Walton CofE Infant School

Report for childcare on domestic premises

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children are eager to come into the pre-school. They have formed exceptionally close attachments with all staff. The nurturing staff know the children well and prioritise their emotional well-being. The children are happy and feel safe and secure as they investigate the activities on offer. For instance, the children enjoy practising their fine motor skills. The older children skilfully cut along straight and wiggly lines drawn on the paper. Younger children cut out pictures from magazines and make marks in play dough to develop their scissor skills. Staff make focused use of praise to build children's confidence and acknowledge their achievements.

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The provision is good

Staff patiently support children as they learn new skills. For instance, children develop their independence as they learn to put on waterproofs and wellington boots. Children learn important life skills from an early age. Staff provide children with opportunities to investigate outside. For example, the children enjoy building their muscle strength as they ride bicycles along the path. Staff make effective use of spontaneous events to extend children's learning. For instance, they talk about the spider's web that one of the children has found in the garden. The children are inquisitive and keen to investigate and explore the world around them.

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need to do better?

n The provider has been managing the pre-school for over thirty years. She has a well-established dedicated staff team who ensure the welfare of all children. Staff are quick to recognise when children need additional support and collaborate closely with parents and other professionals. This helps to ensure all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and children who speak English as an additional language, make the progress of which they are capable. The manager has made beneficial use of extra funding. For instance, they have purchased resources that help support children to recognise and deal with their emotions. n Parents state that they are extremely pleased with the information and support they receive from the manager. Staff make sure parents receive regular updates. For instance, parents have daily face-to-face discussions with staff and have access to information through their children's online learning records. Staff

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need to do better?

provide children with book bags and regularly change the books to ensure they have new stories they can share with parents. This helps to develop children's interest in literacy and supports home-based learning. n Communication and language is a high priority for staff at the pre-school. The staff make exceptional use of repetition to ensure children hear the correct pronunciation of words. They engage children in games to support their listening skills. For instance, staff give older children instructions to follow as they play games with their friends. Younger children name the colours as they sort the

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need to do better?

22 February 2024 objects into bowls. Staff offer children a wealth of opportunities to become skilful communicators as they prepare for future learning. n The curriculum has a clear focus on children's interests and their next steps in learning. For instance, children enjoy role play as they develop their imagination. They load up toy tractors with real vegetables and move them around the plastic tray. Staff make clever use of activities to enable the children to explore sensory play. However, on occasion, staff do not implement the curriculum as carefully in all areas of the environment, to help fully extend children's learning. For example, they do not always provide children with suitable resources in the home corner to engage and extend their play. n Children's behaviour is outstanding. Staff are highly effective in supporting children to learn how to cope with situations and deal with their emotions. They

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need to do better?

support children's mental health as they interweave manners and boundaries into all aspects of children's play. For instance, they encourage younger children to link colours to how they might be feeling as they sort the coloured animals. Older children make room for their friends to join in with their games. Children are eager to cooperate and are learning how to behave during social interactions. Staff are very consistent in the messages they give to children to support them to manage their emotions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n strengthen staff's understanding of how to implement the curriculum consistently and precisely to extend children's learning further.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127289 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10317214 Type of provision Childcare on domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 13 Number of children on roll 22

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Information about this early years setting

Kelso House Pre-school registered in 1992. It is located in Margate, Kent. The pre- school is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 4pm, and Fridays 9am to 12pm, during term time only. The provider is in receipt of funding for the provision of early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. They employ three staff, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. The provider manages the pre-school and holds a level 6 qualification.

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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 manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the pre-school and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the quality of education and carried out a joint observation with the manager to assess the impact of staff's teaching on children's learning. n The inspector considered the views of parents through face-to-face discussions and written testimonials. n The staff and children spoke to the inspector at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The manager provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request.

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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

22 February 2024 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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