Smart Kids Childcare

Smart Kids Childcare

Unique reference number (URN): EY453915 Address: Bhailok Square, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 8DY Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 08/02/2013 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Smart Kids Childcare

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

Children, including children with gaps in their learning, make steady progress across the 7 areas of learning. Younger children are supported to develop their large muscles. They are delighted to pull themselves to standing and look at themselves in the mirror. This helps them to progress from crawling to standing. Staff carefully consider ways to help children feel settled. Children learn their friends' names as they complete tasks such as handing out cutlery. This helps them to form friendships with their peers. Older children demonstrate strong communication skills. They use these skills as they play collaboratively with their peers. Preschool children are skilled negotiators. They work together to transport water between puddles. Their strong social skills can support future learning.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude. They show high levels of concentration as they carefully pour their drinks at lunch. Children are delighted with their growing independence. They develop a positive self-esteem and they persevere at tasks

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children generally start the setting with expected levels of development and they make steady progress. Where children have gaps in learning, these gaps typically close, and children make progress alongside their peers. Children are prepared for their next stage of learning. Leaders acknowledge children's progress could be enhanced further once staff are more settled in their roles.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders have developed a welcoming setting. Children copy the kind and considerate behaviours that are consistently demonstrated by staff. Leaders encourage staff to be respectful of children. They remind them to give children choices throughout the day. Staff typically give children time to finish activities before moving onto the next part of the routine.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The setting is currently experiencing recruitment issues, and they are using temporary staff to maintain staff: child ratios. However, all staff demonstrate knowledge about children's current routines, likes and dislikes. Staff deployment is considered by leaders to ensure children always have a familiar member of staff nearby. The settling in processes consider children's current experiences and needs. For example, staff consider any changes at home. This helps children to feel settled. Children are generally happy in the care of the kind staff.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders work flexibly with parents to support attendance. For example, they offer changes to days and times to meet individual children and family's needs. This helps children to get maximum benefit from the setting.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders have established a consistent routine which is known by children. As a result, children can anticipate what will happen next in their day. Children demonstrate a secure knowledge of the routines. For example, they know to wash their hands before eating.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The setting has recently had some staff changes. While recruitment is ongoing, leaders have considered ways to deploy staff to ensure consistency for children. This is reducing any negative impact on children's wellbeing. Established staff take the key person role for children and children demonstrate secure relationships with their key person. All staff consider children's care needs and secure partnership work with parents helps key staff to know their children well. For example, staff know what comforter to offer when children are tired, and they know about any allergies children have. This helps to keep children safe.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children demonstrate skills of independence. Young children are supported to use a spoon to eat their meals and older children progress to using a knife and fork. Children are delighted to help set up the table for lunch and older children independently poor their own water. Children learn to manage appropriate risks. For example, they consider their friends as they transition from the garden back inside. Staff remind children to make space for their friends so everyone can move inside safely. Staff generally help children to consider their emotions as they play. For example, they ask children how they feel when their friends share resources.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have maintained positive relationships with parents. They have prioritised children's welfare and wellbeing, supporting less established staff to learn about children's routines, likes and medical needs such as allegers. This helps to keep children safe.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Partnership work is at the heart of the settings inclusive practise. The close collaboration between staff and parents supports children's progress. Leaders have considered the recent changes in staff. They have planned for established staff to oversee key groups of children and therefore these staff maintain a clear understanding of children's needs where children have gaps in learning. These staff use observation and assessment to monitor progress, and they offer additional support where required. For example, visual aids are used to support children with less language. Temporary staff follow the role modelling of more established and knowledgeable staff. This supports the progress of children with identified needs and those with gaps in learning.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders attend meetings and collaborate with other professionals, such as health visitors and speech therapists. They work closely with staff and parents to ensure there is a coordinated approach to support. Leaders discuss how any additional funding could be used if it was in place for individual children. Leaders are keen to support staff with specific training to help children make progress.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Recent staff changes have not been managed effectively. The leader's vision and intent for children's learning is not clearly understood by temporary staff at the setting. This impacts on the quality of the curriculum. Leader's time has been focussed on recruitment and working in children's rooms to maintain staff: child ratios. Time coaching less experienced and temporary staff has not been prioritised. Teaching sometimes lacks learning opportunities that are sharply focussed on children's next steps. This results in learning that is not consistently sequenced to support children to build on their existing skills.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

More established staff know children well. Their teaching is planned to support children's ongoing progress, and they typically offer learning that is purposeful. For example, children make good progress in managing self-care tasks, such as hand washing and developing skills in feeding. Children show high levels of concentration as they serve their own food and pour their own drinks. Increased social skills are demonstrated by children as they negotiate passing water jugs to their friends.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

All staff praise children's achievements. This helps children to have pride in their achievements. Partnerships are in place to support children with barriers to learning. Parents comment positively and they say the setting has a positive impact on their children's learning and development.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Recent staff changes have not been managed effectively. The leader's vision and intent for children's learning is not clearly understood by temporary staff at the setting. This impacts on the quality of the curriculum. Leader's time has been focussed on recruitment and working in children's rooms to maintain staff: child ratios. Time coaching staff has not been prioritised. Teaching sometimes lacks learning opportunities that are sharply focussed on children's next steps. This results in learning that is not consistently sequenced to support children to build on their existing skills.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

However, established staff know children well. Their teaching is planned to support children's ongoing progress, and they typically offer learning that is purposeful, such as children's increasing ability in managing self-care tasks. All staff praise children's achievements. This helps children to have pride in their achievements. Leaders have built partnerships with the local school. This helps them to plan and support children as they make the transition to school. Leaders are knowledgeable about the local priorities for children, for example to reduce dental decay. They support children with regular toothbrushing, and they help parents with details of local dentists

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

The setting has recently undergone some staffing changes and currently have several temporary staff. Leaders have not maintained a consistently high-quality curriculum for all children. Effective systems to support sequenced learning are not in place. However, children's wellbeing is maintained as a high priority and where children have gaps in learning, staff provide targeted activities to support progress. Generally, all children are learning and making progress in readiness for their transition to school. Children in the setting are engaged and motivated learners. They explore activities typically demonstrating concentration and persistence. Young children sit and look through books independently. Older children show social skills as they play with friends. Children feel safe, happy and secure. They smile and laugh as they play and they talk to staff about recent events in their homes.

p.5

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

Regular attendance helps children build confidence and establish routines, allowing them to feel a sense of belonging. Staff supervise children as they play and remind them of ways to remain safe, for example by considering how to use steps safely.

p.6

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

Healthy attitudes to exercise are promoted through outdoor learning. Children smile as they join in blowing and chasing bubbles. They develop coordination and balance as they stretch and jump to pop the bubbles. Staff weave mathematical language into their play as they help children to count the bubbles.

p.6

Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

p.6

Action Completion Date

share precisely the intent and vision for the setting, so it is clearly understood by all staff 19/06/2026

p.6

Action Completion Date

plan and implement a curriculum that is effectively sequenced to consistently support all children to make progress in their learning 19/06/2026

p.6

Action Completion Date

improve coaching and support for all staff so that they have the appropriate skills and knowledge to implement the curriculum effectively. 19/06/2026

p.6

About this inspection

We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator and the designated safeguarding leader during the inspection.

p.6

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

p.6

Address:

Bhailok Square Fulwood Preston Lancashire PR2 8DY

p.7

Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.7

Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

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

p.7

1 to 4

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.7

Exceptional

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

p.8

Strong standard

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Needs attention

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

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

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.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.9