St. Martin's Pre-School

Inspection of St. Martin's Pre-School Cheriton CP School, Church Road, FOLKESTONE, Kent CT20 3EP

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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 extremely eager to come into the pre-school. They quickly settle into the routine of the day and investigate the exciting range of activities on offer. Staff provide a calm, nurturing environment. The children confidently explore and feel safe and secure at the pre-school. Children's behaviour is good and appropriate for their age. They are kind to their friends. For example, they pour drinks of water for their friends who are busy building in the construction area. Staff encourage children to talk about emotions and how they are feeling. For instance, they make good use of colours and stories to teach children about recognising and dealing with their emotions.

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The provision is good

Supporting children to develop the skills needed for the next stage in their development is important to staff. For example, children choose what they would like to eat at snack time before sitting down to eat with friends. Staff teach them about how to care for the planet. For instance, children learn about how to recycle. They are especially eager to place the food waste into the wormery to feed the worms.

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The provision is good

Physical exercise is a keen focus at the pre-school. Staff provide children with a multitude of experiences to build their gross motor skills, such as riding bikes in the garden and climbing on the large play equipment. Staff teach children about how to take managed risks in their play as they practise new skills.

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need to do better?

n The manager is exceptionally dedicated to her role. She is focused on continually developing and improving the pre-school. The manager has strong links with other professionals and is a member of a collaboration. She has a well- established team of staff, which works well together. The manager ensures that they receive regular training and that their well-being is supported. As a result, staff morale is high. n The curriculum staff plan has a clear intent for learning. They focus on children's individual interests and stages of development. Staff plan a wide range of engaging and stimulating activities for children. For instance, children are keen to be ice-cream sellers. They use scoops to place pretend ice cream on cones and then decorate them with paper sprinkles and flakes. They interact with friends and practise their fine motor skills as they build their ice creams. However, at times, staff do not consistently provide a higher level of challenge

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need to do better?

to the most able children to further extend their learning. n The manager and staff have effective plans in place to support children with the transition to formal education. The manager has close connections with the local primary schools. Teachers visit the setting to meet the children. Staff provide

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need to do better?

11 July 2023 them with detailed information about each child. This helps to ensure that the next stage of early education for children is seamless. n Staff have high expectations for all children's learning and development. They make strong use of picture cards to support inclusivity within the setting. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents and other professionals to help support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, all children, including children who speak English as an additional language, achieve their best possible outcomes. n Partnerships with parents are a strength of the pre-school. Parents comment on how friendly and approachable the staff are. Staff communicate effectively with parents through daily face-to-face interactions. Staff also have regular formalised meetings with parents about children's development. n Children have a wide range of sensory experiences with which to explore and

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need to do better?

interact. They engage in imaginative play as they make dinners and play 'shops' in the role-play area. However, on occasion, younger children are not as engaged in purposeful play activities as their older peers. n Staff make good use of spontaneous events to engage children. For instance, staff talk to the children about the snail they find on a construction brick. They place the snail on a window and watch how it moves. Staff introduce new vocabulary as they look at the slime on the window as the snail moves along. Staff make strong use of repetition to support children to hear the correct pronunciation of words. They give children time to think and respond to questions. Staff provide children with a wealth of opportunities to develop their communication and language skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager makes sure that staff regularly undertake safeguarding training. Staff are aware of the signs of possible risk to a child This includes being alert to extreme views and signs of exploitation, such as county lines. Staff are aware of how to record and report any concerns they may have. This helps them to protect the children in their care. The manager and staff carry out thorough risk assessments. Staff are vigilant and deployed effectively throughout the day. This helps to ensure that children play in a safe and secure environment. The manager understands the importance of carrying out robust recruitment procedures to ensure the suitability of all adults working with children.

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should:

n provide a higher level of challenge to the most able children to help extend their learning even further

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should:

11 July 2023 n ensure that younger children are engaged in purposeful learning throughout the day.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY495180 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10301549 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 41 Name of registered person Hastings, Sheryl Kim

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reference number

Telephone number 07948517655 Date of previous inspection 10 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

St. Martin's Pre-School registered in 2015. It is situated in the grounds of Cheriton Primary School, in Folkestone, Kent. The pre-school is open five days a week, from 8.55am to 2.55pm, during term time only. The pre-school receives funding for children aged two, three and four years. Six members of staff work at the pre- school. Of these, three hold a relevant early years qualification at level 3 and two at level 5.

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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 joint observations with the manager on different group activities. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the daily routines and early years curriculum. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The inspector spoke to several parents and read letters of reference to take into account parents' views on the service they receive. n The inspector talked to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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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

11 July 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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