Kidderminster, St George's CofE First School

St Andrews Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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St Andrews Pre-School

116825 Unique Reference Number 29 November 2006 Inspection date Samantha Hunt / Margaret Moffat Inspector

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St Andrews Pre-School

Albert Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 7AW Setting Address

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E-mail

St Andrew's 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 outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

St Andrews Pre-school was registered in 1989, although it has been running for over 30 years. The pre-school operates from within St Andrews Church Hall, Caversham, Berkshire. The group have use of the large hall, small hall/foyer, kitchen, toilets and cloakroom. A maximum of 30 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday from 09.15 to 12.00 and one afternoon 12.45 to 2.45 term time only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 44 children aged from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 42 children receive funding for nursery education.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs six staff . Four of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff is working towards a further qualification.

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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 are very independent in their personal care. They go to the toilet unaided, wash their hands, and are aware of the importance of personal hygiene. For example, children confidently tell visitors they need to wash their hands before snack to get rid of the germs. Easily accessible paper towels, soap, tissues and waste paper bins aid the children’s independence.

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Helping children to be healthy

Snack time is a very social occasion. Children sit in smaller groups sharing news and items brought in from home with the staff member who sits with them. Staff encourage all children to participate and give less confident children the opportunity to chat building up self esteem and confidence. Children develop independence skills further as they pour drinks and serve healthy snacks to one another. They experience a wide variety of snacks, which include fresh fruit and vegetable sticks, toast and muffins. Staff collate information on children’s individual dietary needs with parents. They take effective steps to share information with staff promoting and protecting children’s wellbeing at all times.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children engage in an excellent range of physical activities that encourage a healthy lifestyle. They are extremely confident in their physical abilities and have access to an extensive range of indoor and outdoor equipment. Children enjoy daily opportunities to develop their co-ordination and skills for example, trampoline, climbing frame and wheeled toys. They develop a good sense of space as they move confidently within their environment. Children access a good range of tools and equipment to develop their fine motor skills for example, rolling pins, cutters, scissors, paintbrushes and pencils.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in bright well-maintained environment where they can play freely and safely. Space is well organised to allow children to engage in large group, tabletop and floor activities. Mats and cushions arranged around the room enable children to participate in group activities such as registration and story times in comfort and warmth.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff minimise the risks of accidental injury to the children through daily checks and risk assessments. The supervisor does regular evaluations and updates to risk assessment policies to take into account any changes to the premises. Children are developing good awareness’ to keep themselves safe. They inform staff when they leave the room to go to the toilet and again on their return. Staff are vigilant when children leave the room watching to ensure their safe return. Children take their socks and shoes off before going on the trampoline and wait in line for their turn.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have access to a very good range of high quality equipment, which is appropriate to their age and stage of development. Toys and resources presented at children’s level increasing opportunities for them to make their own choices and be independent. Information cards set

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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 out with activities help staff, parent helpers and visitors to see what children gain from the toys and resources. This also helps them to extend children’s play and enjoyment further.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s wellbeing and safety is protected because all staff have a good understanding of the child protection policy. They demonstrate a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms to look out should they have a concern. Policies and procedures are kept regularly updated and are current to local authority guidelines. Systems for recording visitors to the group are good and staff are very aware of procedures to follow to ensure persons not vetted do not have unsupervised access to the children. Parents are made aware of all policies and procedures through the handbook. This further contributes to safe guarding children’s safety in the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are happy and settle within the pre-school. They fully participate in the wide range of activities on offer. Very good relationships are evident, children clearly have fun and enjoy themselves as lots of laughter and chattering can be heard as they interact with one another and staff. Children begin to make sense of the world express their ideas and communicate effectively with encouraging support from staff. They make choices about what they wish to play with and staff are on hand to assist when needed for example doing up aprons and hanging up paintings to dry. Children’s confidence and independence skills are developing well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Staff have an excellent knowledge of the Foundation Stage. They have extremely good processes in place to assess and record children’s individual progress. These they use effectively to inform future planning and take children forward in their learning. Learning is extended with exciting challenges introduced during planned and spontaneous play. Staff continually use very good questioning and explanation techniques to extend children’s language and thinking skills. For example, when discussing months of the year at registration time, they ask “what month are we in now”, “what was last month”,” how many months are there in a year”. During group story time, they explain the meaning of new words introduced to the children such as frankincense and myrrh. Staff are very good role models and demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning by presenting

