Delamere School

Westhill Nursery Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Westhill Nursery Pre-School

106394 Unique Reference Number 28 February 2007 Inspection date Judith Harris Inspector

p.1

Westhill Nursery Pre-School

West Hill House, Braunton, Devon, EX33 1AR Setting Address

p.1

E-mail

Anne Garland and Ruth Garland Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

West Hill Nursery is a privately run pre-school that opened in 1960. It operates from three rooms in a purpose-built building in Braunton, North Devon. A maximum of 20 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 09.00 to 17.00 term time only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 47 children, aged from one to five years on roll; of these, 27 children receive funding for early education. The pre-school currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and disabilities.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs seven members of staff who all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level three and above.

p.2

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children use a good range of hygiene routines that clearly support them to learn about personal hygiene. They wash their hands after using the toilet, before snack and after touching animals. Effective steps are taken by staff to ensure that good hygiene is used and there are suitable systems for preventing the spread of infection. Staff use anti-bacterial spray to clean tables before children eat and use good routines for changing nappies that follow appropriate good hygiene practice. The pre-school have clear and effectively used medication records that are shared with parents.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children have an extensive range of opportunities for physical play and exercise. The pre-school manager ensures children have daily outdoor play with lots of walks and outings in the local area in all weathers. Children are learning about how our bodies react to exercise. They talk with an adult about hearts and how their hearts pump blood faster when we exercise.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with healthy and balanced meals and snacks through the highly effectively partnerships with parents. Parents provide packed lunches and snacks and drinks and the pre-school ensure that parents have information about storage. The pre-school school provide milk for children at snack time and children have their own drinks in their cups. Older children have a small jug of milk and pour drinks for themselves; younger children are helped with this. The pre-school provide drinking water during play sessions in the hot weather but not at the time of inspection. Children are developing good levels of independence and an understanding of healthy eating.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's safety is clearly supported by the effective policies and the risk assessments carried out for activities and areas. The pre-school have a system for carrying out annual risk assessments but these are not currently up to date. Children are supported by very good adult: child ratios. There are systems in place for fire safety and children practise emergency evacuation on a regular basis. Children have good levels of independence that support them to learn about keeping themselves safe. Adults ask children to think about safety aspects for themselves and for other children; which children do effectively. At all activities children are encouraged to think about safety. Children go to the fish pond to collect frog spawn and the adults talk to them about being safe around water. The children have regular outings to local areas and although staff are able to describe safety procedure for outings there is no written procedure

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

or policy. Sleeping children are closely monitored at all times.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play with an extensive variety of toys and equipment. The pre-school have effective systems for keeping toys and equipment clean and safe. The adults check toys as they set them out and all toys are sterilized on a regular basis. Children have good access to the range of toys and the adults closely monitor children's choices and how they use toys and equipment to ensure safety.

p.3

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 Children are effectively protected from harm as the pre-school are clear about their roles and responsibilities for recording and reporting any concerns they have to social services and Ofsted.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are provided with an excellent range of imaginatively planned activities and experiences that all link creatively into the main theme. The effectively planned daily routine provide a flexible and versatile day that creatively allows children time and space to develop and extend their play.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children under three are taking part in an extensive range of activities that are flexibly provided and unquestionably support them to become competent learners and skilful communicators. The children are finding a voice through the purposeful interaction with the adults. Excellent use is made of interaction; adults describe what the children are doing while they play. They are using an extensive range of language to expand children's skills. The adults are particularly careful to ensure that even the youngest children are able to make themselves understood; taking time to listen and be attentive. Through the theme and inspiring activities children are finding out about their environment. They are engaged eagerly in the play; at the role play they are animated using their imaginative skills to explore and re-enact. Children take part in exciting creative activities, exploring and experimenting with sound and different materials.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children over three are confident, comfortable and settled in the pre-school with a secure sense of belonging. Children have stimulating, warm and supportive relationship with adults who are clearly nurturing them. Children are well behaved; developing an understanding of the moral codes and having respect for the feelings of others. The extensive levels of independence ensure that children are taking responsibility for personal care and successfully developing high levels of self esteem. Children are gaining comprehensive communication and language skills the older children are achieving very good levels of handwriting skills and they can clearly recognise letters and name them. The adults continually encourage all children to write at different activities to extend their skills. Children are gaining a thorough understanding of maths and how it relates to everyday activities. At all activities children are questioned by adults

