Greystones Pre-School

Greystones Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Greystones Pre-School

Unique Reference Number EY319973 Inspection date 05 July 2006 Inspector Sarah Gilpin

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Greystones Pre-School

Setting Address Greystones First School, Tullibardine Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S11 7GL Telephone number 0114 2671111

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E-mail

Registered person Greystones Pre-School Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day 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 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Greystones Pre-school has been operating for a number of years and was re-registered in 2006 and is managed by a voluntary management committee. It operates from two designated rooms in the basement of Greystones Primary School, in Greystones, Sheffield. Children have access to toilet facilities and there is a secure area available for outdoor play. The pre-school is registered to provide full day care for 26 children aged two to five

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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 years. It is open from 08.00 until 15.00, Monday to Friday during term time only. There are currently 80 children on roll and 70 are in receipt of nursery education funding. The group care for children from the local and wider communities. There is provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Ten staff are employed to work with the children, five of whom hold recognised early years qualifications and others are on training programmes. The group receive support from the local authority and they are participating in the Sheffield Kitemark, which is a local quality assurance scheme.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The children are cared for in a clean and well maintained environment. There are clear policies and procedures, which are implemented well by the staff to promote the health and well-being of the children. The children understand why they need to wash their hands before eating and this is successfully encouraged and monitored by the staff as part of the daily routine. The staff make sure that food preparation areas are clean and hygienic and they follow cleaning routines each day. There are suitable systems in place to deal with accidents involving children in the setting. These include a fully stocked first aid box, staff with up to date first aid training and a clear record of accidents. However, the organisation of the records means that children's confidentiality is not always maintained. Children enjoy nutritious and well balanced snack times. To fit with this weeks theme

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Helping children to be healthy

of London, the children enjoy strawberries and cream with their usual drinks of water or milk. The pre-school staff successfully work with parents to ensure that the children's dietary requirements are met and that foods provided are safe for the children to eat. The parents provide a packed lunch for their children and these are suitably stored. The good food hygiene standards and practices ensure that the food prepared for the children is safe and healthy. The children's snack and meal times are vibrant and sociable and they thoroughly enjoy chatting to staff and friends as they eat together. However, the children do not take an active role in preparing for snack time or clearing away plates and cups. As a result, they are not developing their independence in this area. The children enjoy the benefits of fresh air and exercise as they use the apparatus and equipment in the secure outdoor play area. They can roll, balance and jump on

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Helping children to be healthy

the obstacle course, which staff have designed for them. They practise their throwing, catching and ball striking skills as they play cricket with the staff. Their fine motor skills are developing well because they engage in activities requiring good hand-eye coordination. For example, they complete jigsaws and use scissors and glue spreaders when working on creative pictures. The structure of the session ensures that children have time to rest and engage in quiet activities, such as reading and listening to story books.

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Helping children to be healthy

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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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a safe, secure and welcoming setting. The staff are extremely vigilant as they support the children in their play. For example, children are closely supervised as they explore inside the pre-school and when playing in the secure outdoor area. Children are kept safe because their arrival and departure at pre-school is carefully monitored by the staff, who 'meet and greet' them at the door and who ensure that the key coded doors are closed securely at all times. A clear record is kept of visitors to the setting. Detailed daily checks minimise potential hazards and ensure the environment remains safe for the children to access. There are clear emergency evacuation procedures, however, these are not practised with the children on a regular basis, taking into account the children's attendance patterns. The children safely access a variety of toys and resources that are carefully

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

organised on low tables at their level. Equipment used by the children meets the required safety standards and is routinely checked by the staff to ensure that items remain safe for them to use. Gentle reminders from staff ensure that children have a growing awareness of how to keep themselves safe as they move around the setting. For example, when they throw toys around they are sensitively reminded to take care of equipment and make sure they do not hurt their friends. Children are safeguarded because the staff have a clear understanding of their role in dealing with any concerns raised about the children in their care. There is a clear policy, which is in line with the procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. This ensures that staff can act in the best interests of the children attending the pre-school. Successful systems for recording accidents and incidents mean that children are carefully monitored by the vigilant staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children's enjoyment and well-being is of high priority to all staff in the pre-school. They work hard to ensure that children are settled and cared for in a suitably resourced environment. Children are successfully settled in an activity when they find leaving their parents hard by the sensitive staff who respond to their needs. The children are happy and relaxed because staff work directly with them for most of the session. They are confident and comfortable with the staff and seek support and guidance easily as they play together. The staff are beginning to develop their awareness of the Birth to three matters framework through attending training and staff discussions. The well resourced book corner is enjoyed by the children who sit together and read books to one another. The children enthusiastically enjoy playing in the outdoor area, which is resourced successfully to support children's learning

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and development. For example, the obstacle course and sand play are used by the children are they play cooperatively in small groups. Nursery education

