Owl Pre-School

Inspection of Owl Pre-School Shears Green Infant School, Packham Road, Northfleet, GRAVESEND, Kent DA11 7JF

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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 are happy, safe and settled. They arrive confidently and quickly engage in play. Staff know children well and plan activities around their interests. This keeps children motivated and helps them enjoy learning.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They make choices in play and show independence in daily routines. They build strong relationships with staff and chat confidently with unfamiliar adults. Staff respond quickly to children's needs and offer a nurturing approach.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from a rich and stimulating environment. They have access to farm animals and take part in seasonal experiences, such as hatching chicks and watching them grow. These opportunities spark curiosity and deepen children's understanding of the world.

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The provision is good

The setting is well connected to the local community. Children enjoy visits from the police and fire services, which help them learn about people who help us and build their sense of belonging. Strong links with local schools help children feel confident and well prepared for starting school.

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need to do better?

n Leaders encourage staff to take the lead on curriculum areas they are passionate about. This contributes to strong morale and a shared approach to practice. For example, a communication and language lead supports colleagues to strengthen practice in this area. This enables staff to support children with their communication and language skills. n Staff deliver a curriculum that supports all areas of learning. They plan activities that build on children's interests and starting points. As a result, children are engaged and make progress across all areas of learning. n Children with emerging special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. Staff work closely with families and professionals to provide tailored support. This helps children stay focused and make good progress. n Staff support children who speak English as an additional language well. They use bilingual strategies and tailored interactions to help children settle and

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need to do better?

develop their communication skills. This helps children feel secure and make progress in their language development. n Staff promote language development well. They model vocabulary and encourage children to express themselves through conversation, storytelling and play. This supports communication across all areas of learning. n Children show positive attitudes to learning. They make choices in play, follow routines and show independence. They are confident and curious learners who

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need to do better?

23 September 2025 enjoy exploring their environment. n Children benefit from meaningful experiences that develop their understanding of the world. They observe animals on site, take part in seasonal projects such as hatching chicks, and engage with the local community through visits from the police and fire services. These opportunities help to prepare them for life in modern Britain. n Staff receive regular supervision and targeted training. Leaders give clear feedback and recognise strengths in teaching. However, teaching is not yet consistently strong across the whole team. Some staff do not extend children's thinking and learning. This means that children's progress is not consistently strong in all areas of learning. n Parents and carers speak positively about the setting. They appreciate regular communication through online platforms, newsletters and daily handovers. They value the strong relationships staff build with children and families. Parents say

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need to do better?

that their children enjoy attending and gain the skills they need for 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 quality of teaching across the staff team so that children consistently benefit from opportunities to extend their thinking and deepen their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127430 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10407995 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 29 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person The Owl Pre-School

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reference number

Telephone number 01474 331777 Date of previous inspection 23 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Owl Pre-School registered in 1976. It is situated in the grounds of Shears Green Infant School in Northfleet, Kent. The pre-school is open from Monday to Friday, from 8.45am to 11.45am and from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, term time only, and offers care for children between the ages of two and five years. The setting employs 13 members of childcare staff. One has an early years qualification at level 7 and 10 staff members hold a qualification at level 3. The setting provides funded early education for children between the ages of two and five years.

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Inspection activities

n Leaders joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked about the curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on the children's learning. n The inspector spoke to staff about how they support children with SEND. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation of child-led play and discussed how staff support children's learning through their interests and interactions. n The inspector spoke to the children to find out about their time at the setting. n The inspector spoke to several parents and took account of their views. n The inspector reviewed documentation and checked the suitability of staff working in the setting. n The inspector spoke to the nominated individual/registered individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the

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Inspection activities

suitability of staff working in the setting.

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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

23 September 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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