Precious Times

Precious Times

Inspection report for early years provision

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Precious Times

EY275188 Unique Reference Number 05 February 2007 Inspection date Kathryn Margaret Clayton Inspector

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Precious Times

Laceby Acres Primary School, Swiftsure Crescent, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN34 5QN

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Setting Address

07952 217496 per school Telephone number

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E-mail

Precious Times Childcare Services Ltd 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?

Precious Times was first registered in September 2003. It is privately owned by Precious Times Childcare Services Limited and is located in Laceby Acres Primary School in Grimsby. Children have use of one classroom within the school and a large outdoor playground. Toilet facilities are shared with the school. The setting run a pre-school, a breakfast club, an after school club and a holiday play scheme. The setting currently care for 72 children aged from two to under eight years, of whom 17 are in receipt of nursery education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The pre-school opens during term time, on Monday to Friday from 09.00 until 15.20. The out of school facility operates from 07.45 to 08.50 and 15.20 to 18.00 during term time and from 07.45 to 18.00 during the school holidays. There are six staff working directly with the children, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification. The

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

pre-school receives support from the Local Authority.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a good level of activity, therefore they learn the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Young children take part in a daily planned movement programme that is completed at the beginning of each session. Some examples of the activities undertaken are marching to 'The Grand Old Duke of York' and crawling slowly forwards, backwards and sideways to music. Children also have daily opportunities to enjoy the fresh air in the large playground. They are encouraged to bring their own bikes and other wheeled toys to use once a week. Children who attend the out of school club enjoy a wide range of physical activities including games in the large hall, and in fine weather using a bouncy castle and ball pool. They learn to understand simple good health and hygiene practices, for example, washing their hands at all appropriate times and wiping their noses with tissues. Children's health is protected because all staff have

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Helping children to be healthy

a current understanding of first aid procedures.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children who attend the setting are well-nourished as they eat healthy breakfasts and snacks throughout the day. Children's independence is promoted as they help themselves to snacks and drinks and eat in a sociable atmosphere. Healthy foods that are available include a selection of cereal and toast for breakfast, raisins, various fruits and vegetables at snack time, with water or milk to drink. Staff carefully record and monitor what children eat and are fully aware of their dietary requirements, therefore promoting their good health. All accidents are confidentially recorded and there are systems in place to record the administering of medication should that be required. However, not all staff are fully aware of how the system is used.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a bright and welcoming environment where they settle easily. Staff make sure children's work is attractively displayed, therefore effectively promoting their self-esteem. Children are confident in accessing resources independently, for example, they arrange an impromptu session playing with musical instruments. Resources are well-organised and clearly labelled. Staff give very careful consideration to the safety of children. There is good supervision at all times and arrivals and departures are effectively managed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Steps are taken to ensure children start to learn about managing their own safety. For example, when they bring in bicycles and other wheeled toys to use in the playground, they also have to make sure they wear a safety helmet. Although staff undertake the regular evacuation of the premises, full details of these are not recorded or evaluated, therefore any potential problems may not be identified and addressed. Children are safeguarded because staff show a suitable understanding of their responsibilities with regard to the protection of children and who to contact should they have any concerns.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children enjoy taking part in a wide range of interesting and fun activities. For example, children who attend the out of school club have the opportunity to enjoy a themed 'Mediaeval Day'. There are a good mixture of adult led and child initiated activities available, such as making marble pictures, icing biscuits, playing with the pool table and play dough. Children are confident in the setting and access all areas freely. They independently select activities and many concentrate well, for example, when tipping and pouring in the water tray. Staff are effective in encouraging children to initiate their own play. One example of this is when children in the breakfast club decide to make a model football pitch.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum. They carefully observe children's progress and use the information to plan for the next step in their learning. They are effective in taking account of the needs of all children. They continually review practice and make changes to improve the outcome for children. One example of this is by rearranging the room so that all activities can be easily accessed by the children attending. Children join together confidently in friendship groups, for example, when playing with the house and play people. They are independent in the playroom. They find their own aprons, help to tidy away and try to put on their own shoes when going out to play. Children concentrate well and talk extensively with sustained interest during role play. They enjoy appropriate mark making opportunities and many talk confidently and clearly.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There is an attractive book area within the pre school, however, children show little interest in books and are not always encouraged by staff to do so. Some children are starting to write recognisable letters, but there are limited opportunities to recognise their own names.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count confidently up to 13, for example, when counting the number of children present, and older children can recognise and name some numerals up to nine. Children start to explore balancing when playing in a fruit and vegetable shop. They confidently fit shapes together as they build a train track. Staff are effective in encouraging children to learn about and use mathematical language in play. For example, as children find out about which sea creatures are too big to fit into a water container. The older and more able children are challenged in their learning by staff who made good use of incidental opportunities. One example of this is when a child shows an interest in the time of the day, staff extend this by completing a clock puzzle with the child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have access to a good range of information and communication technology equipment, which they are confident in using. Children are aware of their routine, the days of the week, and show a good understanding of weather conditions. For example, that it is a sunny day because there are shadows on the ground. Children move confidently around the space, many hold tools and equipment correctly, such as scissors, crayons and pencils. They show good imagination across a wide range of play experiences. For example, as they play with vehicles and play people and in the water tray with sea creatures.

