John Keats Primary School

All Cannings Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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All Cannings Pre-School

145888 Unique Reference Number 02 October 2006 Inspection date Susan, Esther Harvey Inspector

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All Cannings Pre-School

Village Hall, The Street, All Cannings,, DEVIZES, Wiltshire, SN10 3PA Setting Address

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All Cannings Pre-School

01380 860761 Telephone number 01380 860761 (Chair) E-mail All Cannings Pre-school Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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All Cannings 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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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?

All Cannings Pre-School opened in 1974 and operates from the Village Hall in All Cannings. A maximum of 17 children may attend at any one time. The pre-school is open from Monday to Friday 09.15 to 12.45, term time only. There is a secure enclosed outside play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 20 children aged from two to five years on roll. Of these, 14 children receive funding for early education. Children come from the local area. The pre-school can support children with learning difficulties and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs five members of staff. Of these, three staff member hold an appropriate early years qualification and two are working towards a qualification.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from physical play everyday. They thoroughly enjoy exercising to music and playing outside. They use their large muscles riding bikes and kicking balls around the newly built outside play area. Children are given many opportunities to develop their fine motor skills, for example, they concentrate while rolling out coloured play dough. Children carefully use pencils, scissors and chalks to extend their small muscle control.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children manage most of their self-care skills well. They are able to put on aprons, shoes and dressing up clothes with little assistance. Mostly staff manage children's personal hygiene well. Children line up to wash their hands before snack and lunch, and wash their messy hands in a bowl of warm water. This arrangement is not ideal, as the water is not changed sufficiently during the session, and children are not consistently monitored while washing hands after using the toilet.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop their awareness of healthy eating through topics, growing vegetables and a good range of nutritious snacks. For example, children enjoy eating fruit, cheese and pitta bread for snack time, and preparing a variety of vegetables in order to make soup. Children can identify the vegetables used in the soup which include courgette, mushroom and potato. They grow carrots and lettuce from seed and enjoy making sandwiches from the end product. As a result, children are learning to develop a healthy lifestyle through fun activities. Snack time is a social occasion as children and staff spend time together talking about healthy food and what they have achieved during the session.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff members have a recent first aid certificate which ensures appropriate action will be taken should an accident occur. Further training for staff ensures that children with allergic reactions will be well protected.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children freely access a range of clean, well maintained, age appropriate toys and equipment, which are attractively set out ready for their arrival in the setting. Children are welcomed by friendly staff into this small, intimate pre-school. They are cared for in a safe environment which is welcoming and bright. The colourful displays of children's work celebrates their achievement. Children can relax in the book corner among small chairs and interesting books. They are able to move around safely indoors and out. All safety measures are in place and children are encouraged to keep themselves safe, for example, through discussion with staff during a cooking activity relating to kitchen safety, as well as regularly taking part in an emergency evacuation drill, and tidying away toys before snack time to reduce the risk of trip hazards. Children take responsibility for registering themselves in the building. As a result, they

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

are learning about personal safety, and how to leave the premises safely and efficiently if needed.

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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 Children's welfare is supported by staff's secure knowledge of their personal responsibility regarding the correct procedure to follow relating to child protection issues.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident as they enter the setting willingly, and separate easily from their parents and carers. Children show good self-esteem as they quickly make decisions for themselves regarding the activities and resources they wish to explore. For example, children join together to play with cars and trains, while others concentrate on completing a set of jigsaw puzzles. Children are beginning to demonstrate good self-control and are able to concentrate for some period of time during story time, or a craft activity, or deciding what type of weather is outside, during circle time. Children are developing their social skills. They are able to successfully take turns and share resources. Children speak confidently in a familiar group and are beginning to learn to listen to others, such as 'news' time, and music time. This helps to develop their listening and responding skills. Children form warm, positive relationships with staff and each other.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They know each other by name and have a good awareness of their home circumstances. As a result, children are settled and content within a safe environment. The Birth to three matters framework is being appropriately managed as young children are beginning to enjoy listening to stories and songs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are beginning to make good progress towards the stepping stones supported by staff members' appropriate knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum. Planning is effective and covers all areas of learning. Children's achievements are linked to the stepping stones. However, observations and assessments for all children are not fully monitored, or kept up-to-date, in order to effectively move children on to their next stage of learning. Staff work well together as a team, and expertly ask appropriate questions. This enables children to develop the skill of thinking through a given task. Children with learning difficulties are integrated into the setting and receive individual support where necessary.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are thoroughly involved in play and activities. They make decisions for themselves in choosing daily activities, as well as enjoying adult-led topics. For example, children are engrossed in cutting up vegetables for making soup, closely supervised by a staff member. Children concentrate well throughout the session and enjoy meaningful activities both indoors and outside. For example, children benefit from planting flowers, vegetables and shrubs in the garden which they enjoyed helping to design. Children love taking part in folk tales, such as 'The Enormous Turnip' and are able to anticipate the next stage of the story.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are able to freely choose from a range of programmable toys to extend their hand and eye coordination. They are fascinated in the change made to porridge oats, when water and food colouring is added to the substance. They talk eagerly about the change in colour and consistency, with a staff member.

