Ridge Hill Primary School and Nursery

Ogwell Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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106187 Unique Reference Number 01 May 2007 Inspection date Janet Butlin Inspector

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Ogwell Memorial Hall, East Ogwell, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 6AJ Setting Address

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0777 9210862 01626 330433 Telephone number maryelkington@eurobell.co.uk E-mail Ogwell Pre-school Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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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?

Established for many years, Ogwell Pre-school is managed by a committee and runs in the memorial hall of the village of East Ogwell in Devon. The group is registered to care for up to 26 children aged two years to five years, no more than four of whom should be under three at any one time. The group is open from 09.30 to 13.30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 09.30 to 12.00 on Thursdays. There are currently 36 children enrolled, 32 of whom are in receipt of funding. The group supports children who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There are no children attending who have English as an additional language. A staff of seven support the provision, four of whom are qualified to the equivalent of NVQ level three and one member of staff is nearing the completion of this qualification. Two members of staff are qualified to level two. The group has the flexible use of three rooms in the hall.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There is no outdoor play space so the group make use of the local environment. The setting receives the support of the local authority.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children benefit from the strong emphasis that the group give to promoting healthy eating. They enjoy freshly prepared fruit and bread sticks at snack time and the packed lunches that they bring from home are conscientiously stored at the correct temperature to ensure they remain wholesome. Children are encouraged to proceed through their lunch boxes in a healthy manner and the contents of the lunchboxes evidence that parents have responded well to the group's encouragement to join them in promoting healthy eating. Children remain well hydrated throughout their time in the group as they are provided with frequent, plentiful and appropriate fluids to drink.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children learn about keeping themselves healthy. They understand that it is important to wash their hands thoroughly before they eat and they are effectively protected from cross infection as they use liquid soap and paper towels. Excellent standards of hygiene are followed in the setting as, for example, tables are efficiently cleaned before the children eat at them. Children are very well cared for in the event of an emergency as all staff are qualified in first aid and all necessary consents have been obtained. There are efficient and appropriate systems in place to record any accidents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop their muscles and overall fitness as they enjoy extremely well presented physical development sessions as part of the weekly programme. They manoeuvre wheeled toys with skill and control. They climb in and over the appropriately challenging climbing frame and balance carefully along low beams. They laugh with delight as they bounce on a very well supervised mini trampoline. These sessions are timetabled thoughtfully so that all children enjoy the activities. The group has no outside play area and so great emphasis is given to providing children with healthy opportunities for exercise indoors and also by going on regular walks and outings to the nearby countryside and parks.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play in three spacious rooms which are well organised for their play. They also have planned access to the upstairs room for supervised use of the computer. They have ample space to play extensive, active games as well as quieter spaces to rest when they become tired. They select their toys and games easily from the good range that is set out for them. All toys and equipment are in good condition.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept safe within the setting as staff are extremely conscientious in ensuring that the doors are secure and access to the setting is rigorously monitored. An accurate record is kept of the times of arrival of children and adults so that it is always possible to tell who is on the premises, for example, in the event of an emergency. Risk assessments have identified and addressed hazards in the setting in order to protect children; for example, staff give excellent attention to ensuring that chairs are safely stored at an appropriate height. However, some risks are inconsistently monitored. Children are confident in the implementation of the evacuation procedure as it is regularly practised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is further supported by the staff's secure understanding of the child protection procedure. There is a helpful policy to inform practice in this area.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children have a wonderful time in the setting. They settle quickly to play with the attractively set out resources. Young children become confident very swiftly and are helped to settle in by sensitive staff. Good use is made of the Birth to three matters framework when planning activities for young children and when assessing their progress. All children enjoy the homely atmosphere and the well balanced programme of activities that are provided.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of learning. They are supported by enthusiastic staff who have a secure and thorough understanding of the Foundation Stage. Staff plan a stimulating environment and present a balanced curriculum which provides appropriate challenge to all children. They use interesting and appropriate methods to help children to learn; for example, using fabric to form various geometric shapes that the children will recognise. Staff make generally good use of time although some parts of the session do not sustain all the children's interest, this is with particular regard to whole group times. Children receive good levels of individual attention and as a result they are well behaved. They have excellent dispositions to learning. They are eager to start their day and discover what activities are ahead of them. They

