Bright Sparks Pre School

Bright Sparks Pre School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Bright Sparks Pre School

512713 Unique Reference Number 02 November 2006 Inspection date Abigail Caroline Cunningham Inspector

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Bright Sparks Pre School

Preston Lane, Great Preston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS26 8AR Setting Address

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E-mail

Bright Sparks Pre School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of 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

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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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Bright Sparks Pre-School opened in 1970 and is a committee run group, set in the grounds of Great Preston C of E Primary School, in the Great Preston area of Leeds. The setting operates from one room in a portable building. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area and the school playground.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting is open term time only, Monday to Friday mornings from 09.00 to 12.00 and Monday and Tuesday afternoons from 12.45 to 15.15. A maximum of 20 children from two and a half years to under five years can attend the pre-school at any one time. There are currently 29 children aged from two and a half to under five years on roll. Of these 23 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions and are drawn from the local community. The setting currently supports a number of children with disabilities.

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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 The pre-school employs six members of staff; three of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications and one member of staff is working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from an advisory teacher and the emphasis is on learning through play.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy exercise and develop a positive approach to this through regular opportunities for physical play, such as music and movement sessions, playing ring games in the school playground, accessing the outdoor play area and going for nature walks. The children independently wash their own hands and more able children understand the reasons why, for example, 'because of germs'. They handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safety and with increasing control, such as dough tools and scissors. Children move freely with pleasure and confidence. They can manage their bodies to create intended movement, for example, while pouring drinks.

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Helping children to be healthy

All staff are fully aware of individual dietary requirements and preferences which are discussed in full with parents, such as allergies. Four members of staff have completed food hygiene training. The children receive a good range of healthy and nutritious snacks, for example, fruit, toast, crackers and cheese. The children do not have access to drinks at all times, this is because they have a drink at set times during the session. Children sample foods associated with other countries to increase their knowledge of the wider world, such as rice, noodles, prawn crackers and fortune cookies.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good arrangements are in place for first aid, four of the staff hold a current first aid certificate and there is a fully stocked first aid kit available. Written policies are in place regarding sickness, accidents and administration of medicines; these are fully implemented and shared with all parents, for example, the setting does not administer any medication.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The children are cared for in a clean, well maintained environment which is effectively organised to enable them to move around freely and safely. Parents and children are warmly welcomed on arrival. Children’s work is attractively displayed on the walls. The reception area is informative as the setting's polices and procedures, staff photographs and information about the Foundation Stage are on display.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a good range of age appropriate toys, furniture and equipment available which meets the needs of all the children attending, such as sand, water, paint, home corner, dough, mark making and jigsaws. The children have very good access to books, which they enjoy looking at. As a result the book corner is a very busy and well used area. Staff use toys, equipment and materials effectively to ensure children are provided with a balanced range of activities that promote children’s learning in all areas, for example, age appropriate utensils for eating and

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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 child size tables and chairs. Toys and equipment are kept on tables and low shelves and children independently choose their own activities.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from a good range of safety measures, for example, sharp objects and dangerous substances are out of the reach of children. The children develop a good awareness of safety through practising emergency evacuations regularly. There are good staffing ratios in place, as a result the children are supervised at all times, are unable to leave the premises unattended and are never left alone with persons who have not been vetted. The system for managing access to the premises is good, unauthorised persons are unable to gain entry, and there is a record of visitors. The staff team implement child protection procedures, which are robust, fully understood and which work in practice.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Activities are well organised. Children are involved in a good range of activities both inside and outside, through visits and outings, which supports their all round development, such as ring games, music and movement sessions. The staff balance their time carefully to allow children to play and learn independently as well as giving time to support and encourage, such as while completing jigsaws and drawing. The children are fully involved in their activities, for example, while building with the construction toys and while playing with the train track.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff are very interested in the children, what they say and do. They consistently talk and listen to them and ask questions to make them think; they respond enthusiastically giving praise and encouragement, for example, during snack time. The staff ask the children lots of open ended questions regarding home and significant events and as a result the staff know the children well. The children are settled, have warm relationships with each other and the staff, for example, the children confidently approach staff to read to them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage which they use to help children develop in most areas. There are missed opportunities in some areas of learning for the children to develop their skills and understanding, such as mathematical development, creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Planning has been fully established and is clearly linked to the early learning goals. Regular meetings are held to discuss topics and activities with all staff. The environment is generally well organised, for example, activities are accessible and attractively set out. However, the children are not always grouped effectively, resulting in the older more able children not being challenged. Assessment records clearly show the children's approach to learning and their achievements and progress. These also identify what needs to be included

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

in planning for children's individual next steps in learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children are developing very good counting skills and enjoy participating in counting songs and rhymes, for example, most three and all four-year-olds can count up to 20. More able children are able to use numbers in everyday situations and can recognise, name and match numerals from 1 to 10. However, there are limited opportunities in some activities for children

