Quarndon Pre-School

Quarndon Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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206841 Unique Reference Number 18 May 2007 Inspection date Sheena Gibson Inspector

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St Pauls Church Hall, Church Road, Quarndon, Derby, Derbyshire, DE22 5JB

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Setting Address

01332 840725 Telephone number nicolal36@yahoo.co.uk E-mail Quarndon 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?

Quarndon Pre-school opened in 1972 and operates from within St Paul's church hall. This is situated in Quarndon which borders Derby City and Amber Valley. Two play rooms are available for children and they use the school playground, which is a secure area, for outside play. A maximum of 20 children may attend at any one time. The pre-school is open each week day from 09:00 until 12:00 during term time only; currently the pre-school is trialling a lunch club between 12:00 and 13:00 daily.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 37 children, aged from two to five years, on roll. Of these 12 children receive funding for nursery education. The setting employs six staff, three of these, including the manager, hold appropriate childcare 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's understanding and awareness of good hygiene is well promoted. Positive hygiene is encouraged through daily routines such as hand washing before meals and after going to the toilet; older children can clearly communicate why it is important to wash their hands. Staff employ appropriate procedures with regard to nappy changing and ensuring that the environment generally is maintained in a clean and hygienic condition. Children use liquid soap and paper towels for hand washing to minimise the risk of cross-infection. Children receive good care when they have an accident as most staff have an up-to-date first aid qualification. Appropriate records are maintained for accidents including details of how the accident occurred and the parents' signature.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have many opportunities to engage in physical activity, which effectively supports their health. Creative use of the indoor area means that they develop physical skills, such as balance and co-ordination. For example, they use bikes, scooters and push toys. They also use the parachute, climbing frame, balls, hoops and take part in sports day. For children who receive nursery education physical activity is planned to ensure that it is sufficient to meet their needs and fully develop a wide range of skills. Children negotiate pathways with their scooters and trikes. They balance well when playing musical statues and when moving backwards or sideways. They work together with the large parachute, moving under and around it; some older children capably throw a ball in a desired direction.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children use tools competently. They use scissors for cutting and snipping; rollers and cutters for the play-dough. They complete models form construction materials with dexterity and capably pull and tear of tape from the dispenser. Children's health is well supported through the promotion of healthy eating. The setting provides healthy snacks, such as grapes and bananas, encouraging children to eat it through involving them in the preparation. Children effectively learn about healthy eating from discussion with staff and also from valuable visits from the health visitor who talks to them about the benefits of making healthy choices.

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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 environment, which helps them to feel secure and comfortable. Staff greet the children as they arrive, giving them individual attention and helping them to settle quickly. The rooms used are laid out for children, with areas for floor play as well as tables and chairs for activities and snacks; a comfortable book corner encourages children to freely access the books. There is a good range of resources available during each session. Children move around the different rooms making choices about what they want to do, increasing their confidence and independence. Suitable heating and ventilation means that children remain comfortable throughout the session. Toys and equipment are regularly checked by staff to ensure that they remain safe for children to use. Children learn to keep themselves safe as staff talk to them about safety during the day. For example, staff calmly remind them not to stand

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

on a chair; they also talk about safety when using tools, such as scissors. Children have many opportunities to learn about safety through planned activities, such as road safety week, when they have visits from the community police and road safety officer.

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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 Detailed risk assessments are completed and regularly reviewed by staff, with notes made on minimising risks. Additional safety checks are carried out on a daily basis with regard to checking the building and equipment. The security of the building is good and effectively protects children from leaving unnoticed or from unauthorised people gaining access. Children's safety is well maintained through effective fire procedures that are in place and regularly practised with children. Staff are aware of the indicators of child abuse and a policy explains their obligations to parents. They are sufficiently confident about the procedures that they would follow if they have a concern to ensure children's continued well-being.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled in the setting. They enjoy making choices about their activities and are motivated and interested in a broad range of purposeful and developmentally appropriate activities, which enable them to progress in their skills and learning. They are developing secure relationships with adults and other children and begin to take responsibility for their own actions, also having regard for the needs of others. Staff know the children well; the implementation of 'Birth to three matters' results in children making good progress and developing new skills. Children are confident and independent. They are curious and enjoy talking to visitors, sometimes involving them in a game. For example, they offer pretend food at the role play birthday party. They confidently move between the rooms used, choosing what they want to do. Children enjoy lots of meaningful interaction from staff, as staff members

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

fully join in with their play and ask them appropriate questions to develop their thinking and learning. Staff are effective at adapting activities depending on a child's level of ability, to ensure that all children can participate in all activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children's progress is more rapid when activities are delivered by the more skilled staff. The majority of staff have a strong knowledge and understanding of how to effectively deliver the nursery education. However, some staff are less confident in their knowledge, understanding and delivery, which sometimes impacts upon children's learning. Assessment and planning are suitably effective to ensure that children's progress is monitored and they are able to move forward. However, assessments are a little inconsistent in their completion; some planning is not sufficiently detailed to support the less skilled staff in an effective delivery of the activity to ensure that all children receive sufficient challenge and support. Staff use appropriate methods to support children's learning, such as open questions and demonstrating an activity. Time and resources are used well to provide