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

follow agreed codes such as finding their own name and photograph to show they are present on the self-registration board and all help to tidy up the toys. They pass the bear round the circle to identify who will have the next turn to speak and they gain in confidence as a result of the sensitive support they receive from staff who sit with them if requested. Children benefit from the well implemented assessment system. The frequent, relevant observations are used accurately to complete the new detailed assessments and also to inform the immediate planning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children make marks and write in many of their freely chosen activities. They enjoy whole group story times and also look at books independently. They recognise the sounds that letters make and link them to the initial letter of their names very confidently. Children develop their mathematical understanding frequently during each session. They explore position, shape and size and discuss similarities and differences in shapes they can see. They enjoy counting rhymes and count down thoughtfully as the number of currant buns being bought reduces. Exciting opportunities enable children to explore textures and features of the natural world; for example, they examine real fish and sea creatures very closely. They think about the weather and the passage of time as they complete the daily calendar. They also learn about their local environment by going on walks and having visitors to the setting. Children enjoy the process

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of being creative as they paint freely and make models from a variety of materials. They develop extensive imaginative role-play; for example, setting up camp in an igloo they have made from the climbing frame. Children develop their small muscles effectively by using scissors skilfully and by manipulating satisfyingly large pieces of play dough. They further extend their dexterity by becoming very competent in changing for physical play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are confident and have good relationships with staff and with each other. They concentrate very well; for example chalking on boards and completing self initiated models from an assortment of boxes they have chosen for themselves. They glow with pride when they are chosen as the helper of the day and all children respond politely at registration time. They

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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 care for each other and show respect; for example, listening intently to a child's news regarding his travels with the group's teddy bear. They also help each other; for example, seeking help with fastenings when they are getting changed. Children learn about cultural diversity in meaningful ways as they play with resources which depict positive images of various aspects of society. They also extend their awareness of their own community by going on walks and celebrating festivals. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is exemplary. They respond to the effective strategies used by staff and the way in which their good behaviour is praised and reinforced. Staff treat children with respect and they respond in like fashion.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's individual needs are known and respected. Children who have specific needs receive good support from appropriately trained staff who are experienced in working with local supportive agencies.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are cared for in accordance with their parents' wishes. Continuity of care is supported as parents are provided with detailed information regarding their day to day care. With regard to the Nursery Education provision, partnership with parents is good. Parents are provided with clear information regarding the forthcoming programme of activities, can view their child's assessment file and enjoy reading a daily diary, with photographs, outlining their child's achievements. However, it is not totally clear to all parents what the next steps are for their child's progress and how this links to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. There are good systems in place for sharing regulatory information with parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children play in a well organised setting where they are cared for by staff who are enthusiastic and interested in their work with children. The setting implements effective systems to ensure that all who come into contact with the children are suitable to do so. Dedicated staff are committed to ongoing professional development and this enhances the experiences of the children in their care. Rooms are well organised to provide a pleasant environment and activities are interesting, and exciting. Good ratios are maintained to ensure that children receive prompt support when they need it. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. All regulatory documentation is in place and is stored securely.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. Staff and management have regular meetings to monitor the quality of provision. They have recently embarked on a new system of self evaluation, but have not yet been using it long enough to identify specific areas for improvement. They are reflective practitioners and they have previously achieved accredited status through a quality assurance scheme. This commitment to ongoing improvement evidences their dedication to providing quality care and education for the children. The setting receives ongoing support from local authority advisers.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the group were required to request written permission from parents for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment and to improve the content of the child protection policy. Both aspects of improving documentation have been fully implemented and children's healthcare and safety have been improved as a result.

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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 At the last Nursery Education inspection the group were required to ensure that plans give sufficient emphasis to mathematical development and communication, language and literacy and show how children will be appropriately challenged or supported in their learning. The setting now provides a thoroughly well balanced curriculum and have made good improvements to identifying children who require more challenge or support in their learning.

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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.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • extend risk assessments to ensure that all risks have been identified and are effectively managed

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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): • give increased attention to the timing of some parts of the session to ensure children remain purposefully engaged • continue to develop the assessment system to show the next steps for the children's learning and how they link to the stepping stones

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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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