St Mark's RC Primary School

Lunsford Park Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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127354 Unique Reference Number 22 June 2007 Inspection date Jane Wakelen Inspector

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The George Holding Centre, Chaucer Way, Larkfield, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 6SS

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E-mail

Lunsford Park Pre School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection 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?

Lunsford Park Pre-School is a sessional group that opened in 1986. It operates from a purpose built building attached to an 'occasional' GP's surgery, consisting of one large room with toilets and a kitchen. The pre-school is a registered charity and run by a management committee made up of parents. A maximum of 24 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday during school term time from 09:15 to 11:45 and from 12:15 to 14:45. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 45 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 35 children receive funding for early education. The pre-school currently supports children with learning difficulties.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs five staff, including the supervisor. All staff hold appropriate early years 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 are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle whilst at the pre-school. They have a good selection of healthy snacks to choose from including apples, grapes and raisins. Children are able to make choices, gaining an understanding about what foods are good for them and why because staff talk to the children during snack time, using this as a social and learning situation. Children independently pour their drinks, either milk, water or fruit juice at snack time, and have constant access during the session to a jug of water, which they access when they require a drink. They independently clear the table, putting their bowls and cups on the side table to be put in the kitchen. Staff are fully aware of children's allergies and dietary intolerances to promote children's welfare and keep a record in the kitchen which is constantly updated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have daily opportunities to develop and extend their physical skills as they have free choice for indoor and outdoor play. Staff are working towards making the outside area an extension of the inside and have plans in place for improvements, such as new fencing and a digging area for the children. Children learn to pedal the tricycles and steer the sit and ride cars along the chalked paved area. They enjoy using their imagination in the sand tray, play house and painting at the easels. Children's balancing skills are developed using the large textured stepping stones and learning to ride the bicycle with stabilizers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children move freely around the pre-school accessing both indoor activities and outdoor resources. They are confident within the setting and familiar with their environment, making choices from the activities they select in circle time or choosing new ones from the well labelled storage trays and cupboards. Children are able to be independent taking themselves to the toilet, pouring themselves a drink or choosing where they would like to play either indoors or outdoors. The learning environment is bright, welcoming and children's work is displayed around the room, celebrating children's achievements and making children feel valued.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is promoted in the setting, because staff have a good understanding about health and safety issues. Measures have been put in place, such as the bolt and chain on the door, the finger guards and wedges on the cloakroom doors and the padlock on the external gate to ensure children are safe. Staff remind children about being careful when speeding on the sit and ride cars or carrying the brooms in the home corner, to help them gain an understanding about protecting others as well as themselves. There are good procedures for the safe arrival and departure of the children, with all staff understanding their role and responsibility, this together with the lost and uncollected child policy promotes children's welfare. A risk assessment is carried out on a termly basis and a short, basic risk assessment carried out daily in the form of a date and signature. This prevents an effective monitoring

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

system being fully implemented, including a risk assessment for outings.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected and safeguarded from harm because staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding children and know how to implement the policy and procedures in place. Documents such as 'What to do if you are worried a child is being abused' are accessible and relevant contact details, ensure staff are able to follow procedures when necessary.

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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 enjoy attending the pre-school and have good opportunities to use a wide selection of resources and activities to develop and extend their learning. Staff have a good understanding about child development and understand how children learn effectively by having fun in a stimulating environment. They use glue and paper for papier mache to make pots and then paint them, they put on aprons and pretend to be waitresses in the role play corner taking orders or digging in the sand tray making sand castles and cakes. Staff support children in their play, extending their language and encouraging them to problem solve.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are familiar with the routines of the session and develop their independence, pouring their drinks and helping fetch their peers cups and bowls. They clear their own utensils away and immediately fetch a book to look at whilst waiting for their friends. Children build good relationships with the adults and their peers which supports their learning and helps them gain a sense of belonging. Staff are familiar with the Birth to three matters framework and use this in their planning and assessment to record children's achievements before they reach the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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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 in their learning because staff have a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and make regular observations recording these under the six areas of learning. The planning is complex and includes the aspects of learning with a good variety of activities being offered. However, because the planning is not listed under the six areas there is not a system in place to ensure all areas receive equal emphasis. This impacts on the observations which prevents all areas being fully observed each term. The staff have a good knowledge of their individual keyworker children, and obtain a short summary of children's achievements on entry from the parents recorded under the six areas of learning to ensure children make good progress. The development records are shared on a regular basis with parents, including them in the assessment

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children build good relationships with the staff and each other, with the keyworker system offering a support system to ensure children settle well into pre-school life. Children become independent in their personal care, taking themselves to the toilet and washing their hands. They fetch their coat to play outside and change their shoes when they arrive. Children develop good concentration at self-initiated activities and large adult-led activities and gain confidence in answering questions in front of their peers. They learn to make decisions about what to play with, using the activity cards and compare bears and gain an understanding about sharing the toys and taking turns, such as playing in the sand. Children gain good control using the various tools in the dough, such as cutters, rolling pins and dough knives, helping them develop good fine physical skills. They thread beads and cards with laces and are developing good control

