North Wootton Pre-School

North Wootton Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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254197 Unique Reference Number 28 March 2007 Inspection date Melanie Calway Inspector

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St. Augustines Way, South Wootton, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 3TE Setting Address

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E-mail

North Wootton Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Sessional 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?

North Wootton Pre-school has been open for approximately 30 years and operates from a purpose built building in North Wootton, a suburb of Kings Lynn, Norfolk. A maximum of 26 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The setting is open each week day between 08.30 and 16.00 during school term times. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 59 children from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 32 receive funding for early education. Children come from the local area and the town of King's Lynn. The setting currently supports a small number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs seven members of staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Local Authority. The pre-school is working towards accreditation with the Norfolk Quality Assurance scheme.

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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's health is promoted well because there are good hygiene procedures in place. Children are encouraged to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet and so are learning about good hygiene through the daily routine. They are able to wash their hands independently as there are low level sinks in the messy area and in the toilets. Paper towel dispensers at child height ensure that children use individual towels to minimise the risk of cross infection. Staff wear plastic aprons and disposable gloves when changing nappies to maintain good hygiene.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's medical needs are met as all the relevant details are recorded on their registration forms. All staff have a current First Aid certificate and a first aid kit is situated in a cupboard on the wall of the play room so that minor accidents and injuries can be treated appropriately. An accurate record of all accidents is maintained. There is a system for recording the administration of medicines, which is completed correctly. Consent has been obtained from parents to seek emergency treatment or advice so that help can be sought in the event of an emergency. Children are protected from the risk of infection as there are clear sickness procedures, which are shared with parents. There is a notice in the conservatory reminding parents that children with infections should be excluded and a list of exclusion periods is also displayed for reference.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children who are tired are able to rest or sleep, if they need to, on a mattress in the quiet room.

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Helping children to be healthy

They have regular opportunities for exercise and fresh air as they have free access to a large outside area during fine weather and can choose whether to play outside or not. Children develop excellent physical skills as they move with confidence and control on scooters and tricycles. Children play football and are able to kick and head balls with accuracy. The large grassed area provides children with space to run, climb and play parachute games. Inside children develop fine motor skills an they use scissors, pencils and paint brushes. Play dough tools and cookery also enable them to develop these skills.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are offered a healthy snack of fruit or crackers and cheese. They enjoy spreading their crackers themselves and pouring their own drinks. Some children bring packed lunches and some enjoy a simple hot lunch offered by the setting such as baked potatoes and baked beans. A notice in the conservatory informs parents of the choices available. Packed lunches are stored in the fridge and staff check the temperature regularly. Children are encouraged by staff to eat healthy items such as sandwiches first. However, parents are not given guidance on providing healthy options in lunch boxes so that children can begin to learn about a healthy diet. Fresh drinking water is available at all times on a low counter in the play room. Children are able to help themselves to this freely and come in to have a drink after physical activity outside to keep themselves hydrated. There is some discussion about the effect of physical exercise on

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Helping children to be healthy

their bodies. Children's dietary needs are met as all the relevant information is obtained and children's needs catered for.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in premises which are safe and suitable. There are good security systems in place to prevent unauthorised persons accessing children. The premises are locked while

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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 children are present and there is good supervision of children during arrival and departure times. A system for recording visitors is in place. Children have plenty of room to move and play freely and there is a large secure outside area where children can play safely. The environment is made welcoming to children and their families as examples of children's work are displayed as well as posters and colourful displays in all three areas. Children are able to choose from a good range of activities and equipment which is stored in labelled boxes and on shelves which children can access themselves. Toys are checked regularly for safety and hygiene.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept safe as staff are well deployed throughout the premises. An ongoing risk assessment is carried out and daily safety checks are carried out before children arrive. The outside area is also checked before children use it. Children are given explanations about safety so they begin to learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they are asked to be careful when playing outside or they might hurt themselves. Children are kept safe on outings as there are good procedures in place and a risk assessment is carried out in advance. Children are only released into the care of persons authorised by the parents and a collections book ensures that staff are aware of who is collecting children. Procedures for children being lost or uncollected are in place so that staff are aware of what to do in this eventuality. Children are protected from the risk of fire as the evacuation plan is displayed and practised regularly so that children

