Papplewick Pre-School

Papplewick Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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253208 Unique Reference Number 06 June 2007 Inspection date Ann Keen Inspector

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Papplewick & Linby Village Hall, 19 Linby Lane, Papplewick, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG15 8FB

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E-mail

Papplewick Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional 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?

Papplewick Pre-school has been open for 30 years. It operates from the main room of the village hall with access to toilets and an outdoor area. This is situated within the rural village of Papplewick. It serves the local community.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 32 children from two to five years on roll. This includes 27 funded three and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school opens five days a week during school term time. Sessions are from 09:30 to 12:00 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. There is also a lunch club which runs from 12:00 until 13.29 hours. There is a session from 12.00 to 14.30 on Wednesdays for children in the term before they enter school. There are five staff who work with the children. Four of them have early years qualifications to National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 3 and one member of staff is working towards an NVQ level 3. The setting receives support from Nottinghamshire Local Authority.

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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 protected against infection well because staff follow suitable hygiene routines. When preparing food they use aprons and gloves to minimise the risk of infection. Children are accompanied to wash their hands so they are learning appropriate hygiene practices such as using individual paper towels to avoid the spread of germs. Children are cared for in a clean and well-maintained environment, therefore promoting good health care. Children are well nourished with healthy snacks such as bananas, pears and apples and the children who stay to lunch bring their own packed lunches from home. The pre-school provides water which children can access at anytime and milk is also given to children at snack time ensuring they do not go thirsty. Staff hold current first aid certificates, they record accidents and keep a suitably-equipped first aid box enabling them to react to emergencies appropriately.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s enjoy physical activities and their development is well supported through the use of the wide range of resources. Children are able to develop their skills well in the outside area and inside in the spacious hall. Children develop their balancing abilities well through using balance beams. Children’s co-ordination is enhanced by using the climbing frame. Children play happily with stilts and hoops to develop their muscles. Activities like puzzles, and painting are used well to develop control and manipulative 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 very welcoming, safe and secure environment. The entrance is clearly advertised as being the pre-school and provides extensive information for parents. The hall door is locked and can only be accessed through ringing the bell so children are well protected from intruders. The outside area is securely fenced and the gate is locked which means children are protected and secure. Children play in a very light, spacious and airy hall offering them a good amount of space in which to move and play. The equipment and resources are generally at child height and accessible, developing their independence well and enabling them easy access to resources, reducing the risk of accidents. A high level of supervision also promotes children’s safety as staff monitor the activities very closely. Children are appropriately safeguarded from harm as the facilities are regularly checked and comprehensive risk assessments

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

are carried out on a daily basis. This ensures that children are well protected from hazards. Appropriate regulations are adhered to with regard to fire safety including an evacuation plan, which is put into practice regularly. There is a clear and comprehensive child protection policy and staff are knowledgeable about their roles, including the procedures for informing appropriate authorities in the event of an allegation being made against them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children's care, learning and play are well supported through a variety of play situations. Children’s routine is suitable for their age and provides a balanced range of activities. The toys and equipment are suitable for different ages providing challenge and interest. Children are happy and content during their time at the pre-school making good progress in their leisure and personal development. Children are able to participate in a variety of play situations, for example, singing songs, using construction toys and role play scenarios. However, occasionally,

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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 when working in large groups the activities are not matched to the younger children's stage of development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good progress because staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and staff use their knowledge to plan activities well. They have attended many courses, like literacy, creative development and mathematics. As a result, they are knowledgeable about various aspects of children’s learning. They use their knowledge effectively to provide a wide range of interesting activities for the children. Staff work extremely hard to plan according to national guidelines ensuring children receive a broad and balanced programme of activities. The plans clearly relate to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals so staff are very clear in their expectations of children’s learning. Staff assess the children regularly so they are able to identify children’s achievements and evaluate the next step in children’s learning. Staff work well with the children, questioning them and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

helping them to develop their ideas. They use a good range of teaching methods to help children learn and generally organise children so they learn effectively. However, some large group activities are arranged in keyworker groups with a broad age-range. Consequently at that time, activities are not always developmentally appropriate for the children. By contrast, the newly created sessions to support children’s transition into school are excellent. They provide activities which relate directly to children’s new experiences such as identifying photographs of places in school to familiarise children with their new surroundings. This is supported by visits from school staff and children’s visits to the school. Staff manage childrens’ behaviour well, providing positive guidance and support. The room is well organised to attract children into the setting with a good variety of activities laid out ready for the children as soon as they arrive. The

