Cheapside Pre-School & Rainbow Kids ClubOfsted inspection, 5 Feb 2007

Cheapside Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Cheapside Pre-School

EY341509 Unique Reference Number 05 February 2007 Inspection date Catherine Hill Inspector

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Cheapside Pre-School

Cheapside Pre School, Cheapside Road, ASCOT, Berkshire, SL5 7QH Setting Address

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Cheapside Pre-School

01344 627111 Telephone number sapreschool@tiscali.co.uk E-mail South Ascot Pre-School Ltd. Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Cheapside Pre-School

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?

Cheapside Pre-School opened in 2006 and operates from Cheapside Village Hall, Ascot, Berkshire. The setting is registered to provide full day care for 24 children and accepts children from two years to five years. The setting is open Monday to Thursday from 08.45 to 15.00 and from 08.45 to 11.30 on Friday, term time only. There are currently 29 children on roll, of these, 20 are in receipt of nursery education funding. The setting is able to support children with learning difficulties/disabilities and children for whom English is an additional language. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are eight members of staff who work with the children. Most hold a relevant qualification and professional development is ongoing.

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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 have excellent opportunities to maintain and develop healthy bodies whilst at the pre-school. They thoroughly enjoy daily play in the fresh air and staff ensure they are suitably dressed to keep warm in cold weather. Children smile and giggle with delight as they successfully descend the gentle slope in the garden on, and in, wheeled toys. They confidently climb up the steps to the slide and enjoy the freedom to run around and play with their friends. They develop an understanding of a healthy lifestyle through planned topic work and through access to daily healthy snacks. For example, they eat portions of raisins, orange, cucumber, tomato, apple and carrot. Staff set out cups and a jug of water so children can independently pour themselves a drink if they become thirsty during play.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children play within a clean, hygienic environment which helps protect them from illness and infection. They follow good basic hygiene procedures as they wash their hands after messy play, before eating and after going to the toilet. Staff act as positive role models as they wash their hands before helping children with their lunch boxes and use anti-bacterial spray to clean tables before children sit to eat. Children receive appropriate care if they have accidents and all necessary consents are in place for the administration of medication and the seeking of any emergency medical advice or treatment. Accident and medication records are in place with entries acknowledged by parents. To support their practice in keeping children healthy the pre-school have written policies on diet and health which are shared with parents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children and parents are greeted warmly on arrival and children settle quickly in the familiar surroundings of the pre-school. Staff organise space effectively to provide children with independent access to a range of resources and activities. Children's artwork is displayed and all children have named coat pegs and drawers which gives them a sense of ownership of their environment. Children keep safe within the pre-school owing to the care given by staff who are vetted and who demonstrate a good understanding of safety policies and procedures. Children are secure as the main entrance door is alarmed and staff have good procedures in place for the safe collection of children. Staff supervise children well when using the toilets where there is a low level glass mirror and during outside play as the slide has yet to be securely anchored. Children learn how to keep themselves safe as staff remind them not to put their

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

fingers between tables and to be careful when playing in the sand so they do not flick sand into other children's faces. Staff are alert to potential hazards and quickly sweep up spilt sand so others cannot slip on it. Children demonstrate a good understanding of safety procedures as they sensibly line up to hold onto individual quoits on the 'walking rope' to go outside. Documentation is maintained to support the pre-school's safety procedures including a written risk assessment and details of fire equipment and electrical checks although no evidence is held of checks on the boiler and gas appliances. Children's welfare is safeguarded by staff who work in accordance with the setting's child protection policy.

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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. Children are happy and relaxed and enjoy their time in the pre-school where they acquire new knowledge and skills in a stimulating, supportive atmosphere. Staff use the Birth to three matters framework and the Foundation Stage curriculum guidance, as appropriate, to plan a range of activities for children to develop in all skill areas. Children actively engage in purposeful play both indoors and outside where, for example, they use a range of equipment to develop their physical skills and sit and use their imagination well as they pretend to be having a meal together. Staff provide good levels of support and children feel secure and grow in confidence with the continual interest and warmth shown in them by staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children's personal, social and emotional development is a strength of the pre-school. They are motivated learners who show an interest in others and ask questions to further their knowledge. They concentrate well and focus on achieving self-set targets. For example, they decide to draw a picture and do not stop until they have covered all the paper with colour. Staff sensitively support children and give them time to complete goals. Children have good self-esteem as a result of the praise and encouragement they receive during sessions. They understand right from wrong and behave very well at the pre-school where they amicably share resources, such as buckets and spades in the sand tray. They show patience as they sensibly wait in line to collect their bowls at snack time and develop a sense of responsibility as they help tidy toys away. Their independence

