Hillsborough Nursery and First School

Stocks Green Pre-school

Inspection report for early years provision

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Stocks Green Pre-school

Unique Reference Number 127649 Inspection date 22 June 2006 Inspector Felicity Gaff

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Stocks Green Pre-school

Setting Address Leigh Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent, TN11 9AE

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E-mail

Registered person Stocks Green 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 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?

Stocks Green Pre-school opened in approximately 1980. It is a committee run group that operates from a demountable classroom in the grounds of Stocks Green School in Hildenborough, Kent. It has an enclosed area for outdoor play and also has access to the school grounds. A maximum of 20 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. It is open each weekday from 08.45 to 11.45 and from 12.15 to 15.15 during school term times. The setting serves families from the local residential and

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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 rural area. There are currently 65 children from two to four years on roll and of these, 50 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties or disabilities and a number who speak English as an additional language. There are eight members of staff. Of these, four have early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is well promoted because staff follow very good routines to maintain a hygienic environment. Children learn very good personal care procedures and develop independence in toileting and handwashing and are beginning to learn how to look after themselves. For example, staff ensure they understand why they need to wear hats in hot weather and have plenty to drink. Children have very good opportunities for vigorous activity out of doors. They develop their physical skills well because they enjoy an excellent range of wheeled toys and climbing apparatus. These are of high quality and are very well chosen to meet the developmental needs of all the children. Staff ensure that children's health needs are discussed with parents and recorded clearly. As a result they are able to act quickly and effectively should a child become ill. However, although they record minor accidents and any

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Helping children to be healthy

medication given, the records lack sufficient detail.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in attractive, modern and purpose-built premises that provide a welcoming environment in which they can play safely. Staff have an excellent awareness of safety issues; they carry out regular risk assessments and take effective steps to minimise identified hazards. Children use safe and suitable equipment because staff establish good routines to ensure the high quality toys and play materials are well-maintained. There are effective systems to ensure children are supervised at all times particularly when using the school grounds or when visitors are present. Staff have a secure understanding of child protection issues and know how to report any concerns both within and beyond the setting. However, the child protection statement is incomplete which impairs the ability of the committee to act promptly to protect children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children settle quickly and confidently into the welcoming, child-friendly environment. Staff offer unfailingly calm and interested support as children choose what they will do. As a result, children persevere at their play for extended periods of time. They

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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 discuss what they see and feel as they mix cornflour and water and become fascinated by the results. Staff skilfully promote children's learning because they use effective questioning to make them think. Older children develop their social skills as they enjoy very well organised lunchtimes where staff sit and eat with them, taking part in lively and wide ranging conversations. Everyday routines provide opportunities for children to bring items from home that are important to them or that relate to the current topic, and talk about them in small groups. This gives all the children a great deal of practice in expressing themselves and consequently they become both articulate and self-confident. NURSERY EDUCATION The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children behave well because they are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

able to choose from a range of attractive activities with good adult support to sustain their interest. Children reflect the positive example of the staff in their dealings with each other, beginning to recognise the needs of others. A three-year-old child shared play resources by offering her quoits to another, 'You can have this one', and invited a bystander to join the game saying, 'Do you want to play with these, too?' Children cooperate well with each other as they work together to tidy away toys. Children develop sound listening and speaking skills and are able to plan and negotiate to find solutions to disagreements as they play. They take great pleasure in exceptionally well told 'story sack' sessions. Older children show their understanding of literary conventions as they retell stories from familiar books. Staff plan regular opportunities for children to develop their understanding of number through playing

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

focused games. They use everyday opportunities for the older children to count and compare for real purposes but sometimes miss these when working with the younger ones. As a result, the three-year-old children do not spontaneously count in their play. Staff do not routinely provide sufficient opportunities for children to practise their reading, writing and number skills informally through imaginative role play. There are a suitable range of opportunities for children to find out about the world through direct first hand experiences. They discuss change as they explore and investigate a variety of malleable materials, they try out different techniques of model making and develop a sense of time as they discuss events in the past. Children begin to understand their own beliefs and those of others as they compare different cultural traditions, for example by contrasting the candles on a birthday cake with

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Diwali lights. Children regularly experiment with a range of media in two and three dimensions, although staff do not routinely provide a wide range of creative resources from which they can select independently. They sing tunefully together and express themselves with grace and imagination as they create their own actions to familiar nursery rhymes. Staff make good provision for children to develop their imaginations through well resourced imaginative role play. Children make good progress in physical development because staff provide challenging play activities to promote both large and fine motor skills well.

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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 The provision is outstanding. Children learn to understand their own needs and those of other people because staff make sure each child feels valued as an individual. Staff provide many books and play resources reflecting positive images of cultural diversity to help children develop respect for difference. Children receive excellent one-to-one support and encouragement, which helps them develop both skills and self-assurance. Children's behaviour is exemplary. They reflect the courtesy and consideration shown to them by the staff; they are friendly and polite to each other as well as to adults and visitors, listening to each others' contributions to discussions and sharing resources amicably. Staff have an excellent understanding of the Code of Practice for children with

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Special Needs. They work closely with parents and other agencies to ensure individual needs are fully understood to enable children with disabilities or learning difficulties to take a full part in the setting. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Partnership with parents is outstanding. Parents receive very clear information about the pre-school and the education offered before children attend. There are very good arrangements to keep them fully informed about all its activities well in advance. Children's progress is enhanced by the regular opportunities for parents to exchange information about their children and to contribute to their developmental profiles in order to build a complete picture of their progress. Children delight in welcoming their parents to spend a session in the pre-school with them. They are proud to take story books or George the Teddy home to share with their parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The committee understands its role and responsibilities and provides effective support to the manager to whom the day-to-day management of the pre-school is delegated. There are good procedures for ensuring staff are suitable and have the skills and ability to do their jobs. All the required policies and procedures are in place and are generally satisfactory although some lack detail. Children's personal details are stored securely to keep them confidential. Leadership and management are good. The manager has a clear vision for the pre-school which is shared by her staff. She deploys them well to support children's individual learning needs and they work very well together to provide consistent care. Children feel secure because the staff have similar expectations and teaching styles and this contributes to the very good progress they make. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the setting agreed to develop an outdoor play area solely for the use of the pre-school children. At the last inspection of nursery education the provider agreed to develop children's understanding of reading, to improve planning and the provision of outdoor resources to cover all areas of learning and to extend activities for more able children. Children now use the outside area to support all

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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 areas of learning and an enclosed play space dedicated to the preschool is under development to enhance this. Plans identify how activities can be extended or adapted to meet the learning needs of all the children. Children enjoy many opportunities to share books with adults and enjoy them on their own. As a result, older children show very good understanding of reading conventions.

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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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve the authorisations for emergency treatment and ensure both accident and medication records include children's full names and are signed by parents • improve the child protection statement to clarify the procedure to be followed in the case of allegations against a member of staff.

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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): • improve opportunities for children to develop their independence by selecting and returning their own craft materials and play resources • improve the provision for children to practise reading, writing and number skills for real purposes during imaginative role play.

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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 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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