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities in an interesting, fun and enthusiastic manner.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are very confident speakers, they engage well in conversation with staff as they make their needs know. They confidently stand up in-group situations and ask visitors their names. Children sit spell bound as they listen to the story about Christmas. They recall the story so far and listen with great interest in the explanation given to them by staff. Enjoyment is further extended as they are encouraged to use the new words learned to answer their names at registration time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children consistently label their own work without prompting, recognise their name cards and link sounds to letters. They practise counting and calculation skills as part of the every day routine and many can count beyond ten. For example, on the trampoline they count the number of jumps they take. Planned themes develop children’s awareness of cultures and traditions. They develop an awareness of people in the community through visitors, such as the vet, dentist and Japanese students.

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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 participate with enthusiasm in ring games, joining in enthusiastically with familiar songs and rhymes. During the fire work song, they express themselves freely as they use their arms, hands and voice to represent the rocket as it went whoosh, wee and bang up to the sky. Children experience a very good balance of active, quiet and developmental opportunities throughout the morning at pre-school.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Behaviour is exemplary. Children share toys and resources well and show co-operation in their play. Rules and boundaries are clear and children know what is expected of them. For example, they line up sensibly before snack time and respond to the five-minute warning buzzer given by staff at tidy up time. Children receive lots of positive praise and encouragement. Staff are often heard using words such as “brilliant” and “fabulous” to acknowledge children’s efforts. This helps to develop children’s self esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children gain an excellent understanding of the wider community through planned projects and celebrating different festivals and traditions. Children have access to a very good range of play resources that reflect positive images for example puzzles, books and dressing up clothes. All children’s individual needs are valued. Staff take time to get to know all children and enjoy good relationships with them. For example, they rota around the snack tables each week and chat with children about news and items brought in from home. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is outstanding. An excellent partnership with parents contributes significantly to children’s wellbeing within the pre-school. All parents are encouraged to be involved in recording their thoughts about their child’s progress and staff ensure they know how their child is progressing and developing through termly reports, arranged meetings and verbal daily feedback. Parents receive lots of information about the setting, its policies and procedures before they start and through a regular newsletter and displays on the notice board. Children and parents are actively encouraged to visit as many times as they wish before starting to aid a smooth transition and build up good relationships between pre-school and home.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children are flourishing in an exceptionally well-organised setting. The staff are deployed effectively ensuring children receive excellent support to reach their full potential. Staff show a very good understanding of all policies and procedures. All regulatory documentation is in place and systems for recording children, staff and visitors are very good. This contributes to children’s all round wellbeing, health and safety in the pre-school.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are outstanding. The Pre-school committee and manager, manage the setting very well. The manager leads a dedicated and knowledgeable team of staff. She is an excellent role model who delegates work effectively and this contributes to the smooth running of the group. The staff work very effectively as a team, they are aware of their roles

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 and responsibilities and support one another very well. All staff have many opportunities for professional development and are actively encouraged to extend their knowledge and learning through regular training and assessment. Staff have a very good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and confidently apply this in practice to support children’s learning and development. They maintain and record very good evidence of the children’s progress throughout their time at the pre-school and use it effectively when planning future activities. This contributes to children’s learning and enjoyment. Consistent evaluations of policies, procedures and working practices ensure children and their families receive the best possible service from the setting. Everyone plays an effective role in the monitoring and evaluation of the nursery education and

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Organisation

is committed to improvement and development.

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Organisation

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 last inspection the group where required to identify how planning for physical development can extend the children's development and ensure the inside of the building is safe to allow children safe freedom of movement in the large playroom. Physical development is clearly planned for as part of the daily routine and aims of activities are linked to the curriculum. Children play safely as all resources within the hall not used, are stored away securely.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been no complaints to Ofsted that require 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 outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the care

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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 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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