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

will know what to do in the event of a fire.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded as all staff have received training in child protection and demonstrate a good knowledge of procedures. The child protection policy is thorough and up to date and information is stored in a plastic folder in the conservatory where it is easily accessible for staff to refer to.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enter confidently and settle quickly to a good range of activities. Parents and carers wait in the spacious conservatory and help children to select their names to register and to hang their coats and bags up on low level hooks. Staff provide children with a friendly welcome. Children come in and choose from a good range of appropriate activities. Toys are stored in labelled plastic boxes so that children can choose for themselves what they want to play with. For most of the session children have free access to the outside area where they enjoy physical activities, painting, sand and water play. As soon as the grass is dry they have a large grassed area where they can run and play games. Inside they enjoy sand, construction, sticking and craft activities and once a week children are offered a cookery session which enables them to make their own food and take it home. Staff are well deployed to support children in their play

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and talk to children quietly and kindly. They engage them in conversation and listen to their contributions to make them feel at home. Children are forming positive relationships with the staff and forming lots of friendships with each other. Children are absorbed in activities such as mixing powder and liquid paints with water. They often laugh and show pleasure in what they are doing. Activities such as washing the cars outside are organised to provide enjoyment for younger children as well as challenge for the older ones. Children's independence is promoted well most of the time. They are able to wash and dry their hands, choose activities, pour their own drinks at snack time and spread their crackers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The group is starting to use the 'Birth to three matters' framework pack and has incorporated it into the record keeping system. Some staff have completed training on it and others are about to start. Children under three are given appropriate care. They are able to use their

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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 comforters when they need them and are able to join in with activities at their own pace and not made to participate in more structured activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Activities are well planned to cover all six areas of learning. The manager and deputy meet to form long term and medium term plans and staff are able to input ideas. Plans for focussed activities include the learning intention so staff know what they are aiming for with an activity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children communicate confidently with adults and each other. They are using language for communication and to express ideas. Adults talk and listen to children sensitively, asking them about their experiences. Children sit attentively at story and circle time, when they discuss the weather and the day of the week. There are lots of opportunities for linking sounds and letters as they listen to rhyming stories and tell staff that T is for 'telly' and 'Tom'. They are able to recognise their names as they select their name labels to self register when they arrive and there are examples of print displayed around the room. Children can mark make as materials such as pencils, envelopes and paper are available. Staff encourage them to write letters in the shaving foam with their finger and are asked if they want to write their name in their special book. However some opportunities to encourage them to write for a purpose, as they play, are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given opportunities to count and calculate through maths activities such as counting two groups of toy Easter chickens. Children count confidently, some with adult support. They also enjoy number rhymes and join in enthusiastically. They are learning about quantity and number though cookery activities. Children recognise numbers as labels and are able to match the numbered cars into labelled parking bays. Children write numbers on their paintings saying that's a one, two and three. Children recognise shapes and say 'I've drawn a square'. Opportunities to calculate are presented through specific activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are interested in the activities on offer and motivated to learn. They display their enjoyment by laughing with adults and with each other as they play. They are forming firm friendships and play well together. They show each other affection and express affection to the adults who look after them. They are given responsibilities such as helping to set up snack bar or the lunch tables and this develops their confidence and self-esteem. They are able to express themselves freely using paint or play dough and can use their imaginations in the home corner. Adults support children as they cut and stick to create pictures of Humpty Dumpty. Craft materials are easily accessible on low shelving but children are not always encouraged to initiate their own craft projects. Children have opportunities to explore and investigate as they play with sand, water and experiment with mixing powder and liquid paints or shaving foam.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They learn about the world around them through planned topics and celebrate festivals from other cultures. They are able to use the computer confidently.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Adults support children as they play asking open ended questions such as 'what do you think will happen now?'. Key workers make regular observations of children's achievements which are transferred to their records. Key workers also plan children's next steps so that they are aware of how to help individual children progress. These are then taken into account when planning and a next steps planner reminds key workers of what they are working on at any time.