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

skills strengthen as they put on their coats and shoes for outside play. They have excellent opportunities to experience a range of different literature in the cosy book area. They independently choose to sit and look at books, catalogues and newspapers. They understand that print carries meaning and recognise their own name cards. They listen attentively to stories, such as 'Dear Zoo' and expand their vocabulary as staff introduce them to new words although staff do not always use opportunities during everyday activities to develop children's awareness of letter/sound links. Children talk confidently about events in their lives and notice rhyme within spoken words. They have opportunities to mark make but a lack of writing resources in the role play area limits their opportunities to practise writing for a variety of purposes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn about patterns and shapes during planned topic work and recognise shapes within their environment. They develop an understanding of positional language as they play a matching game with shopping cards. They are confident with numbers and count comfortably to 14 at register time although staff do not always build on children's knowledge by reinforcing children's recognition of written numbers. Children independently use numbers during play where they count the number of children in the book area. Staff encourage children to develop their problem solving skills during design activities where they work out how to join materials to make musical instruments. Children are proud of their creative efforts and pretend to play their instruments in the role play music shop. They develop an understanding of technology in the role play area where they play with the electronic till and tape player. Visitors to the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

pre-school and work on topics, such as Diwali and the Chinese New Year, help develop children's awareness of diversity and the wider world. Children's physical skills are well developed and they competently use a range of tools when making models from recycled materials and when

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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 modelling with dough. Outside they show good balance as they ride scooters and demonstrate a good awareness of space as they successfully negotiate pathways around each other whilst riding a range of wheeled toys. They have fun whilst involved in creative activities and spontaneously dance to music in the role play area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a good working knowledge of the Foundation Stage. They make regular observations of children's learning and maintain records of future learning areas to target for individual children. The pre-school has only been opened for just over a term and assessment records are still a work in progress. Staff are aware of children's abilities but assessment records are yet to be implemented which clearly show children's progress through the stepping stones. Staff set challenging but achievable targets for children to develop their skills during play. They ask relevant questions to make children think and use explanation and demonstration, as appropriate, to further children's learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have excellent relationships with staff and one another. Staff treat all children with equal concern and ensure all are appropriately supported to learn. Sessions run smoothly with children playing harmoniously together. For example, they negotiate calmly with each other over the different roles they will take in the music shop role play area and work together to get wheeled toys up the garden slope. They develop an understanding of the value of things as they 'pay' for their snack with plastic tokens and take responsibility for their environment as they all help tidy away before snack time. Children have equal opportunity of access to all resources and staff appropriately challenge any stereotypical remarks. Children behave very well during sessions, are polite, and understand when to be quiet, for example during registration, and when they can chat. Staff have high expectations with regard to behaviour

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and are firm but fair with all children. They appropriately foster children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The pre-school currently has no children attending identified as having learning difficulties/disabilities but has an appropriate policy and understanding of how to support children through liaison with parents and outside agencies, as appropriate.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The pre-school's partnership with parents is good. Parents have access to a wide range of information regarding the pre-school's practice and procedures. They are able to view their child's records at any time and have opportunities to contribute information about their child by completing achievement sheets to share with staff. Parents are welcomed into the group to share their skills and to learn about the observation methods staff use to chart children's progress in relation to the Foundation Stage and Birth to three matters framework. Parents are very happy with the pre-school and find the staff both professional and approachable.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are happy within the pre-school where the adult to child ratio ensures they receive good levels of support for their care, learning and play. Staff are enthusiastic and work effectively as a team to provide a positive, stimulating learning environment where children can learn at

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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 their own pace. Sessions are well organised with all staff aware of their roles and responsibilities and all children familiar with daily routines.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education is good. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals and practice is regularly evaluated at staff meetings. New records are being implemented to ensure children's progress through the stepping stones can be clearly charted and the management have identified areas for further development within the pre-school.

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Organisation

Policies and procedures work in practice to promote children's health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a positive contribution. Documentation is in place to support practice although some detail is missing within registration records and the behaviour management policy has no statement regarding how the pre-school would deal with any incidents of bullying. The pre-school is in its infancy and management are aware of the importance of assessing the continuing suitability of staff and plan to implement a system to do this to ensure good standards are maintained and improved upon. Overall, the pre-school meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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 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): • improve existing safety procedures by ensuring low level glass is made safe or inaccessible to children, outdoor play equipment is securely anchored, as appropriate to its use, and records are held of all service checks

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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 • improve existing documentation by: including a statement regarding bullying within the behaviour management policy, ensuring registration records clearly show times of attendance and by detailing the system for assessing the continuing suitability of staff

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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): • provide increased opportunities for children to develop their knowledge of letter/sound links, their writing and written number recognition skills during everyday activities • continue to develop children's assessment records to clearly show children's progress through the stepping stones in all areas of learning.

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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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