Daisy Chain Pre-School (Rectory Farm)

Daisy Chain Pre-School (Rectory Farm) Inspection report for early years provision

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220170 Unique Reference Number 15 May 2007 Inspection date Elizabeth Culley Inspector

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Olden Road, Rectory Farm, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN3 5DD Setting Address

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E-mail

Daisy Chain Pre-School Playgroup Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

Daisy Chain Pre-School Rectory Farm is part of a committee run group providing full day care on the eastern outskirts of Northampton. The pre-school is situated in the shared community centre. The group have use of the large hall, with an adjoining storage cupboard and kitchen, plus a garden area. There is also an adjacent park area. The pre-school has close contacts with the adjacent lower school.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school is open from 09:00 until 15:00, and offers two sessions during the day or a full day. There are currently 40 children on roll. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who are learning English as a second language are fully included.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Six members of staff work regularly with the children, and staff from another setting under the same management are able to offer cover when needed. Four of the staff have Level 3 qualifications in early years care and others are working towards relevant qualifications. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development, the Childcare Partnership and the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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. Good health is promoted for all children. They are well cared for in a clean and tidy environment because effective cleaning routines are in place, for example, volunteers come in each day to wash up and clean the kitchen. Children are learning about personal hygiene in their daily routines. The more able children independently wash their hands after messy activities and all children are reminded to wash their hands before snack and after using the toilet. Children's growth and development is nurtured as they play. They have good opportunities to develop their large body muscles as they play outdoors on the bikes and large equipment. Children's co-ordination and fine muscle control is encouraged as they use a variety of small tools and equipment to construct models and practise their writing skills. Children enjoy the fresh air and are protected from the harmful effects of the sun as they wear hats and use protective creams.

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Helping children to be healthy

They receive appropriate care and comfort in emergency situations because staff are trained in first aid procedures.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are learning about healthy eating. Their varied snack menu includes a variety of savoury foods, fresh fruit and vegetables. Children have opportunities to taste and try new foods although alternatives are always provided. They have fresh water and milk to drink and their independence is encouraged as they learn to pour from a jug. Children's specific dietary requirements are discussed with parents and recorded on children's information, therefore, their individual needs are met. Those children who stay for lunch bring their own food and cool packs are provided to prevent their food becoming contaminated and the risk of infection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's safety is promoted well. They are cared for in a safe and secure environment, for example, all external doors and gates are locked when children are present. Space and resources are well organised to create a child friendly and welcoming environment. Children's self-esteem is promoted as they recognise their own art work and see familiar words in different languages on display. They are able to move around freely selecting activities from the interesting variety of developmentally appropriate resources and they make good progress in their development. Children are learning about personal safety in their daily routines as they help staff to brush up the sand they have spilt on the floor. They regularly practise evacuation procedures and know that when the whistle blows three times they must leave the building. Children are well supervised and effective risk assessments are carried out daily to protect them from potential

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

hazards. They are protected from harm or neglect because staff have a secure knowledge of the signs and symptoms of child abuse, and know the correct procedure to follow if they are concerned about a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at the pre-school and are settled. They are forming good relationships with staff and their peers and engage in a wide range of activities which supports all areas of their development. Children are developing their independence as they move between activities and make decisions about what to play with. They are developing their language and communication skills as staff talk to them, listen to them and answer their questions. Children

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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 enjoy imaginative play and develop their own ideas through role play and small world activities where they act out real life situations. They develop their own ideas whilst rolling, cutting and moulding play dough. Children enjoy stories and listen with interest and eagerly join in the discussion afterwards.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall the quality of teaching and children’s learning is good. Children make good progress towards the early learning goals because staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation stage. This enables them to plan a broad range of practical activities that relate to children’s interests. Plans show the learning intentions for children across the six areas of learning. Observation and assessment records are used effectively to plan the next steps for individual children’s learning; however, staff do not consistently build on what the older or more able child can do, limiting the children’s progress in some areas of their learning. Staff use a variety of teaching methods to meet children’s needs and to help them progress, for example, staff use open ended questions to enable children to follow their own interests. They talk about the insects in the garden, look at them under a microscope and remind them that they are fragile

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and must be handled carefully. They manage children’s behaviour effectively by setting consistent boundaries. This enables children to reflect on their behaviour and consider the impact it has on others, for example, they learn to play in harmony as they share resources. Children with specific development needs are fully supported by staff to enable them to participate and gain the most from their experiences. The effective organisation of space and resources both indoors and in the garden ensures children have a wide range of experiences and they progress.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are interested and motivated to learn. They are developing confidence and eagerly enter the pre-school, find their own names and choose activities. Children speak with confidence and during their play they describe what they are doing and follow instructions. They enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. Children participate in group activities and are learning to identify their names by the sound of the first letters. Although opportunities for children to write for various purposes are limited, some children write their name competently on pictures and paintings. Children are making good progress in their mathematical development. Older children count confidently from one to ten whilst younger ones count to five. They learn about shape, size and colour as they complete puzzles and play games, for example, in the garden children learn to park their cars in a specific numbered space. Children show interest in the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

wider world. They have good opportunities to talk about hot and cold countries and enjoy tasting tropical fruits and making lei. Children act out real life situations using small world resources where they show care and concern for others by feeding babies and giving them medicine. Children design and make models with a range of materials and confidently use the computer pointing out the letters of their own name and others. They learn about balance and control and the concepts of over, under and through as they play on large indoor play equipment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are fully included at the setting. Effective systems are in place to support children with specific development needs or whose first language is not English and they make developmental progress. Children are happy and developing confidence. They independently form their own social groups and play together in harmony. Children learn about the diversity of society through playing with resources which promote anti-discriminatory practice. They are learning to mange their own behaviour because staff act as good role models and frequently praise the children and they behave well. Children benefit greatly from the effective partnership between parents and staff. Information about children's individual needs is obtained during

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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 the settling in period. Parents receive good quality information about the setting and the daily routines, however, no system is place for recording complaints. Children's parents are encouraged to become involved and this helps their children to feel secure. As a result children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural welfare is promoted.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents receive useful information about the Foundation Stage, and activities their children are involved in. They support their children's learning and development at home, for example, they take books home to support their language development. Children's development records are shared with parents regularly during parent evenings.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The needs of the range of children who attend are met. Children's welfare is promoted because the manager remains suitable to be registered. They are supported by a high ratio of staff to children and each child is allocated a key worker. Children's needs are met effectively because the well- organised staff, space and resources allows them to develop their ideas in a safe environment. All documentation and records, including policies and procedures are implemented effectively by qualified staff and support good care for children.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the pre-school is good. The welfare, care and learning of all children is successful because the staff are committed to developing their practice through training. Appropriate recruitment procedures are in place and new staff are well supported through an induction period. Staff work effectively as a team and meet regularly to evaluate their practice and how successful the quality of teaching is in promoting children's learning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the manager was asked to review her policies and procedures for managing children's behaviour and develop a risk assessment procedure.

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Improvements since the last inspection

A written procedure has been developed and successfully implemented to protect children from potential danger whilst attending pre-school and during outings. A well-written policy is in place for managing children's behaviour. This is demonstrated through good supervision and positive role modelling by staff and children behave well, therefore, their welfare has been further promoted.

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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 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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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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • develop a system for recording complaints, making it available for inspection and to parents on request

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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): • support children's development by continuing to develop opportunities for the more able children.

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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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