Kingsbury Episcopi Pre-School

Kingsbury Episcopi Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Kingsbury Episcopi Pre-School

Unique Reference Number EY284915 Inspection date 21 April 2006 Inspector Elaine Douglas

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Kingsbury Episcopi Pre-School

Setting Address Kingsbury Episcopi Primary School, Stembridge, Martock, Somerset, TA12 6BP Telephone number 01460 241004 E-mail office@kingsburyepiscopi.somerset.sch.uk Registered person Kingsbury Episcopi Pre-School Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Kingsbury Episcopi Pre-School

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 good. 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?

Kingsbury Episcopi Pre-School opened in 1990. It re-registered in 2004 at its new premises and now operates from a classroom within Kingsbury Episcopi Primary School. It is run by a parents' committee. It is situated in the rural village of Stembridge, close to the town of Martock. The pre-school serves the local area and surrounding villages. A maximum of 20 children may attend the group at any one time. The group opens 5 days a week during school term times. Sessions are from

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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 09.00 until 12.00. Children may stay for the lunch session until 13.00. There are currently 30 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. Of these 22 children receive funding for nursery education. The group supports children who have special needs. The group employs 7 staff. Of these, 2 have an early years qualification. There is 1 member of staff currently on a training programme. The group have very close links with the school and the local community.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children play in very clean, warm and ventilated premises. Their health is protected by staff following good hygiene routines, such as having different cloths for different purposes. Staff gain advice on administering specialist medication and keep accurate records. Qualified staff are able to deal with minor accidents and good first-aid equipment is checked monthly. Children are developing a good awareness of healthy practices. They help themselves to fresh drinking water when they are thirsty. They wash their hands prior to eating or taking part in cooking activities. They are provided with antibacterial soap and paper towels, to prevent cross contamination. Children receive healthy snacks and benefit from regular visitors who support their health awareness, for example, a health visitor and a nurse. Children take part in daily activities both inside and outside to promote their physical

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Helping children to be healthy

development. The staff use the Foundation Stage curriculum to plan a range of activities. Children move in a range of ways and display good climbing and balancing skills. For example, children follow each other, balancing carefully on a low wall, then jump and land appropriately.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children can safely access a wide range of toys and resources, which are appropriate to their ages and stages of development. Space is well organised to ensure children can play safely. Good storage at child height, promotes their independence, as they are able to select resources safely. Children develop a good understanding of their own safety. They wear helmets when riding bikes and assist with emergency evacuation through regular practises; which are repeated, if new children or staff, start at the group. Appropriate fire procedures are displayed and simple signs are used with the children. For example, the whistle indicates stop, look and listen. However, children's safety is compromised, as staff do not take contact details with them, to contact parents in the event of not being able to

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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 re-enter the premises. Children are kept safe through good supervision and security. Access to the premises is well monitored; children are escorted to the toilets and staff keep each other informed as to how many children they have with them. Effective systems ensure children are only collected by the appropriate adult. Satisfactory risk assessments keep children safe on the school grounds and on outings. Children's welfare is safeguarded by the staff's sound knowledge of child protection issues. However, not all staff are aware of the procedures for reporting concerns in the absence of the designated person. Appropriate documentation is in place to provide further guidance.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, relaxed, and motivated to take part in the activities provided. Children under three years are well supported by staff, to enable them to benefit from all the activities. However, staff make observations on the children's achievements using the Foundation Stage curriculum, which is inappropriate to some children's development. Nursery Education. The quality in teaching and learning is good. Staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and have good systems to ensure all areas of the curriculum are planned for. Staff are clear about the learning intentions of activities and key workers identify targets for individual children. This ensures the children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff make regular observations of the children's achievements and are using a new assessment system, which is closely linked to the Stepping Stones to show their development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff ask good open ended questions, to encourage children to think out the answers and demonstrate their understanding. Children's learning is supported by regular visitors to the group, such as an art group and the police. Staff work directly with the children throughout the session, supporting both child initiated play and adult lead activities. Good resources effectively support children in learning through play. For example, children learn about the purpose of writing through their role play; they use menus and diaries, they take messages on the telephone and orders in their restaurant. Children build good relationships with staff and with each other. Older children talk excitedly about visiting the reception class they will be attending. Children suggest sending a card and a present to an adult who has moved to America, but had not made friends yet. They develop independence as they take care of their own

