Rain Or Shine Forest Preschool

Inspection of Rain Or Shine Forest Preschool Judd Wood Farm, Tonbridge TN11 8AB

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is outstanding

All children are incredibly confident, independent and happy in the stimulating and motivating outdoor learning environment. Extremely dedicated staff have an outstanding knowledge of how they implement their curriculum effectively to enthral children in their learning opportunities. Children are incredibly enthusiastic to engage in the highly challenging activities staff carefully plan for them. For example, staff teach children how to use real tools, such as drills, safely to create their own resources. They build their own tree swing and make instruments, using sticks, string and bottle tops. Children are incredibly imaginative. They build a enormous pirate ship out of wood, rope ladders and cargo nets. Staff build on the interest of pirates and teach children how to skilfully tie different types of knots with rope.

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The provision is outstanding

All staff are outstanding role models. Children's behaviour is impeccable, and they are incredibly polite. They have excellent levels of empathy and kindness. For example, they respect wildlife and living things. Children lovingly hug other children and remind each other how to keep their hands warm, saying, 'rub them together'. Children gain an excellent understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. For instance, they discuss the importance of having regular drinks to remain hydrated. Children have outstanding opportunities to challenge their physical skills. They negotiate increasingly complex equipment safely, such as using tree swings, climbing trees and doing forward rolls over horizontal poles with excellent confidence.

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need to do better?

n The highly qualified staff team is incredibly dedicated and passionate in successfully fulfilling its role of teaching children new skills. Children have an extremely positive attitude towards their learning. They are resilient and persist at a task until they achieve what they set out to do. Staff have extremely high expectations of children, and all children make outstanding progress. This includes children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n All staff establish incredibly positive relationships with children. They get to know their individual personalities and what makes them unique incredibly well. Children are enthusiastic at the setting and remain inspired to explore and investigate in the knowledge they are in a safe, secure and trusting environment. n The manager and staff establish an extremely positive partnership with parents

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need to do better?

and keep them incredibly well informed of their children's learning. For example, parents are invited to learn about campfire activities their children participate in, such as cooking vegetable soup and making play dough. Staff routinely share

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need to do better?

5 June 2023 training with parents and children, such as how to keep them safe online and the impact of screen time on children's development. n All children are extremely confident to communicate their ideas. They have an extensive range of vocabulary and learn new words daily. For instance, children talk about 'tranquillity' during meditation activities and think about the 'terrain' when risk assessing their environment. n Staff support children to gain an outstanding level of respect and understanding of other people from around the world. For example, they learn about Jewish traditions and make traditional hamantaschen biscuits. Children celebrate festivals of other countries, such as the Iranian festival Yalda, where they celebrate the change in seasons. Children share with each other something they are grateful for. Children learn the pre-school's goodbye song in a wide range of languages, including Farsi, Vietnamese and Portuguese.

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need to do better?

n All staff evaluate their practice together exceptionally well. They regularly observe each other teaching and interacting with children. They use feedback to set highly challenging targets to further enhance their performance. Staff include children and ask them daily what they have learned from the activities and what they would like to add to the activity plans. Children feel extremely valued and listened to. n The manager is fully committed to supporting staff to continually enhance with skills and knowledge. For instance, they have learned about the different ways to support all children to express themselves and manage their mental health and well-being. The manager highlights that she would like to continue to upskill the already extremely knowledgeable staff even further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have an outstanding knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and child protection policies. They have a comprehensive knowledge of all signs and symptoms of abuse to look out for. This includes safeguarding issues, such as domestic violence and witchcraft. They know who to contact to report and follow up any potential concerns. Staff teach children how to remain safe. Children are encouraged to take an active role in risk assessing their challenging activities and highlight risks with excellent levels of maturity. For example, they are confident to recall the rules when using the campfire, and they learn how to stay safe around water during pond dipping activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY538569 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10285641 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 Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Rain Or Shine Forest Preschool Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01732 356421 Date of previous inspection 12 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Rain Or Shine Forest Preschool registered in 2016. It is located at Juddwood Farm, Tonbridge, Kent. The setting is open Monday to Thursday, from 9.15am until 2.15pm, term time only. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. The setting employs four members of staff, all of whom hold a relevant early years qualification at level 3 and above. This includes one member of staff who holds a qualification at level 6 and one who holds qualified teacher status.

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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 inspector carried out a learning walk with the manager. The inspector assessed the impact of the quality of staff interactions and the learning opportunities they provide children. n The inspector thoroughly viewed the outdoor learning environment. n The inspector reviewed written documentation. This included safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures and parent feedback. n The inspector spoke to the manager, children and staff at convenient times and considered their views. n The manager and inspector carried out a joint observation during lunchtime, focusing on the quality of communication.

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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 June 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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