Kingsland Pre-School

Kingsland Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Kingsland Pre-School

Unique Reference Number EY321131 Inspection date 14 July 2006 Inspector Deborah Ball

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Kingsland Pre-School

Setting Address The Coronation Hall, Kingsland, Nr Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 9QS Telephone number 01568 709168

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E-mail

Registered person Kingsland Pre-School Committee 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?

Kingsland Pre-School opened in 2006. It operates from Kingsland Village Hall in North Herefordshire. A maximum of 16 children may attend the setting at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday from 09:00 to 12:30 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and from 12:30 to 15:00 on Thursday during term time only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 17 children aged from 2 to 5 years on roll who attend on a

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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 part-time basis. Of these, 11 children receive funding for early education. The setting supports children with learning difficulties and also supports children who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school employs four members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The pre-school receives support from a mentor teacher from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is protected through well-planned daily routines and learning from example. They receive excellent support in learning to manage their own personal care as they wash their hands before meals, after toileting and outside play. The premises and equipment are maintained to a high standard of cleanliness and children enjoy helping with appropriate tasks to keep the room and equipment clean and tidy. Children's welfare is safeguarded because staff have attended first aid training and can administer treatment in the event of an accident. Appropriate systems are in place to ensure that accidents are well recorded and shared with parents at the end of each day. Positive steps are taken to prevent the spread of infection when children become ill and relevant information about infection control and the advised minimum exclusion periods is readily shared with parents. Children's good health and well-being is promoted as staff are aware of and respect

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Helping children to be healthy

children's individual dietary requirements. A range of healthy and nutritious snacks are provided for children, including pears, apples and bananas. Children's meal times are sociable occasions with children sitting together to enjoy their packed lunches and each other’s company. They are helped to enjoy food and understand why some are healthier than others, and can access drinking water throughout the session. Parents provide most food, however staff talk to children about what is in their lunch boxes and praise them when they contain fruit or healthier foods. Older children are encouraged to learn to open wrappings and cartons to help them learn the skills they will need when they attend school. Children have excellent opportunities to play outside and confidently move between the indoor and outdoor areas as part of their play. Their physical development is promoted and extended as they eagerly join in with free-play and organised activities.

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Helping children to be healthy

For example, they climb, ride on wheeled toys, jump through hoops, sing songs and perform action rhymes and throw balls. They benefit from a wide range of outdoor resources and confidently take their indoor toys outdoors as part of their play. Children benefit from enthusiastic staff involvement and interaction when playing outside. Outdoor games are fun and inviting for children and are used to promote and extend children's learning in other areas, such as counting and colour recognition. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the importance of exercise and if the weather is such that they cannot go outside, the hall is rearranged to allow children to play ring games and participate in parachute activities. Children respond well to age-appropriate instructions given to them by staff. They move spontaneously with

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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 increasing control and co-ordination, developing an awareness of the space around them and the close proximity of others.

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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 welcoming, secure and safe environment. The space available to children is well utilised. Children benefit from being able to move around safely, freely and independently between well placed out activities and from the indoor to the outdoor play area. The setting is welcoming to children and their families. It is bright and colourful with children's art work displayed all around the hall. Children remain free from harm because staff monitor their free play vigilantly. Children of different ages use a wide range of suitable and safe equipment. Equipment is clean and hygienic and checked for safety every time it is used. Good quality resources help to enrich the environment in which the children play. They are rotated regularly and placed at child height so that children can choose from them safely, freely and independently. Children play in a safe environment because staff take effective steps to reduce

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

potential risks to children’s safety. The supervisor conducts a risk assessment of the premises on a regular basis and staff carry out daily visual checks on all areas of the premises and equipment. Appropriate safety procedures are in place, for example, electric sockets are covered and safety gates prevent children’s access to unsafe areas. Children are well supervised and have a developing understanding of how to think and act safely. For example, when walking outdoors children know that they should stay close to the staff and learn about crossing the road safely. Children's safety on outings is assessed prior to the visit to reduce potential risks and to identify any necessary procedures. Children's welfare is promoted and safeguarded because the staff have a clear understanding of the setting's child protection policy and the procedures that they should follow in the event of a concern about a child in their care. All staff have a

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

clear understanding of the known indicators of abuse. Children are cared for by adults who are vetted appropriately and suitable systems are in place to ensure that children are protected from staff awaiting their clearance.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are well cared for and are provided with wide and varied learning experiences. There is a strong emphasis on children learning through play which enables the children to develop their confidence and independence well. Children respond well to the staff who demonstrate a good understanding of children's individual needs and the effective interaction with staff extends children's learning and social skills. Children are provided with exciting and interesting activities, many of which are very practical, these are used effectively to capture children's interest

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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 and promote their development and learning. As a result they are forming a positive attitude to learning and enjoy the play experiences offered. Staff use 'Birth to three matters' and the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage to provide suitable learning experiences for all the children. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make excellent progress towards almost all early learning goals because staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and a very clear understanding of how children learn. Children benefit from interesting and varied planned activities that are attractively presented and provide appropriate challenge for children of different abilities. Staff make regular and comprehensive assessments of each child's progress and evaluate activities

