Willingtots Preschool

Willingtots Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Willingtots Pre-School

219266 Unique Reference Number 20 October 2006 Inspection date Carol Mansell Inspector

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Willingtots Pre-School

The Willington Peace Memorial Hall, Church Road, Willington, Bedfordshire, MK44 3QG

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E-mail

Willingtots 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Willingtots Pre-School opened in 1971 and operates from the village hall in Willington, Bedfordshire. A maximum of 30 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday morning from 09.30 to 12.00 term time only. The setting runs a lunch club four days a week from 12.00 to 13.00. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 19 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 15 children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs three members of staff all of them hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 is managed by a committee of parent representatives and is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and received support from advisory and support workers from the Early Years Development and Child Care Partnership.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children understand good health and hygiene practices. They follow appropriate procedures such as washing their hands after using the toilet, before snack time and after participating in messy indoor or outdoor activities. Staff encourage children with these practices by providing gentle reminders, by being good role-models and ensure hand washing facilities are available in the main room. Children recognise that they need to wash their hands as they 'might get germs' and staff offer children appropriate explanations for their level of understanding which helps them to understand how they can help to keep themselves healthy. Children stay healthy because staff follow current and appropriate environmental health and hygiene guidelines. They are well taken care of if they have an accident as staff have attended relevant training courses. Staff maintain the accident and medication records appropriately and shares these

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Helping children to be healthy

with parents. This ensures children receive continuity of care. Children are able to rest according to their needs. They have a quiet area, away from the other children where they can wait for parents to arrive if they are feeling unwell. This helps to protect the children from infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are gaining an understanding of healthy eating. They recognise that some foods are good for them and others are not so good. They can give examples of good foods to have in their lunch boxes such as, 'apple, grapes and cucumber'. They know that chocolate is not as good for them. This helps children to understand about having a healthy diet. Children enjoy participating in cooking activities, for example they love making fruit kebabs. They have healthy options at snack time and make informed choices. They enjoy eating apples, bananas, raisins and breadsticks. Children are learning the importance of having five portions of fruit or vegetables a day and how this helps to keep them healthy. Staff have a clear understanding of children's allergies, intolerances and preferences. This ensures their dietary needs are met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from having fresh air and exercise daily. They enthusiastically take part in regular physical activities both indoors and outside and thoroughly enjoy participating in the daily exercise time with the staff. Children enjoy bending, stretching and doing 'jumping jacks' as they count from one to ten. Some children energetically sprint on the spot, others prefer to jog on the spot. Children are encouraged to join in at their own level and are gaining an understanding of the importance of exercise and the part it plays in keeping them healthy. Children enjoy using the climbing frame and other large pieces of equipment, both indoors and outside. They seek additional support from staff and strive to increase their confidence and physical skills. Children participate in a wide range of indoor activities, confidently using paint brushes and pieces of chalk of different sizes. They move easily between the different activities

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Helping children to be healthy

and demonstrate their creative skills and dexterity as they create models using construction resources such as, the 'big builder'. This helps to build their self-esteem and their fine motor skills.

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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 welcoming and safe indoor and outdoor environment. They benefit, as staff conduct a premises check before they arrive, ensuring the setting is warm enough for the children which helps to protect them from harm. Children and their parents and carers are made to feel welcome in the setting. They are greeted by staff on arrival and have access to an attractive display of photographs and information about the group and the different activities. This allows parents to gain an understanding of how the setting runs and keeps them informed of outings and other relevant information, such as the role of parent helpers. This helps to keep children safe and feeling secure. Staff set out the activities and resources at the beginning of the session. They leave a carpet area empty so that children can negotiate and make independent choices. This helps to build their independence skills. Children help staff to check

