St. Philips Pre-School

St. Philips Pre-School Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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St. Philips Pre-School Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY293090 Inspection date 18 May 2006 Inspector Malini Parmar

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St. Philips Pre-School Nursery

Setting Address St. Philips Church Hall, Gravel Hill, Finchley, London, N3 1RJ

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E-mail

Registered person Baidehi Mittra 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?

St. Philips Pre-School Nursery opened in 2004. It operates from the church hall. A maximum of 30 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The group is open each weekday from 09.00 to 13.00. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 30 children aged from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 25 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery currently supports

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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 with special educational needs, and also supports children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 8 staff, 7 of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children learn about healthy hygiene practice through the daily routine. They are encouraged to wash their hands at appropriate times and staff support children to understand, for example, the purpose of tissues. In this way children are encouraged to learn the connection between participating in regular hygiene routines and maintaining good health. Children are protected from some procedures in place to prevent the spread of infections, such as staff wearing gloves to change nappies. However, there is not yet a systematic approach to the cleaning of toys and resources and as a result children have access to some toys which are unclean. Children's health is not securely protected because consent has not been sought to seek advice or treatment in the event of an emergency situation. Children's wellbeing is promoted through the evolving procedures followed by staff for the safe

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Helping children to be healthy

administration of medication and reporting of accidents. Children are protected in the event of an accident because all staff are appropriately qualified in emergency first aid. Children clearly enjoy the sound range of healthy and nutritious snacks, which comply with all special dietary requirements and parental wishes. They particularly relish the fresh fruit at snack times. Children confidently help themselves to a drink throughout the session to ensure their energy is replenished. Children have daily opportunities for fresh air and vigorous play to maintain health, both indoors and outdoors. They benefit from being able to access the outdoor area as part of the free play sessions. Younger children learn to control their own bodies as they gain new skills and confidence in their movements. They, for example, delight as they climb the wooden stairs in order to use the slide. Older children develop

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Helping children to be healthy

greater control over their movements as they practise jumping, hopping and energetically pedalling bikes. They delight as they learn to catch and throw and receive support to do this indoors.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children arrive happily and settle quickly in a warm and friendly environment. They move comfortably around the nursery and from indoors to outdoors throughout the free play session. Children have access to a wide range of toys and resources which they select freely. Children have access to a number of toilets and hot and cold water. However, the current arrangements for changing nappies and group toilet

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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 times, do not afford the children privacy and dignity. Children's safety is mostly promoted through procedures in place. They are supervised at most times and nursery staff monitor the entrance to the provision. Attention to fire safety is given appropriate priority and regular evacuation is practised. Children have useful opportunities throughout the session to learn how to keep themselves safe as they engage in some discussions with staff. As a result, older children are aware that running indoors is unsafe. Although, daily checks are made to ensure fundamental systems are secure. There is not yet a clear processes of identifying potential hazards as risks are not systematically identified. As a result, children are at increased risk to injuries caused by exposed foam on the safety mats.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Core staff have a sound knowledge of issues surrounding child protection. Staff attend training in this area, and there is a clear procedure to follow to protect children from harm. However, staff have an insecure knowledge of what would happen in the event an allegation is made against them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children aged between two to three clearly enjoy using a range of malleable resources such as, sand and playdoh to promote their senses. They benefit from the positive interaction they receive during story and song times to stimulate their language and encourage their communication skills. Children respond with excitement as they play with imaginative toys and “go to the hairdressers” in the role play area. However, staff have not as yet, fully begun to use the Birth to three matters framework. As a result younger children do not consistently benefit from a thorough assessment of their needs to ensure their progress. Nursery Education. The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory and in the main, children are successfully engaged in a range of interesting practical activities. They are making satisfactory progress through the stepping stones towards the early learning

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

goals. Children benefit the developing planning and assessment systems in place to promote their progress. Staff make some observations of children's involvement and development. However, there is not yet, a clear system to ensure these identify children's next steps in learning to base future activities on. Children share positive relationships with staff and, they are mostly supported in their enquiry by the use of open ended questions. Children are confident; they develop sound levels of concentration and preserve in their chosen tasks. For example, when completing puzzles and linking their "long line of elephants". Firm friendships are beginning to establish as children learn to share and take turns through participating in, for example, "group board games". Children have some opportunities to increase their independence. However, their learning is not always extended by a lack of regular chances to extend self help skills, such as

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

serving themselves at snack time or pouring their own drink. Children sometimes become restless, as the pace and routine of the session, does not successfully retain

