Bruche Academy

Waterloo Road Community Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Waterloo Road Community Pre-School

143058 Unique Reference Number 26 January 2007 Inspection date Julie Neal Inspector

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Waterloo Road Community Pre-School

Methodist church, Waterloo Road, Wellington, Somerset, TA21 8JQ Setting Address

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E-mail

Waterloo Road Community Pre School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

Waterloo Road Community Pre-School is held in rooms of the Methodist Church. It is situated in a residential road within the small town of Wellington.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

It is registered to provide full day care for 26 children aged two to five years. It is open from 09:00 to 15:15 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and from 09:00 to 12:45 on Wednesdays during term time only. Overnight care is not provided.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 48 children on roll, most of whom are in receipt of funded nursery education. Support is provided for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There are nine staff working at the pre-school. Of these two hold early years qualifications and four are working towards appropriate qualifications.

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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 The group is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and receives support from their fieldworkers. They also liaise with Foundation Stage advisers attached to the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a clean and well maintained environment where staff have good routines in place to support children's health. For example, tables are frequently cleaned and very good systems are in place to monitor the cleanliness of toilets and washbasins. Children learn independence in managing personal hygiene because staff support them well, such as ensuring soap, water and paper towels are easily accessible within the play room as well as in the cloakroom. Documents relating to the health and wellbeing of children, such as records of accidents and of medicines administered, are well maintained. Staff implement the clear sickness policy effectively in order to prevent the risk of illness and cross infection. All staff have appropriate first aid qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy the cafeteria-style snack times, which are used very well to promote independence. For example, children confidently select from a choice of breads and crackers and choose from a selection of toppings which they spread themselves. Staff support this well, for instance ensuring that drinks are available in small jugs to enable all children to pour for themselves. Children enjoy their food, which is plentiful, however, fresh fruit and/or vegetables are not consistently included at snack time. Children bring packed lunches and mealtimes are used well to promote good manners.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children move with confidence and control because they take part in daily activities that promote the use of large muscles and physical co-ordination. Children enjoy the health benefits of fresh air because they play outdoors most days. Children have good access to vigorous energetic activities when it is not possible to play outside because staff use the spacious hall very well to compensate. For example, children enjoy team games where they run and compete against each other, they engage in active movement to music, bending and stretching their limbs and jumping, hopping and skipping with good co-ordination.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from a spacious environment that is well organised to provide a good variety of play opportunities. Good planning and organisation of resources creates a welcoming and child friendly environment. Children have access to an extensive range of toys and equipment, and good systems of checks ensure these remain suitable for them to use. Staff demonstrate a high regard for children's safety. Risk assessments are made of all areas and of key activities, and these are reviewed and updated regularly in order to maintain children's safety. For instance, recent storm damage in the garden led staff to decide not to use this area for a short period in order to ensure children's safety. Children are secure within the setting because effective use of safety gates means they cannot leave the premises, and a door alarm alerts staff to

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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 anyone entering the premises. Children take part in regular fire drills and evacuation procedures encourage them to develop an understanding of personal safety. Staff demonstrate good understanding of child protection issues and clear knowledge of the procedures to follow if they have concerns regarding the abuse or neglect of children. This further support's children's safety and wellbeing in the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children immensely enjoy the excellent variety of activities that support their individual learning and development. They are enthusiastic about what they do and are keen to participate. For example, on arrival they enthusiastically explore the very good range of resources that are attractively arranged to be accessible to them as the play, and quickly settle to activities of choice. Children thoroughly enjoy sociable group times, for instance immensely enjoy celebrating each others birthdays, singing and sharing cake together. They benefit from a warm and caring environment where staff ensure individual children receive excellent support as they learn through play. For example, activities are extremely well planned to enable children with disabilities or medical difficulties to enjoy full participation. All children learn to use simple sign language and are very confident in their usage. This means that children who have

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

difficulties with speech are able to communicate effectively with their friends. Children learn very well about diversity and difference because they explore and investigate each other's cultural traditions, such as experimenting with different foods, and this means that these activities are relevant and meaningful to children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals in all six areas of learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. Children benefit from the effective way activities are planned to ensure they have a good balance of learning opportunities that support their progress towards the early learning goals in all areas. Staff use their good knowledge of individual children to ensure that key learning objectives are met in ways that will engage them, for instance focusing on a particular interest, such as dinosaurs. Staff make good observations of children as they play and ensure these are shared and used to plan the next steps in learning for individual children. However, observations are not used effectively to update children's assessment records, so these do not reflect the good progress made.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children make good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of learning. They are confident and happy and show high levels of enthusiasm and self esteem. They engage well in activities and play together well, confidently making choices about what they do and developing their own games. Children are confident communicators who like to share their news. For instance, they happily talk about their pets, their families and their holidays and they listen to each other well. They enjoy discussing what they have learned in activities, for example they talk about the tastes, smells, and textures of a variety of fruit and vegetables they have explored. Children enjoy writing and mark making and some children confidently write their own names.

