager and the inspector conducted a joint observation of an activity and discussed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to parents to gather their views. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and the children indoors and outdoors. n A sample of documents were looked at by the inspector, including evidence of staff's suitability.

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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

1 December 2021 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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