Dalgarno Pre-School

Inspection of Dalgarno Pre-School 1 Webb Close, London W10 5QB

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children arrive at the pre-school happy and eager to greet staff and their friends. Children demonstrate their developing independence as staff support them to hang up their coats. They quickly settle and engage with different activities in the room. Staff are attentive to children's individual needs and support them to make choices about their learning and play, both indoors and outdoors. They actively engage with children and respond with enthusiasm when joining in with role-play games. For example, when playing outside, children eagerly use money at the 'hot chocolate' stand and count how many marshmallows to add. Staff guide them to learn about money, which children repeat in their play. This helps to reinforce children's early mathematical development and develop their imagination.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from being cared for by staff who know them well. Staff use their knowledge to provide meaningful activities that carefully build on children's prior learning and skills. This helps all children to make good progress. Staff foster positive relationships with children and are skilled in supporting children's emotional well-being. Children happily play alongside their friends. Staff gently remind children about appropriate behaviour, such as turn-taking, and children keenly use the sand timer to support their learning.

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need to do better?

n Leaders have a strong understanding of what they want children to learn. They create a broad curriculum that promotes children's abilities across the areas of learning. Overall, the consistent staff team have a secure understanding of how to support children's individual needs. Staff receive ongoing support and access a wide range of additional training and professional development. This helps staff to focus on their engagement with children and improve their teaching skills to support children's learning. n Staff support children well during activities to encourage their curiosity and enable them to make connections in their learning. For example, children enjoy exploring ice and discovering how to use brushes and water to rescue the arctic animals inside. However, activities are not evaluated effectively to identify what children need to learn next, close gaps quickly and enhance learning even further.

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need to do better?

n Physical opportunities promote exploration and the development of children's gross motor skills. For instance, children enjoy balancing on the balance beam, and jumping in and out of hoops. n Staff establish positive relationships with parents. They gather detailed information from parents when children first start. This helps them to identify clear starting points for learning and any additional support that children may need to help them make progress. Parents speak highly of the nursery and the

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need to do better?

13 January 2025 friendly staff. They value the regular updates they receive and recognise the skills children have developed since starting. n All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or with English as an additional language, make good progress from their starting points. Leaders work closely with other professionals to ensure that children with SEND have personalised plans in place to meet their individual needs. n Leaders use additional funding effectively, ensuring that children attending are offered the full learning experiences on offer. This means children are making good progress in their learning and support offered for the family as well. n Children benefit from high-quality interactions with staff within this language-rich environment. Staff repeat and reinforce vocabulary. They consider children's different levels of understanding and fluency. Staff plan opportunities for children

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need to do better?

to listen and follow instructions. Children use new language and are supported during small-group language sessions to develop their skills further. n Children learn how to use mathematics purposefully during play. For example, children count how many marshmallows for the hot chocolate, they eagerly talk about the shapes they draw and enjoy learning about concepts of 'bigger' and 'smaller'. n Leaders carry out regular supervision sessions with staff. They use these meetings to identify issues with workload and support staff's well-being. Staff embrace new initiatives and opportunities to build on their knowledge and skills.

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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 use assessment more precisely to check what children know and can do in order to inform teaching and enhance their knowledge and skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 105686 Local authority Kensington and Chelsea Inspection number 10334620 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 24 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Dalgarno Pre-School Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 02089 691 463 Date of previous inspection 7 February 2024

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Information about this early years setting

Dalgarno Pre-School registered in 2002. It is situated in North Kensington, in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The pre-school opens every day during school term time, from 8.45am to 3.15pm. There is an option for children to attend a breakfast session from 8.15am to 8.45am and lunch from 11.45am to 12.15pm. The provider offers the government funded places for childcare. There are five members of staff, including the manager. All hold childcare qualifications at level 3.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector discussed how the curriculum had been implemented and the impact that this has had on children's learning. 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 inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out joint observation of a focus activity with the manager. 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 pre-school. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times 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

13 January 2025 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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