Mayfield Pre-School

Mayfield Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

EY281724 Unique Reference Number 17 January 2008 Inspection date Christine Tipple Inspector

p.1

Mayfield County Primary, St. Leonards Road East, Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire, FY8 2HQ

p.1

E-mail

Bonita Julie Crowther Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Mayfield Pre-School opened in 2004 and is privately owned and managed. It operates from a self-contained pre-fabricated building in the grounds of Mayfield Primary School in St Anne's. There is an enclosed outside play area and access to the school playing field. Children attend from the surrounding areas.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school is registered for a maximum of 24 children aged from three to under eight years. There are currently 25 children on roll, of whom 24 are in receipt of nursery education funding. The pre-school is open each weekday from 08.30 to 11.30 and from 12.30 to 15.30, term time only. The after school club operates from 15.30 to 17.30 in term time. In the holidays the school club is open Monday to Friday 08.30 until 17.30.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are four staff employed, of whom three have a relevant childcare qualification, and a volunteer who assists on a regular basis. There is one staff member attending training to achieve a qualification. The pre-school supports students on placement.

p.2

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The standards of health and hygiene are good. The children use the facilities confidently and most are independent in managing their own personal care. The routines enable the children to know when they need to wash their hands, such as after playing and before their snack and lunch. The children, on occasion, require a gentle reminder by staff to put their hand over their mouth when coughing. There is good information in place for parents on the procedures to follow if children are ill and the appropriate exclusion times required before returning to pre-school. These all support the reduction of cross-infection for staff and children.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children have daily exercise outdoors either in their enclosed play area or the school playing field. The children enjoy being outside in the fresh air and this is well supported all year round. There is a good range of opportunities for the children to extend and practise their physical skills effectively. They have space to run and manoeuvre themselves through obstacles and to balance and climb. The children have regular music and movement activities which support them with their spatial awareness. Children have access to a positive selection of smaller tools and resources which promote and support their hand and eye co-ordination effectively.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children have daily snacks and packed lunches provided by parents. The children have fruit at snack time and they have a café-style system which enables the children to decide when they are ready to eat. They have their name card and they select the fruit and help themselves to either milk or water to drink. The staff see both snack and lunch as positive social experiences for the children, to talk with each other and to develop their growing independence. The staff promote a healthy lifestyle through information and guidance to parents including what not to provide in the children's packed lunches, such as no sweets or fizzy drinks, and to offer a healthy variety which children will eat. However, the out of school club children have a tuck shop which does offer sweets and other less healthy options. All foods brought into pre-school are stored appropriately in the fridge to keep fresh.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children attend the pre-school keen to access the range of positive play and learning activities and resources provided for them. The premises offer a clean and well set out environment that is child centred and accessible to the children, which enables them to be independent, including the outside provision. The quality, range and selection of toys, resources and equipment is good and provides a variety to engage the children and cover the curriculum effectively.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Safety is well managed by the staff, who use risk assessments to monitor and manage the provision efficiently and safely. This is supported with a safety policy which covers all areas of the pre-school practices and takes all reasonable steps to prevent accidents occurring. Children gain knowledge and understanding about keeping safe through the various activities and daily routines, such as using tools and equipment in a safe way and to be aware of others around them. Children wear safety clothing and outfits in the role play areas, when being a firefighter and wearing aprons when cooking. Outings extend the experiences of the children in learning about crossing the road and holding hands and keeping together. Children play an active part in the fire evacuation procedure on a regular basis.

p.3

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 Staff have attended regular training to update their procedures and knowledge on child protection issues. The children's safety and welfare are safeguarded and this is supported through the pre-school's policy statement, which is shared with parents.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children arrive at the pre-school happy and keen to be involved in the range of activities provided. Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework as part of the settling-in assessment of the children when they first attend, particularly in relation to their personal, social and emotional needs. Staff provide a supportive and caring environment where relationships are nurtured effectively. This supports the children to be confident and develop their independence. Children attend after school and in the holidays and the provision in place meet their needs in the resources provided, such as arts and craft materials and various games and sports provision. This is further extended in the holidays, which includes the children's contributions to the planning of activities and outings provided.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff's knowledge and implementation of the Foundation Stage is sound and this is reflected in what they plan for the children and how they progress. They offer a range of positive learning experiences which encompass all the early learning goals. The children have ongoing opportunities to access all areas in their play and learning, to self-select, make decisions and choices in what they do for most of the session. Staff work well with the children to ensure their varied learning needs are effectively supported through their play. This is linked to the children's interests, which provide a positive way forward to ensure the children are engaged and involved at all levels.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff provide clear and detailed plans which they evaluate through their observation and ongoing assessment of individual children. The observation and assessment of each child is completed by their key worker. A good selection of evidence is provided to support their assessments on each child. These provide an evaluation of the focused activities and identify the children's next steps, which are recorded in future plans. However, this system is being reviewed as part of the pre-school's evaluation, and some changes and adjustments have not been made to ensure it meets the needs of the children.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have a range of opportunities through the session to use a broad selection of resources to make marks and most of the children recognise their names, such as on their coat peg and at snack time. Children have a range of props which support their recognition of letters and the sounds they make, such as puppets and objects starting with the letter sound. Books are accessible for the children to use throughout the session as well as to participate at story time which is enhanced with puppets and resources from the story sacks. Communication and development of language is good. The staff spend quality time with the children to talk with them and enable them to share their news at circle time. The relationships formed enable the children to feel confident and self-assured in what they do and this is encouraged by the staff.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Numbers and counting are used throughout the children's play. There are supportive materials which use numbers in games, songs and other resources, which are accessed in all areas of the pre-school. Children count with confidence and older children extend this beyond 10. Children have opportunities to practise sequencing and matching and to recognise shapes around them. Mathematical language is used to describe weight and volume, such as through baking, water