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

personal hygiene, help themselves to drinks and put on their own coats. Children are polite, they demonstrate good manners, and say sorry to each other with and without prompting. Children make marks in their play, such as pretending to be a waiter and taking an order. Older and more able children, write recognisable letters and simple words. Children confidently answer their names at registration. They are engrossed

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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 during whole group stories due to staff's skilful interaction. They notice rhyming words and written words in the environment. Children use mathematical language and numbers throughout their play, and in planned activities. For example, one child charges me a pound for a cup of coffee and says the money will have a number one on it. Staff effectively ask questions throughout the daily routines, such as how many cups and plates they will need to ensure all the children have one each, and how many they will have altogether if another child arrives. Children confidently say the numbers which are above or below the given number, as good visual aids and rhymes are used to support this. Children notice patterns and changes through cooking activities and exploring the environment. During a story, staff ask the children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

how they know it is winter. They say there are no leaves on the trees, no flowers, and it is dull. Children display very good imagination in their role-play. They make up their own ideas, such as cake flavoured drinks and they copy what adults do, such as changing nappies. Children sing familiar songs enthusiastically. They enjoy using a range of instruments and express their own ideas in art and craft, music and dance.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are happy and confident within the environment. Parents and children are welcomed into the group, so children settle quickly to their chosen activity. The staff use positive behaviour management strategies and consequently children are well-behaved. Children have a good understanding of expectations on their behaviour and the reasons for some boundaries. For example, children comment on the need to pick toys up off the floor, so they do not get broken or cause accidents. Children learn to take care of the environment through imaginative activities, such as collecting and sorting rubbish for recycling. They are proud to be the helper for the day. Children with special needs are well supported through staff working with parents and outside agencies. Staff are good at adapting activities to ensure all children are included. Children's individual needs are met; staff know the children well and seek

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Helping children make a positive contribution

good information from parents. Children learn about people's differences through celebrating cultures and beliefs. They access resources which provide positive images, such as dolls, books, play food and posters. Children are confident to approach staff to engage them in their play or conversation, as they know they will receive a positive response. Good links with the school ensure children are happy in the whole school environment. Two older children from the school are selected each day to attend the group and support children's learning. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. The partnership with parents is good. Parents receive good information on the provision, and the policies and procedures. Parents' comments on the provision are sought regularly and used to improve the partnership. For example, a recent survey indicated that parents are not clear about the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Consequently, a parents' evening is being organised, which will be attended by the Foundation Stage Adviser, to assist staff in increasing awareness. Parents have good information on the activities provided; their ideas and contributions are

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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 welcomed. Parents are given regular verbal feedback on their child's development and can see their child's records if they ask. However, there is no system to ensure all parents access their child's development records and the children's assessments are not consistent amongst key workers.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children benefit from the satisfactory organisation of space and good deployment of staff. They are cared for by experienced, suitable staff, who continue to evaluate and improve their practice. The well organised operational plan supports staff in providing appropriate care, and ensures they and the committee are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Documentation is stored confidentially, and most policies and procedures are used effectively to keep children safe, healthy, enjoying and achieving. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. The leadership and management is good. The chairperson and committee members work well together to support staff. The joint supervisors have a good understanding of their roles and have established effective teamwork to promote children's learning. Good systems, such as annual appraisals and peer observations, are used to

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Organisation

monitor the quality of teaching, and personal development. The supervisors recognise individual strengths, which ensures effective and committed teamwork.

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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 good. 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 AND 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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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): • increase staff knowledge of the child protection procedures • ensure children's contact details are readily available in the event of an emergency evacuation • improve the observations made on children under three years, in line with the aspects and approach described in the Birth to three matters framework

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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): • devise a system to ensure all parents access their child's development records and ensure consistency in the quality of the information recorded

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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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