Krakatoa

Krakatoa Inspection report for early years provision

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EY232687 Unique Reference Number 13 June 2007 Inspection date Gillian Little Inspector

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Jubilee Hall, High Street, Lewknor, Watlington, Oxfordshire, OX49 5TL Setting Address

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E-mail

Krakatoa 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Krakatoa Pre-School is run by a parent management committee. It opened in 1998 and operates from the hall of a village community centre situated near Watlington. A maximum of 20 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open five mornings per week during term time from 09:00 until 12:00, with a lunch club on Fridays. From September 2007 the pre-school is planning to offer care until 15:00 on Thursdays and Fridays, including a lunch club. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 15 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 13 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from Lewknor and surrounding villages.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs three staff, of whom two hold appropriate early years qualifications. One staff member is working towards a further qualification.

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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 able to play in a healthy environment as the premises are clean, there are individual hand drying facilities available and staff store food safely. Children learn about hygiene procedures, such as washing their hands before snack time as staff effectively supervise them and teach them how to wash their hands thoroughly.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy and benefit from physical activity as they have daily opportunities to play outdoors in the enclosed garden or adjacent recreation field. They enjoy riding on tricycles, hiding in the playhouse, and jumping in and out of hoops set out on the ground. They develop finer physical skills by using a suitable range of equipment, including pencils, scissors and pegboards, which help to develop hand to eye co-ordination.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good procedures are in place to ensure that children receive appropriate care in the event of an accident or illness. For example, children’s health records are in place, staff have first aid training and they regularly update first aid boxes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children receive a healthy diet and have regular snack times. Parents supply a range of healthy snacks which staff share equally among the children and these include carrot sticks, kiwi fruits, bananas and apples. Children help themselves to chopped up fruit from a communal plate which helps to develop independence but also increases the risk of cross infection. Staff are aware of children’s special dietary requirements to ensure that children receive appropriate food and drinks. Drinks are available for children throughout the day. A water dispenser is easily accessible at all times and in addition children can have milk at snack times. Staff ensure that snack times are relaxed, social occasions and they effectively promote good manners and social skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are able to play comfortably in an inviting environment, which has good facilities and the space for their needs. For example, a very large hall is available to the pre-school which staff section off into areas to make it cosy using colourful furniture and a good range of resources.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s risk of injury is minimised as staff assess risks well and take effective precautions to prevent accidents. For example, they lock the external door during sessions and supervise children closely when they enter and leave the premises. Children are able to play with a good range of suitable and safe equipment, which is appropriate for the ages of the children attending and which staff regularly check for damage. Effective fire prevention and evacuation procedures help to keep children safe in the event of an emergency. For example, children practise emergency evacuations and fire safety equipment is regularly checked.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play safely in the garden area which is attractively set out with herb and flower beds. A soft surface, appropriate fencing and close supervision by staff, ensure that children stay safe. Children stay safe when away from the premises as staff have good procedures in place, such as increasing the adult to child ratio to provide close supervision.

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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’s risk of harm from others is minimised as staff and the committee have a good understanding of their roles in child protection. For example, they are fully aware of the importance of documenting concerns and of seeking advice from the appropriate authorities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children show a keen interest in what they do and are able to develop a range of skills, as there is an interesting variety of activities available. For example, an office, art activities, dolls, a castle, books and construction toys are all easily accessible to children as staff set up resources ready for their arrival in the group. Staff change resources each session to maintain children’s interest and to encourage them to develop different skills. Where children show sustained interest in particular activities, staff ensure these are available for longer periods.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children engage well in the activities on offer throughout the sessions. Staff ensure plenty of time is available for children to explore the activities, and also to take part in group activities such as stories, “show and tell” and music sessions.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children receive good support from staff who are kind and caring and who are very responsive to their interests. Staff value children’s ideas and contributions and reward them with frequent praise and recognition. Children are happy and settled; they develop confidence and self-esteem by building positive relationships with staff and other children and by playing in a relaxed and calm environment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff appropriately assess children’s abilities when they first join the group and make regular updates on their progress, including photographs and informative written observations to illustrate children’s progress towards the early learning goals. Planning shows that staff cover the six areas of learning appropriately and that children enjoy a range of interesting activities. However, it is not clear how staff use children’s assessments to plan the next steps in learning and plans do not show how activities relate to the stepping stones within the Foundation Stage. Staff are able to adapt some activities to suit children’s different needs but there is currently no systematic approach in place to challenge older and more able children effectively. However, the new manager is aware of this and is planning to develop this area in the future.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff demonstrate a suitable knowledge of the Foundation Stage and of how young children learn. Children show confidence in talking to adults and show genuine concern for each other’s needs. They enjoy exploring a suitable range of early writing resources and learn about sounds and letters through planned and incidental activities. They learn about numbers through everyday experiences and have regular opportunities to explore resources, such as malleable materials and construction toys, to develop their spatial skills. They show a keen interest in the world around them and enjoy exploring and talking about nature, such as the strawberries, herbs and snails they find in the garden. They learn about people from different backgrounds, their customs and cultures, through topics about different countries. They eagerly take part in imaginative play and participate enthusiastically in music sessions. Staff ensure that planned

