Whittlefield Primary School

Ascot and Cranbourne Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Ascot and Cranbourne Pre-School

Unique Reference Number 119262 Inspection date 16 November 2005 Inspector Claudia Padfield

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Ascot and Cranbourne Pre-School

Setting Address Ascot & Cranbourne Pre-School, Lovel Road, Winkfield, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 2EU Telephone number 01344 885020

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E-mail

Registered person Ascot and Cranbourne Pre-school Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day 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 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?

Ascot and Cranbourne Pre-school opened over 40 years ago. It operates from a detached classroom in the grounds of Cranbourne Primary School. The pre-school serves the local area and surrounding villages. It is a registered charity affiliated to the Pre-school Learning Alliance and is managed by a parent committee. There are currently 33 children from 3 to 5 years on roll. This includes 32 funded 3 and 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently

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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 supports children with special needs and English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:00 until 12:00, Monday to Friday, for all 3 and 4 year olds. Tuesday and Wednesday sessions, 12:00 until 15:00, are for the funded 4 year old children. Seven staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to level 2 or 3 including Introduction to Pre-school Practice, Diploma in Pre-school Practice and NVQ level 3. Staff are currently working towards Certificate in Child Care. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP), Area Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (Area SENCO) and the Teaching and Support Services (TASS).

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a wide range of activities which contribute to their good health. They play outside and benefit from regular fresh air. The children experience a variety of physical activities using both large and small equipment. Children are developing their confidence in gross motor skills through the use of equipment, they ride on bikes and scooters with skill steering in an out of people and other children on bikes. Children have good opportunities to practise fine motor skills as they put coats and shoes on to play outside. The children's health is promoted by good routines, they wash their hands after using the toilet and blow their noses as required, they show a good understanding of the need to keep clean selecting aprons before painting and washing their hands as required. They are learning good procedures through daily routines and the support of staff. Older more able children support and consider the younger less able children

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Helping children to be healthy

within the group in ensuring that they also complete the required tasks. Staff ensure children stay healthy by updating their knowledge of health care matters and completing the relevant documentation to support the child's well-being. Children know how to keep themselves healthy and are independent in their self-care skills.

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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 warm and welcoming environment. They are confident and settled, happily leaving parents and carers to move around the setting choosing an activity with friends. They understand the expectations of the group and sit at the table or on the carpet during play. The staff team give children good opportunities to play freely with friends and are at hand if required. Children benefit from the wide range of toys and equipment. Asking staff if the game or toys of choice is not available. Staff ensure the room is setup and clean for the

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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 to play safely. Staff rotate the toys they use and ensure children have regular opportunities to play safely in the school grounds. Children are developing a sound awareness of the reasons why and how to keep safe. They count the number of children before going outside and again upon their return. The staff have a sound awareness of the signs and symptoms of child abuse. Staff are well deployed ensuring children are safe at all times. The required documentation is stored on site and can be easily accessed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at pre-school. They arrive happy and confident and quickly settle into the routine of making their own choices about their play. Children enjoy the company of the other children who attend and eagerly share news with friends. Children are interested in activities and involved in their learning. Staff know the children well and talk to them about their families and significant events in the children's lives, for example the arrival of a new baby brother and sister or a child's birthday celebrations. The children are good communicators and contribute to group discussion with enthusiasm. The children enjoy opportunities to express their imagination through role play and preparations for the Christmas play. Singing together during art and discussing the story line. The staff know how children learn and adapt their questioning to suit the child's ability and confidence. The keyworkers keep regular

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

observations on all the children but they lack evaluation to provide suitable levels of challenge for all children. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good individual progress with lots of support and interaction from the staff team. The children eagerly participate in adult led activities and discuss how they complete a task. Rules are followed and the children consider all those who play, especially supporting younger children who are sitting with them. "I don't need help" confirms the younger child who wishes to complete the activity herself. They are gaining confidence to aid their own learning by finding their name card and using it to copy or trace. Most children write for a purpose and are keen to form the letters that make up their name. Children are growing in confidence when using numbers, they count during daily routines and are able to add on and subtract numbers. During play they are able to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

use a wide range of mathematical vocabulary estimating how many more or less pieces they need to finish the building. However, the children have a lack of opportunity to freely access the groups computers and develop IT skills through trial and error. Suitable keyworker systems are in place and ensure all children are regularly observed and parents know who to talk with regarding their child's progress. Comprehensive reports are written before the children move on to school but parents

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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 lack a more formal regular developmental update during the time at pre-school. Children are making steady progress and participate in the daily routines, enjoying and sharing their experience with parents when they are collected.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All the children are welcomed and play a full part in the pre-school, valued by the staff team and as an individual. The children are confident and show good levels of self esteem, responding to the praise and encouragement from staff. The children know and understand the groups expectations and conform to rules and requests from staff. Children work co operatively, share and take turns. They enjoy spending time together and welcome each other, engaging quickly in games and activities. This positive approach fosters children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. Children learn about the wider world through a range of planned activities, they understand the need to help one another and are keen to share in family celebrations. Everyone was excited to hear about a new born baby brother. Staff ensure all the children are able to participate in the nursery routines, parents stay

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and participate on a regular basis. Also offering praise and support to the children. Children with special needs are well supported and staff work closely with outside agencies to ensure suitable levels of care and support are in place. The partnership with parents is good. Parents share children's achievements with their key staff verbally, but lack more formal updates into the child's educational development. Termly newsletter share information about the learning intentions. Parents participate in helping the children find things for circle time that begin with the letter, number, shape or colour of the week. Staff seek to improve the service they offer by using questionnaires. They have looked at the response and are considering how to provide more formal contact regarding the progress of funded children. This, with the evaluation of activities and children's learning outcomes would enhance the children's progress.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care and learning are enhanced by the effective deployment of staff and good leadership and management of the pre-school. Staff have a growing knowledge of the foundation stage which is being developed through training. Staff ensure the children who attend are settled and well supported. The children care about their friends and participate in daily routines such as tidying up and helping the younger children to participate in their activities. Staff work well as a team and understand their clearly defined roles. Staff and the new committee are working together to update and improve the documentation kept

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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 by the pre school. Children benefit from the regular support, high adult child ratios and management of the committee. They greet and share news with committee members as they complete tasks to do with the day to day management of the group. Leadership and management is good, systems are being developed to support the staff and update the documentation in place. This ensures staff contribute to the group and promote positive outcomes for children. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last children Act inspection the pre-school were asked to ensure all records, polices and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision are implemented and maintained. The staff and the committee are working together to update the polices and procedures. They understand the need to make them more accessible to the parents and have plans in place to make this happen. The previous nursery education inspection recommended that the group have daily opportunities to use information technology. This is currently being updated by the new committee and remains a recommendation to improve. More practical activities for three year olds to learn about measure and space have been developed. and regular assessments are completed but still lack evaluation to inform future planning.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted 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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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

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 take account of the following recommendation(s): • enhance snack time so children can serve themselves. • develop and update documentation to cover all areas of the pre school and effectively share this with the parents.

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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 systems to ensure the planning identifies opportunities for more and less able, older and younger children. These need to be evaluated to support each child's next steps in learning. • Share children's assessments and developmental records on a regular basis. • Develop the free access to the computers for all children.

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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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