Yew Tree Pre-SchoolOfsted inspection, 12 Jul 2005

Yew Tree Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Yew Tree Pre-School

Unique Reference Number 301112 Inspection date 12 July 2005 Inspector Karen Cockings

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Yew Tree Pre-School

Setting Address Yew Tree Community School, Alcester Street, Chadderton, Oldham, OL9 8LE Telephone number 0161 3457337

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E-mail

Registered person Yew Tree Pre-School Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day 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 For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Yew Tree Pre-School has been operating since 1984 and since 1999 has been based at Yew Tree Community School, which is situated in the Chadderton area of Oldham. The pre-school serves families who live in the surrounding areas, which are culturally diverse. The majority of children attending the pre-school go on to attend the school nursery. The group is registered to provide full day care for a maximum of 24 children aged

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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 between 2 and 5 years. Currently there are 36 children on roll, of whom 21 are in receipt of nursery education funding. There are children attending with special needs and with English as an additional language. The pre-school opens between 9.00 and 15.30 and children attend for a variety of sessions. Children who stay over the lunchtime period bring a packed lunch. The pre-school operates from a classroom within the school and has sole use of the room during their sessions, although at other times it is used by an out of school provision. There is also occasional use of the school's hall and library. Outdoor play is organised in the playground and grassed areas surrounding the school. The pre-school is managed by a management committee which includes parent representatives. A team of four staff work directly with the children, all of whom are

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

qualified or working towards a relevant qualification. They are also assisted by a student on a long term placement and by an additional lunchtime member of staff. The setting receives support from the Pre-School Learning Alliance and from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's awareness of good hygiene practice is promoted well through daily routines and planned activities. They understand the importance of hand washing, for example, before they have snack and after toileting. Visits by dental professionals help them to learn how they can care for their teeth and encourage them to eat a healthy diet. The environment is adequately clean, although some aspects of hygiene such as the lack of soap in toilet areas and the uncovered bin in the playroom need attention to ensure that risks to children's health are minimised. Children regularly enjoy physical activity. At most sessions they are able to play outdoors where they have access to school playgrounds and grassy areas. Here they have plenty of space and resources available to help them to develop physical skills. They confidently manoeuvre sit and ride toys and enjoy activities that involve running

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Helping children to be healthy

and jumping. On one day each week they are able to use the school hall where they have access to balancing and climbing equipment. Children are confident to express their own needs for sleep and rest if they are tired. They know where the sleep mats are stored and make themselves comfortable in the quiet area if necessary. Quieter activities are also planned for the early afternoon session to give those children who attend for the full day an opportunity to rest. Satisfactory arrangements are made to address children's dietary needs. Snacks may include fresh fruit or biscuits with a drink, and children staying over the lunchtime period bring a packed lunch from home. Staff ensure that they are aware of any special dietary needs or allergies and are careful to ensure that appropriate foods are offered.

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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

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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 welcoming and secure environment where their safety is given high priority. Staff supervise them carefully, paying particular attention to their movements between the indoor and outdoor play areas. Children know which areas of the playground they can use and staff make regular risk assessments to ensure that all children are kept safe. Routine checks are made of the equipment and resources, which children learn how to use safely. Staff are alert to potential hazards and make suggestions to help children to consider alternative safer ways of managing an activity. For example, when children try to build a taller tower by standing on a chair they suggest that they move it onto the floor so that they can continue safely. As a result children are learning and developing their play within safe limits. Children's awareness of fire safety is promoted very well through visits by fire safety

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

officers and regular practising of emergency procedures. Staff ensure that children understand the routines without being alarmed by them. For example, they sing a special fire safety song. Children are well protected from the risk of abuse because staff have attended relevant child protection training and have clear procedures in place which they follow through as necessary.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are settled and happy at the setting. They are familiar with the routines for the session, arrive confidently and find their own name label to post in the box. They enjoy a wide variety of activities and resources and many are keen to participate in group games. Some prefer to settle to a chosen individual activity such as using the computer or painting a picture at the easel. There is a good balance of indoor and outdoor activities that provide children with challenge and help them to gain confidence in their own abilities. Children form good relationships with adults and with each other. Involvement in turn taking games helps them to understand about the needs of others and the importance of sharing and playing cooperatively. Children are eager to share what they know or can do by offering support to those who may not be familiar with a piece of equipment. Staff support children effectively and help them to develop their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

communication skills. They recognise that they tend now to be working with a high proportion of younger children and have identified Birth to three matters training as a priority for them during the coming year, to assist them in their work with the two to three year olds in their group. Nursery Education

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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 The quality of teaching and learning is good and children are progressing well in all areas of development. They are learning to concentrate and have periods of free play when they make choices and select resources for themselves. They engage well with activities and are confident to ask for help if needed. Children demonstrate growing independence with personal care and have suitable resources to help them. For example, they enjoy using puppets with zips and buttons. Children are becoming confident speakers and listeners. They join in enthusiastically with songs and rhymes and listen intently to stories. Many also enjoy looking at books independently, choosing their favourites and recalling the story as they turn the pages. They use their growing language skills to develop their imaginative play as

