Pippins Preschool

Inspection of Pippins Preschool Community Centre, Beadsman Crescent, Leybourne Chase, West Malling, Kent ME19 5FB

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children are happy and settled at the pre-school, and their behaviour demonstrates how much they enjoy themselves. Staff create a welcoming and calm environment, where they provide a wealth of activities to interest children. Children happily enter and go straight to the large outdoor area. They delight in splashing in muddy puddles, preparing pretend pancakes in the mud kitchen and tenderly washing baby dolls. They have close bonds with their key person and enjoy playing alongside them, smiling as they interact together.

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The provision is good

Children are inclusive of one another and are happy to invite friends into their play. They share the resources and enjoy helping each other, such as making play dough from scratch. Children are given lots of choice, including how they want to use resources. This allows them the freedom of creativity and increases their engagement. They focus and concentrate carefully on many activities, such as guessing the musical instrument, story time, creating emotion faces and building outdoor dens.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations for every child. They set appropriate challenges for children, to support their individual progress. Younger children explore new vocabulary like 'rosemary' and 'mint' when playing in the mud kitchen, while older children follow instructions to make a pretend meal using quantities. Children are supported well to become confident, happy and social, with a wide breadth of knowledge about the world around them.

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need to do better?

n Staff have an in-depth knowledge of each child's needs and create next steps to support them to make good progress. They use careful assessment and planning to deliver fun and engaging activities. Staff are particularly effective at supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they deliver one-to-one sessions to focus on concentration and positive self-worth. However, staff focus less well on the needs of the children as a group. This means that they are not always clear about what they want children to learn from group activities. n Staff use questioning to expand on children's understanding and critical-thinking skills. For example, children enjoy exploring how to make an outdoor den and why different objects float or sink. Children show good knowledge and recall previous learning and vocabulary. Children repeat activities for practise and remember the new skills they have learned.

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need to do better?

n Staff ensure they know children well and use their current interests to plan activities that will inspire them. Children show great perseverance and a can-do attitude when trying to wrap different shapes, and they grasp new skills, such as

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need to do better?

9 May 2023 using scissors. They sit and listen very well and enjoy group times, such as stories and games. n Staff are good at ensuring that children understand the rules and routines. They use bells and songs, visual timelines and gentle reminders. Children happily follow the routines, confident that they know what is coming next, happy to tidy away resources together and get ready for group times and lunch. This helps them to feel settled and to cope well with transitions. n Staff promote children's independence skills, such as dressing, feeding themselves and washing their hands. However, less consideration is given to ensuring that the personal needs of all children are met appropriately. Furthermore, sometimes, children are not given the privacy they should have when receiving personal care. This does not support all children to understand what is appropriate for their age. n Children thoroughly enjoy spending extended periods of time in the forest school

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need to do better?

area. Staff provide a calm and welcoming environment, where children can freely explore and gain independence. They delight in finding various bugs and talk about how best to treat them. They smile as they are pushed on the swing and concentrate when whittling a stick to make their own pencils. Staff use this opportunity to support children to make good progress in their confidence, resilience and communication skills. n The manager has a good improvement plan in place to continue to improve both the physical environment and the education and care provided. She supports her staff to feel empowered and part of a supportive team. Training is regularly sought to enhance the provision and to help build staff's personal confidence and abilities. Staff are knowledgeable and caring, and they strive to provide the best care and education they can to all children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a clear understanding of child protection issues and their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding all children. They know what signs and symptoms to look out for that might suggest a child is at risk. Staff are clear about the importance of making prompt referrals should they have any concerns about a child. They understand how to deal with allegations made against staff. The manager undertakes effective risk assessments of the pre-school environment, which helps to reduce and minimise any potential hazards.

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should:

n strengthen staff's understanding of the specific intent for planned group activities, ensuring they are clear on what they want children to learn

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should:

9 May 2023 n ensure personal hygiene practices meet the needs of all children appropriately.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY461890 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10280286 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 38 Name of registered person Leybourne Chase Pre-School Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07468 426755 Date of previous inspection 21 September 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Pippins Pre-school operates in Leybourne, Kent. The pre-school is open each weekday, from 9am to 4pm, during term time only. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are six members of staff, including the manager, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 provider and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the curriculum. n The inspector spoke with staff, interacted with children, and viewed appropriate documentation. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the provider. n Parents shared their views about the setting with the inspector.

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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

9 May 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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