Rufford Primary School

Finches Pre-School Finchampstead Inspection report for early years provision

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148685 Unique Reference Number 13 June 2007 Inspection date Amanda May Inspector

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Finchampstead Memorial Hall, The Village, Finchampstead, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 4JU

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Setting Address

07949 365335(sessions) Telephone number suenapper@hotmail.co.uk E-mail The Finches Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional 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?

Finches Pre-School opened in 1995. The pre-school operates from Finchampstead Memorial Hall, in the village of Finchampstead. A maximum of 28 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open five days a week from 09:15 until 12:00 during school term time. The children have access to a secure outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 43 children from two years to five years on roll. This includes 20 funded three year-olds and 16 funded four year-olds. Children come from the local area and attend for a variety of sessions. The pre-school has systems in place to support children with learning difficulties or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs eight members of staff who work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level two or three. Other staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting has two qualified early years teachers and also receives support from the local authority.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn about good health through a ready access to drinks and nutritious foods. Children can independently help themselves to jugs of fresh drinking water and cups which are easily accessible both indoors and out. Children enjoy a snack mid-morning of chopped fruit, a sweet biscuit and either milk or water to drink. Children who are four years old are encouraged to pour their own drinks from jugs, and receive lots of support and praise from members of staff when they accomplish this new skill. Children learn about healthy foods as they play together in the imaginary village shop. Children choose food boxes to buy and staff talk to children about how they can make their shopping basket more healthy. As an activity, children make fruit smoothies and fruit kebabs from pineapple, bananas, grapes and strawberries. Children develop social skills as they eat snacks together at the table, and talk about the activities they

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Helping children to be healthy

have enjoyed as well as excitedly talking about whose house they are visiting for lunch.

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Helping children to be healthy

Accidents are managed very well within the setting. If a child has a minor bump or accident, staff are quick to give reassurance and cuddles before recording full details in the accident book. This is then shared with parents as soon as they collect their child to ensure they are kept fully informed about their child's day. Incidents at the pre-school are also recorded well by staff, however although these are shared with parents, they are not currently requested to sign to acknowledge the entry. Staff at the pre-school also give children medication which parent's sign to give their permission for. However, parents do not currently sign to acknowledge that medication has been given at the end of the session, to ensure children's health and well-being is protected at all times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a welcoming, secure and safe indoor and outdoor environment, which is kept safe through good procedures. Children have access to a play-park which is situated next to the pre-school. When children leave the pre-school to walk across to the park, children are counted as they leave the building. Staff members deploy themselves effectively to ensure children are always supervised and kept together as they make the short walk across to the park. Staff ensure the accident box is taken with them containing a first aid kit and telephone. However parent's contact telephone numbers are not currently taken, meaning if children can not gain access into the pre-school for any reason, parents can not be immediately informed. During outdoor play at the park, staff also use bungee hooks to secure the play-park's gates. This ensures children are kept inside and secure at all times as they play. Staff supervise children

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

well both indoors and out, where they talk to children about safety as they gently reminded them to travel down the slide on their bottoms, and not to run around inside.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn about how to keep themselves safe at pre-school through practicing fire drills at least once a month. Children know what to do if there is a fire, and staff have strong procedures in place to ensure the building is thoroughly checked to ensure everyone has left. Children's names are called as well as each members of staff to provide children with a clear understanding of the importance of speaking clearly and making sure everyone is there. As the supervisor of the pre-school times and evaluates each practice, children benefit highly from a system which ensures the constant improvement in children's safety. Children are also protected through a good understanding of issues surrounding safeguarding children by the staff and