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they access resources such as telephones, clipboards and dressing up clothes to act out their chosen roles. There are many opportunities for them to practise writing and mark making during play, for example as they write shopping lists in the home corner or label their pictures. Children develop good counting skills and regularly count during daily activities. Staff give effective support as children play, in order to extend their learning and encourage them to count and identify shapes. Children create patterns in their art work and use resources such as dominos, lotto and compare bears for matching, sorting and simple calculation. They are fascinated by resources such as magnets and periscopes, which help them to gain a simple understanding of how things work. Children share news about themselves and their families but have more limited opportunities to learn about different cultures and beliefs within the wider society.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children make good progress in their creative development. They use their imagination and different paint techniques to create pictures and they enjoy playing in the home corner, enacting different roles together and using available resources to develop and extend their ideas. Children develop good levels of hand eye coordination as they use mark making materials, try to fasten zips and buttons on puppets and use construction toys and jigsaws. They competently use equipment outdoors, developing a sense of space and practising their skills as they steer wheeled toys around the play area. Limited access to balancing and climbing equipment, however, restricts children's opportunities to develop confidence in this area. Staff plan the programme effectively to promote children's progress towards the early learning goals. Their plans identify what they hope children will learn, show how children will be grouped and indicate whether individual children may need additional

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

help. Staff make good use of observations to monitor children's progress. They build strong relationships with children, using effective methods to help children to benefit from the play and learning experiences offered. They value children's contributions by listening carefully to them and displaying their work attractively around the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children from a variety of backgrounds and children with special needs are warmly welcomed into the pre-school. Staff work closely with parents to find out about

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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 children's individual needs, making home visits prior to admission where necessary. If additional equipment is needed to enable children to participate fully, then staff find ways of providing this. They work effectively alongside other professionals in order to help children to achieve their full potential. Children feel a sense of belonging because they are familiar with routines and know their achievements are valued. They proudly show their work, recalling with interest earlier projects they have completed. For example, they share and talk about their own small books that they have made previously. They develop an understanding of responsible behaviour as they help to carry equipment indoors and to tidy away before snack and group time. Children's behaviour is good. They respond well to the guidance given by staff who

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Helping children make a positive contribution

provide them with clear and consistent boundaries and explanations. Staff have a positive approach which helps children to feel good about themselves and their achievements. Children learn to consider the needs and feelings of others and are encouraged to apologise if they are hurtful. They are able to access some resources that reflect positive images of diversity although this is an area for further development. Overall, the provision adequately fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Staff are welcoming and friendly which helps to build good relationships and encourages parents to share information about their children. Introductory meetings with parents before children are admitted provide them with opportunities to talk to staff about their children's needs. They also have access to policies and procedures, and to information about activities that is

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Helping children make a positive contribution

displayed on the notice board. Children's development records may be seen at any time and scrapbooks have also been used effectively in the past to give parents a varied sample of children's work. However, there are no formal arrangements for sharing records routinely and insufficient attention is given to finding ways of involving parents in their children's learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are secure and happy in the well organised environment. Leadership and management are good, supporting staff well in their work with the children. The manager works alongside staff at all times providing a good role model and ensuring that they are suitably deployed. Good staffing levels enable practitioners to work with individual and small groups of children. An additional member of staff is employed to support children over the lunchtime period. The comprehensive operational plan is linked to the National Standards to ensure there are clear procedures for all aspects of the service. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and have input into the review of policies that underpin the smooth running of the setting. The provision is committed to continual improvement and staff attend training where necessary to support their practice. They communicate effectively with local authority

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Organisation

development workers and special needs advisors, seeking advice appropriately to enhance their work with children. Overall, the setting meets the needs of the range of

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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 children attending.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last care inspection recommended that the staff ensure all accident and medication records are signed by parents and that the times of children's attendance are recorded. The provision was also asked to increase the range of resources reflecting positive images of disability. Procedures for record keeping have been improved to ensure that information is shared with parents and attendance details are clear. Staff record if children leave the pre-school before the end of the session. Some new resources such as jigsaws and small world figures have been purchased to increase children's awareness of disability. Also children with special needs are welcomed into the setting and additional equipment is provided for them as necessary. These measures help children to have a better understanding that people have differing needs. The previous education inspection recommended that more emphasis should be given to letter and sound recognition and that children should have more access to

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Improvements since the last inspection

technological resources and to balancing and climbing equipment. It was also recommended that there should be a review of the ways in which information is shared with parents. Children now enjoy a variety of resources and activities to help them with letter and sound recognition. For example, they use resources such as electronic sound and letter games and letter stampers and are regularly involved in rhymes and singing sessions. The range of resources to increase children's awareness of technology has been improved significantly. Children are able use the computer and other electronic games and many are developing confidence in this area. They show interest in how equipment works as they play with magnetic games and equipment such as periscopes and tape recorders. Opportunities for balancing and climbing continue to be more limited because of the shared access to appropriate areas and equipment and difficulties with storage. Information is

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Improvements since the last inspection

displayed for parents about activity plans and areas of learning. They also have access to development records although more could be done to involve parents in their children's learning.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 Ofsted has received one complaint relating to Standard 11: Behaviour. Ofsted carried out an announced visit and an action was raised with regard to Standard 12: Partnership with Parents. Ofsted is satisfied that the registered person has taken appropriate steps to address the concern and the provider remains qualified to provide day care.

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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

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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 National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve the arrangements for maintaining good hygiene standards, with particular regard to the provision of soap in toilet areas and the covering of waste bins in the playroom • consider ways of extending the range of resources and activities that increase children's awareness of cultural diversity.

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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): • increase opportunities for children to develop balancing and climbing skills • consider ways of sharing assessment records more formally with parents, seeking their views on children's progress and involving them more in children's learning.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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