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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 The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The staff have a sound working knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage, which is demonstrated through their use of open-ended questioning as they test the children's understanding. The staff provide experiences that are based on what they know the children like and enjoy, the planning is activity based and therefore does not clearly link to the stepping stones in the Foundation Stage curriculum. In addition, plans do not provide differentiation for the older and more able children or show how the six areas of learning are covered over time. The tick sheet that is used as an assessment record provides limited information to inform the plans and assist staff in how to take children to the next stage in their development and learning. The staff

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

organise the environment to provide children with some varied play experiences, however, there are limited opportunities for the children to self-select from the whole range of resources in the provision. The snack and meal times are unhurried but children have limited chance to develop their independence in this area, for example, by pouring their own drinks or chopping fruit. The children are inquisitive and motivated to learn and they enjoy negotiating with their friends as they play together. The children build warm and harmonious relationships with the adults and as a result their confidence and self-esteem are growing. Children show some awareness of their own needs and the older children can manage their own personal hygiene. They enjoy the company of their peers as they seek out others to play with chosen activities and resources. Children speak confidently using a wide vocabulary which is extended by the staff as they talk and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

question the children during their play. Story and group times are enjoyed by the children who make sensible predictions about the events in well known and less familiar stories. The children enjoy opportunities to engage in activities, such as threading, that promote their hand-eye coordination, and they practise their early writing skills as they draw interesting pictures. The older and more able children can correctly form the letters of their names showing good pencil control. Children use simple mathematical language in their play as they talk about the number, shape and position of items and toys. Children have a sound awareness of shapes, they can accurately describe shapes in the every day objects they see as they use boxes to make models. The pre-school computer is much enjoyed by the children who show their well developed skills in completing matching games and programmes using the mouse to accurately click and drag. Their awareness of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

numbers is extended because staff use large numerals to assign turns to the children as they queue patiently. The children take pleasure in investigating binoculars and cameras, experimenting and pretending to take pictures of their friends. This is extended by the staff who show the children how to use a digital camera to take pictures of their friends. Children enjoy the home based play in the basic role-play area and use their own experiences to enact 'making the tea' for their friends. Children's individual creativity is developing as they junk model and draw pictures of their family and their houses. However, because of the planning, their creative play is mainly adult focused with little scope for using their individual design skills. They enthusiastically participate in the daily singing session and show their knowledge of many traditional action rhymes and songs. The children's physical development is

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

encouraged through a range of planned activities including music and movement, and through regular access to the outdoor environment. They use tools, such as

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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 scissors, to cut paper and fabric as they decorate tennis players for a wall display.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are able to take pride in their art work and creations because staff display their pictures around the room. The children play harmoniously together, they enjoy one another's company, playing cooperatively as they use the small world play resources. The varied resources and activities mean children can make some choices and take decisions about what they do and enjoy. The planning for children's learning and the range of resources available to them ensure they become familiar with other faiths, cultures and disabilities. As a result, the children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. The children are cared for by staff who work well to meet their individual needs. They seek relevant information from the parents before they enter the setting and this assists the settling in process for the children. There is suitable provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and successful procedures for monitoring

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Helping children make a positive contribution

the development of all children. Children with English as an additional language attend the pre-school and staff take time to find out simple terminology to ensure they can communicate and reassure the child. For example, they know how to greet children in their native language. There is a good partnership with parents. An interesting and informative display in the entrance hall ensures that parents know about the provision for their children. The parents receive a précis of the planning for their children, which provides information about how they can actively support their children's learning at home. Photographic wall displays of activities and outings show parents what their children do and enjoy. Parents and children are made very welcome by the staff and easy informal discussions ensure that all information relating to the children is successfully exchanged each day. They receive information about the progress their children are

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Helping children make a positive contribution

making in their learning because their children's assessment records are readily available. In addition, staff discuss the children's progress during transition to school meetings they have with parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The children are cared for in a successfully managed and well organised setting. Effective systems are implemented by the management to recruit and check staff, this ensures that children are cared for by adults who are suitable to do so. There are suitable policies and procedures that are used to support the children's well-being. Staff attend training courses on a regular basis and have a sound understanding of child development and are up to date with current practice. The leadership and management with regard to nursery education is satisfactory and contributes to the steady progress the children make in their learning. The manager

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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 recognises that the quality of the staff team is a strength in the pre-school and she supports them effectively to ensure they provide suitable care for the children. The deployment of staff means that children are successfully supported as they play and are carefully supervised throughout the day. The manager works with the staff and the children throughout the day and is actively involved in the planning and resourcing for the group. However, the planning for children's learning is insufficiently monitored to ensure that all children's learning is promoted and their independence developed. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints to Ofsted since registration. 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 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): • consider how accident records are kept to ensure confidentiality is maintained • practise the fire evacuation on a regular basis bearing in mind the children's attendance patterns.

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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 To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that planning for children is closely linked to the stepping stones and stems from observation and assessment of the progress children make • provide the older and more able children with more challenge and promote their independence through clear differentiation in the planning • provide children with more frequent opportunities to choose for themselves and take decisions about what they do.

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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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