All Saints Blackwell Pre-School

All Saints Blackwell Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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All Saints Blackwell Pre-School

Unique Reference Number EY319495 Inspection date 17 July 2006 Inspector Donna Suzanne Lancaster

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All Saints Blackwell Pre-School

Setting Address All Saints Millennium Centre, Ravensdale Road, Darlington, County Durham, DL3 8DT Telephone number 01325 469 891 E-mail john.dobson@durham.anglican.org Registered person All Saints and Salutation Church Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care

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All Saints Blackwell 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 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 Saints Blackwell Pre-school has been established since 1969. The facility re-registered in February 2006 with a new provider and a church committee. The pre-school operates from two rooms within the church, which is situated in the West End area of Darlington. The pre-school group is registered to care 44 children at any one time, aged two to five years. The main hall is registered for 26 children and the garden room is registered to care for 18 children. They have access to a kitchen,

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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 toilets and an enclosed outdoor play area. It serves the immediate community and the surrounding areas. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday from 09.30 to 12.00 during school term time. There are currently 45 children from two to under five years on roll. Of these, there are 24 children who receive funding for nursery education. The pre-school currently supports children with learning difficulties. The pre-school employs nine staff, of whom six hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards level 3 qualification. The group receives support from Sure Start and the Local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is promoted within the pre-school by staff following effective procedures and practices that meet the needs of all children. Staff offer support and guidance and this helps children gain an understanding of hygiene routine and begin to become increasingly independent in personal care. For example, they know washing hands stops germs spreading. Children enjoy a wide range of activities which contributes to their good health. Each day there are both indoor and outdoor activities to help children learn the importance of physical activity in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For example, as they ride on wheeled toys, music and movement and when practising races for the sports day. This promotes all children's physical development, gives them confidence to try out new skills, set their own limits and know when to ask for help. All children are able to rest and be active according to their needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a healthy diet and enjoy fresh fruit at snack time. They are beginning to understand the benefits of a healthy diet through topics and activities. Children's individual needs are taken into account to ensure children remain healthy. Older children receive good opportunities to help themselves to drinks and self-serve themselves at snack times. However, drinking water is not as easily accessible to the younger children. Staff have begun to use Birth to three matters guidance to adapt a good range of activities and play experiences to promote younger children's learning.

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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 well-organised setting where risks are identified and minimised. This means that they are able to move around safely, freely and independently. Premises are secure with good systems in place for monitoring

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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 visitors and for ensuring children are unable to leave the premises unsupervised. Staff carry out daily written risk assessments to identify potential hazards and minimise the risk of accidental injury to children. Staff give high priority to helping children understand how to keep safe and to maintaining children's safety, both indoors and outdoors. For example, children line up in an orderly fashion when waiting to go outdoors to practise races for the sports day. Children select activities from a wide range of good quality, safe and developmentally appropriate resources. They are well-organised at child-height to encourage safe, independent access. Staff explain to children safe practices. For example, when playing outdoors they are gently reminded to be aware of where each other is, so

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

they do not bump into each other or trap each others' fingers in the door on the play house. This helps children learn to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe. Children are well protected. Staff have a secure understanding of child protection procedures in line with the local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and have a sound understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time in the setting. All children arrive happy and are eager to participate and show enjoyment and excitement in the well planned activities. They are confident and self-assured to work and play independently or in groups. Children have a strong bond with staff and this increases their self esteem and wellbeing. They play happily together and staff encourage them to take turns, share and respond to each other, for example, as they play build bridges with the construction toys, play diggers in the sand tray and make patterns and marks in the shaving foam. Children become independent as they choose between a variety of toys, books and activities which appeal to all. They become confident communicators as they share ideas in their play, for instance, where they have been or where they are going on their holidays and in singing and musical activities. Staff are beginning to use the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Birth to three matters frame work to improve their practice and give children the opportunity to play together. They have a secure understanding of the range of experiences children need to enable them make greater use of their senses and creative abilities. Older children achieve well because staff are skilled and use their experience of early years guidance, such as Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage to provide good quality education. Nursery education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and how children learn effectively. Staff plan interesting activities which they adapt to meet individual needs and interests of children and they link to the areas of learning. Assessment records are used effectively to plan the appropriate next step in children's learning. However, evaluation of activities and children's next steps are not always consistently recorded

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

by all staff and the differentiations of groups of children, their age and abilities lack sufficient details.

