Somerleyton Pre School

Somerleyton Preschool

Inspection report for early years provision

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Somerleyton Preschool

Unique Reference Number 251633 Inspection date 16 March 2006 Inspector Glenda Kathleen Field

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Somerleyton Preschool

Setting Address Somerleyton Village Hall, The Street, Somerleyton, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 5QB Telephone number 07717366057

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E-mail

Registered person Somerleyton Pre School 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Somerleyton Pre-school opened in the early 1980's and are a committee managed group. They operate from the village hall in the village of Somerleyton, Suffolk. There is no outside play area. The pre-school serves the surrounding area. A maximum of 22 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. There are currently 13 children on roll, this includes 7 children receiving Nursery Education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with

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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 special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. The group opens 5 days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09.30 until 12.00. One full time member of staff and 3 part-time assistants work with the children, the full time member of staff and 1 assistant both hold a recognised Early Years level 3 qualification. The setting works in close partnership with the local primary school.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is promoted by effective hygiene procedures, for example, staff clean tables with anti-bacterial spray prior to snack time. In addition, staff follow the correct procedures for the administration of medication and recording of accidents. Written parental consent is obtained to seek emergency medical advice or treatment if necessary, and comprehensive information is gathered from parents to meet any medical needs of the children. However, the well-being of children may be compromised when there is only one vetted adult present at sessions. Children are learning how to keep themselves well by wiping their own noses and disposing of the tissue correctly, and washing their hands before snack time and after using the toilet. Children are increasing their understanding of the importance of a healthy diet through a good choice of fresh fruit at snack time such as kiwi fruit, orange, apple,

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Helping children to be healthy

banana and grapes. Visits are made to the nearby supermarket's bakery and sessions incorporate healthy eating games, such as, children picking food out of a bag and guessing whether the item is healthy to eat or not. Children enjoy a range of physical activities within the setting, for example, using the climbing frame and slide, trampoline and a selection of ride-on toys. Walks are taken through the village and to the local playing field. Children are provided with good opportunities to develop their small physical skills through using a range of tools such as scissors, threading activities, pencils and brushes. Children learn about their bodies and health awareness through planned activities and daily routines, for example, topics, books and informal opportunities such as discussions at snack time.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a clean, bright and safe environment. The play room is well organised with dedicated areas for a good range of messy, role play activities and quieter activities, for example, the book corner. This enables children to move around safely. There is an excellent range of quality toys and equipment which are well maintained. Children are able to access these independently from tables, trays and boxes situated at their height. This enables children to make many of their own

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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 choices, increasing their independence, and helping them to learn to organise their own play. Children benefit from a good range of safety measures, for example, electrical sockets are protected and there is a safe procedure for the collection of children. Children are learning how to keep themselves safe, for example, through the regular practising of fire drills and gentle reminders from staff on safety procedures when using the climbing frame. Children are effectively safeguarded by staff having a clear understanding of child protection issues enabling them to direct any concerns appropriately, however, the well-being of children may be compromised when sessions operate with only one vetted adult present.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled in the setting. They take part in a good range of stimulating activities throughout the sessions. Session plans incorporate the use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework. Children relate well to staff who are kind and friendly in their approach to them. Staff are patient and give good one-to-one support in activities, for example, at the book corner. The staff join in with children's play and ask questions, such as " what colour is this?". As a result, children think for themselves and extend their learning. Children are encouraged to be occupied in meaningful play through the familiar but flexible routine of free play opportunities and focussed activities. Children concentrate well as staff make effective use of praise and encouragement to help them to persevere with challenges, for example, a 3-year-old child spent ten minutes completing a junk model.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a good understanding of the early learning goals and the stepping stones within them. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff are very caring, know the children's individual needs and value each child's contribution. They show an interest in what the children do, respond appropriately to their requests and use questioning skilfully. Children are provided with an excellent range of activities to stimulate them. Planning covers all areas of their development, includes differentiating for the more and less able child and identifies specific learning objectives. Therefore, challenges offered to children ensure they develop their skills. Staff make observations of children as they play, these are recorded in children's achievement records, and staff use their findings to plan the next steps in their learning. Evaluations are made of activities