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children with a balance of structure and free play activities, when they can practise skills that they have learnt.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children separate comfortably from their parent or carer. They confidently move around the areas used for activities making choices about what they want to do. They show pride in their achievements. For example, they seek adult attention to demonstrate how pleased they are with what they can do. They have many opportunities for independence along side activity choices. For example, they serve their own drinks and help to prepare snack. They generally behave very well, get along with others and are beginning to understand boundaries. Children are beginning to initiate conversation. They listen well and follow instructions from staff when using the computer. They talk about significant events, such as a birthday or sports day. They frequently hear and use sounds that link to letters through games and during circle time. They use language to be imaginative and can be heard making 'chocolate biscuits with jam on top'

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

when playing with the dough. Children really enjoy looking at books, alone or with others. They know how books work and that print carries meaning. Some children enjoy telling others a story

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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 from the pictures. Children recognise their own name from a name card and older children are beginning to write their name on, for example, their craft work.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use number in familiar ways. For example, they count plates and raisins at snack time. They use mathematical language during play, such as bigger and smaller when comparing sizes of animals. Rhymes and songs are used to encourage simple calculation; this is also creatively done at snack time. They re-create sequences and patterns using pegs. They enjoy matching games and have practical opportunities to learn weight and measure when the health visitor came and the children weighed and measured each other. Children investigate living things and enjoy growing cress, sunflowers and watching snails. They use their senses to explore, experiencing texture through texture boards as well as through playing with cornflower, lentils and rice. They build and design using different assembling and joining materials, enthusiastically taking part in 'toy making' week. Children enjoy looking at the laptop computer. Older children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

can competently use a mouse to click on different icons and shapes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children talk about events that have happened during their lives, such as birthday parties, visits to school and are beginning to understand about the passage of time. They creatively explore colour through painting and chalking activities. They enjoy songs and rhymes, most joining in enthusiastically. They have free opportunities to play with musical instruments and some planned activities help them to learn about sound and rhythm. For example, they march in time to music. They have many opportunities to be imaginative through the small world play and the role play. They enjoy dressing up as a spaceman, nurse or a fairy, often relating to real life experiences, such as when the health visitor came to the play group; they also re-enact what they have seen, such as pretending to be a builder mending the table.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed and suitably included in the life of the setting and as a result they are able to feel settled and confident. Their individual needs are effectively met and they receive consistent care, because staff gather information from parents to find out about their needs and preferences, including any learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Staff know the children well and a key worker system enables children to develop close relationships with staff, supporting their feeling of security. Children become aware of wider society through various toys and activities that depict positive images and help them to understand about other people. For example, they celebrated Chinese New Year, ate Chinese food and dressed up in traditional dress. The setting involves parents and invites them to visit to discuss their particular nationality or culture.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are cared for in a positive environment that encourages their confidence and independence. Their self-esteem is well fostered as staff regularly praise and encourage them; stickers are also available. Children behave well and they are encouraged to understand responsible behaviour. Staff provide good role models as they demonstrate what is expected of children, for example, saying please and thank you. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. Children receive consistent and appropriate care because staff work well with parents. A parent's prospectus is available that offers information about the setting; regular verbal and some written information is shared with parents about their child's time at the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers of children who receive nursery education is good. Parents are provided with good quality, detailed information about the setting and its provision for

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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. They are well informed about their child’s achievements and progress, through parents evenings and regular opportunities to see their child's report; parents are asked to contribute what they feel children can do, which is added to progress records. Parents are encouraged to do things with children at home to enhance their learning. They are given information on how the setting will be covering a topic through activities, newsletters and verbal information to reinforce this.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's welfare is suitably supported as they are cared for by a staff team that have been subject to appropriate Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that any newly appointed staff have suitable qualifications, skills and experience. Staff share information at the regular staff meetings and planning meetings, which promotes consistency of care. There is a strong commitment to improve through training, self-evaluation and keeping up to date with regulatory changes. The adult to child ratio positively supports children’s care. Key worker groups have been established for continuity of care and to enable children to feel comfortable. However, staff are not always deployed effectively, which sometimes impacts upon children's play and learning. Policies and procedures generally work in practice to promote children’s health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to

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Organisation

make a positive contribution. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. The manager of the setting is very positive and passionate about the care and educational provision. She works closely with the committee who are very involved and pro-active to ensure that they can fulfil their vision for the setting. They compete detailed evaluations and appreciate support given by the Local Authority. The setting has very close links with the local school, which is valuable for promoting consistency for the children and helping the smooth transition to school. The manager has developed informal systems for monitoring the nursery education; information is shared with staff at regular meetings to ensure that gaps in children's learning are identified with practice strengths and weaknesses being discussed.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the provider was given a recommendation around ensuring that a parent's or carer's, name, telephone number and home address are recorded and available for each child that is being cared for. This has been effectively addressed as detailed information has been obtained.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection the provider was given key issues around extending opportunities for children to recognise their own name during play activities and develop the use of surname for more able children. This has been suitably addressed. Children have name cards that they choose during snack time and some activities, effectively supporting the recognition of their name.

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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. The provider is

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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 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): • consider the deployment of staff to ensure that is effectively promotes children's learning 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): • continue to develop the assessment and planning to ensure that children's next steps are clearly recorded, that planning is sufficiently detailed to enable all staff to effectively implement and make sure that activities present sufficient challenge for more able children • ensure that all staff involved in the nursery education have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage.

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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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