Bexley Bears Preschool

Inspection of Bexley Bears Preschool Hurst Community Centre, Hurst Place, Hurst Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 3LH

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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 arrive happy and eager to attend pre-school. All children settle quickly on arrival and develop strong attachments with their key person. They feel safe and secure and are well cared for, which supports their emotional well-being. Children have shown resilience to the changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have adapted to the pre-school closing and then moving to temporary premises before returning to the existing venue. Children have been supported by staff to build friendships with their peers, which has increased their confidence and social skills.

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The provision is good

Children excitedly explore the broad range of activities on offer and show a positive attitude to their learning. For example, they skilfully use scissors to cut out shapes and identify other shapes in the environment. Children fill jugs with water to make pretend potions and count as they build. They are supported to increase their mathematical knowledge as they play. Children show determination and persevere with tasks like completing puzzles. They enjoy receiving praise for their achievements. Children understand the rules and know what is expected behaviour. Staff have high expectations and provide gentle reminders which help children to keep themselves safe. Children behave well. They share resources, take turns and use good manners.

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need to do better?

n Staff plan and implement a broad curriculum which incorporates children's interests. Staff observe children and use assessments to monitor their development. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding, make good progress from their starting points. n Children communicate confidently. Staff actively engage in conversations and introduce new vocabulary. They skilfully ask questions and give children time to answer. Children enjoy listening to stories and respond to what they see and hear. Staff regularly recap on previous learning, which helps children to talk about their experiences and increase their sentences. n Parents talk highly about the pre-school and the staff. They appreciate the good progress their children are making, especially with their language development and confidence. Communication is usually good, and parents are updated

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need to do better?

regularly with their children's progress through an online journal. However, not all parents are aware of their children's next steps to continue supporting their learning at home. n Children benefit from the large outside space and have opportunities to develop their physical skills. They practise riding bikes and steering scooters, and learn to balance and strengthen their large muscles on the tree swing. Staff talk to children about food and the importance of being healthy. Children wash their

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need to do better?

14 June 2022 hands to promote good hygiene and clean their teeth to establish good oral health routines. n Staff support children to develop their understanding of differences and what makes them unique. They engage children in discussions, share stories and promote the home languages of bilingual learners. Children celebrate festivals to increase their knowledge of diversity and other cultures. Visits from professionals in the community, such as the fire brigade, help children to learn respect for those who help us. n New staff members complete a robust induction of the setting. As a result, all staff understand their roles and responsibilities well. The manager arranges supervision and identifies areas for continued professional development. However, the ongoing monitoring of staff practice is not fully embedded and, therefore, gaps in learning are not addressed quickly. n The pre-school works in partnership with other professionals to support children

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need to do better?

in the setting. Development checks are completed for children between the ages of two and three years to share with health professionals. This ensures early help is identified and support is put in place for children to make good progress. The pre-school works with local primary schools to support children with a smooth transition to their next stage of learning. n The manager and staff team meet regularly to evaluate the service they provide. They discuss activities and revisit learning to confirm children's understanding. Staff speak to children and seek feedback from parents. These views help the pre-school to make further improvements and raise the quality of teaching.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Risk assessments and daily checks are in place to ensure hazards are minimised and a safe environment is maintained. Staff talk to children about safety and deploy effectively to maintain ratios. Staff can identify signs and symptoms that might indicate a concern about a child's welfare, and all know the procedures to follow. Staff have completed safeguarding training, including the 'Prevent' duty. Staff understand the importance of a whistle-blowing policy and would record and report any inappropriate behaviour. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children.

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should:

n embed systems for monitoring practice to ensure all staff access training to improve their knowledge and skills n build on communication to enable all parents to know their children's next steps, to support continuity in learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2553892 Local authority Bexley Inspection number 10215786 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 41 Name of registered person Bexley Bears Preschool Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 02083007636 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Bexley Bears Preschool registered in 2019. It operates from Hurst Community Centre in Bexley, London. The pre-school is open from 9am to 3pm Monday to Thursday and from 9am to midday on Friday, during term time only. It receives funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs 10 members of staff, six of whom hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 and above.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting 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 her evaluation of the setting. n The manager and the inspector carried out a learning walk together to discuss the pre-school's intentions for children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation and discussed the impact this had on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views. n The inspector held discussions with the manager about safeguarding and how she evaluates her practice. n The inspector looked at relevant documents, including paediatric first aid, qualifications, insurance and suitability checks.

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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

14 June 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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