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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 to solve simple mathematical problems. Children use mathematical language during play, for example, big and little. More able children understand and use positional language such as up, down, in and out.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children enjoy writing for a variety of purposes, for example, making wedding invitations. All three-year-olds can recognise their own name and more able children can write their own name. Children use language to imagine, recreate roles and experiences, for example, talking on a mobile phone. Most children are able to listen carefully and respond enthusiastically to stories and songs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff effectively help children become more aware of their environment and the natural world, for example, they provide many first hand experiences, such as walks in the community. They also invite visitors into the pre-school, such as fire fighters and a local reverend. Children independently investigate living things and objects and learn to identify their features, for example, during the nature walk the children observed and drew mini-beasts. They are given excellent opportunities to discuss past and present events in their lives. They are beginning to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people, for example, they look at weddings from different cultures. There are limited opportunities for children to know about the uses of information and communication technology.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children are able to express preferences and are able to confidently sing songs and rhymes from memory. They use available resources to create props to support their role in play, such as making mobile phones out of construction toys. They are beginning to describe the texture of things, for example, the dough is soft. As the children's art work is mostly adult led, there are limited opportunities for children to explore their own creative ideas through art and design. Overall, children make sound progress towards the early learning goals given their capability and starting points.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children separate from their main career with confidence and talk freely about their home, community and significant events. They form good relationships with adults and peers and they seek out others to share experiences. The staff manage the children’s behaviour positively and consistently and according to the child’s level of understanding and maturity, for example, they are calm and clear regarding routines and boundaries. The setting's behaviour policy is in place and shared with parents. Some children show care and concern for others and most of the children are well behaved. They are able to take turns, share, use manners and are cooperative at tidy up time. The children have a positive approach to learning and they show independence in selecting and carrying out activities, for example, in the role play and construction area. The children can independently manage their own personal hygiene. However,

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Helping children make a positive contribution

there are missed opportunities during snack time for the children to further develop their self help skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are good systems in place to support children with learning difficulties and disabilities. The staff know the children well and as a result the children's individual needs are well met. The children develop a positive attitude to others and develop a good understanding about

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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 wider world and community, through celebrating festivals, looking at various marriage ceremonies and having access to a good range of resources which show positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. The parents receive clear and detailed information about the educational provision through newsletters, notice board, policy file and committee meetings. Parents have good opportunities to share what they know about their child through regular discussions with staff and an effective settling in procedure. The parents are encouraged to be involved with their child's learning and are able to help out at the group on a regular basis. The parents are well informed about their child's achievements and progress. They can easily access their child's development record and able to add their comments to these.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The environment is generally well organised, staff know their roles and responsibilities and effectively implement routines to give children a broad range of experiences. However, the children are not always grouped effectively, for example, they sit in large groups during registration and story time and as a result older children are not challenged and younger children become restless. Children benefit from well deployed staff who consistently interact with them and give children effective support and encouragement, which helps them feel secure and confident. All the required documentation is in place, is easily accessible and stored securely such as, emergency contact details. A good system is in place to record the staff's and children’s daily attendance and this is accurate and up to date.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory. The staff team are committed to improving care and education and have some opportunities for staff development, such as attending training. However, there is no formal staff appraisal system in operation. All of the staff have attended Foundation Stage training and some of the staff have attended Birth to three matters training. The staff regularly work with an advisory teacher from the local authority to improve their practice. All staff are fully involved in planning and assessment records and are always updated by key workers. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last funded nursery education inspection recommended that the children are provided with opportunities to design and build, selecting their own tools and techniques to join and assemble using a range of materials. The staff have introduced a craft area which is available during certain sessions, throughout the week. Children are now able to select various items, such as sellotape, glue, pipe cleaners, straws and scissors. However, the children are not yet self selecting items with confidence and currently need adult support in this area. The children enjoy using the construction area, they are skilled at selecting what they need and enjoy making items, such as cars and mobile phones.

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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 The setting was also asked to provide children with opportunities to explore technology, how things work and operate simple equipment. The setting has purchased some new equipment, such as construction toys which the children can screw and bolt.

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Improvements since the last inspection

During the last care inspection the setting was asked to ensure there is a clearly defined procedure to be followed in the event of a child being lost or not collected. There is now a lost and uncollected child policy in place, which is shared with the parents. The setting's child protection procedure now includes what would be done in the event of an allegation about a member of staff. As a result, all the required documentation is in place.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required 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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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): • ensure that fresh drinking water is available to children at all times • ensure that there is a regular system for staff appraisal, development and review.

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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): • organise groups more effectively so that older more able children are offered appropriate challenges, for example, during snack and story time • develop opportunities for children to express their own creative ideas and imagination through art and design • plan and provide opportunities for children to solve simple mathematical problems through everyday fun practical activities

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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 • provide opportunities for children to know about the uses of information and communication technology to support their learning • improve and monitor planning systems so that there are no gaps in the curriculum.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) 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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