Overthorpe County Infant School

Willow Rise Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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127777 Unique Reference Number 08 October 2007 Inspection date Susan Jennifer Scott Inspector

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Downswood Community Centre, Chiltern Close,Downswood, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 8XG

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E-mail

Willow Rise 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?

Willow Rise Pre-School opened in 1990 and operates from one room in a Community Centre in Downswood, Maidstone, Kent. A maximum of 26 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday from 09:15 to 12:00 for 38 weeks of the year. All children share access of the outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 33 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these 16 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The pre-school currently supports children who speak English as an additional language although no children with learning difficulties or disabilities attend.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school is jointly run by two qualified supervisors and employs seven staff. Of these, five staff hold appropriate early years qualifications and a further two are working towards a 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 benefit from a choice of healthy food and drink at snack times when they enjoy a variety of fruits such as strawberries or apples and a plain biscuit. They are able to sit in small groups and choose when to join the tables when they are ready, leaving the table when they have finished eating. This encourages children to develop healthy habits and to recognise when they feel hungry or full. Staff ensure that all food and drink complies with parental instructions and children's preferences, enabling them to have confidence in the choices offered.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children play in a tidy environment where there are good routines to ensure toys, resources and equipment are clean and hygienic. They participate in routines, activities and topics that enable them to learn the importance of good hygiene and healthy living. For example, staff explain why doctors wear masks when they support imaginative play using the doctors set. Children are encouraged to wash their hands before eating snacks and to help themselves to tissues to wipe their noses. As a result, their skill in managing their personal hygiene is good.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children move confidently and in a variety of ways, benefiting from the frequent opportunities to use the attractive outside play spaces. They are competent when steering the bikes and cars, and show good co-ordination when using the trampoline, balls and hoops. They enjoy planned opportunities to use balancing equipment and participate enthusiastically in action songs. Children’s fine motor skills are developing well, they benefit from using a selection of small equipment such as rolling pins, pencils, and paintbrushes in everyday activities.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children arrive happily and settle well. They benefit from the welcoming environment with displays of their work, posters and pictures which show that staff value children’s contributions. Children benefit from good security of the premises and systems which prevent them leaving the premises without a suitable adult.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have easy and safe access to a good range of toys and resources appropriate for their age and stage of development. Resources are used well by staff to meet the needs of the children, for example, the children can experience varied imaginative play or independently choose from a supply of puzzles games or small equipment. This ensures their interest levels are sustained.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Toys and resources are carefully selected and regularly checked to ensure they are safe and suitable for children to use. Children enjoy their play in a safe, secure environment and regular risk assessments, indoors and outdoors, ensure their safety. Good staff interaction helps develop children’s awareness of safety and clear procedures ensure children understand how to keep themselves safe. However, the emergency evacuations do not evaluate or record notes of possible improvements.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a good understanding of the procedures to be followed if they have concerns about child protection issues. This safeguards children's welfare in the setting.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The organisation of the day is good; it provides a good balance of individual choices, small group and whole group activities. The routines provide good opportunities for active play and quieter, more creative activities, as well as outside play times for all the children. Staff awareness of the development of young children enables them to settle well and promotes a smooth transition into the curriculum for those over three years.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children take part in varied activities throughout the session. They quickly become confident in the setting and in their relationships with the staff. They have high levels of self esteem because staff frequently recognise their efforts and achievements and offer praise. Children develop their imagination effectively through good quality role play which is extended well by staff playing alongside them. They play happily with each other and staff, learning to take turns and respond to others as they use role play, games, and books.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Teaching and Learning is good. Children enjoy and learn from an interesting and varied range of activities. A weekly plan of activities that covers the six areas of the curriculum offers stimulating opportunities for all children to play and build upon their learning successfully. Children’s assessments are regular and cover their progress in all aspects and areas of the curriculum. The staff devise activity plans so that these are informed by the assessments of children, meeting individual needs through one to one, or small group activities. Children make good progress because the staff are very supportive and competently introduce learning into children's play, extending and challenging their skills effectively.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children relate very well to staff and to each other. They confidently approach staff for support and have lively conversations with them, indicating good trusting relationships are built. Children are interested in the activities and spend time concentrating on self-chosen activities such as role play or painting. Children are developing respect for each other and for their environment through planned topic work and they help tidy away activities which encourages them to work together.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children speak confidently to their peers and adults. They talk openly during activities and snack times when staff have conversations about their families and the foods they like. This develops children's vocabulary and their confidence. Children are encouraged to recognise their names on the labels used for their coats and use these to label their items to take home; they also name their work.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count confidently and older children recognise numbers that are important to them. They discuss the weather and the date at each session. They choose number activities during free play and enjoy number rhymes and songs. Children use mathematical language during free play activities such as 'under' and 'bigger than', and they enjoy the role play using toy money, a till and calculator. There are occasionally times when children are not fully challenged to extend their learning and understanding of number, size and simple calculations as these are not frequently incorporated into programme when there is an large intake of younger children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children concentrate on activities that require dexterity such as using pencils and scissors with curiosity and confidence. They experience good opportunities to develop their fine motor skills, such as using a keyboard, painting and drawing. Staff provide good opportunities for children to use their senses to explore and describe experiences: tasting and smelling food, listening to

