Springboard Pre-School

Inspection of Springboard Pre-School Holmesdale Cricket Club, Worships Hill, Sevenoaks TN13 2AS

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

Children excel in this vibrant and nurturing pre-school. There is a tremendous sense of fun and a constant buzz of activity. Teaching is inspirational and activities capture their interests. Children approach activities with curiosity and interest, demonstrating an extremely positive attitude to learning. Children have a can-do approach to the challenges they come across. Their exploration is encouraged and enabled by exceptional qualified practitioners, who expertly support and scaffold children's learning. For example, during a baking activity, children show they are critical thinkers, when they problem-solve to find the right consistency for their mixture.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's emotional well-being is highly promoted. They build strong friendships with their peers and flourish within the secure and respectful relationships they have formed with all practitioners. Children's behaviour is exceptional. They take pride in the care of their environment. They are very self-sufficient, putting away their personal belongings, including tissues in the bin, without prompting. Children demonstrate genuine concern for their peers. For example, when enjoying the story, 'Ruby's Worry,' children discuss their own worries. They talk about being worried about dinosaurs, and are confidently reassured by other children who tell them not to worry, because there are no dinosaurs in the story.

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The provision is outstanding

Children show excellent balance on the climbing frame, as they chase one another pretending to be pirates. They show strength in their gross-motor skills, as they collectively follow instructions to move a large parachute in different directions. Children develop proficient fine-motor skills through carefully planned and routine activities. This enhances their self-care skills, such as putting on their own shoes and pouring their own drinks. Children are extremely well prepared for their move on to school.

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need to do better?

n The leadership team is extremely committed to providing outstanding care and education for every child. They have high expectations for all children and create a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment. The highly reflective self- evaluation process in place, enables the team to sustain and build on their outstanding practice. n Leaders manage a motivated, knowledgeable staff team and effectively support their continuing professional development. This results in a strong and co- cohesive team who consistently provide excellent individual learning experiences for the children. All practitioners speak extremely positively about working at the setting. They say they feel totally supported by the leadership team and their well-being is given high priority.

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need to do better?

24 March 2022 n Practitioners have extensive knowledge of children's interests, skills, and what they need to know and do next. Children make rapid progress from their individual starting points. Observation and assessment is sharp and practitioners continually review planning to ensure activities are targeted to meet children's specific needs. Planning is significantly enhanced by the effective partnerships working with parents. Together, they achieve a highly impressive, joined-up approach to children's learning. n Children learn that their opinions are valued, because their views are sought. When asked what they would like in their pre-school, children voted for a swimming pool and a pet. They were delighted with a new paddling pool, and a pair of giant snails to care for. When choosing favourite stories, children respect the majority choice without question, showing great understanding and respect

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need to do better?

for democracy. n Practitioners skilfully weave mathematical language into activities, creating natural opportunities for children to develop excellent mathematical skills. For example, children excitedly take turns to weigh their ingredients on traditional balance scales. They correctly predict the movement of the scales, as they excitedly make comparisons of the different sizes. n There is extremely high focus on the development of children's language and literacy skills. Practitioners are highly skilled in promoting children's language. They actively listen, question, model, repeat, and make suggestions to children, appropriately levelled to their individual needs. Consequently, children are confident communicators and older children use complex sentences as they play. n Partnership with parents and other settings children attend is exemplary. There are superb strategies in place to involve parents. For example, parents of the

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need to do better?

older children recently attended a workshop offered by the team to support children in their self-care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the team kept in regular contact with families. They suggested activities, including staff recordings of activities for children to watch at home. Consequently, this helped children to settle on their return to the pre-school. Parents praise the pre-school highly. They make comments such as, 'communication is fantastic and feedback unique', 'children have a wonderful experience and love attending', 'they are exposed to a wide range of activities' and 'make excellent progress'.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The team demonstrate a vigilant approach to safeguarding children. The team has an excellent awareness of the possible signs of abuse and demonstrate a clear understanding of the required action to take in the event of a safeguarding concern. A comprehensive child protection policy is in place. This includes the procedures for whistleblowing. All practitioners carry essential safeguarding information on lanyards. Meticulous risk assessments are carried out and identified risks are minimised to ensure children's safety. Robust recruitment systems ensure staff are suitable for their role.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY483793 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10228971 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Firth, Michele

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reference number

Telephone number 01732 452039 Date of previous inspection 30 September 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Springboard Pre-School re-registered in 2014 and is located in Sevenoaks, Kent. The pre-school is open each day on Monday to Thursday at 9am to 3pm, and also on Friday from 9am to 12.15pm. There are eight members of staff, seven of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification. Three members of staff have qualified teacher status, of which one has an MA in Education. The nursery receives funding for free early years education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed all areas of the pre-school and discussed the curriculum with the management team. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager and discussed the quality of teaching. n The inspector held a meeting with the management team and spoke to staff and children. n The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers by speaking to many of them during the inspection and through written feedback. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.

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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

24 March 2022 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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