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

the toys to ensure they are clean and there is no damage to any of the resources which helps the children prevent accidental injuries.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit as staff have implemented simple health and safety procedures in the setting, for example, by placing protectors on the disabled toilet door and conducting regular emergency evacuation practices. This helps to protect the children from harm. Children recognise the need to follow simple instructions when crossing the road, they have opportunities to put this into practice when feeding the pets and watering the plants of a member of staff on holiday. This helps the children to understand responsible behaviours and to keep themselves safe when away from the setting.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected as staff understand their role in child protection and are able to put appropriate procedures into practice when necessary. Children benefit, as staff ensure they are well informed of any changes to the procedures and have robust systems in place to safeguard children when students and visitors are present. This ensures children are protected from harm or neglect.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are actively involved in the setting. They arrive eager to learn and have a true sense of belonging. They know the routine well and enter the setting full of expectation and excitement. Children settle themselves in the registration area chatting happily as they wait for everyone to arrive. Younger children are settling well and are effectively supported by staff and other children. Staff are very welcoming and introduce the different aspects of the routine to help all children feel safe and secure. Children enjoy exploring the activities and resources provided by the staff and are beginning to assert themselves as members of the group. For example, children make their feelings known when others try to mix the paint in all the pots. They are supported by the staff and this helps to build their confidence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children benefit, as staff have a clear knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage. Staff provide realistic challenges, having discussed

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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's starting points with their parents. This ensures children are able to progress. Staff provide an interesting and welcoming environment, which reflects most children's backgrounds and the wider community. They generally make good use of time and resources to support children's learning. However, staff have not settled on a systematic approach to the monitoring procedures in order to evaluate and improve children's learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are involved, motivated and engaged in a broad range of activities which provide good levels of challenge. They are keen to offer their own ideas and respond well to challenges. Children show good levels of independence, curiosity, imagination and concentration and use all their senses to explore a wide range of new experiences. Children generally work collaboratively, negotiating and compromising in using the free-play space. This helps them to understand sharing and helps them to build harmonious relationships.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children feel secure and at ease in the setting, which helps them to develop a positive sense of themselves. They are encouraged to socialise throughout the session and particularly at meal times, when children chatter happily with other children and staff. They share their news at registration time and have opportunities to share jokes with everyone. This helps to develop their personality and builds their self-confidence. Children use the magnetic letters and are beginning to recognise letter sounds. They recognise their own names and staff encourage this by using name cards at snack and lunch time. Some children are beginning to recognise other children's names. They receive praise and encouragement from the staff which helps to build their self-esteem and confidence. Children enjoy making their own books, particularly in line with the present theme of traditional stories. This helps children to use their initiative and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

acquire new knowledge. However, children lack opportunities to make independent choices with mark making resources which restricts their ability to explore and experiment with this type of resource at their own level.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have many opportunities to sort items into different colours and count them. They are able to recognise patterns and follow sequences. Children are able to reliably count up to ten and practise counting in different languages. This helps to develop their mathematical thinking. Children are beginning to learn about capacity as they use different objects to balance the scales and explore water, sand and soil. This helps children to understand different mathematical concepts. Children have a good understanding of different cultures. They participate in an extensive range of adult-led activities such as looking at countries from around the world. They acquire new knowledge about Egypt, China and India, studying the architecture and using construction materials to make an assortment of temples and other buildings. This helps children to show an interest in what they do and increases their designing and making

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

skills. Children have access to a range of everyday technology. They explore and experiment with calculators, torches, keyboards and telephones. This helps them to learn simple skills such as, turning the equipment on and off which helps to build their confidence. They participate in a variety of outings and enjoy meeting different visitors who come to the setting. For example, when exploring the theme of 'All about me', a parent visits bringing her young baby with her. Staff explore children's memories of past and present events in their own lives and provide a baby clinic area. This encourages children to have a sense of time and enables them to make sense of their world. Children participate in a wide range of craft activities. They explore what happens when they mix different coloured paint together. They enjoy participating in baking activities, watching how the ingredients change when making bread. Staff discuss the changes

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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 with them at an appropriate level which helps the children to find ways of expressing and communicating their ideas, thoughts and feelings. This helps children to respond to challenges and builds their confidence.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have access to a stunningly extensive range of activities and resources which reflect positive images of different cultures, gender roles and disabilities. These include a number of posters displayed around the setting, puzzles, dressing up clothes and books. Children broaden their experiences by listening to music and participating in activities, such as food tasting from different countries. Children have a clear understanding of their place in the community and share information about their homes and how they live. They recognise that there are different languages spoken in the wider community and enjoy using this knowledge in their exercise sessions. Children enthusiastically count from one to ten in French, Italian and Korean, as well as English. They confidently join in with singing 'Happy Birthday' in Italian showing that they value difference and diversity within their setting. Children eagerly join in with Indian dancing

