Pre-School 3 4 5

Pre-School 3 4 5

Inspection report for early years provision

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Pre-School 3 4 5

EY332221 Unique Reference Number 07 December 2006 Inspection date Judith Chinnery Inspector

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Pre-School 3 4 5

5 Middle Street, Beeston, NOTTINGHAM, NG9 1GA Setting Address

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Pre-School 3 4 5

07816 376726 Telephone number treasurer@6thbeeston.co.uk E-mail Preschool 3 4 5 Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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Pre-School 3 4 5

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?

Pre School 3 4 5 is a committee run group and a registered charity that opened in approximately 1975. It has recently moved to the 6th Beeston Scout Headquarters in central Beeston. This location is close to several schools and the main shopping area, with a multi-storey car park nearby. Children have the use of the sports hall and the lobby area from where toilet and hand washing facilities can be located, including an accessible toilet. There is also a kitchen for the purpose of preparing snacks, and an office for staff use. There is also an enclosed outdoor area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre school may care for a maximum of 30 children between two and five years at any one time. There are currently 47 children on roll, of these 29 receive funding for education, and attend for a variety of sessions. The setting is able to support children with special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language. The group opens from Monday to Friday during school term times and sessions run from 09:10 until 11:50.

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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 There are eight members of staff working with the children, which includes a volunteer. Six members of staff hold child care qualifications including qualified teacher status. Several members of staff are undertaking further training in order to gain higher qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health and well-being is good and promoted effectively in the setting. Staff make excellent use of their new facilities to ensure that children learn about being healthy and are able to do things for themselves. Children readily wash their hands before snacks and are keen to wash up their own plates and cutlery afterwards. The staff themselves set a good example and ensure that tables are cleaned thoroughly between activities. This means that the spread of infection is kept to a minimum. Records for managing accidents and medication are kept efficiently, they are up-to-date and accurate and contribute to ensuring that children are well cared for should they be hurt or become ill.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff are careful to work closely with parents regarding children's dietary needs. The photograph and reminder system which is available in the kitchen during all snack times ensures that children receive appropriate food for their needs. Children can choose from a range of healthy options including fruit and toast and different foods from around the world. This enables children to learn about eating healthily as well as broadening their experiences and tastes. Children also have a choice of milk and water throughout the session so they are likely to remind well hydrated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children love to be active during the session. They are confident with the climbing frame scaling the sides easily and enjoying the slide. They attempt to use the balancing beams and equipment to test their balancing skills. Staff encourage the children to move around and be physically active in a variety of ways, they particularly like the music exercises set to songs and are adept at moving in different ways such as jumping, running, crawling as well as moving slowly. The outside area is still being developed, but children are keen to get out and enjoy being in the fresh air. The staff are continuing to develop this area so that children can move on and make good progress in their physical development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Safety is a priority in this setting. The children are effectively protected from harm because staff have implemented appropriate safety precautions throughout the building. Electric sockets are kept covered, there are no trailing wires and children's access to the stairs is prevented by an appropriate safety gate. The staff make good use of the up-dated risk assessment to help them manage any hazards to the children such as ensuring that appliances are turned off at the mains when the kitchen is being used at snack time. This helps to ensure that children are kept safe. Plans to evacuate the premises in emergencies are also well sign posted and known by the staff.

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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 Staff make good use of picture boards and displays to make the setting attractive and welcoming to the children. Toys and resources are chosen with safety in mind. Children have access to a wide variety of resources and equipment which is stimulating and worthwhile and meets the needs of the children according to their age and stage of development. They are able to sit, eat and play safely because the chairs and tables are an appropriate height for them. Children also use items such as scissors and cutlery safely because staff teach them how to handle these correctly. The gentle reminders given to children such as not running in the building help children to learn about keeping themselves safe, effectively.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected and safeguarded well in the setting because staff have a good knowledge about child protection procedures. Staff have recently up-dated their training to take account of new local authority procedures. They are knowledgeable about signs of mistreatment and are fully aware of how to record and report their concerns. They are also fully aware of what to do should any allegations be made against a member of staff. However, they have not yet up-dated their written procedures to ensure they fully reflect current policy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children really enjoy being in this setting. They are making good progress in their play, learning and personal development. On arrival they are happy to leave their main carers and become quickly involved in the variety of activities available. They become easily absorbed in building models with construction, taking on roles in the home corner and drawing and making marks with paper and pencils and other materials. The two year olds really benefit from having plenty of time to play and explore without being interrupted by the next activity. They are comfortable in visiting all the different activities and resources available, to investigate and find out how to use them and see just what they will do such as daubing paint onto paper, splashing objects into the water and putting items in the home corner cupboards. The staff make good use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework to assess young children's progress and to also plan for

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

suitable activities. However, staff are less good at using the information from their assessments to inform their plans to ensure that activities are more appropriately based on what children need to do next and what they are interested in.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The teaching and learning for nursery education is good. Again the older children are familiar with the setting, settled and eager to become involved in activities. They also benefit from the fact that they can play and learn uninterrupted by changes and timetables.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff's knowledge of the Foundation Stage is good, they are well informed about what makes up the different aspects of the stepping stones and are able to put this to good use with the children. They promote children's independence well, such as in ensuring that they are able to go to the bathroom by themselves as well as choose when to have their snack. The staff establish clear ground rules and offer gentle reminders to the children about their behaviour which encourages them to behave well. Since staff know the areas of learning well they question the children effectively. Open ended questions such as what might happen next encourages the children to think and work things out. Consequently when the children are experimenting with

