West Kingsdown Pre-school

Inspection of West Kingsdown Pre- school School Lane, West Kingsdown, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 6JN

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

p.1

The provision is outstanding

Children and their families are at the heart of this incredibly caring setting. Staff nurture children's emotional well-being exceptionally well. They provide personalised support to ensure all children settle very securely and, as such, children develop very strong bonds with staff. Children develop high levels of self- esteem as staff continuously praise and encourage them. Children demonstrate excellent behaviour and attitudes. For example, they immediately settle to join in with rhyming games, and are enthralled listening intently for different letter sounds, remaining highly engaged and interested. These activities support children's communication and attention skills very effectively.

p.2

The provision is outstanding

Staff plan an extensive variety of opportunities to widen children's knowledge of their local community. They encourage children to help others by fundraising for local groups. Children donate food items to the 'community cupboard' and bring in their own clothes and coats to support the donation bank. This very effectively supports children's understanding of responsibility and respect for those around them. Staff have very high expectations for all children. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are provided with excellent support. Staff use sign language to help children's understanding and are incredibly patient in their approach. Children who are non-verbal when they start become confident communicators. All children make significant progress from their starting points.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff are excellent role models, demonstrating kindness and care towards children. As a direct result, older children immediately help their younger friends to line up, reminding them sensitively about the rules. Children are very polite and well mannered. n Children learn to be incredibly inclusive to others. Staff support children's understanding of others very successfully. They encourage children to share family photographs and talk very positively about their friends backgrounds and cultures. As such, children demonstrate high levels of respect for others. n Staff provide exceptional support for children with SEND. They provide excellent one-to-one support, creating personalised plans to ensure all children make significant progress. Children who did not speak when they started, now talk confidently. Children with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes. n Staff use every opportunity to extend children's skills. They develop children's

p.2

need to do better?

vocabulary by using phrases such as 'deep rolling ocean' to describe the sea when reading stories children are interested in. Staff organise the local library to be open, ensuring children have regular access to books to develop a love of reading. n Children benefit from highly engaging activities to promote their creativity.

p.2

need to do better?

6 February 2025 Children sustain very high levels of engagement when creating their own play dough sculptures with a range of different resources. Staff skilfully pose challenges to encourage children to problem-solve supporting their thinking skills very well. n Staff very effectively promote children's mathematical understanding. Children are encouraged to count items in their lunch bags and do so excitedly. They delight in sharing out their 'pennies' and are fascinated learning how to take away. These activities very successfully develop children's learning. n Leaders and managers are incredibly proactive and hardworking. Funding is used highly effectively to enhance opportunities for children to learn about sustainability. Children help to create a growing garden, where they sow seeds and grow fruits and vegetables to take home. They go regularly to carefully collect eggs from a local chicken coup to further develop their understanding of

p.2

need to do better?

where food comes from. n Leaders and managers ensure staff are highly trained and qualified. They support other settings locally by collaborating closely to continually improve provision. Excellent processes are in place to support children's transitions to school. Staff ensure children and families are very well supported. Links with local partners is excellent, ensuring children and their families access their full entitlement to quality care and education. n Partnerships with parents are very strong. Parents value highly the help, advice and guidance they get. They report that the home visits offered, help them personally and they look forward to sessions specifically organise for them, such as grandparents' day and pamper sessions. They talk of the significant progress their children have made in speech, language, independence and confidence.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 127761 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10382122 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 56 Name of registered person West Kingsdown Pre-School Committee

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 01474 854897 Date of previous inspection 6 November 2019

p.4

Information about this early years setting

West Kingsdown Pre-school registered in 1999. It is located in Sevenoaks, Kent. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday from 9am until 3pm, term time only. It receives funding to provide free early education for two- and three-year-old children. The pre-school employs 11 members of staff, 10 of whom hold relevant early years qualification at level 2 or above. This includes two members of staff who have a qualification at level 4.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individuals about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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 carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

6 February 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6