Alonim Pre-School Nursery

Inspection of Alonim Kindergarten Sha'Arei Tsedek North London Reform Synagogue, 120 Oakleigh Road North, London, Middlesex N20 9EZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children happily arrive to the nursery after the summer holidays. They are extremely eager to explore the activities that are prepared for them. There is relaxed and welcoming atmosphere within the nursery. This is because staff are remarkably attentive, caring and approachable. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Children are deeply curious and confident learners. Staff get to know children exceptionally well, and cater for their likes and dislikes. They implement very effective settling-in arrangements, which support new children and their families during this time of adaptation. During home visits, staff collect information from parents, which helps them to prepare activities based on children's interests from their first day. For example, children who show interest in caring for babies, bath dolls during water play. Children are motivated and show consistently high levels of concentration and involvement.

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The provision is good

Children behave exceptionally well. Staff help them to self-regulate their behaviour in highly effective ways. For example, they share group rules with children and use praise extremely well to support their positive behaviour. Children show their understanding of the rules when they explain them to the new children in a group. Children have very good sharing skills and take turns well. Staff are superb role models of the expected behaviour in the setting. There is a culture of mutual respect, where diversity and inclusion are actively promoted. For example, children learn about the importance of helping those in need and fundraise for special causes. Furthermore, staff extend children's experiences of different cultures exceptionally well through fine art and music. This helps children to learn and gain great understanding about the wider community and cultures beyond their own.

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need to do better?

n Leaders design an ambitious curriculum, which is based on children's interests and what they need to learn next. Staff ensure that children's learning is sequenced well. For example, younger children have plenty of opportunities to strengthen their small muscles through regular messy play in preparation for more complex tasks, such as writing. n Staff are passionate and extremely eager to engage with children. There is a strong focus on building secure attachments and helping children to further develop their sense of belonging. Staff teach children the language of feelings especially well. They help them to express their emotions through highly effective strategies, such as helping children to recognise, name and self- regulate their feelings in different situations, including when conflict occurs. n Staff create many opportunities to develop children's communication and language skills. They support children to extend their vocabulary and engage in

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need to do better?

meaningful conversations. Children show a great interest in books as they listen

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need to do better?

7 September 2022 to familiar stories being read to them. A staff member, who is a trained specialist in phonics, introduces children to age-appropriate stages of the programme. n Children practise a wide range of physical skills in the well-organised outdoor area. They climb, jump, balance and use wheeled toys with great confidence. A staff member, who is also an exercise instructor, provides children with extra focus in this area. Children take part in challenging and vigorous movement sessions. This ensures that they learn and practise new skills, and understand more about their bodies. For example, staff explain how our muscles get stronger through regular exercise. n Children learn about the importance of good health, and the benefits of regular toothbrushing and eating a healthy diet. The provider works exceptionally well with parents to ensure that the packed lunches that children bring meet their

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need to do better?

dietary needs. Children gain a sense of responsibility and learn to help others when they take the role of a helper during Sabbath celebrations. n Staff have high expectations for all children. This ensures that children make good progress from their individual starting points in development and are well prepared for their future learning. This includes children who speak English as an additional language. Staff use additional funding to ensure that any gaps in children's learning are closed rapidly. n Leaders are motivated, ambitious and have a clear vision for the nursery. The manager evaluates the practice regularly and shows a strong commitment to continuous development. Staff feel valued and benefit from regular supervision meetings. They have opportunities to further their professional development through regular training and mentoring. Leaders support the long-serving team effectively. n Partnerships with parents are very strong. Parents speak highly of the nursery,

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need to do better?

and praise the caring and loving staff. They comment on how their children have made great progress and how happily they return to the nursery after the summer break. n On occasion, staff do not plan precisely for some group activities. For example, staff read a story that is too long for younger children, who are new to the setting, and some children leave before the story ends. As a result, the intended learning is not always maximised for all children. However, children are extremely eager to learn and explore. They immediately focus and maintain high levels of concentration on other self-initiated or adult-led activities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a secure understanding of what they need to do if they have concerns regarding a child's welfare. They attend regular training to ensure that their skills and knowledge are kept up to date. Leaders make sure that there are rigorous procedures to check that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff are aware of how to keep children safe. They conduct regular risk assessments to ensure that the environment is secure and free from unnecessary hazards. Children learn about safety. For example, children wait for staff to open

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Safeguarding

7 September 2022 the door, so that they can go outside.

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should:

n reflect on how group activities are planned during the day to ensure that the individual learning of younger children, who are new to the setting, is maximised as much as possible.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY557011 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 10190296 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 60 Number of children on roll 19

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Name of registered person

Sha'Arei Tsedek North London Reform Synagogue

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reference number

Telephone number 020284453400 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Alonim Kindergarten first registered in 1982 and re-registered in 2018. The kindergarten is located in Whetstone in the London Borough of Barnet. It opens during term time only from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Thursday, and on Friday from 8am to 3pm. The kindergarten employs nine childcare staff. Of these, two staff are working towards a childcare qualification, four staff have relevant childcare qualifications at level 3 and other staff have a degree and qualified teacher status. The kindergarten 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 manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The inspector went on a learning walk around the nursery with the manager and discussed the curriculum. n Interactions between staff and children were observed and the inspector spoke with children, when appropriate. n Some documentation was checked, and the inspector held a discussion with the manager. n The inspector considered the views of staff and parents during the inspection. n The quality of education was observed, and the inspector 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

7 September 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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