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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 music and observing colours of autumn leaves. Children use their imagination and express their ideas through acting out scenarios and stories; during role-play children are prompted to understand that they wear a mask from the medical kit to stop them coughing over patients.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are highly valued as individuals. They develop a positive attitude to others and gain a good understanding about the local community and wider world through celebrating festivals, tasting food from a variety of cultures and having access to a good range of opportunities and play resources showing positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability. However, they lack opportunities to use varied resources reflecting community languages.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children who have learning difficulties or disabilities are welcomed and supported to become secure and well settled here. Staff use individual education plans and advice from local agencies to ensure they provide good individual support and effective liaison with parents. There is access to the building for those with disabilities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are very confident and respond positively to staff when they are reminded about basic rules. They have good relationships with other children and the staff and who encourage them through modelling polite behaviour and allowing children time to resolve their own conflicts. For example, children are given sensitive support to enable them to 'move on' only if they fail to solve their minor disagreements. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnerships with parents are good. Parents exchange information both verbally and when they register their child to ensure staff have a knowledge of individual needs and achievements; this enables staff to build on what children already know. Children benefit when the observations, assessments and records of their progress are shared with parents on a regular basis. Parents access informal consultations with staff at least twice each year when they exchange information about their children's progress. Parents are provided with information about the curriculum and each child regularly takes examples of their work home. This supports children's learning and provides an opportunity for parents to comment on their children. Regular newsletters inform parents so that they can contribute items to support topic work. Good relationships with parents ensure children’s individual needs are met well.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. All the staff working in the setting have been checked and those who are not fully checked are not left unsupervised with children. This ensures that children are safeguarded. Children benefit from the support of several staff who are trained and qualified and who are increasing their skills and knowledge through courses and workshops. The second supervisor is currently qualified at level two and is trying to access assessment to achieve a level three in childcare and early education. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

Children's welfare is promoted through the use of clear and informative records, policies and procedures; for example, there are records of visitors, accident and medication records. Children are making good progress due to the effective organisation of space and resources.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are good. Staff are enthusiastic about their work in the setting and keen to develop the provision further. This results in benefits to the children as staff attend

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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 training courses and use their ideas to improve the facilities and build good practice. Children benefit from the information shared with parents on the curriculum, such as plans and newsletters which outline learning topics. This, as well as other practices, encourages parents to contribute to their children's learning and development.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection there were several recommendations made and the group have made good progress in improving the facilities and experiences of children. Children are now protected from hot radiators and are able to wash their hands under fresh running water. They can access well maintained toilets with comfortable seats. Regular risk assessments provide evidence of the daily safety checks that are carried out.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The child protection policy has been reviewed and updated to ensure that procedures followed in the event of allegations of abuse and neglect are included. Children's welfare is supported by the written parental permission to access emergency medical treatment and advice, as well as consent to take photographs. Health Visitor details are recorded on their registration forms.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There are now good procedures in place for the recruitment and induction of new staff and staff ensure that the children's work in their development records is dated.

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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 can be seen 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): • ensure that there are resources reflecting community languages that children are able to access

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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):

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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 • extend opportunities for children to use mathematical concepts, numerals, and perform simple calculations

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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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