Wroughton Pre School

Wroughton Pre School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Wroughton Pre School

507874 Unique Reference Number 17 November 2006 Inspection date Rachel Edwards Inspector

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Wroughton Pre School

The Church Hall, Priors Hill,Wroughton, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN4 9DL Setting Address

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E-mail

Wroughton 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?

Wroughton pre-school opened in 1974. It operates from two rooms in the church hall in Wroughton. The group also has access to an enclosed outside area for physical activities. The group serves the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 62 children from two to five years on the roll. This includes 33 funded three and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently no children attending with special needs nor speaking English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09.00 until 11.45, and 13.00 until 14.40 on Tuesdays and Thursdays for two-year-olds.

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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 Seven part-time staff work with the children. Four have level 3 early years qualifications. A fifth member of staff is working towards level 3. The setting receives support from the local authority advisory teacher and other professionals, such as development workers and speech and language specialists.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's good health is generally promoted whilst they are at the setting. Children are learning about good hygiene as part of their daily routine. They know they need to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet and demonstrate a high degree of independence as they do this. However, they use bar rather than, the more hygienic, liquid soap. They use individual towels on named hooks, which reduces the risk of cross contamination. Staff follow very hygienic procedures for changing nappies but do not consistently wash their hands after wiping children's noses, which increases the spread of infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from the range of healthy snacks provided by the pre-school. They have fruit each day donated by the local primary school and the staff help them learn about foods which are good for them. Snacks are eaten sitting together with a member of staff and children enjoy chatting with their friends. This relaxed social environment encourages them to try new foods, for example, they enjoy peeling satsumas, then counting and eating the segments. Children are able to help themselves to fresh water from a dispenser and this is beneficial to their good health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children take part in a variety of physical activities each day. They regularly use large equipment, such as a climbing frame, balancing bars and a parachute and enjoy moving imaginatively to music. They demonstrate good control as they throw and catch beanbags. There is an outside play area but this is mainly used during the warmer months. In winter, children do not frequently benefit from playing in the fresh air and having more room to run and move freely.

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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 safe and secure premises. Safety is given a very high priority in the pre-school. Regular risk assessments identify potential hazards and effective measures are taken to protect children from harm and accidental injury. A member of staff is designated for promoting health and safety. She effectively ensures all staff are aware of current health and safety issues. There is a high staff to child ratio, which allows children to be very well supervised at all times, including whilst using large equipment and in the toilet area. Children are learning how to be responsible for their own safety, for example by taking part in emergency evacuation drills and using coloured wrist bands to limit the number that can safely use the climbing frame.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a good range of toys and equipment that are always appropriate to their age and ability. Staff put out a wide selection of activities each day and there are further mobile storage

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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 units from which children can choose. Having to make choices in their play, encourages independence, decision making and allows children freedom to follow their own interests.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's well-being is safe-guarded by staff who have a thorough understanding of child protection issues, confidentiality and the correct procedures to follow, if they have concerns about a child. Parents are informed about the pre-school's responsibilities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy the time they spend at the setting. Each child has a special member of staff, or key worker, who is responsible for their learning and welfare and they get to know the children and their families well. Staff are enthusiastic, warm and welcoming. There are very good arrangements for settling children when they first start and as a result children are happy, confident and most separate easily from their parents or carers and settle quickly to their chosen activities. Children form good relationships with staff and each other. They are able to play co-operatively, for example, sharing tools as they play with the dough and they show concern for others, for example, when a child comforts another who is upset.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are encouraged to become increasingly independent. They choose activities and resources they need and manage self care skills with developing ease. For example, older children take off and hang up coats, manage the toilet and hand washing independently and pour drinks at snack time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The experienced and knowledgeable staff follow guidance from the 'Birth to three matters' framework and the curriculum for the Foundation Stage to plan a wide range of interesting and relevant practical activities, that enable children to learn through play. Staff have recently started completing observations and assessments of what two year olds can do, to help support their development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. All staff contribute towards planning a varied programme of relevant activities that cover all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum. Staff are well deployed, supporting one another and the children well so that the sessions run seamlessly and at a good pace, using a variety of teaching methods to suit children's individual learning needs and interests. Staff observe what children can do and record their progress. However, they do not always effectively share this information with each other so that although key workers know their own group of children well, they are not always aware of the progress of children for whom they do not have direct responsibility. This results in opportunities sometimes being missed to extend individual children's learning, especially during periods of free play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Very good use is made of the available indoor space. The premises are shared with other users and all equipment must be cleared away at the end of every session. Staff work exceptionally hard to ensure there is a very wide choice of activities for children to choose from every day, including daily use of large equipment, such as a well resourced role play area, sand and water

