Newtown Soberton Earlybirds Pre-School

Newtown Soberton Earlybirds Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Newtown Soberton Earlybirds Pre-School

EY338530 Unique Reference Number 25 January 2007 Inspection date Jennifer Pearce Inspector

p.1

Newtown Soberton Earlybirds Pre-School

Newtown Soberton Infant School, Church Road, Newtown, Fareham, PO17 6LJ

p.1

Setting Address

01329 833 161 Telephone number josie.arkle@newtownsoberton.ha.nts.sch.uk E-mail Earlybirds Pre - School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

p.1

Setting Address

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 good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Newtown Soberton Early Birds Pre-School was registered in 2006. It was previously known as Early Birds Pre-school and opened in 1996. It is managed by a voluntary committee of parents. It is situated within Newtown Soberton Infant School, Fareham and operates from the community hall within the school. The pre-school is open from 09:00 until 12:00, Monday to Friday and on a Wednesday from 13:00 - 15:30 term time only. There is a secure outdoor area. The pre-school is registered for a maximum of 16 children. There are currently 23 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these 19 children receive funding for nursery education.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school currently supports children who speak English as an additional language and welcomes children with special educational needs.

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 Children attend from the local and surrounding areas for a variety of sessions. The pre-school employs four members of staff; of these three staff hold appropriate early years qualifications.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health and welfare are given careful consideration. Effective hygiene procedures are observed by all staff. Children are encouraged to develop an awareness of health and hygiene practices for themselves, such as washing their hands after using the toilet and using wipes before snacks. They understand that they need to wash their hands after handling the snails and before eating their snacks to get rid of germs. Particular care is taken to ensure that the environment is clean. Children are encouraged to wipe their own noses when they have a cold and dispose of the tissues. This along with an effective sickness policy helps to prevent the spread of infection. Staff have clear procedures in place for the administration of medicine and the recording of accidents and incidents.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children's health and dietary needs are met because the staff have a sound knowledge of each child's needs. A healthy lifestyle is encouraged through the provision of nutritious snacks, regular exercise and fresh air. Children are offered a selection of healthy snacks; for example, kiwi fruit, grapes, bananas and toast and they have a choice of milk or water.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children have plenty of opportunities to enjoy daily physical play in the enclosed outdoor area. They use a variety of equipment to develop skills; for example, pedalling when they use bikes and cars, pushing and pulling when they use the sand trolley and catching and throwing. Children begin to develop an awareness of space as they manoeuvre themselves around the play area, when they bounce on Hoppa balls and when they hop on the numbers on the hop scotch game. Children develop fine control when they thread beads and use tools; for example, when scooping, raking and digging in the sand, using knives for spreading butter and scissors for cutting snowflake shapes.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a secure environment where they are carefully supervised during the time they spend in the care of the pre-school. Daily risk assessments are completed to ensure the safety of equipment and resources. Both the indoor and outdoor areas are checked before the children arrive each day to seek to prevent accidents. Whilst fire-fighting equipment and fire evacuation notices are in place, fire evacuation procedures have not been practised and fire exits are not clearly marked. Whilst there is a procedure to be followed in the event of a fire, this does not include the procedure to be followed in the event of an accident. Children learn to become aware of safety issues, such as walking rather than running indoors and being careful not to crash into other children when using the bikes. This helps them to take responsibility and also prevent injury to themselves and other children. The premises are secure

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

and children are only released to known adults.

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 Staff have a clear understanding of Child Protection Procedures and who they need to contact if they have any concerns. This helps to ensure that each child's needs are met.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are warmly welcomed into the pre-school and they settle well on arrival. The staff team work closely with parents to ensure that each child’s individual settling-in needs are met. Children enjoy all of the activities provided and become quickly involved as soon as they arrive at the pre-school, selecting activities and resources of their choice. They interact well with staff and other children, working alongside each other and talking to each other during activities. They move easily around the setting and have freedom to use the outside play area throughout the session whenever the weather permits. Children spend their time in purposeful and varied activities to capture their interest and involvement. For example, they become engrossed as they create different shapes with the dough, make play bread for their home corner and when they experiment with paint using a variety of resources to explore pattern and texture. Children

