Hele's School

Horsted Keynes Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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113536 Unique Reference Number 25 March 2008 Inspection date Felicity Gaff Inspector

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Horsted Keynes Pre-School, Village Hall, The Green, Horsted Keynes, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 7AP

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E-mail

The Trustees of Horsted Keynes 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 satisfactory. 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?

Horsted Keynes Pre-School is managed by a voluntary management committee, made up of parents of children at the pre-school. It opened in 1994 and operates from a village hall in Horsted Keynes, West Sussex. All children share access to a secure outdoor play area. A maximum of 26 children aged from two to under five years may attend the setting at any one time and there are currently 29 children on roll. Of these, 19 children receive funding for nursery education. Children are drawn from the surrounding rural area. There are six members of staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications and one other is working towards a recognised qualification. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are suitably protected from illness and infection because they are cared for in clean, hygienic premises. Effective staff deployment means all areas stay clean throughout the session.

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Helping children to be healthy

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 begin to learn how to keep themselves healthy as staff explain the reasons for personal hygiene routines such as washing hands. Children confidently select from an attractively displayed choice of healthy snacks. There are good systems to ensure staff are fully informed about any dietary requirements. There are suitable procedures for managing sickness and ensuring children receive any necessary medication. However, accident records are inconsistent and indifferently organised. They are not completed sufficiently carefully to provide a clear, accurate record. The disorganised storage prevents staff from using it to inform risk assessments and prevent repeated accidents. Staff are uncertain of the correct procedure for recording existing injuries notified by parents, and authorisations for emergency medical advice or

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Helping children to be healthy

treatment are not on file for all children This limits the ability of the staff to meet children's needs in an emergency. Children have ready access to a secure outdoor are for active play. However, staff do not plan how to use this time to challenge children to develop their physical skills. For example, staff make observations of what children do when riding bikes, but only use these to identify future provision for children making poor progress. As a result, older and more able children are not effectively challenged.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children feel at ease in the welcoming and accessible environment. They benefit from the provision of good quality accessible storage units that allow them to reach many of their own play resources safely and independently. The provider carries out appropriate periodic risk assessments of the premises and practices, but does not update them to reflect changes in the organisation of the setting. As a result, some hazards are not identified and staff do not always follow the procedures identified to minimise those which have. Fire drills are carried out regularly, but do not involve all staff and children, which limits the ability of the staff to safeguard children in an emergency. The provider has reviewed and updated the arrangements for ensuring children are well protected on outings. There are comprehensive written procedures for child protection that conform very closely to those of the local safeguarding children board and that are shared

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

with parents. Staff have a suitable understanding of possible signs and symptoms of abuse and know how to safeguard children by recording and reporting any concerns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. The pre-school has a positive policy that makes both children and parents feel welcome. Children confidently choose what they will play with, which helps them develop independence and self-esteem. They develop secure attachments to familiar adults through an effective key worker system. Staff use incidental learning opportunities well, for example, they discuss suitable clothes for the weather when children are getting ready to go out to play. However, the minimal planning of role play areas leaves them poorly resourced as staff do not plan sufficiently carefully what they want children to achieve. The area is not sufficiently attractively presented and resourced, which limits its effectiveness at promoting extended imaginative play. The organisation of story time does not ensure children are comfortable and ready to listen. As a result, some children become distracted and staff find it hard to hold their attention.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a suitable understanding of how children learn from play and have introduced profiles to record children's achievements. They

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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 plan a suitable variety of workshop areas that are likely to support children's development in all areas of learning. Although staff make written observations of what some children do and achieve, this is unsystematic. They use the records to complete profiles rather than to plan for children's future progress. Plans do not identify how resources will be presented or used, or how activities will be adapted to meet the needs of children at different ages and stages. This prevents staff from ensuring all children are sufficiently challenged. However, the recently appointed manager has already identified record keeping, assessment and planning as areas for improvement and is attending relevant training.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are cooperative and begin to consider each other's feelings. Staff intervene promptly and effectively to help them resolve minor conflicts. Children are proud to take home books to share with their parents and staff work together with the village school to provide a consistent approach. Children learn to recognise their own names as they self register on arrival at the setting, but do not often attempt to write them on their art work. Staff provide good language models as they engage children in informal conversation. Children confidently negotiate with each other to plan their own activities such as making dens under tables or cooperating with small world materials. However, there are too few opportunities for children to practice their emergent reading and writing during planned imaginative role play. Staff record children's use of numbers but do not use their observations to plan systematically for the next steps in their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

