St Michael's Church of England VA Primary School

Colgate Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Colgate Pre-School

113443 Unique Reference Number 07 December 2006 Inspection date Elaine Simmons Inspector

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Colgate Pre-School

Colgate Pre-School, Village Hall, Blackhouse Road, Colgate, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 6HS

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E-mail

Colgate 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?

Colgate Pre-School was registered in February 1992 and operates in the village hall situated in Colgate. The group have access to a medium sized hall, a kitchen and toilets.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The sessional registration is for 26 children aged from two years to five years. There are currently 40 children on roll, 21 of whom are in funded educational places. The pre-school supports children with additional needs but have none at present but have one child who is learning English as a second language. Children from the immediate and surrounding areas attend for a variety of sessions each week. The pre-school is open for five days a week, offering morning and afternoon sessions, during term-time only.

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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 All staff hold qualifications in child care or are working towards a qualification. All staff attend regular training to maintain certificates of first aid and to update their knowledge and understanding of all child care practices and current legislation.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The children benefit from the staff's good hygiene routines. They ensure tables are thoroughly clean before snack time and encourage children to follow good personal hygiene routines. Children wash their hands after toileting and use a gel to clean their hands before eating. Staff discuss with the children the reasons for washing their hands and explain what the gel does so that the children clearly understand the need for cleanliness.

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Helping children to be healthy

A sound sickness procedure and policy is in place to prevent the spread of infections. All accidents and any medication administered are suitably recorded and parents' signatures obtained. A notice explaining the incubation and exclusion times for common childhood illnesses is displayed on the parents' notice board. These measures keep parents informed and as a consequence safeguard's children's wellbeing. All staff have current first aid certificates and have had training to administer treatment for anaphylactic shock. Parents have given staff permission for children to receive any required emergency medical treatment or advice, and this ensures children's welfare is protected in the event of a serious accident.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have ample opportunity for physical play and exercise. They have a free flow system to a patio area where they can use sit and ride toys. Staff plan activities inside that children really enjoy, for example, the children join in enthusiastically with a stretching and movement exercise session; and enjoy using a small assault course laid out for them by the staff. This ensures children's physical health is fully supported.

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Helping children to be healthy

The parents provide a piece of fruit, carrot, cucumber or cheese, for each session. These are shared among the children at snack time with a drink of water or milk. Children are given their own individual bowls and are able to select what they want to eat independently. They are able to choose when to have their snack as the staff run a snack bar system. The children sit together at a table with a member of staff and enjoy eating and drinking together. The staff also provide a jug of water and suitable beakers on a low table during the session to allow the children to access a drink if they want one. Children's individual dietary needs are rigorously maintained by the staff's vigilance. Notices are displayed on the parents' notice board and staff frequently remind parents not to send in certain food items that other children are allergic to. This supports children's health and dietary needs successfully.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The staff provide a cheerful and well organised environment where children can play safely and freely. Bright posters and collages the children have helped to make are displayed around the room to make it welcoming. The hall is divided into areas of learning and children are able

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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 to move freely and safely from the hall to the garden area outside because the staff provide constant supervision.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have access to a wide selection of safe, clean, toys that give them stimulating play opportunities. The staff check the toys daily to ensure they are safe and discard any broken items, keeping children safe. Children are able to access some resources independently and the staff are planning to extend this by providing low level storage units that can be wheeled in and out of the storage cupboard. This will allow children to have access to a bigger selection of toys and resources that they can select alone.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children's safety is maintained by the staff's constant supervision and by the clear procedures they use to maintain a secure and safe environment. For example, the staff complete and sign a safety check list every day, before the session starts, and they complete a termly risk assessment of all areas. Regular fire drills are completed and logged in detail. There is a very effective system in place for the safe arrival and collection of the children: parent's sign them in and leave a contact number for the session; they also sign children out at the end of the session and staff man the entrance and exit to ensure children leave the premises accompanied by the correct adult.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are further protected by the staff's clear understanding of all child protection requirements. They record any existing injuries and have attended suitable training courses to help them recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse to support children's wellbeing.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children are happy and settled. Staff plan half termly topics and provide a good range of activities to meet the needs of the children attending. Children are given good support by the staff to enable them to develop and learn successfully. They have access to a quiet book area where they can sit and look at books or where the staff will read stories to them. Children's confidence is developed as they are encouraged to join in at circle time. They help to count the number of children attending and discuss the weather, day and date together. Staff praise children and give them lots of encouragement and this is further supported by giving them stickers with phrases like 'well done' on. Children wear these proudly and this helps to boost their self esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children really enjoy imaginative play and staff encourage this by providing lots of resources in the home corner. They have a good variety of dressing up clothes that children enjoy changing in and out of, during the course of the session. Children are able to independently access a range of other resources around the room. They have a well resourced writing area where they can draw, write and cut out which helps promote their hand and eye coordination.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff are qualified and have lots of experience between them. They have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and the needs of the children. They have a regular routine plan for the sessions but are flexible in its

