Fishbourne Pre-School

Fishbourne Pre-School Ltd

Inspection report for early years provision

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Fishbourne Pre-School Ltd

EY340127 Unique Reference Number 13 March 2007 Inspection date Gill Moore Inspector

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Fishbourne Pre-School Ltd

Fishbourne Pre-School, 48 Blackboy Lane, Fishbourne, CHICHESTER, West Sussex, PO18 8BE

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Setting Address

01243 779298 Telephone number fishbournepreschool@hotmail.com E-mail Fishbourne Pre-School Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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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

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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?

Fishbourne Pre-School Limited registered in 2006 under it's current ownership but has been in operation since 1986. It is run by a management committee and is situated in purpose built premises in Fishbourne close to the city of Chichester in West Sussex. A maximum of 26 children may attend at any one time. The group is open Monday to Friday term time only from 09:00 - 15:30. Children can attend full time or part time for sessions 09:00 - 12:00 and 12:30 - 15:30. All children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 43 children on roll. Of these, 28 receive funding for nursery education. The setting supports children with disabilities. Seven members of staff are employed to work with the children, all of which hold relevant childcare 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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn the importance of personal hygiene and are developing very good self care skills through daily routines and discussions. They wash their hands independently before snack time and after using the toilet and discuss why this is important. They talk about the need to look after their bodies, for example when playing outside they recognise they need to wear a coat. Children make books to remind themselves about the need to wear sun hats and apply cream in hot and sunny weather. They have ample opportunities to engage in physical activity and benefit from use of the outside and inside learning environment across the session. They ride bicycles with confidence and walk along balancing beams developing good co-ordination. Children's spatial awareness is promoted as they jump across stepping stones and negotiate bicycles in and out of cones. Opportunities to use more challenging apparatus are provided

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Helping children to be healthy

through use of the adjacent play area as children use tyre swings, see saws and climbing frames. Children talk about why their bodies become hot and help themselves to drinking water recognising when they are thirsty.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children begin to develop their understanding of healthy eating as they share a range of healthy foods at snack time, such as bananas, apples and kiwi fruit. They talk about the different fruits and compare what they look like and how they taste recognising that some fruits can be eaten with the skin on. Planned activities, such as sports day, and discussions around how to care for your teeth help promote the importance of exercise, daily hygiene routines and a balanced diet as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is well maintained because all practitioners have relevant first aid training and implement effective procedures when dealing with accidents and administering medication. Practitioners ensure a clean environment and children help to promote this, for example wiping tables using anti-bacterial spray before snack time, which helps them to remain healthy.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's safety is ensured because practitioners are vigilant and ensure risks and hazards are minimised. They carry out informal daily risk assessments on all areas to ensure the indoor and outdoor environment is safe for children to use, and formal assessments are made on a regular basis by practitioners and the committee. Children learn how to keep themselves safe through discussions with practitioners, for example when cooking and talking about fireworks and they practise regular fire drills ensuring their safety in an emergency situation. Visits from people in the community and activities linked to topics help promote children's understanding of how to take care crossing roads and the importance of not talking to strangers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected and safeguarded from harm because all practitioners have a very good understanding of their role with regards to child protection issues and have all completed training in this area. Secure systems are in place to record and share concerns with parents and relevant agencies; while practitioners know how to implement pre-school and local child

