Royal Eltham Pre - School

Royal Eltham Pre - School Inspection report for early years provision

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509639 Unique Reference Number 19 October 2007 Inspection date Teresa Evelina Coleman Inspector

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Westmount Road, Eltham, London, SE9 1XX Setting Address

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E-mail

Royal Eltham Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Royal Eltham Pre-School opened in 1971 and is run by a parent/management committee. The pre-school operates from St Luke's church hall in a residential area of Eltham, in the London borough of Greenwich. The pre-school is close to local shops, parks and schools and serves the local and surrounding areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 39 children from two to five years on roll. This includes 32 funded three and four-year-olds. The setting supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There are currently no children attending who speak English as a second language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group opens five days a week, during term-time only. Sessions are from 09:15 until 12:15 on Mondays and from 09:15 until 15:00 on Tuesdays to Fridays.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are seven members of staff in total. Five members of staff work with the children during the mornings and four during the afternoons. Five members of staff hold NVQ Level 3 qualifications, one member of staff has recently completed a Level 4 qualification and the remaining member of staff holds an NVQ Level 2 qualification. The setting receives support

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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 from a teacher from Greenwich Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. The group received accreditation from Pre-School Learning Alliance in March 2003.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Good hygiene procedures clearly support children's health and protect them from the spread of infection. Children are learning about the importance of good personal hygiene and how this helps them to stay healthy because staff ensure that they can use the toilet and handwashing facilities independently. Children's health is also promoted because there are effective systems in place to record the administration of medication, including prior written parental permission. There is a sick children policy available in the pre-school's folder which means that children are generally protected from the risk of the spread of illness. However, it is not effectively shared with parents because it is not included in the welcome booklet or displayed on the notice board.

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Helping children to be healthy

The pre-school operates a free flow system which means that children are able to choose when they want to play outside. As a result, they are able to enjoy very good opportunities for outdoor play and vigorous exercise and are able to use a range of equipment, including a slide and wheeled toys. Children also benefit from being able to bring the indoors out, as they take part in a range of activities across all areas of play, in the outdoor area.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are beginning to learn about healthy eating because staff understand the importance of providing children with a healthy nutritious diet. Consequently, the pre-school provides a range of healthy snacks that includes fresh fruit and vegetables and a range of savoury foods like cheese and crackers. Staff talk to the children about what they are having for their snack and why some foods are good for them. Resources are available to further promote this, for example, a five a day chart. However, children's packed lunches sometimes contain less healthy items such as chocolate biscuit bars and crisps. The pre-school's welcome booklet requests that packed lunches should be healthy and staff try to encourage good eating habits by sitting with the children and encouraging them to eat their sandwich and fruit first. However, the booklet does not provide any specific information or suggestions about healthy options. Snack and

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Helping children to be healthy

lunch times are happy, sociable occasions in the pre-school and children enjoy chatting to each other and to staff. They benefit from some opportunities to serve themselves, for example, they are able to pour their own drinks.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The children benefit from a very warm, welcoming and attractive environment where they can play, learn and relax comfortably. The pre-school is well-organised in clearly designated areas, for example, there is an inviting book corner and a well-equipped home corner. The environment is further enhanced through the creative use of posters, charts, photographs and lovely examples of the children's work. Good accessibility of plentiful high quality resources across all areas of children's play, development and learning helps to promote children's free choice, independence and initiative.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good attention is paid to safety in the setting. Effective use is made of regular risk assessments and this ensures that potential dangers and risks to children are identified and minimised. Staff

