Kingsdown Pre-School

Inspection of Kingsdown Pre-School Village Hall, Upper Street, Kingsdown, DEAL, Kent CT14 8BJ

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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

Children are happy, confident and settled at the pre-school. They eagerly engage in challenging and motivating activities that staff carefully plan for them. For example, children are engaged in playing with trains. They go on to learn about the different types of trains and how they are powered, such as steam and electric. Children are creative and look at pictures created by famous artists, such as Monet. Children create their own versions of the famous painting of the water lily bridge. They bring their imagination alive and enjoy a wide range of role-play activities. For instance, they enjoy becoming a 'greengrocer'.

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The provision is good

Children are polite and behave well. They build meaningful friendships and enjoy each other's company. Children learn about the importance of healthy eating. They grow fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries, which they eat at snack time. Children of all ages develop good physical skills. They learn about the different ways that they can move their bodies. This includes climbing and balancing on beams. Children develop a good understanding of the similarities and differences of people within the pre-school and the wider community. For example, they learn about different places of worship, such as a church and a mosque. Staff use additional funding effectively to meet the individual learning needs of children. For instance, they have purchased resources to encourage children to develop their focus and concentration skills.

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need to do better?

n The manager and staff establish secure and trusting relationships with children. They have a good sense of belonging and positive levels of well-being and self- esteem. Staff get to know each child well and plan activities that they know will motivate them to learn. Children have a positive attitude towards their learning and remain engaged in their experiences. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress. n All staff evaluate their practice together effectively. They hold discussions at the end of each day to talk about how well they engaged children. They discuss what they feel they could do differently to enhance children's experiences next time. This helps to ensure that children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. n The manager closely monitors the good quality of care and education that staff provide. She routinely observes staff teaching children and provides them with

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need to do better?

helpful feedback to support their performance. Staff have made significant improvements since the last inspection. For instance, they have completed training to help them to fully understand the curriculum. They have used this information to help them to plan and build on what children know and can do. As a result, this has helped them to highlight and address any gaps in children's

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need to do better?

28 April 2022 learning. n All staff attend regular and beneficial training. They have recently attended training to learn about how to support children's emotional well-being. Children are confident to express their feelings in effective ways. This includes selecting pictures of faces with different emotions to show how they feel. n Overall, staff support children to develop some good communication skills. Staff communicate in some good ways. For instance, they use simple signing with children. However, at times, staff do not consistently ask them thought- provoking questions. They do give children enough time to think and then share their thoughts and ideas more confidently. n Parents speak fondly of staff. Overall, the manager and staff build and maintain positive partnerships with parents. For example, at the end of each day, they share what their children have enjoyed learning. However, staff do not use more

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need to do better?

effective ways to help parents to fully understand. This includes what children's next steps are and how they can support their children's learning at home even further. n The manager and staff communicate well with staff at other settings children also attend. They routinely share children's learning and achievements with them. This helps to provide children with a consistent approach to their shared care and learning experiences. n Staff support all children effectively, including those with SEND. Staff liaise closely with outside agencies, including speech and language therapists. They share ideas and strategies to help children to progress. This includes using pictures alongside spoken words.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection. This includes knowing what the signs of abuse may look like. Staff know who to contact to seek advice and how to follow up any concerns. This includes allegations raised against staff. Staff carry out detailed risk assessments to help keep children safe. This includes practice to minimise the risk of COVID-19. The manager ensures that she closely monitors all staff's suitability, such as any changes in their health, including her own. All committee members are known to Ofsted and have had their suitability checked. All staff and the committee members fully understand their roles and responsibilities and fulfil them to a high standard.

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should:

n support staff to share even more information with parents regarding their children's next steps in their learning and how they can support them at home

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should:

28 April 2022 n provide guidance for staff to consistently ask children thought-provoking questions and give them enough time to think and then answer.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127307 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10197541 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 26 Number of children on roll 40 Name of registered person Kingsdown Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07968 263 185 Date of previous inspection 26 May 2021

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Information about this early years setting

Kingsdown Pre-School registered in 2010 and is located in Kingsdown, Deal, Kent. The pre-school employs 10 members of staff. Of these, eight hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or above. This includes five members of staff who have a relevant early years qualification at level 3 and one member of staff who has a relevant early years qualification at level 5. The pre-school is open from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the manager and staff and has taken this into account in their evaluation of the pre-school. n The inspector carried out a learning walk with the manager. The inspector assessed the impact of the quality of staff interactions and the learning opportunities they provide children. n The inspector viewed the indoor and outdoor learning environments. n Written documentation was reviewed, including safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures. n The inspector spoke to the manager, children, parents and staff at convenient times and considered their views. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of an outdoor activity. They focused on the engagement of children and the development of their communication skills.

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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

28 April 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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