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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 Children can count readily up to 10 and some beyond, linking objects with number. Such as the numbers of plates needed at snack time, to the number of children attending the session. Children are able to calculate how many more plates are needed if other children attend.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children really enjoy singing. The know all the words to 'Incy, Wincy, Spider', and take part in the actions. Children follow the beat with instruments while marching around the room to 'The Grand old Duke of York'. They listen closely to descriptions of 'sleeping bunnies' in a warm and comfortable bed, before jumping up and being wide awake. As a result, children are being introduced to rhythm and music, as an aid towards pre-writing and listening skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall, children are making good progress in their learning and achievements given their capabilities and starting points.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are treated as individuals and are well supported. Children's individual needs are met. Children behave well and respect each other's feelings. This is promoted by the good role modelling from staff members. Children learn about diversity and the community in which they live through planned activities and visitors to the pre-school. There is a good selection of resources to support their learning, such as dressing up clothes, jigsaw puzzles and books.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's social, spiritual, moral, and cultural development is fostered. They enjoy sharing news about their home life and are learning to listen to others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Children benefit from the warm welcome families receive from staff members. Information is shared verbally when parents collect their children. A contact book is used for parents who do not regularly collect their children. As a result, all parents are kept fully informed of their child's progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Regular newsletters and photographs of children taking part in activities are readily available. Parents have the opportunity to discuss their child's progress at arranged parents' evenings. New parents and children are slowly introduced into the pre-school through an induction and settling-in programme. Pre-school parents are involved in their children's learning as they bring in objects from home and help with the children's learning in the setting. A well established key worker system is in place for parents and children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are given a wealth of written information. A welcome pack includes a variety of policies and procedures, including the aims and objects of the pre-school. Informative notice boards keep parents up-to-date with various news items, including the pre-school's excellence award, 'Listening to Children'; an award given for including children's ideas in the new garden project. Photographs of children's activities are displayed in the setting. As a result, parents are provided with visual information about their child's time in the pre-school. The Birth to three matters framework is attractively displayed for parents of young children. The Foundation Stage curriculum is shared with parents at every opportunity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children gain from a very effective partnership between the pre-school and parents.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Overall, the setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides care and education. Children benefit from staff members who are qualified and experienced, and work well together as a team. Staff organise the space in the room to sufficiently maximise play opportunities for children. All documents are in place for the safe and efficient management of the provision; they are adequately stored, and available for inspection. Routine staff and committee meetings take place in order to keep everyone up-to date with training opportunities, and any changes relating to childcare. A good partnership between the local primary school enhances children's time in the setting, and aids their progression into the reception class.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Staff have a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and apply this in practice to support all areas of children's learning and development. Staff and committee have aims and objectives for the pre-school which is set out in their Business Plan. They have successfully created a garden in cooperation with the children for them to use at every opportunity. As a result, children benefit from the commitment of the committee and staff to further develop the quality of care and education offered to all.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the provider was asked to: ensure documentation and records are available for inspection: ensure parents acknowledge medication administered to their children: and ensure the stacked chairs in the cloakroom area and the doormat well, do not pose a hazard to the children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Documentation and records are now retained in a confidential filing cabinet, and readily accessible. A medication book has been provided and parents signatures included if medication is given. Chairs are safely stored and parents use another entrance so reducing the access to the cloakroom. These arrangements have improved children's welfare and safety. Confidentiality has been maintained and record keeping improved.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection the provider was asked to improve staff's knowledge and understanding of the Early Learning Goals and the Foundation Stage, so that this knowledge can be implemented in their direct work with the children, particularly in the extending of activities for the older and more able children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

All staff have individual copies of the stepping stones and Foundation Stage in a folder along with Birth to three matters framework. There are written plans for extending the more able children. These arrangements have sufficiently improved children's learning in the setting.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that require the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards. 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 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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure children's independence and personal hygiene is further promoted, for example, by consistently monitoring their hand washing after using the toilet, as well as changing the hand washing bowl at regular intervals.

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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): • ensure observations and assessments for all children are fully monitored and kept up-to-date in order to effectively move children on to their next stage of learning.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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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