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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 are confident in their use of mathematical concepts. They enjoy games that develop their problem solving skills, such as following simple clues to identify a member of the group. They count confidently and identify numerals correctly. They use mathematical language in context, for instance 'longer', 'shorter', bigger', 'smaller' as they measure and compare objects. Children learn to make simple calculations, such as identifying the number of objects if 'one more' is added. Children learn about the world around them. They use their senses to explore and investigate and they learn to compare and contrast, for example examining the properties of different foods. They talk about the days of the week and the seasons. They learn about the wider world in meaningful ways. For example, they discuss where their friends have gone

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

on holiday and look at these places on the globe. They have opportunities to use a variety of items that introduce them to technology. For example, they play discs on the Compact Disc player, they use a laptop and a variety of programmes, they use a microphone as they perform 'karaoke', and they use everyday items, such as phones and calculators in play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children make good use of a variety of media and materials as they express themselves creatively. They thoroughly enjoy using paints and enthusiastically mix colours and create their own pictures using their hands and fingers as well as brushes. They engage well in musical activities, singing, dancing and using percussion instruments. Children use resources well in imaginative role play. For example, they pretend to cook meals, they bath baby dolls and dress and feed them, and they enjoy using dressing up clothes. Children show an awareness of their own bodies, for example they know to take off their jumpers if they are too warm. They use a variety of tools in their play that promote hand-eye co-ordination, and staff are aware of children who are developing a preference for the use of left or right hand.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are confident and show high levels of self esteem. This is because staff provide an extremely inclusive environment where the individual needs of children are met very well. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities are enabled to participate fully because staff adapt activities according to need. Staff demonstrate their commitment to inclusion by undertaking additional training to ensure that specific requirements can be met, for instance where children have medical conditions.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are well behaved and respond well to the consistent praise and encouragement they receive from staff. They know daily routines and ground rules and enjoy being helpful, for example helping to organise snack time. Children are polite and well mannered and this is promoted well, for example at meal times. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the settings procedures regarding behaviour management and implement these well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered. Children learn well about aspects of their own and others' cultures and communities. They develop an awareness of difference and diversity, for example through learning about each others' cultural traditions, and by learning simple sign language and using this in everyday routines, such as at register time.

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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 Partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents are encouraged to be involved in the setting, for example serving on the committee, assisting with practical tasks, and volunteering to help in sessions. Parents are well informed about their children's care and notice boards and newsletters are used effectively to keep them updated about current activities. Staff develop good relationships with parents and good sharing of information supports the consistency of care for children. However, there is no system in place to ensure that parents and carers are consistently informed of their children's progress toward the early learning goals.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for which they provide. Effective employment policies ensure that staff working with children are suitable to do so, and appropriate induction for staff ensures they are familiar with routines and procedures that support children's care. Ratios are very good, providing children with high levels of adult support. Regulatory documents that underpin the care and wellbeing of children are generally clear, for example records of accidents and medicines administered, and registers that show when children are present. Most policies and procedures are clear and support the good practice of staff, for example the child protection policy. However, the procedure in the event a child should become lost from the setting does not provide staff with clear guidance to follow.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education is good. The committee and staff team show a commitment to children's learning and development, and the staff team use training opportunities well to develop and update their skills. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is monitored and staff's knowledge of individual children is used well in ensuring that activities provide appropriate levels of challenge. However, children's assessment records do not reflect the very good progress children make. Staff make general evaluations of activities but these are inconsistently recorded.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection recommendations were made to improve the safety and wellbeing of children. These were related to seeking advice regarding the safety of fire doors, and ensuring that parents have access to policies and procedures affecting the care of their children. These issues have been addressed, advice has been sought from the fire safety officer and a copy of the operational plan and related policies and procedures are available in the setting.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Key issues to improve the quality of nursery education were identified at the last inspection. These were to develop planning and assessment to address individual learning needs; to deploy staff effectively; and to provide opportunities to inform parents of children's progress. Overall these issues have been addressed effectively. Planning makes clear links to all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum and children's individual learning needs are identified and met, however, assessment records do not reflect this, although considerable work has been undertaken to develop these in order to show children's progress. Staff ratios are good and staff are deployed well throughout the setting in order to support individual children's needs. There is as yet no system in place to ensure parents are consistently informed of their children's progress in learning, although general communication is good.

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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

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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 procedure for staff to follow in the event a child should become lost from the setting is sufficiently detailed. • ensure that snacks consistently contain healthy foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables.

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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 documentation that relates to children's progress in learning, for example assessment records and evaluations of activities, in order to monitor children's progress towards the early learning goals. • ensure parents are consistently aware of the progress their children are making towards the early learning goals.

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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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