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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 use. The staff work together to plan activities and each take responsibility for the planning of a complete session each week. This ensures that they are all involved in the organisation of the group and enables individual expertise to be utilised. Staff observe and record children's achievements, they use their observations to help plan activities that will move children on or will help support them as they master new skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There is one child attending with English as an additional language and staff are aware of the child's needs and work with the parents to provide appropriate care, and to suitably support the child's learning and development. The staff also receive support from the local authority Sure Start Early Years Child Care coordinators to help them meet all the children's needs successfully.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are happy and confident they build good relationships with staff and their peers. They are encouraged to be independent and have good opportunities to practise their skills through play and as part of the daily routine. They behave well and staff have good behaviour management strategies that help children learn right from wrong. The staff give children lots of praise and encouragement which successfully boost their self esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from the good interaction that they have with the staff. They are interested in what the children are doing and ask appropriate questions. This helps them to think, reason and focus on the activity. Children learn new vocabulary through the activities the staff plan. For example, the staff plan musical sessions with the children playing different musical instruments. Together they discuss what a group of people who played instruments are called, one child was given lots of praise for saying orchestra. They discuss who leads the orchestra and use lots of different words to describe the sounds they can hear as individual instruments are played.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff read stories to children individually, in small groups or in one large group at the end of the session. They successfully use props to keep children interested. One member of staff told a story from memory using lots of different props, including the children in the story, as they discussed what items they would need to take on holiday. They discuss a range of feelings the children can relate to, as the story progresses for example, being worried, sad and happy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's mathematical development is suitably promoted by the staff. They use a variety of resources to help children learn about shapes, size, quantity and to recognise numbers. Children have numbers on the sit and ride cars that they play with outside, and these correspond to numbers that staff have put on the walls where the cars can be parked. They sing simple songs for example 'five mince pies in the bakers shop' decreasing from five to nought. The staff use coloured tabards, numbered from one to five, choosing children to wear them and acting out the songs, this helps the children identify the number that is left. The children are also able to access jigsaw puzzles that range from simple wooden ones to more advanced cardboard puzzles of 12 pieces.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff arrange visits to local places of interest so that children can look at the natural world around them. Parents and younger siblings go with the group to visit farms and local nature centres, where they do pond dipping and look at animals, bugs, moths and reptiles. The children have access to a computer, they are competent at using the mouse to move the arrow around

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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 the screen. The staff provide educational computer games where children can match pictures and complete counting games, this helps promote their concentration.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use their imagination and express their ideas in a variety of ways. They act out their own ideas when playing with small world figurers and when in the home corner. For example, two children involved in role play in the home corner: talking on the phone to invite friends, while planning a picnic; and arranging what they would eat.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff plan craft activities, as part of the current theme. The children enjoy making the Christmas cards and Christmas wreaths. However, these activities are adult led, and do not provide opportunities for children to develop their own creative ideas independently. Although, children do have opportunities to experiment with paint and are able to use a variety of colours which they mix together independently.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children benefit from a wide range of resources that reflect the world in which we live. Staff have a very good understanding of equality of opportunity and ensure all children can play with the toys and equipment that are suitable for their age and stage of development. For example, in the book corner four puppet dolls are left for the children to cuddle or use, they represent an old man and an old woman and two other puppets represent two children of other ethnic origins. The children have good opportunities to celebrate religious festivals, for example, the children have recently been discussing and celebrating Divali and Hanukah. They are currently preparing for their Christmas nativity play, which they present to parents and friends in the village Church opposite the setting. Children's own birthdays are celebrated by the group and this makes

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff have a wealth of experience of supporting children with special needs and preparing play plans for them. They also support children who have English as an additional language and liaise with parents and other professionals to ensure children's individual needs are suitably met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well because the staff give constant supervision and provide lots of interesting activities for them. They are given clear explanations by staff, and benefit from basic rules that are consistently applied. Children are encouraged by staff, to say sorry and to become friends again after disagreements. They are given lots of praise and encouragement which builds their self esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is very good. They receive good information about the Foundation Stage and about their child's achievements and development. Children are able to take books home from the pre school, these are called chatter packs, and successfully involve parents in the children's learning. Parents also contribute to their child's assessment at parent evenings as staff encourage a two way flow of information. The staff provide parents with regular newsletters, and arrange social and fund raising events to provide opportunities for

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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 staff and parents to get to know one another. These strategies forge good links between home and pre school and enable staff to provide good quality care for the children.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The children are cared for in a secure and welcoming environment where they feel happy and settled. They have a good varied range of toys and resources to meet their needs successfully. The children are given constant supervision, and staff interact with them really well providing ample support.

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Organisation

All documentation and appropriate policies and procedures are in place for the successful organisation of the setting. Although, the Ofsted poster for parents is prominently displayed and the staff have suitable comments and complaints record books available for parents; the complaints procedure requires updating to ensure the setting is meeting current requirements. The daily attendance register is accurately maintained so that it reflects the number of children and staff attending each session. Staff ensure adult to child ratios are consistently met and that they are effectively deployed to ensure children are suitably cared for at all times.

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Organisation

There are very good procedures in place for the appointment of new staff. All staff have had suitable Criminal Records Bureau checks and most are fully qualified or attending a relevant training course. Staff regularly attend further training to update their knowledge of new legislation and understanding of child care practices. They sometimes cascade information down to help keep all staff up to date. The staff also have regular appraisals which help to identify training needs.

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Organisation

The leadership and management are good. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities, they have regular meetings every half term to plan activities and have discussions informally on a daily basis. The staff are friendly and work together very well as a cohesive team. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous children act inspection the setting was asked to ensure that staff were deployed effectively to manage children during regular routines. They were also asked to make sure that Ofsted's contact details are present in the complaints procedure.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The staff are well deployed to ensure children are given suitable and sufficient supervision at all times. Ofsted's contact details have been added to the complaints procedure but the address now requires updating.

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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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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

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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): • Update the complaints procedure to include the time scale complaints will be dealt with and the current contact details for Ofsted.

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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): • Provide opportunities for children to develop their creativity by independently expressing their own ideas.

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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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