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

enjoy writing and drawing, sharing books together, role play, construction and small worlds. Children’s language and communication skills are encouraged by enthusiastic and experienced staff who involve the children in conversation during all of the activities throughout the session. Children explore sound as they listen to music and they draw to interpret what they can hear.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. All the staff are involved in the planning and provision of daily activities for the children. Children’s observation and assessment records are regularly kept up-to-date by the children’s key worker. They clearly show each child’s progression, particularly in relation to the stepping stones.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff meet together following each session to assess the activities of the day, discuss what went well and share ideas for future activities and plans. Daily plans are clearly linked to the areas of learning to ensure coverage across the whole curriculum. Staff organise the pre-school equipment and resources well. This enables each child to access, select and experience all of the toys, resources and equipment. Children show high levels of involvement when they work as a group using their bodies to make themselves wide, stretching to make themselves tall and curling up to make themselves small. Children are developing an interest in the world around them as they observe and talk about the snails and their little shells. They talk about the middle-sized one, and the baby one and that all the snails move very slowly. Children observe that the snails can climb and they have sticky things on their bodies to make them stick to the

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

glass. They talk about the food that snails eat and that they live in their shells. Children enjoy books and they are attentive and engrossed at story time because the staff involve the children and ask them questions. Children are becoming confident speakers when they share what they have brought from home during circle time. They are becoming good listeners when they follow instructions as they line up to go outside and find a big space at a movement activity time. Children are beginning to learn about number when they count the candles on the birthday cake, count the frogs when they sing 'five little speckled frogs' and count backwards during a game of hop scotch. Children have fewer opportunities to calculate and measure. Children enjoy using the computer and they are developing good mouse control. Children are able to express

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 themselves well and are developing a good understanding of sounds and letters and some children can write their own names on their work. Children are developing an awareness of why they need to wear their coats and scarves when they play outside and they are developing increasing control as they put on their own coats and attempt to fasten them up. Children are enthusiastic about taking part in creative activities both as a group and individually when they sing together and when they draw life size pictures of themselves and paint and decorate these.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children show a clear sense of belonging and are at ease with the staff. They are treated with equal concern as staff seek to meet the individual needs of the children in their care. Children are developing a sense of community through taking part in visits to the local church and the surrounding area and by celebrating birthdays. Children are given the opportunity to understand difference through their topic work when they draw themselves and talk about the different colour of their eyes and hair and the different clothes they wear. Children have plenty of opportunities to access resources and books to extend their growing awareness of the diversity in society.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with special and additional needs are welcomed into the setting and are effectively supported because staff are experienced and develop links with other agencies for expertise and support.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are taught good manners and are encouraged to share and respect each other when playing together. They respond well to staff when they are asked to be careful and gentle when playing outside and when it is time to tidy up. Children are confident to approach staff as they take time to listen to them and show an interest in all the children say and do. Children are praised; for example, when they listen carefully at circle time and share resources with each other. Children are encouraged to become independent when they wash up their own cup and plate after eating their snack.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. The staff conduct home visits to share information before the children start at pre-school. This seeks to develop good relationships with the children and their families.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are warmly welcomed into the setting to share information and help their children to settle until they are confident and secure. Children arrive confidently, enjoy attending and look forward to the session. Parents are invited into the setting to help or support staff with the daily sessions. They are provided with plenty of information about how the setting runs, the daily plans and the records the staff keep for their children. Parents have opportunities to attend meetings to discuss their child's progress. This all helps to keep parents informed about their child's learning and development.

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

p.5

Organisation

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

p.6

Organisation

A well-organised environment is provided where children are settled and happy. The indoor and outdoor spaces are used well to provide clear and safe areas for children to play and explore. Toys and equipment are organised well into accessible areas where children can select the resources of their choice. Robust recruitment and employment procedures ensure that children are cared for by knowledgeable and experienced staff. A range of policies and procedures is in place to ensure the smooth running of the setting. These are shared with staff and are available to parents, which contributes to the children's well-being in the pre-school. All essential records are in place and are stored confidentially. These include detailed children's record forms, a record of accidents and a daily register of all children, staff and visitors. Children can be treated in the event of an emergency because permissions have been obtained from parents to seek

p.6

Organisation

The leadership and management of the group are good. The members of the staff team work well together and have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They meet together to share their knowledge and expertise and they all contribute to the daily plans and assessments. The pre-school is well supported by the parent committee and members of the school staff are keen to see the group develop. The members of the staff team are committed to the development of the provision and are committed to ongoing training. They develop good links with support workers and seek help and advice from the Local Authority. The advisory teacher visits the setting to offer advice and share good practice.

p.6

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. 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.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

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.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND 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.6

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 that all fire exits are clearly identifiable and practise regular fire evacuation procedures. • include a statement of the procedure to be followed in the event of an accident.

p.7

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 provide and develop further opportunities for all children to calculate and measure through every day situations.

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