Weavering Pre-School

Inspection of Weavering Pre-School The Village hall, Weavering Street, Weavering, Maidstone, Kent ME14 5JN

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are happy to attend the pre-school. They leave their parents at the gate and enter with a big smile. Children settle quickly and are keen to explore the activities set for them by the welcoming and enthusiastic staff. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure. Children's development of early mathematical skills is well supported. For example, staff encourage children to count the dots on a picture, while older children begin to match the quantity of objects to a specific number. This helps children to understand that numbers have a purpose.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They are respectful and kind to each other and adults. Children play cooperatively with their friends. They share and take turns. For example, children take turns when adding 'ingredients' to their 'cake mixture' in the mud kitchen. Staff praise children for their behaviour, efforts and achievements.

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The provision is good

Children learn how to be kind to living things. They learn how to take care of the pre-school pets. Children enjoy helping clean and feed the guinea pigs. They cut vegetables for the pets while discussing healthy choices and their favourite foods. Children remind each other that they need to treat the animals gently. They discuss with staff how to keep the pets warm in winter. This helps to support children's understanding about nature and the world around them.

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need to do better?

n Staff take time to get to know each child and their unique needs. They complete regular assessments and monitor children's development and learning. Staff use this information to plan a broad range of activities that engage, motivate and support their next steps in learning. Consequently, children benefit from a well- planned and sequenced curriculum. This means that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are making consistently good progress in their learning. n Children's physical development is supported well. Staff encourage children to use tongs to pick up objects and move them around. For example, children use tongs to pick up the 'wood' and to place it into the 'fireplace'. This helps children to develop their fine motor skills. Outdoor play experiences are part of the daily routine for all children. Children use spoons and bowls to mix ingredients for

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need to do better?

their cakes in the mud kitchen. They show delight as they run, jump and climb on the big climbing frame. As a result, children develop their large-muscle skills and their resilience as they learn to take risks. n Overall, staff support children's language and communication well. They constantly speak to them in an age-appropriate way. However, staff do not consistently recognise opportunities to ask children questions that allow them to think things through and extend their learning. For example, while looking at a

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need to do better?

5 December 2022 Christmas tree, staff ask children about the size of the tree, immediately moving on to explain that they might have a bigger tree at home. This can affect children's attitude to learning. n Partnership with parents is a strength of the pre-school. Parents comment about the good progress their children make in their learning and development. They are very happy about the care their children receive in the pre-school. Parents describe the staff as 'amazing'. They receive regular updates about their child's learning. This is done through daily feedback and termly emails. Parents' views are well respected and taken into account. For instance, they complete questionnaires and provide feedback and suggestions about activities in the pre- school. Staff and parents work well both at the pre-school and at home to support children's learning and development. n Children develop their imaginative skills well. There is a wide range of role-play

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need to do better?

resources for children to access, which stimulates their imagination and supports their learning and development. Children enjoy acting out real-life experiences, such as cooking a Christmas meal in the home corner. n The management team support their team well. They use supervisions and peer observations to support individual staff's training needs, in order to improve practice. Staff feel that they can voice their concerns and wishes to the management team. For example, staff requests for extra training are taken into consideration and are arranged as needed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The staff and management team understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe from harm. They have good knowledge of all safeguarding aspects, including radicalisation, female genital mutilation and county lines. The staff and the management team know what to do and who to approach when they have a concern about a child or an adult, including allegations against a member of the team. They complete regular training to ensure they are up to date with any developments and changes. Staff complete regular risk assessments of the environment and children's activities to make sure risks are identified and managed.

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should:

n support staff to improve their interaction and questioning skills, to further challenge and extend children's learning and development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127756 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10263055 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person Weavering Preschool Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01622 631274 and 07875319705 Date of previous inspection 19 April 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Weavering Pre-School is managed by a committee and registered in 1971. It is located in the village hall in Weavering, Kent. The pre-school is open on Monday from 9.30am to 1.30pm, and on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9.30am to 2.30pm, and on Wednesday from 9.30am to 12.30 pm, during term time only. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs 10 members of staff. Of these, one holds qualified teacher status, three hold appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and above, three hold level 2 qualifications and one is unqualified.

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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 deputy manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, deputy manager and the committee chairperson of the nursery to discuss how the setting is organised. The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n The inspector spoke with children, parents and staff during the inspection. The deputy manager also shared written feedback from parents. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and

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Inspection activities

outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having 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

5 December 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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