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

provided, this enables staff to identify if their aims for children's learning are met. Resources are well planned to ensure these are sufficient and readily available for children to explore and use. Children make very good progress in learning about the world around them. For

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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 example, they learn about the life cycle of insects and how to care for pets. They develop their imagination well in role play situations and learn about other cultures. For example, celebrating Chinese New Year. Staff introduce basic mathematical learning such as size and shape through practical activities, for example, construction, modelling and games. Opportunities are made to develop children's problem solving skills during daily routine activities, such as snack time. Children use a wide range of materials to create individual pictures which are displayed within the setting or taken home to share with parents. Children have excellent opportunities to develop their communication skills through handling books, learning about sounds which letters make, and the effective interaction offered by staff.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are extremely highly valued as individuals and are able to make positive choices and decisions during their time at the setting. They are developing a very positive attitude to each other and gain an extensive understanding of the wider world through displays, topics studied and resources available that reflect diversity. Children are extremely confident in their relationships with staff at the pre-school. They play enthusiastically together and with adults, enjoying using purposeful resources such as puzzles, sand play, small world toys and large equipment all of which are consistently challenging for their age and stages of development. Children co-operate extremely well together as they take turns on ride on toys and share popular resources such as the train set and track. Children's individual needs are very well met, for example, the settling in procedure enables parents to stay with children until they settle. Children have a key worker

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Helping children make a positive contribution

who tracks their development. Children with special needs benefit from the effective systems in place to ensure their specific needs are met, for example, making necessary adjustments to ensure that all children can participate in planned activities. Children are very well behaved and polite in response to the expectations of the staff. Children are beginning to have an excellent understanding of responsible behaviour because staff use appropriate strategies and give the utmost priority to managing behaviour, for example, distracting children into meaningful play when they are disrupting other children's play. Children respond positively to encouragement and praise. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Children benefit from the two way sharing of information between parents and staff to enhance their learning and provide consistency of care. For example, daily chats, written information and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

photographic displays which include the 'Birth to three matters' framework, notice board, and regular newsletters. Displays throughout the setting inform parents of the Foundation Stage, the early learning goals and the stepping stones within them. Children's spiritual, moral, social and emotional development is fostered because they are developing confidence and self esteem, behave well and are developing an excellent understanding of right and wrong. Children relate extremely well to each

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 other and staff, and are developing an extensive understanding of their community through visitors to the setting and trips made to places of interest. Children are beginning to show an appreciation of other cultures and beliefs through topics and activities offered.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Systems are in place to ensure that staff working with children are safe to do so, however, having only one vetted adult present at some sessions potentially compromises the well-being of children. Policies and procedures are in place and work in practice to keep children healthy and safeguard their welfare, however, the attendance register does not always show an accurate record of the times of attendance of children. The staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities within the setting and work extremely well together to create a caring and stimulating environment for children. The leadership and management of the setting is satisfactory. The management and staff team are committed to continuous improvement of the pre-school. Clear job descriptions for staff are in place. Staff attend a wide variety of training to further their understanding and practice in early years education. They

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Organisation

have a sound awareness of the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage and how to apply this in practice to support children's development. However, staff are not appraised. Therefore the management are not able to review and evaluate that children's welfare and learning is effectively supported Overall, children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting agreed to encourage children's independence by involving them at tidy up time, ensure that drinks are provided for children regularly and to obtain written parental consent for the seeking of any emergency treatment or advice that may be necessary. The setting has implemented these satisfactorily thus improving the well-being of the children. The inspection for Nursery Education required the setting to increase children's independence in accessing name cards, encourage them to help in tidying up and enable them to make choices. Improve the short term planning and the organisation of circle time. Children now access name cards throughout the session, help tidy up and are able to make their own choices through resources being made accessible to them. The short term planning now covers all areas of the curriculum, shows staff deployment and is dated accurately. Circle time has been improved by ensuring that the content, for example, letter and

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Improvements since the last inspection

number of the week is developed throughout the session.

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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

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since April 2004. 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 good.

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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): • ensure that there are effective procedures in place for checking that staff are suitable to work with children • ensure that the attendance register shows the times of attendance of children.

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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): • establish an appraisal system to ensure that staff have the knowledge, skills and support to improve provision.

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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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