ELS at Under 5's Preschool

ELS at Under 5's Preschool

Unique reference number (URN): 2781460 Address: The Village Centre, High Street, Staplehurst Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 0BJ Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 26/03/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: Early Learning Steps Ltd

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff swiftly identify the needs of all children, including children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff rigorously assess children's progress and ensure that care and teaching meet their individual needs. Staff monitor children's progress thoroughly and make effective adaptations. For example, staff have recently reflected on the organisation of the room. They have adapted the environment and changes have been highly positive to engage children with SEND. For instance, staff have created a den for children to access when they feel overwhelmed. Staff and leaders have strong links with outside agencies and families. They share ideas and strategies with parents, such as how to help manage children's emotions. Leaders use training opportunities and additional funding highly effectively. For example, they purchase resources to support children's individual progress, such as large climbing equipment to

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Inclusion Strong standard

develop children's physical skills further. All children are incredibly well supported and make significant progress through individual teaching and learning provided by staff.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress in relation to their starting points. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those in receipt of additional funding. Children develop skills to support them in readiness for their next stage of learning. For instance, children confidently communicate their needs. With support from staff, children are able to use a wide range of language, such as talking about transporting when engaging in an activity moving mud with toy diggers. Children show kindness and empathy in mature ways. For example, children ask their friends if they can go into their dark den, as they know that this is their safe space.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff are positive role models and support children to behave well. All children understand and follow rules and expectations well, as is appropriate for their age and their stage of development. For example, children wipe their own nose and put tissues in bins. They are patient during turn-taking activities. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in receipt of additional funding. Staff are skilful in swiftly identifying how to support children with SEND. This is evident when staff direct children to an activity that they know will engage them productively, such as a jumping activity.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff review the environment to help them support all children well. For example, they provide calming spaces. Children play well together and enjoy each other's company. There are positive relationships between staff and children. Children happily go to staff to share ideas and seek comfort. Staff monitor children's attendance closely and ensure they follow up any unexplained or unplanned absences. This helps them to identify patterns of attendance that may require additional support. Diversity and inclusion are prioritised by staff. They teach children about other cultures and festivals, such as Eid and the tradition of fasting. This supports children to learn and understand more about other people, their similarities and differences, and other communities.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

All children are very happy, settled and confident, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have successfully created a safe and welcoming space. They support children to come into the nursery happily and engage in their learning. The nursery is inviting, and staff ensure all children are engaged in something they enjoy upon arrival. There is an effective key-person system in place that supports all children to feel safe and secure. Children play happily with staff who know them well. Staff plan learning experiences that they know children will enjoy, such as baking activities and physical activities. All children know the routines and are independent in managing their own needs. This includes using the toilet and washing hands before and after meals. During meals, staff teach children about the importance and benefits of healthy eating. They learn which foods give

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

them energy to concentrate and learn. Staff support children to manage their emotions and feelings in appropriate ways. This includes using picture cards of different facial expressions to help children to communicate how they feel with confidence.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders are working hard to ensure the curriculum is embedded throughout the setting to cover all areas of learning. Overall, staff have clear knowledge of what they would like children to learn, and children enjoy their learning opportunities. Staff know children well, including knowing what children have achieved since they started at the nursery. The curriculum is effectively planned for. However, delivery of the curriculum is at times inconsistent. Leaders recognise this and are working to develop practice further. This includes implementing more precise assessment to support the next steps in children's learning. Children enjoy their experiences and are happy and settled. However, activities do not consistently build on what children need to learn next.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff support all children to develop their communication and vocabulary skills. For example, during a cooking activity, staff talk about each ingredient and children's past cooking experiences. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. This includes using visual prompts and signs. Staff help all children develop skills to support their future learning. Children are patient and mature when taking turns and sharing during larger group activities. Staff support children to develop their mathematical skills. For example, when children bake, they learn about weighing and how things are heavier and lighter. Staff encourage children to gain confidence in their physical abilities. Children build and negotiate obstacles while balancing and climbing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are evaluative and reflective on practice. They identify areas to develop and celebrate the changes they have made, such as changes to the organisation of the learning environments. Staff wellbeing is supported well and workload is manageable. Staff have time to complete training and have regular meetings and discussions with leaders to ensure they are happy and well supported. Leaders carry out regular observations of the quality of staff teaching and interactions with children. This helps them to support staff in helpful and constructive ways. For instance, leaders celebrate positive practice and identify training needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Children who also attend other settings are settled, happy and make progress. Staff contact other settings that children attend when they start. However, they do not consistently communicate to routinely share children's progress and provide a stronger link through shared care and learning. There are supportive partnerships with parents and carers. For example, staff keep parents informed about children's learning and next steps. Parents speak highly of the setting and the support and communication they receive.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children are settled and engaged in the safe, friendly and welcoming setting. Children of all ages and abilities are happy and excited to arrive. Children engage in learning opportunities that staff know they will enjoy. Staff know children's individual personalities, including their likes and dislikes. This helps them to provide resources and activities that they know will interest children and support their learning.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make secure progress and develop new skills to support their future learning. They learn effective ways to communicate, and they manage their feelings and emotions with confidence and independence. Leaders and staff are reflective and adapt activities and experiences to ensure children achieve and get the most from their learning. For example, when children use tongs during their play, staff introduce and discuss different tools to help children of all ages and abilities to achieve the goal of transporting items. Staff work hard to support children to engage in all areas of learning in a well-planned and organised setting.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff have high expectations of all children, including for their behaviour. As a result, children behave well and show each other kindness and empathy. Staff support all children to make

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Inspector:

Kelly Hawkins progress. This includes monitoring children's learning and supporting children's regular attendance.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure all activities consistently build on what each child needs to learn next. Leaders should strengthen partnerships and communication with staff at other settings that children attend to promote consistency of their care and learning.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, a special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, parents and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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About this inspection

A quality assurance visit by an additional inspector was carried out at this inspection.

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Address:

The Village Centre High Street Staplehurst Tonbridge Kent TN12 0BJ

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Early Learning Steps Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:45 - 02:45

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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