St John's URC Preschool Group

Inspection of St John's URC Preschool Group St. Johns United Reform Church, Lynwood Grove, Orpington, Kent BR6 0BG

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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

Familiar staff greet children warmly as they arrive. Children settle quickly and happily into the routine of the day. They demonstrate secure social skills. For example, they share resources willingly and engage with each other, laughing and chattering. Staff skilfully help the children to understand and develop their turn- taking skills. They praise children for being patient and for good listening. Children behave very well and show kindness to their friends and staff. Staff remind them of the behavioural rules of the group and activities throughout the day to help them understand what is expected. Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from the inviting and well-organised learning environment, which supports them to be fully engaged in meaningful play. Staff have high expectations for children and adapt their approach to build on what children know and can do. For example, they ask questions to help children to think, such as when younger children complete a puzzle. This encourages children to explore and problem-solve. Children develop positive attitudes to learning. They are very busy and engrossed in their play. For example, they use scissors to cut shapes and use sticky tape to hold them together to make their own handbag.

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need to do better?

n Staff know the children well. They have a secure understanding of where children are in their development. Staff plan appropriate next steps in children's learning. They use children's interests to plan activities that excite and motivate them. This helps children to gain an eagerness to learn from an early age. All children make good progress from their starting points. n Although children learn to be independent, there are times when this is not consistently supported. For example, staff prepare children's snacks and pour their milk, not offering the opportunity for them to have a go and extend their self-help skills. n Children learn to understand the rules of the pre-school. Staff provide consistently clear expectations to children. For example, they remind children what to do at the start of each activity, such as 'good sitting', and 'good listening'. n Staff are positive role models. They teach children about being tolerant and

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need to do better?

respectful. Children willingly share the toys and resources as they play and follow simple instructions well. Staff praise children for their good listening, achievements and kindness, raising their confidence and self-esteem effectively. n Staff support children's communication and language development very well. Staff ask questions that encourage children to think and communicate. For example, staff discuss the handbag designs the children make. They sing with the children, listen to them well and respond with words. Staff add words to

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need to do better?

14 July 2023 younger children's actions and sounds and repeat what they say clearly so children hear the correct pronunciation. As a result, children make good progress in their language skills. n Staff provide different opportunities that promote children's physical development effectively. Children ride around the indoor area on ride-on toys and move about with good body coordination. The outdoor play area has a good supply of equipment, which supports the children's large and small muscle development effectively. However, snacks provided are not thought out carefully to help promote children's healthy eating as well as possible. For example, staff explain that children are given a biscuit every day. n Children learn to count in a range of ways. Older children use different mathematical concepts to work out what will happen when they take away or add groups of pasta. They learn about shapes as they draw and cut shapes out

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need to do better?

for their handbags, such as squares and circles. n Staff support children's early literacy skills well. For example, children sound out letters in their name and older children write their name competently. n Parents speak fondly about the staff. They comment on how well staff get to know their children and meet their individual needs. Parents are given regular updates about their children's progress. Staff provide them with ideas for how they can further extend their children's learning at home. n The staff have regular supervisions with the manager and attend staff team meetings. However, opportunities to support staff training to enhance their knowledge and skills and benefit children's learning further need to be improved.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. They supervise children effectively as they play and complete thorough risk assessments to ensure that the premises and environment are consistently safe. Safeguarding policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and understood by all. Staff have a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child could be at risk of harm and the procedures to follow to ensure that children are safe. They know who to contact if they have any concerns about the behaviour of adults caring for children.

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should:

n use opportunities as they arise to enhance children's independence n review snack time to help children understand healthy choices n develop staff's continuous professional development to further enhance the quality of teaching and children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 137350 Local authority Bromley Inspection number 10301167 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 40 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person St John's URC Preschool Group Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01689 830453 Date of previous inspection 18 January 2018

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Information about this early years setting

St John's URC Preschool Group is a committee-run setting and registered in 1993. The pre-school Is located at St John's URC in Orpington, in the London Borough of Bromley. It is open from 8.15am to 2.15pm each weekday, during term time only. There are five members of staff, four of whom work with the children, including the manager. All four childcare staff have a relevant childcare qualification at level 2 or above. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years.

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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 any impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk of the pre-school and discussed the curriculum for children. n The inspector made observations of the quality of teaching and assessed the impact on children's learning. n Parents shared their views of the pre-school with the inspector. n A meeting was held with the manager and relevant documentation, including evidence of staff's suitability, was viewed. n A joint observation was completed with the manager. n Staff and children were spoken to 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

14 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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