Kennford Playbox

Inspection of Kennford Playbox The Kenn Centre, Exeter Road Kennford, Kennford, EXETER EX6 7UE

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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

Children are respectfully guided by the highly-skilled staff in a rich and exciting learning environment. The well-embedded, highly effective and ambitious curriculum ensures that all children make exceptional progress in their development. Leaders and staff prioritise what they want children to learn so they gain high levels of confidence, independence, language and physical abilities. Children develop their curiosity, such as when they hunt for 'dinosaur bones' in the sand tray. Staff skilfully introduce new words and talk about being a 'palaeontologist'. Children ask questions to gain further understanding and relate this to what they know about dinosaurs. Children of all ages develop excellent language as staff skilfully interact, model, repeat and extend their words. Staff creatively weave books, rhymes and songs into the curriculum to constantly extend vocabulary further.

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The provision is outstanding

Staff ensure children gain strong mathematical skills and language. For example, children use tools to make pizzas and cakes with play dough, where they discuss size and three-dimensional shapes. Children are engaged and maintain their attention extremely well as staff consistently and creatively plan and provide opportunities that build on each child's interests.

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The provision is outstanding

Managers and staff place a strong importance on children's personal and emotional development. They sensitively support children to recognise their feelings, creating sensory spaces to support children to regulate if they become overwhelmed. Staff work alongside parents to support positive behaviours, helping to prepare children very well for their next stage of learning.

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need to do better?

n Outstanding relationships with external professionals enable staff to follow consistent strategies and personal plans based on children's interests and needs, leading to very good progress with their language and communication. As a result, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities settle quickly and achieve well. Managers make very good use of additional funding to enhance children's learning and experiences. Music sessions enable children to sing and express their ideas musically. Children look after the guinea pigs and, with commentary and support from responsive staff, learn to understand care routines and how to nurture. n Partnerships with parents are extremely effective. This is an area the managers and staff have worked meticulously on since the last inspection. They have adapted their communication to give parents a sound understanding of their child's development. Staff also learn more about what children know and can do

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need to do better?

to inform their planning for continuous learning. Regular meetings take place

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need to do better?

4 December 2024 alongside the electronic system for updates. Children, parents and staff value the sense of community this creates. n Staff are led well by their inspirational managers and supportive committee to create an inclusive and welcoming environment with an ambitious curriculum. Children enthusiastically explore the creatively developed environment. They use their senses in the sensory den and garden and use language confidently to describe how they feel, including what is calming for them. Staff skilfully encourage children to recognise when they may need some support and model how to care for their friends. n Children develop high levels of confidence and perseverance in their play, with strong support from staff. For example, children spend time initially exploring the chickpeas, spoons and containers. They learn how to fill different-sized bottles and about the sounds when different amounts of chickpeas are added and

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need to do better?

shaken. This leads to stories of 'potions' and fairy tales. Staff listen and respond, encouraging children to take their ideas further. n Staff skilfully adapt activities to include all children. For example, each child has a toy animal during the story 'Dear Zoo' to enable them to join in, act out the story and learn the repetitive words. Staff enthusiastically model the story and provide opportunities to extend the language. Older children make creative suggestions of new words for the story, such as 'the frog is too ribbity'. n Children are meticulously supported to become independent in their self-care as soon as they are ready. Staff discuss with and support parents to ensure children are able to advance from nappies to using the toilet. Leaders want all children to confidently use the toilet, follow hand washing routines, and undress and dress themselves well before starting school. They consistently provide daily

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need to do better?

opportunities for children to practise these skills. Parents praise the high level of communication from the staff and for the support they receive in this area. They also talk about the progress they have seen their children make with self-help skills since attending the pre-school. n Leaders provide excellent support for staff to develop their own skills. Recent training in forest school activities is enabling staff to provide better-quality outside experiences for the children. For example, children plant and grow fruit and vegetables, learn about healthy eating and chop and cook their produce. Children actively prepare snack time foods and begin to think about hygiene and safety. Leaders ensure quality time for staff to interact and play with the children as they limit the paperwork staff need to complete.

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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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Setting details

Unique reference number EY366991 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10367365 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Kennford Playbox Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01392 833488 Date of previous inspection 5 February 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Kennford Playbox operates from the village of Kennford, on the outskirts of Exeter in Devon. The pre-school first registered in their current premises in 2007. Morning and afternoon sessions operate Monday to Friday during school term times from 8.30am to 3.15pm. The pre-school receives early education funding for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school employs six members of staff, of whom four have qualifications at level 3 or above.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n A manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Staff and children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this had on children's learning. n The inspector sampled a range of documents, including suitability checks, training certificates and children's learning records. n The inspector and a manager carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

4 December 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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