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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 the supervisor. All members of staff are aware of passing on concerns to the supervisor or deputy in her absence. Relevant documentation is in place for staff to easily access for support and advice. The supervisor ensures links are maintained with the child-protection co-ordinator for the local authority, in order for her to ensure any concerns can immediately be discussed in confidence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children experience a very well varied range of interesting and stimulating activities which contribute highly to their development both inside and outside. Children are confident in their play, and have a wide choice of activities which they can choose to access which are challenging for their age and stage of development. Children settle at the start of the session quickly. They are greeted at the door by a member of staff, and they actively look out for their friends and choose what they would like to play with. Relationships within the setting are very close between staff and children alike. Children are obviously respected highly, and staff make time to listen to what children have to say about their weekends. Children develop a high self-esteem as they bring in items from home to show and tell. Children stand confidently in front of their friends and talk about the toy skeleton they have brought in, which links to the topic work about their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

bodies. Children benefit from activities such as wood work where children hammer nails into their piece of wood, and make something of their choice. Children are supported well, and show their models with pride to members of staff who enthusiastically praise children and encourage them to talk about what they have made.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. The pre-school benefits from having two qualified early years teachers who are both valued members of the team. All members of staff show a clear knowledge of the curriculum for the Foundation Stage, and play an equal part in planning and providing children with relevant and stimulating activities which encourage them to learn about different things, whilst having fun. Staff plan activities at regular meetings. As all members of staff are required to attend these, consistency of teaching is naturally incorporated into the children's routines. Children are regularly observed in their play to ensure staff are always aware of their abilities and struggles. These observations are then added to children's key-worker files and used for providing their key-workers with evidence of how they can further support each child in their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy their time at pre-school, and actively show interest and enthusiasm in all they do. Children persist in their activities and concentrate hard as they listen to a story and move the clock hands on their individual clock around to the time reflected in the book. Children show compassion for their friends as they help those who are struggling by explaining that an eight is the one with two small circles. Staff support children well and have a clear understanding of what children's individual learning needs are, as they incorporate more activities to include number recognition and pencil control. Children confidently write their own names on their work, and have the opportunity to mark-make before being supported by staff in discussing what letters make up their name whilst showing them how to form the letters. Children have access to many books through a lending library as well as books which are relevant to their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

current topic. Children can also independently access books to look at in the quiet area alone or with their friends. Although children do choose to look at books, the area would benefit from being updated and made more welcoming to encourage children to make better use of the large carpeted space.

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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 Children have many opportunities to learn about the world around them as staff bring in a banana plant for show and tell. Children gaze in wonder at the small seed which it has grown from, and list lots of different fruit plants which grow. To allow children to continue their interest, the plant and seeds are left for children to look at more closely through a magnify glass. Children also have the opportunity to learn about their bodies as they enjoy topic work where they talk about their skeleton and what the word means. Children explain to their friends that everyone needs a skeleton to stop them getting all floppy. As some children feel worried by skeletons being like monsters, staff skilfully explain to children that everyone has a skeleton, and explains that they are not scary but a name for all the bones in their bodies. Children are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

encouraged to feel the bones in their bodies and then this is pointed out on the small toy. Children are all interested and engrossed as they discover that what they can feel under their skin, is their own skeleton.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn about how to keep themselves fit through staff planning daily, physical play. Children practice their independence as they dress themselves ready for PE and then dance along enthusiastically to action songs and music. Staff actively join in the fun, as children stretch their bodies before and after they begin. Many opportunities are also available for children to experience different forms of creative play as they help themselves to collage materials as well as scissors and glue. Children make shapes out of Playdoh and enjoy working with a variety of media such as clay and wood. Children visibly enjoy their play and the different activities available to them, and as a result of good teaching, children are progressing well in all areas.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are relaxed and at home in the comfortable environment. They confidently make choices and take decisions as they initiate and extend their own play and learning. Children learn about the local community as they enjoy role-play which changes daily from a post office to a village shop, where children queue up with a basket of shopping to pay. Children also benefit from visits from people who work within the local community such as police officers as well as mothers who visit to bath a new-born baby in front of the children. This allows children to learn about how they grow as well to help look after someone younger than themselves. Children become aware of the wider society as they enjoy topics such as around the world and celebrate festivals from different cultures and ethnicities. Children practice eating noodles with chopsticks for Chinese New Year and make hats to wear as they dress up in traditional dress,

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Helping children make a positive contribution

ensuring their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with learning difficulties and disabilities receive support from staff through sharing information with parents, and supporting children with play-plans. These encourage children to extend their skills and abilities through challenging yet achievable activities. Children who have specific health needs are also supported in their care and learning effectively. Children are helped to understand why their friends may not be able to join in with certain activities through reading them relevant story books which help them understand their differences. Children at the setting show compassion for their friends, and as a result behaviour is impeccable. Children share their toys and resources without question and join in to help each other tidy away or build a big bouncy castle from Duplo. Staff praise children effectively, and as so many activities are always on offer to children, children are stimulated and engrossed in their play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Excellent support strategies are in place, as well as strong procedures to encourage good behaviour. Both of which work well in practice.