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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 protection procedures. Effective systems are in place to ensure children are safe as they arrive to and leave the group and information is obtained relating to who can collect children on a regular basis and in an emergency situation. Detailed records are kept relating to the times practitioners and children are at pre-school and identification of and the recording of visitors to and from the group contributes to ensuring children are safe and protected from harm.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit enormously from being able to wander freely and safely between the inside and outside areas. The premises are clean and well maintained and the environment is bright and attractive with children's work and photographs displayed throughout. Children use an excellent range of furniture, equipment and play provision, which is kept clean and safe and included as part of risk assessments helping to promote children's safety.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are extremely happy during their time at pre-school and establish secure and positive relationships with practitioners and their peers. They develop self-confidence and high levels of independence and are very much involved in their learning initiating activities and experiences for themselves. Younger children thrive from mixing with the older ones and become skilful communicators talking through their experiences and sharing ideas and suggestions. They learn to use the computer, build models from construction equipment and enjoy exploring their surroundings becoming competent learners.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Practitioners have a clear understanding of how to differentiate activities for the younger children and use the Birth to three matters framework to help monitor and assess children's development and progress. Opportunities for children to work in smaller groups provide the younger ones with the appropriate level of support and ensure stories and group discussions are pitched at the right level. Children show excitement and real interest in their activities and laugh and giggle with one another as they play. They talk confidently to practitioners and ask questions feeling comfortable in their surroundings.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good individual progress because teaching is rooted in a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and practitioners have a very clear understanding of how children learn most effectively. Children benefit enormously from the routine because it provides a very good balance of adult and child initiated activities, enabling them to learn to co-operate and work together in large and small groups as well as having many opportunities to initiate their own learning. Consequently, children's levels of self-confidence and independence are very high. They concentrate well in group activities and enjoy sharing stories and discussions with their peers at snack time. Children play confidently without the support of an adult negotiating roles and recognise the need to share and take turns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's early reading and writing skills are very good and they practise emergent writing in a variety of situations. For example, children use chalks outside on the ground and draw around stencils in the writing area indoors. They confidently handle scissors cutting out their pictures,

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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 write their name on them and then peg them on the line. Practitioners provide opportunities to develop their understanding of sounds and letters in many ways throughout the session. Children confidently find their names on their pegs and self register with their name card. They talk about the sounds in their names when they recognise these at snack time laughing together and asking practitioners to trick them by holding their cards upside down.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Practitioners are highly effective in the way they use everyday situations to support and extend children's learning. During group times younger children use pictures to talk about the weather. This activity is extended for the older and more able children as they are encouraged to sound out letters to spell words, such as 'sun' and practise forming these words on the whiteboard. Children benefit from the wonderfully stimulating and vibrant learning environment where they independently access the full range of equipment, resources and media. They move between the indoor and outdoor learning environment with confidence and ease and enjoy developing their investigative skills and curiosity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use mathematical language in their play discussing which bucket of sand feels the heaviest. They notice shapes and patterns and talk about how many of them are wearing stripes. Practitioners are extremely effective in the way in which they question children using open ended questions encouraging them to think about things, make predictions and contribute their own ideas. They know children well and adapt activities so that all are fully involved. Some children playing the apple tree game use a dice with spots on to count how many spaces they have to move, whilst others use one that shows numerals. Children have wonderful opportunities to use their senses and explore a wide range of media such as rice, clay, paint, crazy foam and natural materials. They talk about how the sand feels as they run it through their fingers and predict what will happen to the sand when water is added. Planned activities, such as cookery,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

planting cress seeds and raising tadpoles and butterflies extend children's understanding of how things change and they show great interest in finding out how things work. Children use the hose to fill the water tray, fill watering cans to feed the plants and enjoy searching for objects that will attract magnets.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Practitioners are very skilled in the way they adapt their teaching and allow children to direct their learning. They build on children's interests and use these ideas to support development in all areas. For example, children's interest in the story of Goldilocks provides opportunities for much learning in all areas. Children count the bowls and spoons and compare sizes, cook and eat porridge and talk about how the chairs and beds feel. They design and make their own costumes and props, re-tell the story in their own words acting this out and create a book using photographs, sentences they have written themselves and some they have typed on the computer. This type of activity and flexibility in planning really motivates children and ensures they play a dynamic role in their learning. Teaching methods are consistently inspiring and varied motivating children to become confident, independent and autonomous learners. All

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

practitioners are involved in the planning of activities and experiences and these are based around topics. Continual assessment of children's individual progress towards the early learning goals enables practitioners to identify next steps in children's learning, which help to inform planning, although the systems to record evidence are not fully developed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children laugh and giggle with practitioners during singing sessions and enjoy using story sacks to re-tell their favourite stories. They make their own music, for example representing the

