Cinder Ash

Cinder Ash Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Cinder Ash Pre-School

Unique Reference Number 253615 Inspection date 16 May 2006 Inspector Marianne Gascoyne

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Cinder Ash Pre-School

Setting Address The Pavilion, Park Road, Long Sutton, Lincs, PE12 9DJ

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E-mail

Registered person Cinder Ash Playgroup Committee Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Cinder Ash Pre-School opened 1973 and operates from purpose built premises in the village of Long Sutton in Lincolnshire. It is a registered charity and run by a management committee. A maximum of 24 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The setting is open each weekday from 09.10 to 11.45 during school term-time. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 36 children aged from two to five years on roll. Of these, 18

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from Long Sutton and the surrounding villages. There are a small number of children attending who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school employs seven members of staff who work on a full or part-time basis. Three of the staff have early years qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. The premises are maintained in a clean and hygienic condition which helps protect children from infection. They learn the importance of good personal hygiene as younger children are shown how to wash their hands properly with soap and warm water, and older children are aware of the need to keep hands clean 'because of germs'. The risk of cross infection is reduced by notices for parents advising them to keep children at home for 48 hours if suffering from sickness or diarrhoea although there is no sick children policy to let them know the procedures which would be followed if a child was ill whilst in the setting. Children are encouraged to practise their independence skills if they need to blow their nose and to dispose of the tissue appropriately. Sufficient staff have undertaken first aid training to give them the skills necessary to deal with any accidents and appropriate documentation is in place to

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Helping children to be healthy

safeguard children if they have an accident or require medication to be administered. Children are well nourished by snacks of fruit and raisins and the group is discontinuing the provision of biscuits for snacks. An attractive poster displays help stimulate discussion and develop children's understanding of healthy eating. Effective procedures are in place to ensure children with special dietary needs are protected from risk of an allergic reaction to food or drink provided. Water is not easily available to children at all times to ensure there is no risk of them becoming dehydrated. Good use is made of the enclosed outdoor area and children are developing a positive attitude to exercise. They enjoy being able to freely access outdoor play during the second half of the session and plans ensure children practise different physical skills including using the climbing frame which is erected indoors. Walks in

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Helping children to be healthy

the park also give children access to fresh air and different experiences. Staff are starting to use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to help children who are in the process of toilet training, they are dealt with sensitively and the emotional needs of new children starting in the group are met to help them to settle and enjoy their time at the pre-school.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children feel welcome in the attractive environment and eagerly enter the setting and immediately start to play. A range of equipment is set out to attract children's interest.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The areas for different types of play are not clearly defined and so the children are not naturally encouraged children to concentrate and develop their play free from interruption by other children. Children are able to access a range of developmentally appropriate toys and equipment which ensures they are generally well occupied. The role play area is poorly resourced and as a result children's play is not extended or developed in this area. Clear rules for the use of the large wooden bricks are not in place to ensure children are able to play safely with this equipment unless closely supervised. Children are not able to choose when they wish to rest or relax due to the lack of appropriate furniture or cushions. Appropriate sized furniture enables them to sit and play or eat in comfort.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The premises are safe and secure and sound procedures are in place to ensure children's safety on arrival and departure. A risk assessment of the premises has been completed. Potential risks are not assessed systematically enough to ensure any potential hazards are identified and action taken to minimise dangers, for example, with the use of ride-on toys in the outside area. Clear fire evacuation procedures are displayed but not practised frequently enough to be sure all children are aware of the procedure to follow in an emergency. Staff are vigilant when supervising physical play and discussion helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe. Staff are aware of their responsibility to protect children and have undertaken training to provide them with the necessary knowledge. An appropriate policy is in place to advise parents of their responsibility and whilst the process for recording concerns is