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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 ensure that safety precautions are in place and carry out regular checks on all toys, furniture and equipment. This helps to ensure children's ongoing safety. Children are learning how to keep themselves and others safe because staff regularly enforce safety rules and explain risks and dangers to them. For example, they remind them not to run indoors and ask if they remember why this is. Staff also explain the safety implications of children's actions on others. For example, they explain that others may get hurt if they crash their scooter in to them. Appropriate measures are in place to protect children from the risk of fire. These include written fire procedures and regular fire drills, which are recorded. Consequently, children are able to move around the premises safely, confidently and independently.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's security is maintained through ensuring there are safe and secure systems in place for their arrival and departure. This includes locking the gates throughout the session so access can only be gained by ringing the bell and being admitted by a member of staff. Accurate attendance records of children's and staff's hours of attendance are kept. A record of visitors is also kept. However, it is sometimes inconsistently maintained. As a result, it does not always provide an accurate record of everyone on the premises.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff understand their responsibilities to protect the children in their care from the risk of abuse. They are fully aware of the action to take if they have a concern about a child, including informing Social Services and Ofsted. There is a written child protection statement and procedure which forms part of the pre-school's operational plan and is shared with parents via the policy folder. This includes procedures to be followed if there is an allegation against a member of staff. However, although the welcome leaflet informs parents of some aspects of the pre-school's child protection responsibilities, it does not inform parents of what would happen if an allegation was made against a member of staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Learning through play is a key objective at the pre-school. Children enjoy a very varied, balanced range of exciting and interesting activities in a rich, stimulating environment where they are sensitively supported by caring and skilled staff. The extremely effective key worker system helps to ensure that children settle well and are happy. Consequently, they participate confidently and enthusiastically in daily routines. Children's individual needs are recognised and acknowledged and children's interests are a focal point when staff plan activities. Activities are well organised and are set up in clearly designated areas. Children benefit from an excellent balance of freely chosen activities and those initiated by staff. They greatly enjoy moving freely between activities and making independent choices. Many resources are accessibly stored and this promotes children's independence. Excellent use is made of the outside play area where

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children enjoy a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities, all year round and in all weathers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Interaction between staff and children is excellent. Staff talk and listen to children and engage them in frequent chatty conversations. They respond to their interests and ask lots of open-ended questions to make children think and use explanations to extend their language development and learning. Children enjoy excellent opportunities to pursue their own interests, express their opinions, thoughts and feelings and use their imaginations. Staff are affectionate and loving towards the children and the children enjoy warm relationships with them. Staff are very enthusiastic and clearly enjoy playing with the children and getting involved in their activities. They make frequent use of praise, encouragement and humour in their interactions with them. As a result, children's self esteem and confidence is exceptionally well promoted.

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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 Nursery Education

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Staff know the children well and ensure that parents are well informed about their children's progress. Excellent planning systems are in place and this helps to ensure that children enjoy a varied, balanced range of activities. Staff use the Foundation Stage guidance effectively and consequently, children are making excellent progress towards the early learning goals. All staff are involved in planning and plans are effectively shared with parents. Plans consist of long, medium and short term plans. They include focused activities, clearly identified learning intentions for the whole group and individuals, children's interests, evaluations and next steps. Children's progress is monitored effectively and the next steps in individual children's learning are clearly identified, in consultation with parents and the children themselves. Children's spontaneous learning is also

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

effectively incorporated into activities. Individual learning plans are drawn up for every child and this ensures that the learning programme is tailored to meet each individual child's needs. Observations are recorded under the six areas of learning and then used to inform future planning. Excellent records of children's individual progress and achievements are kept and shared with parents. They include dated examples of children's work and labelled photographs of children engaging in activities, labelled using children's own words.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's personal, social and emotional development is excellent. Children are becoming confident because staff value them and frequently use praise and encouragement. Children behave very well because staff are very good role models for them and treat them with respect and consideration. Consequently, children share well, work co-operatively with others and show care and consideration for each other. Children are learning to take responsibility and their independence is developing well because staff encourage them to put on their own aprons and coats, use the toilet facilities independently, pour their own drinks and select their own resources.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are making excellent progress in communication, language and literacy. They greatly enjoy listening to and participating in stories. They recall and retell stories and competently answer questions about their content. For example, during a story that focuses on rhyming words which is about a shopping list that is misheard and the wrong items bought, they laugh delightedly at the mistaken items and are able to name the correct items. Children frequently use the attractive book corner and often select books for themselves. They are also developing extremely positive attitudes to books and reading because they are able to choose books from a selection of library books and take them home in a book bag to share and enjoy with their parents. The book bag also contains props like puppets or soft toys and a comments book. Children are learning to speak confidently, individually and to a group. Staff interaction with

