Dawes Community Childcare Centre

Inspection of Dawes Community Childcare Centre The DCA Centre, The Playing Fields, Fostall, Hernhill, Faversham ME13 9JG

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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 thrive in the nurturing environment created by staff. They say goodbye to their parents and eagerly hang their bags up. They are keen to discover what they will be learning. Every day, children and staff sit together to say good morning. They use sign language to indicate how they are feeling and discuss what is making them feel happy or sad. Children work as a team to gently stretch their muscles while counting both forward and back. They say that they are 'ready to play' and their bodies have 'woken up' after stretching. Children are learning how exercise helps to keep their bodies healthy.

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The provision is good

Children are very happy, well mannered and friendly towards each other. Staff role model expected behaviours as they interact and play with the children. Staff have high expectations for children to be confident and independent. This is skilfully built into routines of the day, so children have plenty of practice. For example, children serve themselves a snack using tweezers and spoons. They clear the table after eating then wash and dry up their own plates. Younger children and those new to the setting learn quickly from their peers. Parents feedback that children are keen to use the skills at home that that they have learned at nursery.

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need to do better?

n Leaders implement an ambitious curriculum that supports all children's learning and development. They use effective assessment methods to identify those who may need more support. Swift referrals mean that children get any additional help they need from other professionals. This prevents them from falling behind and ensures that they make good progress. n Staff successfully help children to develop a love of books. Children enjoy group story time throughout the day. They listen attentively and try to guess what is going to happen next in the story. Younger children benefit from 1-1 story time with their key person. They select books to read with enthusiasm and giggle as they lift up flaps. n Staff provide a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities based on children's interests. Children demonstrate high levels of motivation and engagement. However, on occasion, staff do not recognise the impact of

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need to do better?

interrupting children who are engrossed in their play to move them on to another activity. At these times, children do not fully benefit from fully exploring and testing out their ideas. n Children learn about different cultures and customs. During celebrations, staff wear their traditional dress and introduce food from different countries. Children learn how to say words in different languages. Staff help children to share aspects of their own home life and cultural heritage. This supports children to appreciate diversity and learn what makes them unique.

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need to do better?

5 September 2024 n Snack and lunchtime is a lovely social occasion which staff and children enjoy together. They hold conversations while staff discuss different fruits and vegetables. For example, children explore a fig and use words like 'squidgy' to describe its texture. Children are learning about healthy eating. n There is a focus on developing children's language. Staff model and repeat tricky words to children so that they can practice their pronunciation. However, sometimes staff do not always give children time to respond to questions. This does not always allow children to fully develop their communication and language skills. n Parents feedback that they love the homely and family feel of the nursery. They feel fully supported by staff with changes like toilet training. Parents receive information daily about what their children have been doing. They know what they will be working on next. Children benefit from this partnership work as

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need to do better?

parents can extend learning at home. n Staff benefit from ongoing, good-quality supervisions. They receive support from leaders who check on their well-being. Staff say they feel part of a team, and this is evident when they work with the children. There is a culture of sharing best practice so that staff can develop their skills even further, which improves outcomes for children. n Staff build strong relationships with other settings that children attend. They take children to visit the local school to attend open play sessions and meet the teachers. This supports children to feel secure in new environments. Staff are preparing children for a successful transition to school.

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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 the support for children to follow their own interests and explore their own ideas to embed their learning n support staff to use language and interactions that encourage fuller responses from children to further encourage their communication and language skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 160294 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10351055 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 36 Number of children on roll 91 Name of registered person The Dawes Community Association

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reference number

Telephone number 01227751665 Date of previous inspection 2 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Dawes Community Childcare Centre registered in 2001 and is situated in Hernhill, near Faversham, Kent. The setting is open for pre-school children on Monday to Thursday from 9am to 3pm. The setting also offers a breakfast club everyday from 8am to 8.45am, and an out-of-school club on Monday to Thursday from 3.15pm to 5.30pm and until 5pm on Friday. The setting operates during term time only. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The setting employs four members of staff. The manager has achieved early years professional status and the deputy manager holds a relevant qualification at level 3.

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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 viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The deputy manager, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during snack

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Inspection activities

time. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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 September 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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