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

not completely clear staff would follow the correct child protection procedures to make a referral.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy their time in the pre-school. They are happy, secure and positive relationships are in place with other children and the adults in the group. They are free to choose how to spend their time taking part in a range of activities provided by staff. They are able to request different equipment or activities but are not encouraged to make choices to extend or develop their play, for example, by choosing from a range of craft materials. As a result the interest of the older children is not maintained at all times by the range of activities offered as they are not provided with sufficient challenge. Adult involvement in brick play helps extend this play to meet the needs of the older children. The organisation of the equipment does not always enable children and staff to develop activities to extend children's play. Children are confident and their self-esteem is enhanced by staff who give praise and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

encouragement. The value of their creative work is recognised by use in some displays. Access to the outdoor area for a large part of the session ensures a balance between active and quiet activities. Staff are using the 'Birth to three matters' framework to develop their understanding of the needs of the younger children and have thought through how the different

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 activities can provide for their learning. Display cards are placed around the room to remind parents and staff how to use the activities to develop the children's play. Children under three are encouraged to communicate and are happy and secure in the setting. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have continued to develop their knowledge of the Foundation Stage through training. They are all involved in maintaining children's assessment records but the individual assessments are not being used to plan for future learning and this limits the challenge for children. The staff work well together, although they are not all involved in the planning of the curriculum. The long term plans show how all aspects of the early learning goals will

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

be covered over a period of time and the short term plans show the learning intention, yet it is not always clear how these will be achieved by the activities provided. Adult led activities are used to observe children's progress, but they are not always appropriate in assessing children's development as they only show what the child can already do and not increase the child’s learning. The staff sit at the children's level and become involved in their play, they use questioning and language effectively, in order to develop children's knowledge and communication skills. Children generally get on well together. They play imaginatively together with the dolls and share and take turns with the equipment. The practise their independence skills within the daily routine. Children enjoy the shaving foam activity, exploring the properties of the foam and making patterns or practising their emergent writing in the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

substance on the table top. Although they are not encouraged to write for a purpose, for example, in the role play area. They listen and join in with stories, predicting and recalling the story and enthusiastically take part in action songs. Children recognise their names as they find their card for snack time and match sounds to letters as part of various activities. Staff encourage children to use mathematical language when playing with the building bricks and to count, add and subtract, for example, as they sing action songs. Children do not calculate or problem solve spontaneously within their play and the staff do not always encourage this. Children are confident in operating a remote control car. They use telephones to develop their knowledge of the use of technology they do not have regular access to the computer that is available and this limits their learning in this area. They design and construct with junk and with the large set of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

building bricks. They learn about change as they plant seeds and watch them grown and investigate their local environment during walks in the park. Children's creativity is encouraged at the painting easel and as they create pictures from a variety of collage materials. The adult inspired craft activities do not encourage the children's own creativity and using the adult led activity detracts from the children’s achievements. The children play imaginatively with the doctor's kits despite the limited resources available, the lack of resources restricts the extent of their play. There is a good variety of small world play to develop children's imagination and knowledge of the world around them and children use this well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. All children and their parents are warmly welcomed in the group. Children show a strong sense of belonging and enjoy their time in the pre-school. An attractive display of posters provides positive images of people which value diversity to raise children's awareness and help them develop appropriate attitudes towards differences in people. Celebrations of festivals and some other resources also help develop this understanding. The setting is proactive in seeking support and working with parents to ensure the needs of all children are able to be met. They are looking at ways of helping children with English as an additional language to gain a sense of belonging by some use of their own language in the group. Children are generally well behaved responding to adult role models. Some of the older children are not always being helped to learn to negotiate to solve disputes although staff use positive language and give explanations when dealing with

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Helping children make a positive contribution

inappropriate behaviour. A positive policy is in place which is shared with parents to provide consistency. Staff work with parents to ensure the settling in procedure helps new children feel secure and to settle quickly in the group. Parents value the happy atmosphere in the setting which means their children are eager to attend. The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. They are given details of the Foundation Stage curriculum when registering their child in the setting, but the information lacks clarity and as a result parents are not fully aware of the goals their children are working towards. Parents provide information regarding their children when they start which assists with the assessment process, but this does not continue during the time the child is in the group. Parents are not invited have opportunities to view their children's assessment records or discuss their progress