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

recently developed outside area is used effectively to provide children with a suitable variety of activities, such using hoops and balls, sand play and writing activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are very involved and enjoy the stimulating activities and as a result they are confident and well motivated to learn. Children are encouraged to self-select activities and are then supported by staff as required. Children's confidence and self-esteem is being developed well because staff praise them and are positive towards them. Relationships are good and children behave well, complying to acceptable standards of behaviour. Children develop their self confidence well because staff accept children’s ideas and take time to listen to what they have to say. Children are developing a good understanding of language and literacy skills, for example, they are learning to identify the sounds that letters represent, know letters in their name and form recognisable letters. Children enjoy stories and are learning a love of books, helped and supported by staff's encouragement. Children are aware of numbers and are learning to recognise

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the shapes they make. They are learning the practical application of numbers through counting in the 'restaurant' and changing the date on a daily basis. Children’s manipulative skills are well supported so, for example, they are learning to use scissors, and control writing implements. They are becoming adept at controlling their movements by using a wide selection of large apparatus. Through discussing the weather on a daily basis children are becoming aware of the world around them and noticing changes. The computer is used well to support children's learning and they are helped to control the mouse effectively.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Parents fill in forms on entry ensuring staff have contact information and essential information to make children’s stay safe and enjoyable, such as finding out about allergies. Parents are provided with good quality information about the pre-school, which is displayed very clearly

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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 at the entrance for parents to see. This includes activities and general information. They receive regular newsletters informing them about events.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents are well informed about their children’s achievement and progress. There is a good exchange of information to support the children's care and learning. Parents are provided with clear and informative notices as they arrive at the entrance to the pre-school, for example, plans for activities and information on the curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. Parents are given their children’s assessments records each term so parents are able to see the progress their children are making. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children’s learning and development, ensuring everyone works together for the children’s benefit.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. The behaviour of the children is good because adults respect them. Appropriate behaviour is developed through positive encouragement and praise so children successfully learn the difference between right and wrong. Relationships are good between both adult and children creating a supportive atmosphere. Children are learning to work together, helping each other build with the sand and taking turns to choose an object from a bag to select a well-known song. Children are beginning to learn to appreciate cultures that are different from their own by participating in a variety of cultural celebrations. The staff are aware that some children have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and take appropriate action.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's health, safety, well-being, enjoyment and achievement is promoted by good organisation. The environment and facilities are well planned so children are able to play freely and access resources for themselves. Children are comfortable in their surroundings. A comprehensive operational plan is in place supporting the effective running of the pre-school. The staff have a clear sense of purpose and a strong commitment to improvement. As a result they attend a wide range of courses to support children’s care effectively. Children are safeguarded against child protection issues as the staff are aware of their role in noting signs of abuse and have suitable procedures in place if they have concerns. The staff are aware of their responsibilities and ensure that they conform to the necessary requirements so that children are well cared for, for example, by keeping the register up-to-date. They adhere to

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Organisation

legal requirements. The adult-to-child ratio positively supports children’s care. Children’s welfare and health is promoted as the staff ensure that they have contact details and signed permission slips from parents in place in case of emergency. Overall children’s needs are met.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education are good. Documentation is comprehensive and reflects the practice well, ensuring children’s learning is well promoted. The management are effective in assessing their own strengths and weaknesses and are committed to continual improvement. Overall, the leadership is good in moving the pre-school provision forward. They work closely with the local authority support to improve their practice and support children's learning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There was one recommendation at the last care inspection and two recommendations from the nursery education inspection. The pre-school was required to include more detail about medicines

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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 given to children. They now record details such as the batch number of medicines and times given to children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The first recommendation from the education inspection related to providing more challenge for the more able children. The pre-school organises specific sessions for older children and keyworkers ensure that their children are generally working at their own level. The pre-school has recently started a session for those children who are starting school. This works very successfully and provides an excellent basis for children to cope with the transition from pre-school to school. The second recommendation related to information and communication technology. Children have access to a computer and a range of toys such as tills and phones in the home corner. This ensures that children are beginning to understand the use of everyday technology to support their learning.

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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 by 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): • ensure all activities are matched to children's individual 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): • ensure all large groups sessions are matched to children's individual needs and abilities.

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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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