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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's individual needs are met as the setting gathers good information from parents about their care. Key workers talk to parents when they start to find out about children's individual needs and preferences. Children's likes and dislikes are displayed in the play room so all staff are aware of them. They are beginning to learn about the wider world as resources reflect other cultures and lifestyles. Posters include displays of other languages and the group celebrates festivals from other cultures. Parents are encouraged to share their experiences with the group, for example, bringing in Divali sweets so that children feel included and learn about each other's way of life.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are given appropriate support. Children's development is actively monitored through the use of Individual Education plans and support sought for those who need additional help. Children with English as an additional language are helped to integrate as staff learn key words and how to pronounce then so that they can communicate with children and help them to feel included. Children behave well in the setting because staff have a consistent approach to behaviour management. Children know what is expected of them. Some of the rules are displayed in the room such as 'we walk in pre-school' and 'we share'. Explanations are given to help children understand why some behaviour is unacceptable and children are encouraged to say sorry. Children express this by hugging each other. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They behave well, are forming positive relationships and are beginning

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Helping children make a positive contribution

to respect each other and learn about other cultures.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are cared for effectively because there is a good relationship with parents. Information for parents is displayed in the conservatory. Parents are advised they can ask to see the groups policies and procedures. Regular newsletters keep parents informed and key workers liaise with parents about the care of their children. A notebook goes home every day for parents to inform the setting of anything they need to know about the children's care. Parents express appreciation of the care their children receive. The complaints log has been set up and complaints are investigated in line with recent regulations. The complaints procedure advises parents that they can contact the regulator if they need to. Ofsted's address and number is displayed in the conservatory. However, the contact details are out of date and up to date details are not included in the policy or the brochure.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Information on the Foundation Stage is displayed in the conservatory and is included in the brochure. Children's assessments are contained in attractive scrap books of children's work which are available for parents to see at any time. Parents have the opportunity to discuss their children's progress at annual parents evenings and can talk to their key worker at any time. A teddy goes home each day with a different child for parents and their children to record what they have done with teddy providing a link between the home and the pre-school. Some parents contribute to their children's records but there is no system in place to ensure that all parents continue to be encouraged to play an active part in the assessment process.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for by suitable, qualified and experienced staff. The staff team is consistent so children feel secure. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications and continue to undergo training to further develop their skills and knowledge. There are good recruitment

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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 procedures in place and an induction and appraisal system to ensure that staff remain suitable to work with children.

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Organisation

The premises and routine are well organised to give all children a good range of stimulating activities and to ensure their safety and well-being. The key worker system works well and enables staff to get to know children and meet their needs effectively. An accurate record of hours of attendance is kept and departure and arrival times managed to ensure children's safety.

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Organisation

All of the required documentation is in place and is maintained in an orderly and accessible manner. A lockable filing cabinet is used to store confidential information and children's records are maintained to ensure confidentiality. Overall the needs of the children are met.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the funded children is good. The setting has an on-going self evaluation to monitor the quality of it's service. Evaluation is built into the planning process. There is a strong commitment to improve through taking up training and the setting has nearly completed the Norfolk Quality Assurance scheme. Staff work well as a team and are supported by annual appraisals.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the group was asked to continue to develop their knowledge of current child care practice by attending regular training. The group demonstrates a firm commitment to training. Three members of staff are undertaking NVQ level three courses and all staff are encouraged to attend work shops in order to develop their skills in working with children. For nursery education they were asked to develop planning to show consistent and effective evaluations of focussed activities that can be used in future planning. Evaluation is now built into the planning system and used to inform future planning.

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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):

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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 • encourage parents to provide healthy options in lunch boxes so that children learn about a healthy diet • update the contact details for Ofsted and include these in the brochure, complaints policy and notice board so that parents are able to contact the regulator if they want to.

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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): • devise a system to encourage parents to contribute to their children's records and provide more opportunities for children to write for a purpose and to initiate their own craft projects.

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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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