Meadowgate Academy

Hurley Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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144055 Unique Reference Number 18 September 2007 Inspection date Janet Sharon Williams Inspector

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Hurley House, Kempsford Road, Kennington, London, SE11 4PB Setting Address

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0207-582-1838 Telephone number hurleypre-school@fsmail.net E-mail Hurley Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Hurley Pre-school is a registered charity and is managed by a committee which is made up mainly of parent/carers. The pre-school operates from purpose built premises arranged over three floors in a block of flats, situated in a residential estate. The premises comprises of open plan play rooms, children's toilets and washing facilities, a kitchen, an office, staff facilities and an outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 53 children aged from two to five years on roll. These include 37 that receive nursery education funding. The setting currently supports a number of funded children who speak English as an additional language. There is one child with special educational needs. Children attend full time or on a sessional basis.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group is open 5 days per week for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 09.00 to 12.00 and 13.00 to 16.00. Full day care is available from 09.00 to 16.00.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Six full time and six part time staff work with the children. Eight have qualifications in Early Years. Two staff are currently on training programmes and three are working towards an Early Years 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 Hurley Pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership pre-school teacher and inclusion information officer.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health and welfare is promoted through some good hygiene practices. For example, they automatically wash their hands after visiting the toilet and staff remind them to wash their hands after messy play. Children know and understand why they need to wash their hands to avoid cross contamination. However, the children do not wash their hands before snacks. Areas used by the children are kept clean; staff ensure the premises is cleaned daily. Effective procedures are in place for recording accidents, incidents and medication administered. However, medication administered documentation does not include the signing of the record by parents on collection of their child.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's individual dietary requirements are respected and considered carefully. Allergies and special dietary needs are listed on the kitchen notice board and the food trolley. Children have a healthy and balanced diet. For example, freshly prepared meals are cooked and delivered each day and they also receive healthy snacks, such as chopped vegetables and fruit. Fresh drinking water is readily available and children can help themselves from the water cooler.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy regular physical activities that help keep them in good health. Large play equipment in the outdoor area and a spacious ball pool and soft play room gives children the opportunity to practise and develop physical 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 bright, welcoming and well maintained environment. Their paintings and drawings are displayed throughout the setting. Space is used effectively, which means children can move around safely, freely and comfortably and access toys and equipment easily. For example, all areas within the setting are organised to cover the areas of learning, such as a structured and spacious creative learning vicinity and where children are independently able to use their imagination in the organised home corner. There is also a cultural and book corner, children are able to access water and sand play, a range of construction toys, creative craft materials and there is a sensory room where children are able to relax. All these resources are able to motivate children to want to explore and make their own choice about their play and activity.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is maintained at all times. A good risk assessment procedure is in place, staff are vigilant in their support and supervision of children, areas used by the children are safe and secure, for example, sockets are covered when not in use, stairgates are securely fixed to make areas inaccessible where children are not allowed to access, no person can enter the premises without ringing the door bell, all visitors have to sign in and out and regular fire drills are frequently practised and have been clearly recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected from abuse or neglect as staff have a clear understanding of child protection issues and procedures. Most staff have completed a child protection training course

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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 and know the procedure to follow if they have concern about a child being at risk. There are also clear written procedures in place and this includes if allegations are made against a member of staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children have a wide range of resources made readily available to them. The organisation of the equipment encourages children to make their own choices. Good opportunities are provided for children to experiment, use resources creatively and imaginatively and play co-operatively together. For example, they enjoy painting and building with large construction bricks. Children use their imagination well through the use of a pleasantly organised home corner with a good selection of resources and play materials such as, crockery, cutlery and wide selection of dressing up clothes where children dress up acting out various roles in the different customs. During the summer months, children enjoy a range of interesting and enjoyable experiences through outings to various parks and a city farm, where they can learn about what is going on around them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff interact with the children in a relaxed atmosphere and demonstrate a very good understanding of each child's needs. There is an effective key worker system in place that enables staff to establish good relationships with children. Staff are continuously talking and listening to the children to help them build their confidence and self esteem. Children are able to develop and learn through play because staff have a well structured and organised activity plan which includes the Foundation Stage of learning