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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 Nursery Education

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The quality of partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents are kept well informed of up-coming topics and events through attractive notice boards and regular newsletters. Parents are encouraged to share their skills and interests with the children by coming in and helping them with activities or talks. Parents are invited to 'stay and play' sessions where they spend a session with their child seeing all the things they do, whilst discussing their progress and looking through their child's key-worker file which includes photographs and work. Parents learn about the Foundation Stage through a detailed prospectus. This explains the different areas of learning and early learning goals. These go home to parents along with copies of the policies and procedures to ensure they are kept fully informed of the service the pre-school provides to the parents and the children in their care.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from being able to borrow books from the pre-school which they choose with their parents to take home to look at together. Parents therefore feel involved in their child's learning and development and are encouraged to write short observations about any developmental or learning progress their child is making. These are then included in the child's key-worker files to ensure that staff and parents work together to ensure their child is consistently challenged in their learning. Parents are a valued part of the pre-school's vision, in which parents are actively encouraged to share children's abilities when they first join, in order for their learning starting points to be both addressed and progressed through relevant planning of learning activities.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting is organised well. Children benefit from high staff ratios, and lots of space and well-planned activities to encourage their learning and development. Staff deploy themselves well, and as a result children are consistently supported in their play. A secure recruitment procedure is in place which ensures staff are suitable and have a high level of experience and training for the job. A buddy system is generally used for new members of staff in order to ensure they understand the setting's policies and general protocols. As a regular appraisal system is also in place, staff's suitability and their training requirements are regularly monitored and discussed accordingly.

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Organisation

The provider has good policies and procedures in place which work very well in practice. These are shared with both staff and parents to ensure that everyone is aware of how the pre-school plans to support and treat each child. Relevant documentation is in place and the setting clearly displays their registration certificate as well as insurance certificates. Documentation is effectively organised and stored which ensures security and maintains confidentiality at all times. As a result, the setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The quality of the leadership and management is good. A secure key-worker system is in place, and staff understand their responsibilities effectively. Children receive high quality care and support in their learning and play as a result of regular observations being made of children's abilities and struggles by all staff members to ensure children's needs are individually met. The supervisor and deputy work with the children daily, and have a good awareness of staff ability and their understanding of ways in which they can support children in their learning and play. The supervisor has a clear vision of how children should be provided with ample of opportunities

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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 to explore and learn, and this is shared with all other members of staff. Through good supervision, the management has a good knowledge of the areas of the curriculum which could be further developed. They also show a clear understanding and wish to consistently improve the resources for the children in their care. Daily plans are always evaluated in order to ensure that activities interest children, providing children and parents with a service which is continuously improved.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection the provider was recommended to provide opportunities for children to experience everyday technology in daily routines and activities, ensure Ofsted are notified of any concerns regarding children's welfare and to develop children's awareness of personal safety with particular regard to moving around in the pre-school at changes of activity and at the end of the session.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The pre-school has implemented strategies to ensure children have many opportunities to experience everyday technology as they play educational games on computers as well as race remote controlled bees to the finish line in games and planned learning. Staff are also aware of the procedures they should take if they have any concerns about a child's welfare, and would contact Ofsted accordingly. Finally, staff ensure children are kept safe through good supervision as children move around the different activities on offer. Children are reminded to walk and staff explain to be careful so not to hurt themselves. As a result, children's safety is protected.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that require 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): • ensure any incident records and medication records are signed by parents after being recorded • develop methods to ensure children's emergency contact details are available during play in the local park.

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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

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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): • develop the book and quiet area to ensure children find it a welcoming space to look at books and spend time quietly playing together.

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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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