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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 their interest. As a result, they spend too long waiting in extended whole group situations. Children listen attentively; speak clearly and confidently as they engage both adults and their friends in conversation. They receive regular opportunities for songs and rhymes and eagerly participate in actions songs. Children benefit from the established system in place to borrow books from the nursery and clearly enjoy choosing them. They are encouraged to notice print and children delight as they successfully recognise their names to self register. Children have consistent chances to make marks, and receive useful chances to label their own work. Children delight as they successfully repeat the mathematically language they consistently hear, to identify, size, shape and quantities. They, for example, clearly enjoy sequencing and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

threading buttons, and sorting "heavy" and "light" elephants. Children benefit from being encouraged to recall the number cups of flour used to make play dough. Opportunities to problem solve through the routine, however, such as at snack time are sometimes missed. Children frequently use telephones, pushing and pressing buttons to discover how things work. They have regularly access to toys for investigation and discovery such as magnifying glasses. They clearly enjoy using tape to join recycled materials to make three dimensional objects. They strengthen their fine motor movements as they successfully snip paper and learn to control scissors. Children eagerly, paint, dribble glue and stick freely with an array of textures, to communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings. Children frequently engage in imaginative play to mimic their observations of the world around them. The quality of their play, however, varies with the amount of support they receive and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children are not always supported effectively to extend their imaginations by exploring their experiences further.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children share their thoughts, feelings and ideas confidently in an environment which values their contributions. They experience the value of their own culture and those of others, through posters, books and by participating in topics. Children have access to some resources reflecting all areas of diversity. In addition they benefit from regular trips into their local community, to strengthen their awareness of the wider world. This combination enables all children to feel secure and consequently they receive greater chances of strengthening their self worth and of developing a strong identity. Children receive sound levels of praise and encouragement for their achievements to boost their confidence and enhance self esteem. In the main, children are well behaved. However, children do not always respond positively to staff's instruction during the extended whole group situations. At these times, the focus sometimes changes to managing children's

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Helping children make a positive contribution

behaviour rather then their needs. In addition, too few explanations are consistently offered to children. Consequently, children receive fewer chances to learn how to manage their own behaviour.

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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 Partnership’s with parents and carers is satisfactory. Children benefit from the developing procedures in place to promote healthy partnership's with parents to ensure their wellbeing, development and progress. Children settle well through the sound systems in place, their individual needs are documented upon entry and parents are welcomed into the setting to promote a smooth transition. Newsletters and daily verbal feedback, ensure parents are made aware of how children spend their time at nursery. Parents are invited to help at the group and receive some information through parents' days and meetings. However, systems to ensure children's individual needs and specific learning priorities are regularly shared are currently evolving. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children benefit from the developing systems in the organisation to ensure their needs. Staff work closely and have a clear knowledge of their roles and responsibilities for the smooth operation of the routine on a daily basis. The necessary polices and procedures are currently being updated to ensure a full compliment and, that they contain the required detail. In the main staff are secure in their knowledge of most of them, some lapses result in gaps in promoting children's safety, health, learning and behaviour. Leadership and Management of the setting is satisfactory. Children benefit from a clear support structure in place, to ensure the ideas of all staff are valued to meet their needs. Children’s experiences are promoted because there is a strong commitment to improvement within the staff team. They regularly attend training to ensure secure knowledge of current practice. Although, the registered person and

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Organisation

manager has some knowledge of weaknesses and strengths within the provision. Children do not benefit from a clear assessment of how fully their needs are met within the programme because systems to monitor and evaluate the quality of the provision are not yet rigorous. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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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Complaints 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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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): • promote the good health of children, take positive steps to prevent the spread of infections, with particular attention to the cleanliness of toys and equipment • take positive steps to promote safety within the setting, conduct a safety risk assessment identifying all potential risks and action to be taken to minimise identified risks, ensure necessary steps are taken to reduce identified hazards • ensure children's privacy and dignity is afforded when they use the toilet and when changing nappies • ensure all adults caring for children are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development and ensure children are consistently provided with explanations to help them learn to manage their own behaviour • continue to update all records, policies and procedures for the efficient and

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The quality and standards of the care

safe management of the provision and ensure they are available for inspection at all times.

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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): • continue improve staff's knowledge and understanding of the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage to ensure the use of assessments in order to identify children's individual learning priorities and use these to inform future plans • reduce the length of time children spend waiting in whole group situations; improve the pace and routine of the session to ensure that children spend less time waiting in whole group situations and independence is fostered appropriately • develop a rigorous system to monitor and review the groups' strengths and weaknesses and that of the educational programme.

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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 • provide parents with more information about the Foundation Stage and ensure a secure system to regularly share children's next steps with them.

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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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