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Long and short term plans support children's teaching and learning across all six areas of learning. Staff have written observations and records of children's achievement. Most of their assessment systems is quiet detailed and reflects children's individual needs. However not all children's profiles have a record of the dates.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children concentrate well on their chosen activities and work well independently. Children develop good relationships with adults and other children in the pre-school. They learn to co-operate and work well together. There is good interaction with staff and children. Children also learn to negotiate well and to express their gained experiences during a good range of role-model play situations. For example, children pretend to go shopping, be a cashier and act out role as mum and dad. At story time children enjoy and listen avidly to stories and relate in a good way to well-known stories, such as Goldilocks and the three bears and join in to help tell the story. Most children's spoken language is developing well. They have opportunities to listen and take turns when speaking and answering open ended question. However, children's communication and language skills are not always sufficiently challenged, for example,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

encouraged to link sounds and letters or use phonetics. Children are given the chance to mark make in a number of situations, have access to pencils, felt tips pens and crayons.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count confidently and know numbers that are important to them. They show how old they are using their fingers. Children sing number rhymes and songs to learn simple additions and subtractions. They learn about size and shapes through practical worthwhile activities linked to the stepping stones.

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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's knowledge and understanding of the world is very good and activities and resources encourages them to explore through using practical activities, for example, planting seeds and flowers in pots and they enjoy digging and watering the garden. Children learn about different cultures and beliefs through well planned topic work that relates to their own culture and others. For example, they taste Chinese and Asian food and other food from around the world, address and acknowledge various days, such as New Zealand and Australia day. This increases their awareness of other people and their own life.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have many opportunities to use their senses and express themselves creatively through a range of mediums. They paint, draw and make collages using various coloured materials and fabric. Some children are confident with matching colours. Children benefit from a sensory room where they can access various sounds, instruments, colour effects and textures. Children move confidently and in a variety of ways. They are competent when going up and down stairs, enjoy a range of physical activities, running and enjoying the freedom of the outdoor space.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are treated as individuals. The environment is very welcoming and dual language signs displayed in the environment help to acknowledge some of the children's and families' cultural identity. Children experience a wide selection of activities and resources reflecting a variety of race, religions and cultures through inviting parents to talk to children about the different foods and involving them in varying cultural cooking. Children also have access to a good range of resources that promote equality of opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice, for example, books, dolls, puzzles dressing up clothes. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children have many opportunities to develop and practise social skills playing and learning together in small groups. They relate positively to each other and adults. Children are well behaved through being occupied and stimulated. Good manners, regular praise and encouragement are used by the staff to re-enforce good behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with learning difficulties are welcomed into the pre-school. Additional support is provided to help them take part in all activities on offer. Children join in activities due to the promotion by staff of an active inclusion policy.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from a positive partnership with parents. Parents are encouraged to be involved with the pre-school and their ideas and involvement are welcomed. Registration details request important information about culture, religion, ethnicity, language and dietary needs to enable staff to provide for children particular requirements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good. Staff involve parents in their child's learning by giving suggestions and homework folders that extend learning at home. Parents and staff work together and share information about children's individual progress and development. Staff have also maintained satisfactory records of children whom have attended from an early age to ensure children achieve well.

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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. Children are cared for in a well organised, relaxed and caring environment. Staff organise the provision very well and make good use of space and resources to create a stimulating, orderly and supportive provision. Staff are deployed effectively and implement the nursery routines smoothly. Most staff have an Early Years qualification and have opportunities to attend further relevant childcare training. This means that suitable and experienced staff look after children. Staff work well as a team and clear communication and working together with planning a stimulating effective balanced activity plan.

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Organisation

All relevant policies and procedures are in place including most of the recommended documentation. This helps to reflect, monitor and improve the quality of the care they offer the children.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The management team and staff work together closely to ensure that children receive good care and learn according to their age and stage of development. Although staff have written plans to ensure children progress towards the early learning goals, not all are clear recording the dates of children's achievement. Staff are knowledgeable about the Foundation Stage of learning and use their skills and knowledge effectively to evaluate how children are progressing towards the early learning goal. The manager has a good knowledge of current child care practices to support the care and learning of children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the pre-school was asked to develop the Operational Plan and ensure staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to all policies and procedures. This has been satisfactorily addressed.

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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 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 satisfactory.

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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):

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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 • ensure parents countersign medication administered • improve hygiene standards by ensuring children wash their hands before snack time

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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 children's communication and language development is sufficiently challenged in their play and daily routine • ensure children's progress reports include a clear record of the dates

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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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