Micklands Primary School

YATELEY COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL

Inspection report for early years provision

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YATELEY COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL

Unique Reference Number 109926 Inspection date 04 July 2005 Inspector Catherine Hill

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YATELEY COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL

Setting Address Cranford Park Drive, Yateley, Hampshire, GU46 6LB

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YATELEY COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL

Telephone number 01252 861565 E-mail janetfane@ntlworld.com Registered person YATELEY COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care

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YATELEY COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL

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 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?

Yateley Community Pre-School has been running for 25 years in Yateley, a small Hampshire town. It is managed by a parents' committee and in May 1997 moved to its own premises in the grounds of a local infant school. Strong links are maintained with the school. The pre-school has one large room, cloakrooms which include facilities for the disabled, and easy access to an enclosed, grassed outdoor play area. The pre-school also benefits from access to school facilities such as the main

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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 hall and playground. The children attending the pre-school come from the local area where there is some social but little cultural diversity. The pre-school is registered to care for a maximum of 24 children at any one time. There are currently 79 children on roll including 66 children in receipt of nursery education funding. The group supports children with special educational needs and for whom English is an additional language. The pre-school is open for 40 weeks a year offering 10 sessions a week. Monday and Thursday afternoon sessions are designed to meet the needs of the older children. The morning sessions run from 09.15 to 11.45 and the afternoon sessions run from 12.30 to 15.00. There are 12 experienced members of staff who all work well together as a team. They have suitable qualifications and are committed to updating skills and knowledge

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children stay healthy because staff follow appropriate and well documented health and hygiene policies and procedures. They play and learn within a clean environment in which they observe staff acting as positive role models with regard to hygiene. Children understand and follow good hygiene procedures. They line up sensibly to wash their hands before handling food at snack-time and after messy play. They understand how to safeguard their own health as they put hats on before outside play in sunny weather. They learn about healthy living and are able to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy foods. Staff work in consultation with parents to ensure children access healthy snacks which meet any special dietary requirements they have. Children eat heartily from the selection of fruit and vegetables staff prepare for them. Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills and maintain a

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Helping children to be healthy

healthy body. They safely negotiate steps to the outside play area, kick, throw and catch balls, practise riding on wheeled toys and walk along balance beams. They show determination to succeed as they ride bicycles with stabilizers over bumpy ground. Staff are vigilant to children's needs and sensitively support and encourage children with outside apparatus. Children rise to the challenges set for them and thoroughly enjoy playing in the fresh air. Indoors children confidently use the climbing frame and show good hand-eye co-ordination as they complete puzzles and join construction pieces together.

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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 safe within the pre-school and relax in the familiar, welcoming surroundings. They move freely and safely around the secure indoor and outdoor environment which staff assess daily to ensure no hazards are present. Children receive good levels of supervision from experienced, vetted staff as they learn through play. They access and use a wide range of suitable and safe equipment. Resources are available to support all areas of learning and to allow for skill progression. Children learn to keep themselves safe as they take part in regular fire drills. They learn how to safely use resources and about road safety through well planned topic work. They show a good awareness of others as they move between activities. They take care not to walk on floor resources and manoeuvre carefully around others when

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

using wheeled toys outside. The pre-school have good supporting documentation detailing their safety procedures on display to ensure a continual awareness by staff and parents. Induction procedures ensure all staff are aware of child protection procedures and some have had external training in this area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children receive very good quality care at the pre-school where they access a good range and balance of activities which help them progress in all areas of development. They use chalkboards to draw and make marks, complete sequencing puzzles, build using construction and enthusiastically engage in role play. They are very happy and occupy themselves well, playing both independently, in pairs, and in small groups. They receive sensitive and appropriate support from staff who have a very good knowledge of individual children's needs. Children have excellent relationships with staff who take a continual interest in them. Staff are kind and caring and talk and listen to children at their level. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children eagerly explore activities and initiate their own games during outside play. They behave very well as they share resources, take turns, patiently wait to wash hands and sit sensibly during

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

registration. Their self-esteem is good as a result of the praise and encouragement they receive from staff during sessions. They are confident, articulate speakers who readily initiate conversations with others and order their thoughts well before speaking. They have a very good understanding of phonics and confidently recognise the initial letter sound in other children's names. They listen carefully as staff speak to them and correctly identify rhyming words. Many write their names with clear, recognisable letters. They willingly demonstrate their knowledge of number formation as they write the number 4 in the air after a discussion about what number follows 3. They are very confident with numbers and count together the 22 children present at registration. They have a very good understanding of calculation and staff use opportunities well to reinforce and further develop children's understanding.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children sing number songs, such as '5 currant buns' and enjoy working out how many are left as 1 is taken away.