p.4

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 and sand play. Children can explore their environment through the newly refurbished outside play area, which promotes all the senses. They have access to the large school field and nature garden. Children have a good selection of natural materials which extend their interest and enable them to see changes around them, to grow plants and watch the rain and then play in the muddy puddles. Children also go on outings through the year to extend their experiences. There is a range of construction materials and the children have access to information and communication technology resources.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy creative activities and take great delight in their making and painting of a model dragon and their musical shakers. There is a positive emphasis on role play for the children which enables them to act out their experiences and express themselves effectively. Access to all resources and materials enables the children to develop their own ideas and extend their skills in using tools and various mediums, such as paints and collage. Music and movement and singing are also enjoyed by the children and this is a regular activity; again, this enables the children to take part and contribute.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff know the children and their families well and the children's individual needs are recognised and valued. They are made welcome by the staff and time is given for each child to settle in. This promotes and supports the children in developing a strong sense of self and confidence. Information is shared in other languages, such as through books and staff using certain key words in supporting children for whom English is not their first language. The selection of resources and displays promotes diversity in a positive and informed way for the children. They access all areas and activities in the pre-school. Children go out on outings into their community, such as to the park, on nature walks and to the beach. Visitors are welcomed into pre-school to provide additional experiences for the children, such as the police and fire service. Parents also attend to share things with the children, such as bringing in the new baby to show all the

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is good. They are happy and relaxed in their surroundings. Children respond well to the routines and boundaries in place for their safety and welfare. Staff are supportive and caring and this is reflected in the lovely relationships formed with the children. The children are developing their skills and understanding of sharing and taking turns and use their manners with only the occasional prompt required from staff. The staff work in a consistent way to ensure the children are secure in the management of their behaviour. Positive praise is ongoing with the children which fully supports their self-esteem and confidence. The older children who attend the after school provision have support and information in relation to anti-bullying, and the staff's approach is relevant to their level of understanding. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. The pre-school provides a range of information on all areas of the care and education provided. This is through the parent handbook, the regular newsletter and the pre-school's detailed policies and procedures. The parents' noticeboard provides information of the activities and learning objectives provided for their children during the week as well as other useful topics of interest. However, the full contact details of the regulator are not displayed. Staff promote an 'open door' policy to enable parents to feel able to talk with the staff at any time and to give support for their children to settle in. The 'I can do' information is completed by parents to provide the staff with details of the children's home life, such as what they enjoy doing and family members. This positive approach

p.5

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 by the staff assists them in supporting the child through these established links with their home life.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The pre-school has two main key workers and parents are informed which one their children have been allocated to. This offers both the parents and children a consistent contact during their time at pre-school and builds good relationships which have a positive impact on the children. There are excellent home link diaries provided which enable parents to make comments and to be kept regularly informed about how their child is progressing. Each term a written report on all the six areas of learning is shared with parents and this also provides the opportunity for them to comment. Additional workshops and training activities are also offered by the pre-school for parents to attend.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is good. The children's care and learning in the pre-school is supported with an organised approach by staff. The space and facilities in place fully support the children's ongoing needs. Staff demonstrate a commitment to offer the children a positive learning and fun environment where their welfare and safety are continually monitored. There is a selection of policies and procedures which are reviewed and all are shared with parents and staff. Other records and documentation are kept up to date and suitably stored and maintain confidentiality. The recruitment and selection procedures are clear and promote the ongoing suitability of those working with the children.

p.6

Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Staff work well as a team and are supportive of each other. They are motivated in what they do and this impacts on the progress the children make. There are regular staff meetings where all staff are able to contribute. Training for staff is ongoing and is well supported by the management. Staff appraisals are in place as part of the programme of staff development to ensure the pre-school continues to offer quality provision for the children. The evaluation and monitoring of the care and education is established and effectively identifies the pre-school's strengths and areas they want to improve upon and this is outlined in their action plan. Recently, the pre-school has extended their space with a conservatory and developed the outside area to further improve the learning opportunities for the children. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

The last care report recommended staff develop their knowledge and understanding of child protection issues.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

The pre-school staff have attended ongoing training to improve their knowledge of child protection issues. This is also reflected in their policy and procedures which promote the children's safety and welfare effectively.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

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

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.7

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): • provide a more healthy selection of foods for the out of school club children • share details of the regulator with parents.

p.7

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): • continue to review the systems used for the ongoing planning and assessment of the children.

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7