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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 water wheels, they are able to offer ideas as to why the water will not run if you block the holes. Some, able children can also offer solutions to problems such as using another block in construction to prevent the other two from wobbling.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A key worker system is in place and works really well. The staff support each other by working in pairs and getting to know the children really well. In the main they know what each child is interested in and know how to question them effectively. They base their assessment of children's progress on observations and chart their progress through the Foundation Stage. This clearly shows that most children are making good progress across the six areas of learning. Planning covers all the areas and their aspects evenly and consistently, but this is not always based on information gleaned from children's assessments. Staff rarely set targets for the next steps children need to make to use in planning, usually because they know the children well. While this currently has little impact children's learning, this potentially can impede children's progress in reaching their full potential, particularly if staff are absent.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children speak clearly and confidently. Many of them now use language to describe what they are doing and explain what's happening in stories. Children are developing a love for books and listen well to stories. They like to make marks with paint and pencils and use lines and circles to make recognisable pictures. Some older children are also developing an interest in reading and are beginning to recognise the sounds of some letters particularly those associated with their names. Children enjoy counting each other and other items and count ably by rote to well over ten. Most children are interested in shapes and recognise common ones such as rectangle. They use size language freely such as big and little when they are building with construction. Some more able children are developing a real interest in problem solving with numbers. They are particularly confident in working out how many more pieces they need to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing a keen interest and knowledge about the world around them. The building site outside has sparked a number of spontaneous activities in designing and joining as they plan and build their own models. Children are also adept at copying the instructions in the pictures as they join pieces together to make trains, cranes and rockets. Children are inquisitive as to how things work, exploring why cars will not go down the slope in water very fast. They also enjoy using technology and are able to work the computer programmes using the mouse. Children are also gaining a good knowledge of other cultures and beliefs because they celebrate different festivals and try different foods.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff make good use of the space and resources to ensure that children can access all aspects of the curriculum. They ensure that children can be physically active each day both inside and outside in a variety of ways such as climbing and balancing. Children also experience opportunities to use scissors and thread beads so that they are developing good fine hand skills. They enjoy many varied opportunities to use paint and other materials to create their own art work. They sing a wide range of songs and rhymes and experience different styles of music. They really enjoy using the items in the home corner such as the dressing up to explore and take on different roles and in using their imagination.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are eager to join in, take responsibility and play a very productive part in the setting. Children are learning about and developing a respect for their own and other cultures. This is because staff make good use of resources such as dressing up clothes and books to talk about differences as well as celebrating different festivals such as Christmas and Chinese New Year. Staff are committed to supporting children with disabilities and learning difficulties. They have embarked on a project about inclusion in conjunction with the local authority to review their practices and ensure that all children are included in the life of the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave really well in the setting because set clear boundaries and offer good explanations. The children respond positively to kindly reminders to share and take turns. Many of the older children also like to help the younger ones complete puzzles and other activities. They also enjoy looking at and talking about the reward board which celebrates things they have done well and promotes acceptable behaviour in a positive way. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. This is because staff introduce the children to awe and wonder in the natural world through exciting activities such as visits from people caring for snakes, spiders and other small animals. Good behaviour is promoted well and children are developing a thorough understanding of other cultures and beliefs as well as their own.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff form warm relationships with parents. They keep them well informed about their child's daily care and activities and seek parents' views about their child's needs, which are clearly recorded and kept up-to-date. Systems for managing complaints are available to parents as is a record of any complaints received which ensures that all aspects of children's care is transparent to all. Partnership with parents for nursery education is good. Parents receive well-thought out information about the Foundation Stage and the settings curriculum. They are invited to see their children's development files at any time and staff talk about children's progress and share information with parents regularly. While they offer suggestions for activities at home, so that parents can support children's learning, they do not always involve parents sufficiently in their child's learning through sharing what the child needs to do next.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The effective organisation between managers and the committee ensure that positive outcomes are reached for the children. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The management committee supports the staff well in having a high regard for all children. Staff are committed to improving their skills by seeking to undertake regular training in child care. Thorough recruitment policies ensure the suitability of staff and that children are well protected and cared for. Good adult to child ratios are maintained throughout each session so that children are well supported in their care, learning and play. The staff have organised the available time and space in their new setting well so that children are able to move around and play freely. Policies and procedures are well thought out, regularly reviewed and known by the

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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 staff, they support the setting well in promoting children's good health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and making a positive contribution.

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Organisation

Leadership and management for nursery education is good. The leader has a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and is keen to pursue training to keep this up-to-date. She is also a good role-model for staff and committed to promoting the personal development and achievement of all children. The staff work really well together as a team supporting each other, the key worker system works well in enabling the staff to really get to know the children and their needs. Staff like to evaluate the activities they complete with the children to see if they are effective in helping children to learn. They also welcome the support of the local authority mentor teacher and are making use of some of their materials to guide their development. However, staff are less secure in ensuring they evaluate and monitor their educational provision for themselves to see if the quality of teaching continues to be truly effective in helping all

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Organisation

children learn and make good progress through the Foundation Stage.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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): • review the child protection policy to ensure that is up-to-date and includes correct procedures for dealing with allegations made against staff.

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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

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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): • continue to develop assessment systems to ensure that they are based on sound evidence and identify the next steps which children need to take, so that activities are clearly planned to build on children's interests and what they need to do next so that they continue to make progress (this also applies to care) • continue to develop partnership with parents to ensure they are involved in their child's learning in meaningful ways • continue to develop systems for monitoring and evaluating the settings educational provision.

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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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