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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 trays and climbing or balancing equipment. Boxes of other play resources are put on tables so that children may choose what they wish to play with. This greatly benefits children's independent learning and allows them to follow their own interests and develop their own ideas. A second, smaller room is effectively used to provide a quiet area for stories and space for small group activities, such as movement and music.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's language and communication skills are very well supported by staff. All staff and children enjoy using 'sign-along' to support their developing spoken language and this is of particular benefit to those children with speech difficulties. A relatively quiet period of table top activities is organised each day, when conversation is encouraged and children learn to listen to others. Children begin to recognise familiar written words, such as their names and they enjoy exploring books in the comfortable book corner. They are developing an awareness of the sounds in words and some of the letters that represent them. Most children listen attentively to the well presented small or larger group story time, although there are too few staff working directly with the larger group, so that some children become distracted and fidgety. They have many opportunities to make marks and develop early writing skills, such as

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

painting with large brushes outside and making lists in the role play area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count well and have many opportunities to practise counting throughout the session, for example, a child spontaneously counts his pieces of satsuma 'look I've got nine' he says. Staff take every chance to help develop children's mathematical understanding. For example, children count four girls and three boys at snack time and realise that this makes seven altogether. They explore weight and volume as they play in the sand and water, filling containers or weighing out ingredients for cooking activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use computers each day and confidently operate simple programmes and the mouse. They sometimes participate in activities that encourage them to question how and why things happen or work but these are not routinely planned. They occasionally plant seeds and help care for plants but generally there are limited opportunities to learn about the natural world. Children do not routinely have access to the outdoor play area, especially during the cooler months and this restricts the range of experiences from which they could learn.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given freedom, encouragement and a variety of resources to help them develop their own creative ideas through art, music and role-play. They talk about what they are doing and there is much lively conversation.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed and valued as individuals in the pre-school. Children with additional needs are included and very well supported. Staff form close and trusting relationships with the parents, so that children's individual needs and their family circumstances are taken into account. The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents are firmly recognised as children's primary carers and their views and contributions to the running of the group are sought and valued. Parents receive good quality information about the care and education provided through regular newsletters, an informative notice board, photographs and regular discussions and meetings with staff. They are encouraged to become involved in the pre-school

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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 in many ways. For example, by serving on the committee or helping during sessions. Parents are invited to take home children's assessment records twice each year and they are encouraged to share with staff what they know about their children. Staff keep parents involved about current themes and topics and give suggestions of how parents can help their children to continue learning at home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well. Staff are sensitive to children's level of understanding and they consistently use positive methods to encourage good behaviour. Stories are effectively used to tackle problems, such as not sharing, which helps children understand right from wrong. Staff are excellent role models. They are polite and considerate towards each other and the children. Staff remain calm and quiet and never use raised voices, creating a pleasant buzz of activity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children learn about their local community from regular walks in the locality and from visitors, such as the fire service and dental nurse. They gain an awareness of the wider world and their own and other cultures from planned activities and playing with a variety of resources that positively reflect the diversity of society. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from the very good organisation of the pre-school, where there is a strong ethos of continuing improvement and development. The highly motivated and enthusiastic staff are clearly led by the play leader and they work together very well as a team. They continually review their practice to seek ways of improving the care and education they provide and as a result they have made good progress since the last inspection. An effective operational plan is in place and staff follow good procedures to promote the well-being of the children. There is a supportive voluntary committee, which is active in the management of the pre-school and raising funds to benefit the children.

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Organisation

All of the required documentation is in place and available for inspection. There is a complaints procedure which is shared with parents, although it does not fully comply with current regulations. Ofsted have not yet been informed of recent changes to the committee, as is required.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. The majority of staff either have or are working towards appropriate early years qualifications. They regularly attend training and meet with other professionals. Their performance is monitored and they are well supported in their professional development. There are good strategies in place to monitor and evaluate the educational programme and the pre-school is effective in identifying its strengths and areas for development.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the pre-school was given recommendations to help improve the quality of the provision.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Within the care report, the group was asked to ensure that all the relevant records were available for inspection at all times and to ensure the named deputy had a suitable level 3 qualification. The records are now very clearly organised, stored securely on the premises and available for inspection. The deputy has achieved a level 3 qualification in early years care and education.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Within the nursery education report, the group was asked to ensure assessments are regularly undertaken on children's progress across all cluster groups and to use the information to plan for individual children's future learning. They were also asked to develop the partnership with parents and carers, to ensure they are encouraged to share with staff what they know about their child initially and on an ongoing basis, to aid assessment. Staff now make regular observations of children's progress but this information is not consistently used to plan for individual children's learning. The partnership with parents is now very good. There is an effective key worker system so that parents are encouraged to share what they know about their child at the outset and then through ongoing discussions. Parents are also encouraged to contribute to children's developmental records so that a more accurate assessment of

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Improvements since the last inspection

children's progress can be made. Parents are now more involved in their child's 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): • ensure the complaints procedure complies with current regulations, in particular in relation to the timescale for reporting on complaints

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • improve hygiene by washing hands with liquid soap under running water and ensuring staff always wash hands after wiping children's noses

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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): • develop the outside area so that it can be used throughout the year to provide a stimulating environment for enjoyment and routine learning across all areas of the curriculum • make more effective use of the information from children's developmental records to plan activities that will help all children progress to the next stage in their learning

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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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