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children become skilful communicators and enjoy large group activities, singing songs and sharing their experiences from home. They are encouraged to listen to letter sounds and link these to letters and words that are familiar to them, such as their names. They gain a good understanding that print carries meaning as they use their notebook and pencils to record orders made in the café. Children use a variety of mediums to make marks, such as chalks and paints and support their learning of letters using computer programmes. Adults ensure 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 book corner is welcoming with a range of books and children enjoy listening to stories read by adults. Children enjoy playing with their peers in the role play area, counting the money, using the till and taking orders in the café. Children use a variety of materials to create end products and have free access from the low level storage trays, promoting children's choice and independence. They sing simple songs from memory and enjoy doing the actions to the songs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children feel welcome and settle well into the pre-school because staff value all children showing them respect and treating each child as an individual. Children use a range of resources and are able to see people from around the world on posters, in books and playing with small world toys, helping them gain an understanding about diversity. They are encouraged to learn about each others differences and similarities through topic work and discussion. They celebrate their own and others cultures and celebrations, dressing up, tasting different foods and looking at items from around the world, such as China. Children are encouraged to take the 'pre-school' bear on their holidays with them, and encouraged to share their memories and experiences at circle time, talking about their holidays and showing their pictures, helping them feel a sense of belonging. Staff then show children where they have been using the large map on the display

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Helping children make a positive contribution

board, gaining an understanding about the wide world they live in.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are encouraged to feel secure and to trust staff as there are good procedures in place to support children with learning difficulties. Staff have a good understanding about their expectations for each child and ensure the activities offered allow all children to be included at a level suitable to their ability. The close relationship between the parents, staff and outside agencies ensures children's individual needs are addressed and recognised.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's understanding of right and wrong is promoted through direction and support from the staff. They learn to share the toys and take turns, during adult-led and self-initiated play gaining an understanding of acceptable behaviour. Staff consistently offer praise and encouragement to the children and remind them of the rules within the setting. Children help staff tidy away the toys, with encouragement and gentle reminders about why it is important to help. Each child is treated individually to meet their needs with some children having specific behaviour management programmes in place with support from the parents. Children receive stickers for good behaviour and a certificate to say thank you when they return the 'travel bear' back to pre-school. The setting fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Children benefit from the strong partnership between parents and the staff. Parents are well informed about future events and activities their children are participating in. The keyworker system ensures parents are kept informed about their child's progress and are encouraged to be involved in the assessment procedure, taking the record home and signing to confirm they have seen the file. Parents have access to the policies of the group and are encouraged to help during the sessions, join the committee and support fund raising events. Children's welfare is fully promoted as parents give written consent for some aspects of care, such as outings and encouraged to offer suggestions to the pre-school on ways to improve the care and education being offered.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from a structured management structure, and motivated and interested staff who work well as a team. The committee, supports the supervisor to ensure that the pre-school offers good standard of care for children. All staff have a good understanding of their roles and are involved in decision making and planning to promote outcomes for children. Staff constantly evaluate their provision with the supervisor to develop ways to improve activities and the environment for the children.

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Organisation

There is a comprehensive operational plan with policies that are fully implemented into the setting. The supervisor supports the staff, with the help from the committee to promote training to update staff's knowledge, thus promoting children's learning and skills. The keyworker system and the good partnership with parents ensures children's individual needs are met. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. The required documentation is in place with a set of comprehensive policies in place. Some of these policies need updating to ensure parents receive current, up-to-date information.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are good. There are clear, identified aims that the group are working towards after advice from support agencies, such as the Early Years advisory service. The supervisor has a good understanding about promoting children's learning and together with the staff, make the learning environment welcoming and fun. Children benefit because the staff have a sound understanding of the curriculum and until recently evaluated the educational system through the quality mark scheme. Regular staff meetings and discussion ensure the staff regularly monitor and evaluate the provision and work closely with outside agencies to support their service, promoting outcomes for children. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The setting agree five recommendations from the previous report.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The register is now up-to-date and contains correct information with an additional book to record the times of arrival and departure of children with a signature from the parent, ensuring an accurate record of children's attendance. There are nappy changing procedures in place, with a changing mat, disposable gloves and nappy sacks, ensuring children's personal care needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The fire officer has inspected the premises and is happy for the group to use the large gate across the open double doors to keep children safe. The playhouse has been re-positioned and is now stable to protect children's safety. Finally, parents are asked to sign the medication records in acknowledgement that medication has been administered.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There were four key issues from the education report.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff are now familiar with the curriculum and all staff have completed several training courses to extend and update their skills. They are all involved in the planning and use the file for the Foundation Stage Curriculum and the Birth to three matters framework on a regular basis to support their understanding. Assessment records developed.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children have many opportunities during the routines and activities to promote their independence. They take themselves to the toilet, change their shoes and pour their drinks.

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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 They also help at snack time giving children their cups and bowls and handing round the snacks. Risers (children going to school in September) self register themselves, change for P.E., eat their packed lunch, learning to open packets and yoghurts in preparation for school.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children are now able to link and co-ordinate the use of resources especially in free play by using the role play area as a home and visiting their 'office' at the table. They use notepads and pencils in the role play area and routines of the day promote children's literacy and numeracy skills. Registration/circle time also used to promote numeracy and literacy.

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Improvements since the last inspection

A new book corner has been developed with comfy seating and welcoming area to sit and read books. Children also encouraged to make books with support of adult and these are displayed for parents in the entrance area. Children understanding print carries meaning, looking at road signs, recognising numbers in their environment and reading labels on the storage boxes. Routines of the day support children's development in numeracy and literacy.

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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 of 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): • ensure risk assessments are carried out for outings and the short term risk assessment provides sufficient detail to enable risks to be effectively monitored

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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 the planning is effective, evaluated and equal emphasis is placed on all six areas of learning • monitor the observations to ensure children's progress is observed for all six areas of learning, and reflect this in the recording of their next steps in their development, to inform the planning

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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 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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