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children is very good and staff encourage children's language development because they talk and listen to children and ask them open-ended questions to make them think and to extend their vocabulary. Children are beginning to understand that print carries meaning because good use is made of labelling in the environment. They also enjoy 'reading back' labels that staff have written on their photographs in their profile books which are written in the children's own words. Regular opportunities for mark making and early writing and the availability of suitable resources means that children's writing skills are developing well. Very good use of name cards, for example, on arrival and when having their snack helps children to recognise their names and many are competently and independently writing their names on their work.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from frequent opportunities to learn about mathematical concepts through daily routines and activities as well as through having very good access to a range of mathematical resources. For example, they learn about patterns and sequencing as they make rows of objects during a printing activity. Their counting skills are developing well as they enjoy

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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 number songs and rhymes and count each other and props during activities. They are beginning to use mathematical language, for example, as they build towers with plastic 'doughnuts in the outdoor area, they talk about making them taller. Consequently, they are making excellent progress in their mathematical development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Very good access to resources, together with an excellent balance of adult-initiated and self chosen activities means that children are able to explore their own creativity. Staff provide appropriate help and support, for example, they help children to use the scissors while making tissue paper flowers. Children enjoy singing, playing instruments together and listening to a wide range of different types of music ranging from nursery rhymes and bird sound to classical music. Children have very good opportunities to express themselves imaginatively, for example, through small world play, dressing up and home corner play. For example, the home corner is changed regularly and this means that children can explore a range of settings including a hospital, office, hairdresser's, optician's, café and pet shop. Consequently, their creative development is progressing very well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world is excellent. They are learning about other cultures and religions through planned activities around celebrations and festivals. Their awareness about others in the community is also promoted through access to a good range of multi-cultural resources, including books, dolls, puzzles and home corner props. Children have good opportunities to build and construct and can experiment with a variety of resources and use simple tools. Children benefit from very good opportunities to learn about technology because they have daily access to the computer and are able to enjoy a variety of appropriate programmes. They are becoming competent and self-sufficient in the use of the computer and enjoy sharing their computer skills with others. Children enjoy excellent opportunities to learn about nature and the environment as they grow a variety of plants and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

flowers in the garden. They plant bulbs and sunflowers and watch them grow. They plant tomatoes, courgettes, beans and strawberries and then pick and eat them. They are learning about insects and other creatures and enjoy observing them, for example, caterpillars. Children are learning about others in the community because staff arrange frequent visits. For example, parents who are nurses and fire fighters have come to talk to the children about their jobs. Children also benefit from outings including Godstone farm, a hop farm and the local environmental centre.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from excellent opportunities to join in physical play in outdoor enclosed area and are able to choose when they want to play outside because staff understand the benefits of outdoor play and operate a free flow system between indoors and outdoors. Planning incorporates physical activities and children greatly enjoy vigorous play, in all weathers all year round. Consequently, their physical development is progressing extremely well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. There are very good systems in place for the identification of children's individual needs. These include detailed discussions with parents and seeking information about all aspects including favourite toys, brothers and sisters and pets. Staff feel that this information helps them to engage with the child when they first start and ensures that they get to know them well. As a result, children settle well and happily participate in pre-school routines and activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Diversity is acknowledged and valued, for example, through the availability of a good range of multi-cultural resources and those including images of disability. These include dolls, books,

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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 puzzles, play figures and home corner props. Children are also learning to respect and value others in the community because they take part in activities around festivals and celebrations, for example, Diwali and Chinese New Year. Activities include preparing and eating foods from other cultures. All children enjoy equal access to all resources and activities, regardless of their gender. There are extremely good systems in place for identifying and supporting children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. These are supported by a written policy that takes account of the code of practice. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator demonstrates a very strong commitment to all aspects of inclusion and is pro-active in ensuring that all children are able to take part in the full range of activities while at pre-school. This includes making