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

carefully. They use the assessments and evaluations well to inform future planning. Children's personal, social and emotional development is given a high priority. They are well supported and given high levels of encouragement by staff. Children are very motivated to learn because they are actively involved in the learning process and are able to make choices about how they use activities to meet their own learning needs. The children are extremely confident; they work and play effectively on their own and with others. Behaviour is excellent as children are forming good relationships with adults and other children. They negotiate with others and take responsibility for their actions. Children have an excellent awareness of right and wrong in line with their age and stages of development. Children's language and communication skills are developing well because staff use effective strategies to support the children in listening and understanding. Children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

speak very confidently and freely communicate their needs. Staff encourage them to express their ideas and feelings during activities and group discussions. Children enjoy a variety of good quality story and reference books and listen avidly to stories read by staff. Good teaching methods are used to enable children to link letters to sounds and older children show a growing awareness of this as staff help them to sound out the letters in their name. Many children are confident emergent writers and give meaning to their mark-making. Children show a keen interest in numbers and counting and most confidently use and understand numbers up to ten and above. Counting and number recognition is threaded through most activities as children count, match and compare numbers of objects. Children count freely as part of their play. For example, they accurately counted how many containers they were playing with in the water. They show a

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

developing awareness of weights and measures through well considered practical activities, such as weighing out ingredients during cooking activities and often hear staff using mathematical language such as small, medium and large. Children show a good understanding of shape and are able to name the most common ones. For example they knew the pancake they made was from dough was a circle. Songs and finger rhymes are used extensively to help children count, solve simple number problems and to understand positional language such as in, out, under and over. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is fostered through many practical activities, such as experimenting with sand, water and many natural

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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 materials and learn to observe and question as they mix cooking ingredients together. They explore and develop their natural curiosity during interesting activities, such as experimenting which objects float and sink or exploring how glasses filled with various levels of water create different sounds. Children are encouraged to extend activities to meet their own exploratory needs and to use their natural curiosity to find out how things work. They learn how plants and animals live by observing a variety of animals at the farm and by planting cress seeds and nasturtium flowers. Children have access to some replica technology, but have limited opportunities to experience using real programmable items, such as computers. Children have good access to craft activities and are encouraged to investigate and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

be independently creative with them. They are absorbed as they mould dough and use a range of materials to attach resources together to create a variety of animals. Children are developing a good repertoire of songs and have opportunities to make, move and listen to a range of music. They are able to play co-operatively; following through ideas together and independently enjoy using their imaginations to develop their games in role play activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's self-confidence and self-esteem is promoted. All children are welcome in the pre-school because staff value and respect their individuality and work closely with parents to meet individual children's needs. Staff ensure that all children are fully included in the life of the setting and have a clear understanding of the family context of each child. Children enjoy a wide range of resources and benefit from well-planned activities that promote a positive view of the wider world. This increases their awareness of diversity and their understanding of others. Children with learning difficulties receive a good level of support because there are effective systems in place which enable staff to implement individual learning plans for the children and to work in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure each child is able to make sound developmental progress. Children are able to develop their sense of

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Helping children make a positive contribution

belonging as they work harmoniously with others and make choices and decisions. These all contribute to the children developing good self-esteem and respect for others. However, a consistent approach to supporting children who speak English as an additional language has not yet been implemented. The children behave very well and play harmoniously together. They are well supported by staff who encourage sharing and taking turns and have clear expectations and set consistent boundaries. Children are able to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour. They receive regular reassurance, praise and encouragement, which promotes their confidence and self-esteem. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Parents speak very positively about the pre-school, the staff and the good progress their child is making. They are provided with well thought out information displayed

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Helping children make a positive contribution

on notice boards, in newsletters and by daily exchanges of information. A colourful display in the entrance hall which details the content and benefits of the 'Birth to three

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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 matters' framework has been produced for parents of the younger children attending the setting. Parents' views are regularly sought through questionnaires and a suggestions box and where possible these views are implemented as part of pre-school practice. Parents are encouraged to share their knowledge and views of their children's development with the pre-school. This enables staff to provide the most appropriate care for the children's needs on an individual basis. All of this contributes to children's good health, safety, development and learning. The partnership with parents and carers is good. Children’s needs are being met well because the pre-school works closely with parents and carers to enable all children to make good developmental progress. Staff know the children well and are able to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

provide for their individual needs because the key worker system works effectively to enable the staff to provide appropriate care and learning opportunities for all children and to support parents with information and advice. Parents are able to be involved in their child's learning because they are informed about activities used in the curriculum and are asked to contribute by bringing in related items.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The pre-school offers a warm and welcoming childcare experience where children are happy and settled. Children's care is further enhanced by the effective organisation and use of space. Staff are effectively deployed and children have high levels of individual attention which supports and extends their learning. The policies and procedures work in practice to promote children's health, safety and well-being. All of the required documentation is readily available and well maintained. Documents are stored securely and are only accessed by staff to ensure that confidentiality is respected. A detailed and well thought out operational plan is shared with parents and implemented effectively by staff. Children's parents are provided with attractive and detailed written information, which include the range of policies and procedures, information about the service provided and the Curriculum guidance

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Organisation

for the foundation stage. The leadership and management is good. There is a clear vision for the pre-school and effective steps are taken to plan ahead, evaluate and improve the services that are offered. The committee and staff work very well together to ensure that policies and procedures are effective, relevant and put into practice appropriately. They share a strong vision for the pre-school which is "to provide high quality day care in a loving, caring, safe and stimulating environment, catering for each individual child to help them reach their full potential". Staff are enthusiastic and motivated and work very well together as a team. They are committed to ensure that the individual needs of all the children are addressed and that all children feel included within the setting. There are comprehensive and clear recruitment and induction procedures in place which ensures that new staff quickly settle and understand the vision and good practice of the pre-school. Staff are well

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Organisation

supported but would benefit further if their roles and responsibilities were more clearly defined through regular appraisal. Children's development is further enhanced

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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 through the ongoing commitment of staff to continue to develop their knowledge through regular attendance on training courses. Overall, the provision 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 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 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): • develop systems for supporting children who speak English as an additional language

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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 become familiar with information and communication technology • encourage and support staff's professional development through regular appraisal.

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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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