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to encourage them to develop problem solving skills. Children use an extensive range of maths language; they count with confidence, they compare different heights and sizes and look at sequences. Activities that support children to gain a knowledge and understanding of the world are exceptional. Children take part in exciting and stimulating activities that are unquestionably providing a significant understanding of the wider and natural world. Children are being creative at an excellent balance of child led and adult directed activities. Children have the time and space to significantly extend and develop their play using boundless imaginative skills. Children have an extraordinary range of outdoor play and walks to local areas daily. They are clearly developing comprehensive skills for small and large movements. The children have a variety of wheeled toys to play with and they use tools with control. At snack the children pour the milk

p.4

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 quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. From the information taken for starting points to the provision of an inspiring range of activities and experiences the children's learning and development is exceptionally well supported. Adults are eagerly engaging with children; their interaction is stimulating and enthusiastic. They make excellent use of all planned and naturally occurring situations to challenge and extend the children. Teaching is firmly built on a thorough knowledge of children's starting points gained through the excellent partnerships with parents. The ongoing information collected from parents unquestionably supports the pre-school to ensure that they comprehensively meet children's individual needs. The pre-school continue to provide parents with a significant amount of accurate and interesting information

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

about their child's progress in a variety of ways. At all activities the children are animated and excited; they clearly delight in going to collect frog spawn and bringing it in to the pre-school to observe over the next weeks as the tadpoles develop. Children are inquisitive they continually question the adults about the frog spawn and talk about the life cycle of the frog. The theme is spring and all activities relate to the theme at the creative activity children are making prints of the life cycle of the frog. At story time an adult read a frog story and the children have a live frog and toad from the pond to observe for a short time. There is a highly successful balance of child led and adult directed activities and children have a significant amount of free play. Children have time and space to develop and extend their play. They can explore and investigate without direct adult input allowing children to be creative, to solve problems and to be thrilled

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children take part in an extensive variety of activities that are helping them gain a better understanding of the wider and natural world. Children have looked at a variety of festivals from different religions and cultures and the ways in which different people live. They have just finished a project on Chinese New Year. The extensive range of information taken from parents ensures children's individual needs are effectively met. The pre-school are pro-active in providing places for children with learning difficulties and disabilities. To ensure that children are fully included in all activities the pre-school provide a fund to employ an extra member of staff if required.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are very well behaved with extensive levels of personal independence that clearly support them to develop good skills for self control. The children are involved in the exciting range of activities and experiences that ensure they very rarely become upset or frustrated. Adults unquestionably know children very well and step in to diffuse any situations before they escalate. If any problems do arise adults use very positive strategies to support children to modify their own behaviour and to solve problems for themselves. Children's behaviour is managed with strategies that are fully suitable for their ages and levels of development.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnerships with parents is outstanding; the pre-school take an extensive amount of information from parents for all children at admission. This information includes an effective system for recording accurate information about children's starting points. The unmistakable commitment from the manager and staff team ensures that parents are provided with an excellent range of ongoing information about children's activities and achievements. The pre-school are proactive

p.5

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 ensuring that they acknowledge parents as the primary educators and make significant links with home. The manager has developed a photograph album which is shown to parents to help illustrate the early learning goals and show how each activity relates to the areas of learning. Parents are welcomed at all times and are clearly confident to approach staff. The pre-school are creative in successfully providing parents with imaginative ideas for activities at home to effectively support progress. At the end of each half term children have folders to take home that show examples of all their work for that theme. When children leave the pre-school provide parents with a folder that contains work that shows a record of their child's time at the pre-school.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is good. The pre-school have daily routines that are highly effectively in supporting children's learning and development. The routines are flexible and versatile and creatively provide children with time and space to develop their play. The children are comfortable and at home in the pre-school; they are confident and clearly have a very good sense of the daily routines.

p.6

Organisation

There is a low turn over of staff and the pre-school have good systems for checking and vetting new staff students or volunteers. There is a good range of well written and clear policies and procedures and medication and accident records are in place. All these are effectively shared with parents and staff. The policies and procedures are successfully put into practice to ensure that children's individual needs are consistently met. Children's records and all other relevant records are in place and kept up to date. There is an effective complaints procedure with details for parents of how to contact Ofsted.

p.6

Organisation

Leadership and management are outstanding. The manager leads and inspires a committed team of staff to effectively plan and provide an extensive range of activities and experiences. The activities unmistakably extend children's learning and development and ensure their individual needs are successfully met. The manager has a very clear vision for this pre-school and she is dedicated to ensuring the staff team have the skills to carry through this vision. The staff have a clear understanding of the Foundation Stage and a consummate understanding of how children learn. The planning, observations and feed back to parents are carried out by the whole team. The extensive partnerships with parents allows the manager to ensure that staff are able to plan securely to build on children's starting points.

p.6

Organisation

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

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection it was found that the manager could not produce cleared checks for a student who had been checked by the college. All employed staff had been checked and the manager now ensures that any students bring evidence of checks from their college.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.6

Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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.

p.7

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 records may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.

p.7

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): • consider ways to provide drinking water throughout the session • develop a policy for outings and ensure an annual risk assessment of the whole premises is carried out

p.7

The quality and standards of the nursery education

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

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7