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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 show an interest in their environment and the people in it and ask questions to satisfy their curiosity. They learn about their local environment through well planned topic work. They concentrate well as they design and make construction models and select appropriate pieces to make a wand and robots. They are familiar with the uses of different forms of technology. They use mobile phones during imaginative play to hold pretend conversations and a tape recorder to record their singing. They have a well developed sense of time which they reinforce daily as they discuss the date and days of the week. They enjoy physical play outside and are comfortable within their bodies as they balance, ride wheeled toys, throw balls and manoeuvre safely around others. They confidently use a range of tools as they

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

engage in craft activities. They have fun singing songs and ably match actions to the words as they sing 'Mr Crocodile' and 'Hickory Dickory Dock'. They excitedly use their hands to mix different colour paints and some successfully predict the colour outcome. Staff skilfully use a range of teaching strategies to effectively reinforce and further develop children's knowledge and skills. They establish excellent relationships with children and have a calm, friendly nature. They provide a positive, stimulating learning environment for children and try to make learning fun. Staff pretend to forget the order of numbers and children laugh with delight as they tell staff the correct sequence. Children have daily opportunities to develop in all learning areas although staff miss some opportunities to further develop children's, already good, independence skills. Staff maintain assessment records well to clearly show

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children's progress through the stepping stones. They plan a range of topics and associated activities to give children a wide range of learning experiences and, although differentiation is not detailed on some planning records, staff automatically challenge and support children as they know their individual needs so well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children develop very good self-esteem and confidence as staff show a continual interest in them and praise their efforts. They feel valued and a sense of belonging as staff listen to them, acknowledge their comments and enter into conversation with them about their lives. Staff display children's creative work in the pre-school room and children have a sense of ownership and pride in their environment. Children have excellent relationships with staff who greet them warmly by name as they arrive and staff appropriately foster children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Children are familiar with daily routines, work harmoniously together and share resources showing consideration for others. Staff support children with special needs very well and work in partnership with parents and outside agencies, as appropriate, to ensure their needs are met. Children develop a positive attitude

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and understanding of diversity through well planned topic work covering other countries, different festivals and emotions and feelings. Children's behaviour is excellent. They understand and adhere to boundaries set for them by staff, who act as positive role models and who praise good behaviour. Children understand responsible behaviour and fair play and are able to resolve

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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 issues between themselves very amicably. The pre-school's partnership with parents is good. Children benefit from this positive partnership as their main carers work together in their best interests. Parents receive information regarding their child's progress through informal verbal exchanges and more formal meetings with their child's keyworker. The pre-school welcomes both children and parents into the group and they encourage parents to support their child's learning. Parents have access to regular information about the pre-school's practice although not all information displayed is up to date. Parents are very happy with the group and attend pre-school events such as the harvest festival and end of term leaver's concert.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children settle well and are very happy within the pre-school where they play and learn within a very well-organised and stimulating learning environment. Good relationships exist between all within the pre-school resulting in a positive care and learning environment for all children. A strong, dedicated team of staff work effectively to provide constant support and encouragement to children during sessions. Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities and committed to on-going professional development. The leadership and management of nursery education is good. Staff plan a varied, interesting topic-based curriculum for children which allows them to develop in all skill areas. Children make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The group regularly review practice, policies and procedures although this is not evident from policy documentation held at the group.

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Organisation

Policies and procedures work in practice to promote children's health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a positive contribution. The management are committed to maintaining and improving the pre-school provision. They respond quickly to suggestions for improvement and drew up a very detailed action plan following their last inspection. They regularly review the plan to ensure they maintain good standards and work to further improve them. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the previous inspection staff have enhanced children's opportunities to develop their reading and writing skills. Children independently access a good range of books from the book trolley and sit and share books together in the inviting book area. New resources have been purchased and staff change the books weekly to maintain interest and stimulation. Staff are working in partnership with parents and invite parents into the group to read with the children. Children have continual access to writing materials and are able to practise writing for a variety of purposes within the role play areas. They use chalkboards to practise their mark making and older

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Improvements 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 children, as appropriate, trace over and copy their names using their name cards as an aid. Children's knowledge of calculation and its associated language has increased. Staff use opportunities as they arise to effectively reinforce and consolidate children's awareness of the difference in numbers as one is taken away or added. For example, when singing number songs children correctly state how many remain when one is taken away.

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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, documentation relating to policies and procedures is regularly reviewed and updated, with updated documentation shared with parents, and that planning documentation relating to adult directed activities clearly shows how activities will be adapted to meet children's differing needs

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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): • enhance the good opportunities children have to develop their independence skills, by encouraging them to prepare their own milk cartons at snacktime and by writing their names on their work during creative activities

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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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