Little Dragons Pre School

Easton Preschool

Inspection report for early years provision

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Easton Preschool

Unique Reference Number EY273825 Inspection date 17 May 2005 Inspector Bridget Copson

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Easton Preschool

Setting Address Nursery Unit c/o St Georges Infant School, Clarence Road, Portland, Dorset, DT5 2BD Telephone number 0797 6917033

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E-mail

Registered person Easton Preschool Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional 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 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Easton Pre-school opened at the current address in 2003. It is situated within the St Georges Infant School site, Portland, Dorset. It serves the local area and offers a variety of sessions. The accommodation includes use of a main play room with toilet facilities and a kitchen. There is an additional room for quiet play. The pre-school is open week days from 09:00 to 11:45 during term time only. There are currently 26 children on the register of which there are 25 funded 3 & 4 year-olds.

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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 The pre-school supports children who speak English as an additional language and children who have special educational needs. The pre-school employs five staff to work with the children all of whom either hold or are working towards NVQ level two or three. The setting receives support from the Dorset Sure Start Unit.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children learn about healthy eating through practical activities such as healthy food tasting and eating fresh fruit at snack time. They have access to drinking water throughout the session. They learn about keeping fit and caring for their bodies through daily music and movement sessions, walks and using physical outdoor play equipment such as balls, hoops and bats. They walk to local fixed play areas to experience a wider choice of large scale equipment. Children learn about managing good personal hygiene through regular hand washing and not touching food and drink belonging to others at snack time. However, some children wash their hands in a communal bowl of water before snack time and are not, therefore learning about good hand washing routines. Staff use a shared towel for hand drying and are not, therefore, promoting good hand washing practice themselves. Staff help to prevent the spread of infection through carrying out effective cleaning

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Helping children to be healthy

routines and supervising hand washing. The staff keep all documentation and records up to date regarding children's health, medical and dietary requirements to ensure they are cared for according to their individual needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children play freely within a well organised setting with space to move about and enjoy the activities safely. The room is divided into different areas of play which allows children some appropriate independence under staff supervision. Children enjoy a good choice of age appropriate play provision and experiences, some of which they can access freely. However, not all children are learning how to use the equipment safely or appropriately, for example, a child flicks sand with a spade into another child's face. Children are cared for within a safe and secure environment. Staff check all areas before children arrive to ensure all safety measures are in place. They conduct written risk assessments and keep a record of fire drills each term to ensure any issues are not left unaddressed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Children are protected by staff who supervise them well throughout the session. The staff monitor all visitors and keep a written record of their reason for attending. They have an understanding of child protection procedures and the co-ordinator acts in the best interests of the child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children arrive happy and settle well into their chosen activities with interest. They are well supported by key workers who interact gently to help the less confident children settle in. All the children benefit from enjoying the same themed activities linked to the Foundation Stage whether in receipt of funding or not. Their progress and well being is monitored by key workers. They compete and colour in 'I can…' charts with the children. These show the social and practical goals children have achieved. Nursery education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have an understanding of the Foundation Stage and are clear what they intend children to learn from the activities they organise. They all contribute to planning, themes and linked activities. However, plans are not sufficiently detailed to include all aspects of the areas of learning such as maths and knowledge and understanding of the world. There are no

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

opportunities in practice to promote children's learning in these areas. Staff organise interesting activities and offer children lots of support, encouragement and praise. They ask questions to promote discussion and encourage children to contribute their knowledge, thoughts and ideas which promotes their language and communication skills. They encourage children to solve simple problems through practical activities and play provision. The staff monitor most children's progress effectively. They complete regular observations which they record on each child's progression sheets. This allows them to see each child's current stage of development. Children with special educational needs and those requiring additional help are well supported by the SENCO and staff who monitored their progress effectively. Key workers include additional support notes on planning sheets and liaise with external agencies to ensure appropriate

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

education plans are in place. However, staff have low expectations of more able children. They do not consider how teaching can be extended or challenges increased to promote learning. Staff do not involve parents in their child's development, for example, finding out what their child can do on admission and then keeping them informed of their progress. This means appropriate challenges are not always being given to children from the start. Children arrive happy and motivated, settling quickly into activities of interest. They show a sense of belonging and are confident communicating their news, ideas and knowledge with enthusiasm. They listen well to favourite stories, join in singing with enthusiasm and are forming sound relationships with peers and attachments to staff. Some children behave well and are learning to understand what is right or wrong.

