The Ark Pre-School, Bromley Christian Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Staff have caring, nurturing relationships with children and value them highly as individuals. They take time to get to know children really well and meet their needs readily. Children settle securely.

Children are happy and motivated to learn. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They use effective strategies to support children's behaviour.

For example, staff identify and remove triggers for negative behaviour and set group rules so that children are aware of expectations. Children behave well. Staff help children to gain good independence skills.

For instance, children get tissues to wipe t...heir noses and dispose of them appropriately. Older children pour their own drinks and put on their coats. Staff support younger children to gain these skills.

Children learn to share and take turns effectively. For example, children take turns as they play group games and as they take turns on wheeled toys outdoors. Staff help children to learn about people from different cultures and religions.

For instance, they read stories containing multicultural characters and talk to the children about special religious or cultural events. Staff provide good ways for children to learn about and to manage their feelings. For example, children select different emotions on face cards to show how they are feeling when they arrive at the nursery.

Staff talk to them about feelings and how to care for themselves well.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff give children a wide range of engaging activities linked well to their interests. They observe children regularly and work out what they need to learn next.

Staff use this information well to ensure that children are appropriately challenged. Children make good progress.Staff teach children good early literacy skills.

For example, children recognise and select their names when they arrive in the morning. Staff support younger children to do this by adding their photograph to name cards. Staff read lots of stories to children and sing a variety of nursery rhymes and songs which help children learn new words.

Staff support children's creative development well. For instance, children are free to select tools and materials of their choice from a wide selection to create whatever they wish. They enjoy painting and creating collages with different textures and materials.

Children have good early mathematical skills. They recognise numbers and count securely. Children learn to add and subtract, for instance as they sing number rhymes and songs.

They recognise a variety of shapes.Staff support the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities successfully. They have effective links with parents and health professionals to exchange information and, together, they make plans for children with suitable goals.

Staff keep a close eye on children's progress and work successfully to promote best outcomes for children.Staff have effective links with parents and others involved in children's care and learning. They give parents regular updates on their children's progress.

Staff provide good ways for parents to support children's learning, such a by loaning out books for parents to read with their children.The manager provides good levels of support to staff. She meets with staff individually to discuss work and training needs.

For example, staff attended a course on developing outdoor learning, which led to improvements in this area. The manager supports staff well-being, for instance by giving staff planning time away from the children each week. She monitors the nursery well, for example by checking all planning and assessment.

The manager reviews children's progress closely to identify those needing extra support.At times, some staff do not make the most of opportunities to consistently extend children's thinking and language skills during play activities.Children have healthy daily routines, including eating well and taking regular physical activity, such as climbing, jumping, and moving in different ways.

However, staff do not consistently develop children's understanding of the value of these routines. They have not fully developed children's understanding of how to be safe online, including the need for limited screen time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know the signs and symptoms to be aware of and procedures to follow should they have concerns regarding a child's welfare. They receive regular training updates to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. Staff are vigilant about children's safety.

They carry out robust checks in all parts of the nursery, including toys and resources, to help prevent hazards. The recruitment process is comprehensive and involves thorough background checks on staff to ensure suitability for their roles.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: make the most of opportunities to extend children's language and thinking skills during play activities nincrease children's understanding of the value of their current healthy routines, including eating well, taking regular physical exercise and ways to keep safe on the internet, including the need for limited screen time.