LITTLE CURIOSITIES

Inspection of LITTLE CURIOSITIES Holy Trinity Church Rooms, Church Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 8LB

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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 happily at Little Curiosities Pre-School. They receive cuddles and reassurance from staff, which help them to separate easily from their main carers. Children access the resources and activities freely regardless of their gender or developmental needs. For example, they enjoy exploring coloured rice and water, which promote their hand muscles in preparation for early writing. Outdoors, children use ride-on toys and balancing steps, which support their strong physical skills effectively. Children's behaviour is good. This can be seen in the way they play either alongside or with each other, sharing and taking turns.

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The provision is good

Children respond well to staff's high expectations for their learning. For example, during group time, they are able to recall information about the Holi Festival, which shows their increasing vocabulary. Children practise counting and sorting items to help them gain strong mathematical skills. They enjoy sharing their weekend news with others and ask their friends questions which show that they are interested. Children are keen to sing songs, such as about the days of the week and the months of the year. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.

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need to do better?

n Since registering with Ofsted, the manager has worked hard to provide children with good-quality care and education. She places a strong emphasis on teaching children the knowledge and skills that they need for the next step in their education. For example, the manager encourages children to do manageable tasks for themselves, to promote their independence skills. n Staff develop children's love of books, songs and rhymes. One of the ways they do this is by ensuring a wide variety of books is available to children at all times. Children delight as they listen to stories being read to them. They also look at books independently with their peers. This enables children, including those who speak English as an additional language, to make rapid progress in their speaking skills. n The support for children who need additional help is strong. Staff use their observations and assessments to quickly identify and refer gaps in children's

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need to do better?

learning. As a result, children make good progress from their individual starting points. n The manager carries out regular supervision meetings with staff and offers them training opportunities. For example, following training, staff have improved their knowledge of how to support children who prefer to play outdoors. This has increased children's self-esteem and confidence. However, the manager acknowledges that she needs to sharpen the monitoring of staff's practice to increase their professional effectiveness. n Children are motivated to learn. They enjoy playing with malleable resources,

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need to do better?

6 March 2023 such as play dough, sand and water. However, during some of the planned activities, there are fewer opportunities for children to explore art materials and develop their own ideas. n Staff praise and encourage children regularly throughout the day, which supports their emotional well-being effectively. This helps children to behave well. n Staff are good at promoting children's individual characters, such as the way they prefer to socialise with others. They talk to parents about their children's cultures and backgrounds to help them support their emotional security. In addition, staff ask parents for basic words in their home language to help children feel welcomed and valued. n Parents speak highly of staff, who they find friendly and approachable. They state that staff give them daily updates about their children's developmental needs. This practice supports children's learning effectively in pre-school and at

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need to do better?

home. n The self-evaluation process is evident. The manager often reflects on what they do well and how this can be further improved for the children. For instance, she has recently introduced sport sessions to enhance children's physical skills. The manager also ensures that children have regular trips in the local community, such as to the allotment. This increases children's interest and understanding of the world around them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a secure knowledge of how to identify and report potential concerns about children's welfare. This includes how to identify children who are being exposed to extremist views or behaviour. The manager follows good recruitment and vetting procedures to help ensure staff's suitability to work with children. She deploys staff effectively to ensure children are safe and their personal needs are met. Staff record children's daily attendance accurately to enable them to monitor for any concerns. They build relationships of trust with the children to support their emotional well-being.

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should:

n sharpen the monitoring of staff's performance to enhance their professional effectiveness n make more use of opportunities to enable children to explore different materials and use their imaginations, to further develop their creative skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2617282 Local authority Bromley Inspection number 10264752 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 25 Number of children on roll 19 Name of registered person Little Curiosities Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07498565483 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Curiosities registered in 2020 and it is located in the London Borough of Bromley. The pre-school is open during term time only on Monday and Friday from 8.15am until 4pm. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, it is open from 8.15am until 6pm. There are six members of staff, including the manager, who holds an early years qualification at level 6. Two staff members hold a childcare qualification at level 3. 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 nursery 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 pre-school. n The inspector completed a learning walk with the manager and discussed how the curriculum supports children's learning. She carried out a joint observation with the manager and evaluated the impact of the activity on children. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities indoors and outdoors. She interacted with children at appropriate times during the inspection. n Parents and grandparents spoke with the inspector and shared their views on the quality of the provision, which was taken into account. n The inspector interviewed staff about the learning and safeguarding requirements. She reviewed a sample of documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at the pre-school.

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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

6 March 2023 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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