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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 write spontaneously in their play for many different reasons and are learning to use one handed tools effectively. Some children choose and operate simple ICT equipment such as an electronic till, a calculator. Children are developing an understanding of maths. They count spontaneously in their play, can name different shapes and solve simple practical problems. They are not however, learning about calculation. Children use their imaginations well in role play and constructional activities. They express themselves freely with art and craft. They create using different media and materials. Children explore their own local environment as well as the wider world, learning about the food, music and festivals of other cultures.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Most children's individual needs are met. Staff seek information from parents on admission regarding the care required. They have a system in place to monitor their learning and development. This system is not effective in meeting the learning needs of more able children. All children are included in all activities through careful planning and organisation. Staff support children with special education and additional needs well. They liaise with parents and related professionals to offer consistent learning programmes. Children are learning about who they are and where they live. They explore their local environment on walks, visit the shops, meet members of the community and share information about their home lives. Some children behave well and are learning to understand what is right or wrong and the consequences of their behaviour. However, some children do not behave

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Helping children make a positive contribution

appropriately and are not advised by staff on why their behaviour is not acceptable when corrected. As a result children are not learning how to keep themselves safe or how to play positively within the group. Staff develop working partnerships with most parents. The partnership with parents of those children in receipt of funded nursery education is satisfactory. They provide parents with a comprehensive prospectus on admission which details all areas of the provision. Parents are kept up to date through a notice board in the entrance hall which displays certificates, staff photos, details of current themes and the policy pack. The complaints procedure, however, does not provide parents with details of how to contact Ofsted.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The children benefit from well-organised premises and well-planned activities which enable them to play and explore freely. All required documentation relating to their care, health and safety is in place to ensure they are cared for appropriately. The leadership and management of the preschool is satisfactory. The pre-school has

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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 a detailed written induction programme which ensures all new staff are informed and prepared for their role. This is followed up by an appraisal report to highlight any training or development needs. No written record is kept throughout the year to monitor this. Through links with the Early Years Sure Start Unit, staff are able to access relevant training opportunities and obtain advice on the Foundation Stage to help improve their practice. The staff meet each fortnight to discuss planning and any issues regarding individual children. These meetings are not recorded and there are no other systems in place for the staff to monitor the quality of the provision for care or nursery education. Most of the children will move to the infant school on site. They benefit from close

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Organisation

links with the school which involves visits to the reception class; meeting the head teacher in the pre-school; using the school outdoor facilities, and attending some school events. Overall the provision meets the needs of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last care inspection recommended the pre-school ensure all staff are familiar with the policies and procedures, and that contact details of the regulator are included in the complaints procedure. It recommended staff conduct and record regular risk assessments and maintain confidentiality when recording accidents. The staff have all read the policy and procedure pack and have attended training in different areas of care to enhance their understanding and practice. The staff conduct regular written risk assessments and record any areas to be addressed. This helps to promote a safe and secure environment for the children. Partnership with parents has been enhanced through new systems of recording accidents to maintain confidentiality. However, not all parents have access to the contact details for Ofsted on the complaints procedure. The last education inspection recommended the pre-school develop planning,

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Improvements since the last inspection

recording and assessments to support each child's progress in learning. It recommended staff become more familiar with the early learning goals and improve their teaching methods. It recommended staff improve the timing of activities to develop children's participation and concentration. All staff have either completed or are working towards NVQ level two or three. They have regular meetings with the Early Years Advisor. Through this input they are improving their knowledge of the foundation stage and methods of teaching such as questioning children effectively. They have developed planning and assessments although these systems are still not effective in promoting all areas of learning for all children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection in October 2004 Ofsted have received one concern. In May 2005 a concern was raised under National Standard 11 about how staff deal

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Complaints 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 with children's behaviour and under National Standard 12 about how staff handle complaints. We are conducting an investigation as part of the unannounced integrated inspection.

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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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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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 good hygiene practices are maintained regarding hand washing • improve behaviour management strategies to ensure they are consistent and promote children's welfare and development.

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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 planning to include all aspects of children's learning, especially calculation and the use of ICT resources • improve the assessments of children's progress to ensure children are provided with appropriate challenges and to encourage parents share information • develop effective systems of monitoring the quality of care and nursery education.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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