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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 are confident and eager to learn. All children separate well and with confidence from parents and all have formed good relationships with adults and their peers. They are able to work on their own and as part of a group, taking turns and sharing; for example, children learn how to operate computer equipment following the guidance of each other and when making passports and filling their suitcases with pictures. Children use numbers confidently in their play and recognise different shapes in planned activities and daily routines. For example, sorting coloured objects, big, small, more or less, weighing ingredients for baking activities and using calculators with simple number cards. Their physical skills develop and improve through a variety of experiences, including sports day and music and movement.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children display a positive self image and are beginning to develop personal and independence skills. They are motivated to try new experiences. For example, making patterns and writing their names in the shaving foam. Older children communicate confidently and initiate conversations and listen and respond well to what others are saying. Children develop a sense of time and place, and gain good knowledge of their environment through well planned activities and visitors to the setting, for example, the nurse, the fire safety officer, road safety patrol person and the police. Children begin to make sense of the world and express their ideas as they join in a diverse range of exploratory and sensory experiences. For example, doing simple experiments with flowers. The children are able to mark make through a suitable selection of resources. The older children are confident to write their name on their creative work and in the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

shaving foam activity. Children have access to a broad selection of books, which they access frequently in the session. Children have a good range of materials for their creative activities. They paint with enthusiasm and enjoy cutting out pictures of holiday clothes and sticking them onto the paper suitcase they have made for their own holidays. Children use their imagination in play and have opportunities to experience music and dance. They sing enthusiastically from a good repertoire of songs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are warmly welcomed into the setting and very good relationships are formed between children and staff. Staff take positive steps to fully promote children's welfare and development, including children cared for with special needs. They ensure that the resources positively represent the children who attend as well as individuals from the wider community, for example, other cultural and religious festivals are celebrated. This enables children to develop a positive attitude towards others. Children are very well behaved and show concern for others, for instance, when lining up to go to the toilet, the children wait quietly and orderly until all the children are ready to go. They respond well to the staff's calm and consistent approach and there is a strong emphasis on respect and consideration for others. Effective use of

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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 praise and encouragement ensures children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Partnership with parents and carers is good. Positive relationships are established with parents to ensure children receive good quality care. For example, parents are warmly welcomed at any time into the pre-school, their views, experience and knowledge of their child is acknowledged and valued. This information is used as a starting point for their child's care, teaching and learning. The staff have a two-way sharing of information with parents and regular written and verbal communication keeps them well informed about all aspects of their child's care, achievements and progress which enhances children's learning. Parents are kept well informed about the policies, routines and activities of the pre-school and they receive good

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Helping children make a positive contribution

information to enable them to continue their child's learning at home.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. All children are settled and relaxed and staff work well together as a team to provide a warm and caring environment for children and their parents. Rooms are well organised to enable younger and more able children to initiate and extend their own play and learning. Space is laid out to maximise play opportunities for children. Leadership and management is good. The management and staff ensure the smooth running of the nursery and are well aware of their roles and responsibilities in developing children's learning. There are designated staff to work with children under three years of age and committed qualified staff to work with all children working towards the early learning goals. The managers ensure that staff who work with the children in receipt of funding for nursery education have a sound knowledge and understanding of the curriculum, to enable them to help all children achieve well. The

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Organisation

manager's continue to evaluate staff and their practice, policies and information gathered from parents to continue making improvements to children's care, teaching and learning. Most records, policies and procedures for the safe management of the pre-school are in place. However, the behaviour management policy does not contain sufficient details and the complaints procedure is not in line with new guidance. Induction training for new staff and on-going training in child protection, first aid and Birth to three matters help staff keep children healthy and safe guard their welfare. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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 There are no complaints to report. 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): • ensure fresh drinking water is more accessible to children under three years • develop the complaints procedure in line with new guidance • ensure the behaviour management policy includes a statement on bullying.

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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 consistency when evaluating activities and when recording children's next steps of their learning • ensure that the differentiations between groups and ages of children are recorded in more detail.

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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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