learning. Children begin to learn about technology as they use the computer and staff plan a suitable range of activities to help them develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. Staff organise some opportunities for children to learn from direct first-hand experience, but do not plan the presentation of material to achieve clear learning objectives. Children show good coordination as they play with wheeled toys in the playground. They develop their fine motor skills as they work with construction toys and engage in a range of planned craft activities. Children enjoy exploring the interesting musical instruments informally. However, there are too few opportunities for them to explore and experiment through a range of open-ended creative activities that challenge them to develop their own ideas, solve their own problems and learn from their mistakes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children begin to recognise their own needs and to respect those of other people. They cooperate well in social play and begin to form firm friendships. They learn to value difference and the wider world by celebrating festivals from diverse cultural traditions. Staff provide sensitive support to help children learn social skills. Children learn to play harmoniously with others. They begin to understand right and wrong because staff explain the reasons for required behaviour. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents of funded children is good. Parents receive detailed information about the setting before their children first attend. They also receive regular newsletters and information about planned activities, including information on how they might support their children's learning at home. There are regular opportunities for parents to exchange information about children's welfare and progress informally with key workers, as well as through open days and parent consultations. Parents are fully involved with their children's learning and are welcomed into the setting as parent helpers or by joining the committee. There is an appropriate procedure for responding to complaints or concerns, although the current system for recording them does not fully protect confidentiality.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Children are safeguarded by the effective recruitment and induction procedures that ensure staff are suitable and hold appropriate qualifications. There are suitable systems for protecting children from people who have not been vetted. The committee is well organised to ensure all the relevant tasks are done effectively in order to run the setting smoothly. Most of the documentation required to support children's welfare is in place. There are exceptionally detailed policies and procedures that are specific to the setting and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the National Standards. As a result, incoming committee members receive very good information about their role and legal responsibilities. Leadership and management of the funded nursery education are satisfactory. The committee encourages staff to attend relevant training and

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Organisation

provides financial and practical support to enable them to do so. This effectively supports staff in identifying and addressing areas of weakness in order to develop the nursery education they provide.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last Children Act inspection the setting agreed to develop the management of children's behaviour and to improve the range of activities offered. Staff now use consistent strategies that help children understand right and wrong, and children behave well. They provide a sufficiently broad range of activities to support children's development in all areas of learning, although they do not always use them effectively.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection of Nursery Education the provider agreed to improve the everyday provision to support children's' learning including the use of the outside area. Staff now use some everyday activities such as self registration to support children's learning. However, they do not provide opportunities for children to practise reading and writing during planned role play. Children have suitable opportunities for vigorous outdoor play every day. The provider also agreed to evaluate the provision, improve staff induction and training, and provide opportunities for parents and staff to exchange information. There are now clear systems for staff induction and appraisal, and the manager has identified areas for future development of the assessment and planning systems to improve the education offered. There are good arrangements for parents to discuss their children's progress with staff.

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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. 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 satisfactory. 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 AND 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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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 accident records include dates and full details of accidents, are signed by parents and are available for inspection • review risk assessments following significant changes to practices, and ensure that actions to minimise identified risks are followed in practice • improve the organisation of fire drills to include all staff and children • improve record keeping so that all relevant authorisations are on file for all children, establish systems that promote confidentiality, and make sure they are known and followed by staff.

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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 that use assessments of what children do and understand to inform future plans, which identify how activities may be adapted to meet the needs of children at different ages and stages of development, and which are clear, concise and quick to complete • improve opportunities for children to explore and experiment through a range of open-ended creative activities that challenge them to develop their own ideas, solve their own problems and learn from their mistakes • identify how planned activities such as role play areas will be resourced, introduced and developed to promote children's development in literacy and mathematics.

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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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