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Helping children make a positive contribution

with their key worker to benefit their children's development and learning, as a result the opportunities for parents to be involved in their children’s development at the provision are limited. There are displays that show what the children have been involved in and children can take any special art or craft work home. There is a daily exchange of information between the staff and parents and this ensures some continuity of care. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children play together and confidently join in with conversations with each other and the adults in the group. They are developing an appreciation of other cultures, for example, as they enjoy tasting Chinese food as part of the celebration of Chinese New Year.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The staff group is well established and they work well together for the benefit of the children attending having a high regard for their well-being. The group ensures all staff are suitable and appropriate vetting procedure takes place. A recruitment and

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 vetting procedure has not yet been written down to ensure it is followed at all times to safeguard children. An induction procedure for new staff is in place. It does not include information regarding health and safety and child protection. Systems are not yet in place to ensure staff work together to plan and provide effectively for children's learning. A key worker system has recently been established and informal communication takes place with parents. They have not yet been made fully aware of the new system in order to provide consistency and continuity of care for the children. Staff qualification requirements are now met. The layout and organisation of the premises does not maximise opportunities for children to become involved in self-chosen activities which can be extended and developed to ensure they provide challenges

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Organisation

for all the children attending. The setting has appropriate policies which are given to parents when they register their child to help their understanding of the operation of the pre-school. They do not all fully reflect practice in the group and as a result parents may be confused about some of the procedures in place. All the necessary documentation is in place to ensure the welfare of children in the setting is safeguarded and records are stored confidentially. Leadership and management of the setting is satisfactory. The chairperson works closely with the supervisor in the management of the setting. However, roles are not clearly defined with regard to staff appraisals and training needs are identified informally by individual staff members who are encouraged to undertake such training. The setting has been committed to ensuring sufficient qualified staff are present and this requirement has now been met. Staff work well together although

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Organisation

they are not yet all involved with planning for children's learning. The chairperson is proactive in developing resources within the provision and ensuring the premises are well maintained. There is little effective monitoring of the quality of the nursery education except through liaison with advisers from the local authority. Overall, the range of needs of the children are met

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection set actions were set to ensure training and qualification requirements were met and that there was a named deputy to take charge in the absence of the manager. The setting has had difficulty retaining qualified staff but two members of staff now have a level two qualification. One is acting as deputy and is attending a level three course in the autumn. The supervisor has a level three qualification. An action was also set to ensure that all staff have induction training which includes health and safety and child protection. The induction training listed in the operational plan still does not include these elements and this has been raised again as issue at this inspection. An action was set to ensure there is a clear administration of medication policy in place, that parents give written permission to administer medication and a clear record is kept. This documentation is now in place and this improves the safeguards

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Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 for children’s health. A further action was set to ensure that positive steps were taken to prevent the spread of infection with regard to hand drying facilities, and paper towels are now used to reduce this risk. Recommendations were set with regard to procedures and permission for outings and these are now in place improving the safety of the children. A further recommendation was to provide a range of healthy and nutritious snacks and children are now given fruit at snack time to improve their wellbeing. The key issues raised following the education inspection were with regard to staff understanding of the Foundation Stage, planning and assessment and children's experiences of music, opportunities to learn about the world around them and for problem solving. There has been some development in these areas but they continue

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Improvements since the last inspection

to be recommendations at this inspection.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • implement the plans to provide fresh drinking water at all times • plan and provide a suitable range of activities to challenge children and enable them to extend and develop their play and learning

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • continue to develop staff understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and ensure plans are evaluated and used, together with children's assessment records, to plan for future learning • provide opportunities for parents to have access to their children's assessment records and help to share in their learning.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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