Following a routine inspection in November, Dingley’s Promise’s flagship Reading Centre has been awarded the rating of Good by Ofsted.
The inspection was undertaken by Ingrid Howell, and during her visit she completed a learning walk of the centre, led by Centre Manager Louise Farmer, to understand how the centre is run and how the curriculum is delivered. She also observed an activity that children and staff were taking part in and was able to have discussions with parents to take their views into account too.
In the resulting report, the centre is rated Good in all areas; quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management. The centre is described as a “warm and welcoming environment” where “children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive”. The centre’s resources and use of it’s outside facilities were highly praised in particular:
“There are a good range of resources to support their physical skills, including climbing apparatus, swings and ride-on toys. Children with physical disabilities show great skill as they manoeuvre around obstacles with confidence.”
Additionally, centre staff were credited for the way they interact with the children. “Staff have a good understanding of children’s learning needs. They assess their progress accurately and know what they need to learn next.” The staff were also praised for incorporating the children’s interests into activities and for encouraging children to challenge their abilities and make independent choices. Notably, the report highlighted the positive and supportive language staff use with the children:
“Staff act as very good role models and frequently use positive language to help children understand expected behaviour… They are particularly supportive in helping children who struggle to control their feelings. For example, they use language, such as, ‘I understand’ and ‘I know how you feel’, alongside providing gentle physical comfort to help children calm and regulate their emotions.”
The centre’s overall management was commended by the report too, which highlighted the centre’s “robust recruitment procedures”, ongoing training and the commitment of the manager and staff.
Dingley’s Promise is pleased by the positivity of the report and the inspection outcome. The charity is committed to continuing to provide a Good service and welcomes the opportunity to reflect and implement improvements, ensuring the support the centre provides to children, families and the community goes from strength to strength.
To read the full report, click here :https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/16/EY428241