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities are easily accessible within the hall, but additional resources which children may wish to use as part of their play are stored elsewhere, due to the shared premises, which has some limitations on children’s opportunities for independence and initiative.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children become aware of wider society and develop positive attitudes towards diversity as staff are pro-active in helping them to learn about people from different backgrounds. For example, children learn about people living in Holland, including their customs and foods. Parents actively support the staff by bringing in artefacts, such as clogs, to support the children’s learning. Staff treat children equally and know them well, such as their home backgrounds, personalities, likes and dislikes, and are therefore able to meet children’s individual needs effectively. Children learn about responsible behaviour as staff act as good role models, have a very calm approach to behaviour management and use effective methods. For example, staff quickly notice unwanted behaviour, talk to children about why it is not acceptable and encourage them to make positive decisions about their actions. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are currently no children on roll with learning difficulties or disabilities but appropriate procedures are in place to welcome them into the setting, such as written procedures and staff training.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from good continuity between the home and the setting as staff develop positive relationships with parents and carers. Staff talk to parents regularly about their child’s well-being and the activities they have taken part in. An informative prospectus and regular newsletters ensure that parents have good information about the setting and the activities on offer. Staff ensure that policies are easily available and that parents receive regular feedback on their child’s progress. For children receiving nursery education, the partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. In addition to the above, parents receive useful information about the Foundation Stage, the different areas of learning and about how staff record children’s progress. Staff sometimes invite parents to become involved in their child’s learning but are not presently encouraging them to extend learning at home. Staff take note of parents’

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Helping children make a positive contribution

observations of their child’s progress, but there is no system to allow them to contribute to their child’s records, a recommendation at the last inspection.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are able to make sound progress as staff have a strong sense of purpose, keeping children safe, providing interesting activities and promoting children’s skills positively. Staff have a good understanding of the National Standards and there are very few areas requiring improvement. Staff have effective skills and appropriate qualifications in childcare, ensuring that they meet children’s needs well. They are beginning to use the birth to three matters framework to support younger children for whom outcomes are already good.

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Organisation

The pre-school maintains the adult to child ratio at all times to ensure children receive good quality care. Staff deploy themselves well to supervise and support children effectively and they work well as a team. Effective recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that all adults working with children are suitable to do so.

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Organisation

Documentation, policies and procedures are in place and work well in practice. Paperwork is well organised and easily accessible as appropriate. The pre-school does not yet have a self-evaluation in place, but are aware of the need to do this and will be working on this in the future with support from the local authority. The new committee are making significant and

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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 positive changes, following a comprehensive action plan to bring about improvements, including a full review of all policies.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory. Staff are working hard to develop the education programme following the appointment of the new manager. The manager appropriately monitors and motivates staff and plans are in place for further monitoring of staff performance by the committee. Evaluations are in place for some activities and staff regularly discuss the effectiveness of activities and how children are progressing. The pre-school has made some improvements since the last inspection but has not fully met the recommendations.

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Organisation

The pre-school meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the pre-school was asked to develop and implement an action plan to set out how the manager would achieve a level three qualification. The manager now has an appropriate level three qualification, contributing to the good quality care on offer.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The pre-school was also asked to develop staff's awareness and understanding of effective ways to manage children's lapses in behaviour. The current staff manage children’s behaviour well and positively encourage good behaviour.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The pre-school was also asked to maintain confidentiality of accident and medication forms. Staff now ensure that there is one entry per page and that parents cannot access records of children other than their own.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The pre-school was also asked to use assessments and planning to identify children’s abilities and to show how suitable challenges are provided for the next steps in learning (nursery education). Staff now appropriately use assessments to show children’s abilities and progress but do not link these to future planning. Planning does not show how children will be suitably challenged or which stepping stones within the Foundation Stage they are working on. Further recommendations have therefore been raised at this inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The pre-school was also asked to improve systems so that parents can actively contribute to their child’s observations and records (nursery education). Staff take account of parents’ observations and frequently talk to parents about their child’s progress. However, there is still no opportunity for parents to contribute in writing to their child’s records. A further recommendation has therefore been raised at this inspection.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, while under the previous management, Ofsted received a complaint relating to National Standard 1, Suitable person; National Standard 11, Behaviour; and National Standard 9, Equal Opportunities. Concerns were that some behaviour management practice was inappropriate and that the partnership with some parents was poor. Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit and found that the provider was not meeting National Standard 10, Special needs; National Standard 11, Behaviour; National Standard 13, Child protection; and National Standard 14, Documentation. Ofsted set four actions requiring the provider to meet National Standards 10, Special Needs; 11, Behaviour; 13, Child Protection and 14, Documentation. A response from the provider was received. Ofsted made a visit to the provision and confirmed that the actions had been met. The provider remains qualified for registration.

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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 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. The provider has made a record of the complaint 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 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): • develop hygiene procedures at snack time to further reduce the risk of cross infection.

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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 reference to the stepping stones, showing how children are able to make progress towards the early learning goals • develop activities where appropriate to ensure that older and more able children are sufficiently challenged • ensure that parents have opportunities to contribute written comments in their children's assessment profiles.

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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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