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Helping children make a positive contribution

sessions with the staff and have opportunities to extend their knowledge and understanding in discussion with the staff. They use traditional stories and puppets in order to make stories accessible which helps children to understand about different cultures in a meaningful way.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are cared for by staff who work with parents to meet individual children's needs and ensure that they are included fully in the life of the setting. Staff have an inclusive approach and provide additional support when needed to ensure children can access the activities and resources appropriately. This ensures all contributions are valued and helps children to be aware of their own needs and the needs of others. Children understand the behaviour rules and demonstrate their knowledge at registration time by telling the staff and other children what the expectations are. Staff also provide posters around the setting which act as gentle reminders. This helps the children to understand responsible behaviours. Children behave considerately. They share resources and negotiate which toys are chosen in the free-play area, deciding when to change them over without adult intervention. This enables children to make choices, take

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Helping children make a positive contribution

decisions and build harmonious partnerships. The positive approach of staff ensures children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Children benefit, as there is a strong emphasis on parental involvement in the setting. Parents regularly participate in the parents' rota, which helps them to gain a better understanding of the activities that their children join in with. Parents fully embrace their involvement in the group, enjoying dressing up with the children and joining in with the activities, sharing their joy and enthusiasm. This helps the children to feel safe and secure. Children are safeguarded, as staff keep parents informed and make children's records accessible appropriately. Parents comment positively about their active involvement in their children’s learning and feel the staff provide relevant information on the notice boards and keep them informed of the topics being followed. Children benefit, as parents receive information outlining the policies, procedures, expectations and responsibilities. This

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Helping children make a positive contribution

includes information about the Foundation Stage, giving a description of the six areas of learning which enables them to be involved in their children's learning in a meaningful way.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are relaxed and happy in the setting. They are safeguarded as recruitment and vetting procedures ensure children are well protected and cared for by staff with knowledge and understanding of child development. Staff have a high regard for the well-being of all children and ensure there are robust systems in place regarding students, parent helpers and visitors. This ensures children are safe and secure. Children are well supported as the group size and staff awareness contributes to children's good health, safety, enjoyment and achievement and ability to take an active part in the setting. Children benefit as comprehensive policies and procedures which are of a consistently high standard are in place and shared with other practitioners and parents which ensures continuity of care. However, some information on the notice board is obscured which potentially compromises children's welfare.

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Organisation

The quality of leadership and management is good. The leader works well with the chair of the committee and they have a strong focus on the personal development and achievement of all children and staff. They work together to improve and enhance the setting for the children and regularly review and monitor their policies which ensures children's needs are actively promoted. The leadership effectively motivates the staff, building a strong team who complement each other's skills. Children benefit as the staff are enthusiastic and committed in promoting an inclusive environment in which every child matters. However, staff have not organised an effective system for observing and assessing children's development. They do not clearly identify staff deployment or the aims and objectives of the different planned activities. This potentially hampers children's progress to the next steps in their development. Overall, children's needs

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider agreed to create a training plan for all staff. Systems are in place to ensure that all statutory training has been completed. Staff members also have an opportunity to make suggestions of other courses they would like to attend. Leadership and management then review these requests with regards to cost, impact on staffing levels and benefit for the group as a whole. Children profit from this as staff remain well motivated and committed to improve the provision.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider agreed to develop the planning system to ensure particular attention was paid to children's mathematical development and reading and writing aspects of communication, language and literacy. The provider has made improvements in their implementation of the areas of learning, ensuring children have access to a well-balanced curriculum to enhance their learning in all areas. The provider also agreed to identify what children should learn from each activity, continue to record observations of children's achievements against the stepping stones and show how this information will be used to plan the next steps in learning. Staff are developing the planning and recording to meet the needs of the children. There is still room for some improvement in the areas of planning, observing and assessment in order to ensure children are able to progress to the next steps in their

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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

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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 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 the registration certificate is displayed appropriately in the setting.

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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): • extend children's access to mark making equipment • devise and implement effective system for planning to include staff deployment, ensuring aims and objectives are clearly identified and develop a systematic approach to ensure staff regularly observe and record children's progress and achievements, using this information to develop future plans.

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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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