Surestart - Where Kids Come First

Inspection of Surestart - Where Kids Come First The Ockenden Children's Centre, 2a Afton Drive, SOUTH OCKENDON, Essex RM15 5PA

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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 come into the nursery excited to learn and to share their news with staff about what they have done since they last met. They are aware of the routines, and they independently hang their belongings up and make their way to a chosen activity.

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The provision is good

Children have developed very strong attachments with staff, who have created a safe environment where children are confident, happy and secure. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour, and they have created a culture of mutual respect. Positive behaviour is promoted through encouraging responsibility, for example involving children in tidy-up routines. Children are given scripts to help them navigate difficult situations. For example, when they face difficulties with friends, staff remind them to say, 'Please don't do that, I don't like it.' This empowers children to recognise and respond to uncomfortable and unwanted situations.

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The provision is good

Children are provided with a stimulating learning environment full of activities to explore. Staff plan an exciting curriculum using books as their theme. This promotes a love for books and reading. Children are engaged and enthusiastic when they listen to stories that are brought to life through staff's animated and expressive reading. Children are encouraged to create their own stories, which staff scribe for them, and they add illustrations to create their own personalised storybook.

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need to do better?

n Effective monitoring systems are in place to ensure all children make good progress. When additional support is needed, referrals are made promptly, enabling children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to access appropriate help and continue to achieve well. n Older children develop resilience, learn how to think ahead, trust themselves and figure out how risky something is when they take part in risky play activities. They hang upside down on a large climbing frame, using just their legs to secure themselves, and they use hammers and nails to create a small wooden scarecrow. Children confidently explain how they made and dressed their scarecrow to go in the garden to scare the birds away. n Overall, staff provide effective support for children's communication and language development. They incorporate singing and action rhymes into daily routines and engage children in meaningful conversations, often encouraging

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need to do better?

them to reflect on shared experiences. However, strategies to enhance the speech and comprehension of children who speak English as an additional language are not yet fully embedded in practice.

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need to do better?

25 June 2025 n Babies learn to become independent through spending time with and observing older children. They are encouraged to get their shoes, put their sun hats on and feed themselves at lunchtime. Older children get themselves dressed for physical education (PE), wipe the table after lunch and help staff to serve fruits at snack time. n Children have attention skills beyond those expected for their age. Babies concentrate with intent as they observe minibeasts in a bucket, and older children wait their turn patiently during PE. However, on occasion, some activities take too long, and children become fidgety and restless. n Older children confidently speak to visitors, telling them about their recent minibeast visit, and talk about what they are doing in the nursery today. Babies maintain good eye contact during their back-and-forth interactions with staff. n Parents speak highly of the care and education that their children receive at the

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need to do better?

nursery. They say that their children settle quickly, and where children struggle to settle, clear plans are put in place to support them. Parents are happy with the progress that their children have made. They feel supported by staff, and they appreciate the open communication. n Consistent supervision and a thorough induction process help staff understand their roles and responsibilities clearly, while also enabling leaders to identify areas for further development. n Staff work well as a team, and they are well positioned around the nursery and garden throughout the day to best support learning and maintain children's safety. n Settling in is arranged around the needs of children, so that they feel safe and happy to learn. Families are invited to visit the nursery before their children start. This helps them get used to the new environment and staff. Staff settle children well during this time. They spend one-to-one time with them, plan

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need to do better?

activities around their interests and encourage families to bring in a comforter from home to help the settling-in process.

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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 support staff in reviewing how group-time activities are organised to best support children's engagement in their learning n embed consistent supportive strategies to help children who speak English as an additional language to further develop their communication and understanding.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY337731 Local authority Thurrock Inspection number 10388565 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 60 Name of registered person Surestart Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01708 670011 Date of previous inspection 17 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Surestart - Where Kids Come First registered in 2006 and is run by a committee. The setting employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The setting opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The setting provides funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector went on a learning walk around the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to parents to get their views about the nursery. n Children spoke with the inspector about what they do at the nursery. n The inspector observed the quality of education, both indoors and outdoors, and considered the impact it was having on children's learning. n Staff spoke to the inspector at appropriate times during the inspection, and she took account of their views. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint evaluation during snack time. n Staff spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. n Several parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector during the inspection.

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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

25 June 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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