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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 sound of fireworks and enjoy engaging in music and movement sessions. Children confidently offer suggestions and ideas to group discussions, respond enthusiastically to new challenges and are fully engrossed in all aspects of the session. As a result, they make good individual progress and are able to achieve their potential as young learners.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children show a strong sense of self assurance and belonging to the group. They help pack away activities, wash tables after painting has been cleared away and place their personal belongings in their individual trays. Children show a caring attitude towards one another and are sensitive to their feelings, for example when younger children are tired and do not want to join in at snack time. Their behaviour is very good. Children know what is expected of them and are reminded not to run around in the indoor environment. Discussion around the pre-school rules helps children to recognise that it is kind to share when playing with their peers and they build secure positive relationships.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's understanding of diversity and cultures and beliefs is developed through discussions, stories, use of resources and planned activities. They learn about festivals, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year, and enjoy opportunities to taste different foods, dress up in costume and listen to stories about other countries. Children become aware of their local community and surrounding areas as they go on nature trails, summer outings and participate in the local school fete. They take part in sponsored events such as Red Nose Day and Children in Need helping to raise money for children who are less fortunate than themselves. Stories such as 'Handas Surprise' provides opportunities for children to talk about other countries and make comparisons between Africa and where they live. For example, children discuss the different types of food grown and talk about the climate and the clothes people wear. Pre-school topics, such as

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Ourselves, Holidays and Transport and visits from people in the local community enable children to learn about the wider world and begin to recognise the similarities and differences between themselves and others. Consequently, children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit because they are highly valued as individuals by practitioners who know them very well. They have a very good understanding of their individual needs and family circumstances and talk to children about things that are happening at home. Secure systems are in place to support children with special needs and practitioners promote a fully inclusive environment where all children are treated equally and respected as individuals. Additional training and close liaison with parents and relevant professionals ensure that children are provided with very good support and able to make good individual progress. All children benefit because the setting promotes an extremely effective partnership with parents and positive relationships are formed. Flexible settling in and induction procedures ensure parents and children are happy and allows practitioners to find out about children's individual needs, likes

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and abilities. Parents receive detailed information about the group in many different ways, for example regular newsletters, and are invited to play an active role in the group sharing expertise and skills with children during sessions. Parents have access to the full range of policies and

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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 feel happy to raise concerns with practitioners, although they have not been advised about the new policy with regards to making a formal complaint.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnerships with parents of children receiving nursery education are good. Parents receive information about topics and activities and are well informed about what their child has been involved in on a daily basis. Children's learning is promoted because parents are kept informed about their individual progress and development on a regular basis. They receive their child's assessment records every term and are invited to make comments about their child's learning and share observations about their progress. Practitioners identify one or two next steps for children's individual development and offer suggestions as to how parents can promote this at home. This encourages parents to play a full and active role in their child's learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit because practitioners work extremely well as a team and clear roles and responsibilities are defined. Communication between the committee and practitioners is highly effective, for example through regular meetings and informal daily discussions, and ensures the pre-school runs smoothly and operational issues are addressed. Consequently, the group is extremely well organised and practitioners promote successful outcomes for children. Deployment of staff is effective and the implementation of a successful key worker system helps to ensure children's individual needs are fully met and they are able to achieve their individual potential.

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Organisation

Robust and rigorous recruitment and vetting procedures ensure children are safe and well protected and cared for by suitably qualified and experienced staff who share the same vision. The induction programme provides good support and enables practitioners to be clear about what is expected of them, although this is informal at present. Effective systems are in place to continually monitor staff performance and development both informally, as the supervisor influences daily practice, and also formally through the implementation of staff appraisals. Training is actively encouraged and supported by the committee to enhance practitioner's skills and knowledge and very strong links are developed with the local primary school and other early years professionals in the area. Practitioners have a secure understanding of the policies and procedures within the group and implement these effectively on a daily basis to promote

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Organisation

children's health, safety and well-being. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Procedures are in place to regularly review policies and adopt new regulations, for example the implementation of a complaints log, although this particular written procedure has not been updated to reflect current practice of the group.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are good. Children's learning is enhanced because practitioners work together to plan an exciting and varied programme of activities. High priority is given to ensuring all children make progress in every area. Secure systems are in place to assess children's individual achievements and plan the next steps in the learning, although procedures to monitor how this information is recorded are not fully developed. Practitioners use their knowledge of individual children and information gained from assessments to ensure children develop at their own rate. Their teaching is inspirational and practitioners benefit from being led by a

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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 dynamic supervisor. Consequently, all children thrive in an exciting and happy learning environment where every child matters.

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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 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): • develop the procedures for induction and ensure the written complaints procedure reflects actual practice

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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 the system to record children's individual progress and monitor assessment records

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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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