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Helping children make a positive contribution

sure that any specialised equipment used is adapted to facilitate this.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are forming strong relationships with staff and each other. Their behaviour is extremely good because staff provide very positive role models for them and treat them with respect at all times. Staff have realistic expectations of children's behaviour and ensure that they use consistent strategies that take account of children's age and level of understanding. They use frequent explanations and this helps children to learn right from wrong, think about others' feelings and become self-disciplined. Staff promote positive behaviour through the frequent use of praise and this encourages children to feel good about themselves and grow in confidence. The pre-school's 'golden rules', which are regularly reinforced, remind the children to be kind to each other and to share and take turns. Consequently, they are learning to show care and consideration for others. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is outstanding. Staff are very approachable and friendly. Parents are fully aware of who their child's key worker is and know that they can discuss any concerns with them, the managers or any other members of staff. Information about the pre-school is shared via a notice board and a regular newsletter. Parents also receive a welcome booklet which provides them with information about many aspects of the pre-school's operation. Parents are extremely well informed about their child's progress and very involved in future planning and agreeing the next steps in their child's learning. Information about forthcoming themes and topics is also shared with parents so that they can actively participate in their child's learning. All parents approached shared very positive feedback with the inspector. For example, they commented on staff's friendliness and approachability, staff's excellent interaction with their

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Helping children make a positive contribution

child and commented on how happy, settled and confident their children are. Several also said how pleased they are with the excellent progress their children are making and said that they feel very involved in their learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Sound recruitment procedures ensure that all necessary checks are carried out to establish that all staff are suitable to work with children. Children are never left with unvetted persons. Good staff records are kept and include a record of training attended. A clear management structure is in place and staff have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. All members of staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications.

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Organisation

Children benefit from a welcoming, child-friendly environment where they have access to a balanced and stimulating range of activities across all areas of development, play and learning. Space is creatively and imaginatively used and organised in clearly designated areas. Children have good access to an excellent range of good quality resources. An effective free flow session means that children can play outdoors whenever they wish and very good use is made of the

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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 outdoor facilities. This helps to promote children's physical health and encourages them to make decisions and independent choices. Overall, staff ratios are well-maintained. Children are looked after by a caring, competent and committed staff team who are enthusiastic in their approach. Interaction between adults and children is excellent and this helps children gain in confidence and self esteem.

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Organisation

Appropriate documentation is in place, for example, attendance, accident and medication records and is confidentially stored. The nursery's operational plan includes policies and procedures relating to all areas of the nursery's operation. These include all polices required by the National Standards, for example, a complaints policy and complaints log and a policy of the procedure to follow if a child is uncollected or becomes lost. However, the sick children policy is not effectively shared with parents because it is not included in the welcome leaflet or displayed on the notice board. In addition, the child protection policy in the welcome booklet lacks sufficient detail because it does not inform parents of the procedures to be followed if there is an allegation against a member of staff.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is outstanding because the excellent nursery education programme ensures that children are making extremely good progress towards the early learning goals. Planning is extremely effective and there are sound systems in place to evaluate children's progress and achievements. Individual learning plans are drawn up for all children, based on the stepping stones. Evaluations are appropriately and consistently used to plan the next steps in individual children's learning and are effectively shared with parents and children. Systems for recording children's progress are extremely good. The pre-school managers monitor and evaluate the nursery education programme on an ongoing basis through observations and by overseeing planning and children's progress records.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, a recommendation was made to devise a written procedure to be followed if a child is lost. This recommendation has been fully addressed and systems to ensure children's safety have therefore improved, as a result.

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Improvements since the last inspection

In addition, three key issues were identified to improve the quality of nursery education. As a result, systems for the assessment and recording of children's progress records have been improved. Observations are recorded and used to plan the next steps in individual children's learning. Recording systems include individual learning plans and profile books. Planning systems have also improved and include clearly identified learning intentions for the whole group and for individual children. Daily access to a computer means that children's opportunities to learn about technology have improved.

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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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Complaints 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

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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 outstanding.

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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 all policies are effectively shared with parents, for example, the sick children policy • ensure that the welcome booklet provides parents with sufficient information, for example, that the child protection/safeguarding children policy informs parents about procedures in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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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