The Shekinah Glory Pre-School

Inspection of The Shekinah Glory Pre- School St. Pauls Lutheran Church, St Pauls Close, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 2DB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children flourish at this friendly pre-school. They are excited to arrive and explore the numerous activities staff skilfully plan. Children have exceptionally close bonds with their key staff. Staff work incredibly hard with families to gather in-depth knowledge of children's unique circumstances. This allows them to recognise changes in children's behaviour and support their well-being. For example, when children feel sad, staff spend time in the quiet area with them. They look through family photos and discuss their emotions.

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The provision is good

Children feel secure and settle quickly in the pre-school. Staff support this by establishing exceptionally strong relationships with families. Managers and staff understand that most families speak English as an additional language. They work incredibly hard to engage parents in children's learning. For example, children take home dual-language books each week to share with their families.

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The provision is good

Children confidently explore cultures and beliefs beyond their own. They proudly show off the flags they have been making for their Platinum Jubilee party. Staff invite families to share their unique traditions and celebrations in the pre-school. This supports children's understanding of their diverse environment exceptionally well.

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need to do better?

n The highly qualified provider and managers are passionate about their role in supporting children's communication skills. All children in the pre-school speak English as an additional language. The provider employs a specialist teacher to support children to progress well in this area. n Staff extend children's learning well. In a mathematical activity, children count the ladybirds in a book and match them to the correct number. Staff then encourage their language development by supporting them to describe the various colours and patterns on their backs. n Managers and staff form exceptionally close relationships with families from the start. They communicate well to gather information about children's early experiences. This enables staff to support the diverse emotional and developmental needs of all children. n Staff are highly skilled at supporting children to assess risks in their play. For example, children use outdoor play equipment to create an obstacle course.

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need to do better?

Staff encourage them to explore potential hazards in their play. They then discuss how they can complete the task safely. n Staff place a sharp focus on children's physical development. Children enjoy weekly football and dance sessions delivered by professionals. Staff understand the importance of children's fine motor development. They provide numerous

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need to do better?

25 May 2022 activities to develop their hand muscles. This supports children's early writing skills. n Children behave well in the setting and respond swiftly to staff requests. They are polite to one another and always demonstrate good manners. Children enjoy helping one another and completing tasks independently. For example, children delight in being chosen as the lunchtime helpers. They take pride in passing out cups and plates to their friends. n Parents speak highly of the managers and staff. They are extremely grateful for the high-quality, nurturing care they offer. Parents comment on the immense support they receive from staff and how this benefits their children. They also greatly appreciate the daily communication about children's progress. n Staff use children's interests as the basis for their learning. For example, children observe snails in the garden. Staff are swift to introduce learning opportunities

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need to do better?

around this theme. Children learn new words when describing the various features of minibeasts. They make their own snails and discuss the emotions relating to the facial expressions they have chosen. n Staff support children's transitions well. They communicate with other settings verbally and offer detailed transition reports. Furthermore, managers maintain contact with schools once children have started. This enables them to offer advice and support regarding individual children if necessary. n Staff engage well with children in all activities. They ask numerous thought- provoking and open-ended questions. Staff understand this supports children's language and critical thinking development. However, staff do not always allow children enough time to respond before giving them the answers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff understand their role in keeping children safe in the pre- school. They demonstrate good knowledge of the signs and symptoms that could indicate that a child is at risk of harm. The manager and staff talk confidently about the referral process to follow if they have concerns about a child, and the need to do so in a timely manner. They complete daily risk assessments of the pre-school to ensure all areas remain safe for children. The provider has robust recruitment and induction procedures in place. All staff are suitable to work with children and complete first-aid and safeguarding training prior to starting in the pre-school.

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should:

n support children's language development even more, allowing them plenty of time to respond to questions during activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2549340 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10215684 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 20 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person Nakazwe, Bella

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reference number

Telephone number 07809268791 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The Shekinah Glory Pre-School registered in 2019. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. The setting is open from 9am until 3pm on Monday to Friday during term time only. The pre-school provides funded early 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 inspector considered the views of parents by speaking to several during the inspection. n The inspector looked at relevant documents, including evidence of the suitability of all staff. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children during activities. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching to assess the impact on children's learning. n The inspector and manager completed a joint observation of an activity to assess the quality of teaching. n The inspector held discussions with staff about the monitoring of learning and development in the setting and tracked the progress of several children.

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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

25 May 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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