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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 satisfactory. Children are happy in the setting because of excellent relationships with staff. They gain a sense of belonging in the setting as they see their own photographs displayed on their coat pegs. They start to learn about the needs of others by taking part in activities, such as fundraising for charity. Staff are very effective in helping to promote children's self-esteem. For example, they take photographs of children and make them feel special when they take part in a dressing up activity. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered and children with learning disabilities are well supported in the setting. There is no system in place to record, investigate, and report on complaints made by parents that relate to the National Standards.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well in the positive and calm environment. Good behaviour is encouraged because staff are effective role models and praise children for their achievements, for example, when making a paper model to take home. The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Parents are provided with some information about the Foundation Stage curriculum, displayed within the playroom and in an information book. The setting have an open door policy and parents are welcomed into the pre school, however, there are no formal systems in place to make sure parents are aware of the progress being made by their children. By sending out questionnaires, and having a suggestion and comments box, the pre school effectively seek the views of parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit because they are cared for by a well-qualified staff group who have made a commitment to ongoing training. Staff work very well as a team and are fully aware of their roles. Children's welfare is promoted because they are cared for by a consistent staff group who work across both provisions, the pre school and the out-of-school club. Space is well organised to meet children's needs. They enjoy good freedom of movement and all have access to a large outdoor play space. Most of the issues raised at the last inspection have been effectively addressed.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. All staff are involved in regular planning meetings and have undertaken either qualifications, or training in the Foundation Stage curriculum. They are able to effectively evaluate the nursery education provision and with the support of the local authority are willing to change ways of working to improve the outcome for children. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection a number of recommendations were raised relating to improving staff knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum, the ways of planning and assessing children's progress and the organisation of resources and the environment to support children's learning. The setting were asked to ensure that all accident and incidents records were signed by parents

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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 and to clarify the medication procedures. Recommendations were raised regarding the availability and content of documentation, and the measures in place to share children's assessment records with parents.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection a number of improvements have been made. Records are now readily available for inspection and well-organised. The child protection policy now includes the action to be taken in the event of an allegation being made against a staff member. Parents are now made aware of the role of Ofsted within the complaints procedure. There is an open door policy for parents, and information is verbally exchanged, however there is still no system in place to routinely inform parents of their child's progress. All accidents and incidents are now individually recorded, and include parents signatures. Although no medication has been given since the last inspection and there is now a system in place to record the administering of medication, not all staff are fully aware of how this works in practice. Through appraisals and ongoing meetings, staff training needs are now effectively identified and all staff are involved in planning

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff now have a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum, they observe and assess children's progress and offer children appropriate challenges in play. The environment has been organised to allow children to select from a good range of resources and they now have increasing opportunities to explore and develop their own ideas.

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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. 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 all staff are fully aware of how to use the medication record • evaluate the evacuation of the premises to ensure any problems are identified

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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 • devise a system to record, investigate and report on complaints made by parents that relate to the National Standards.

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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): • ensure parents are routinely informed of their child's progress • provide more opportunities for children to develop an interest in books and to recognise their own names.

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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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