Harvey Road Pre - School

Harvey Road Pre - School Inspection report for early years provision

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229124 Unique Reference Number 18 October 2007 Inspection date Kashma Patel Inspector

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St Michael & All Angels Church, Rowlands Road Yardley, Birmingham, West Midlands, B26 1AT

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E-mail

Vivienne Jones Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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?

Harvey Road Pre-School opened in 1994 and operates from three rooms in a community centre adjoining St. Michael's and All Angels Church in Birmingham. The pre-school serves the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 26 children from two to five years on roll. Of these, 21 children receive funding for early education. The setting supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term time. Sessions are from 09.00 to 11.30 hours.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Seven members of staff work directly with the children. Most of the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ Level 3. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children stay healthy because staff promote good hygiene routines. For example, children wash their hands before food and after using the toilet. Children’s welfare is promoted because most staff have a current first aid certificate and can therefore respond to accidents appropriately.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished and have regular opportunities to learn about healthy eating through regular discussions and activities. They taste different fruit and vegetables, such as peppers, celery and grapes. Children are provided with regular drinks of water or milk, however, they can not access them independently which means their is a risk they may get thirsty.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff make good use of the hall to provide a wide range of physical activities to enable children to develop a variety of skills. They develop their coordination and balance as they take turns to jump on the trampoline and use the slide. They learn about the benefits of exercise as they take part in music and movement. They use the space in the hall well, to move in different ways.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children in receipt of nursery education have a good range of opportunities to promote their physical development. They have regular opportunities to use large apparatus in the large hall, and the local school to develop their large muscle skills. They show confidence as they manoeuvre bikes and avoid obstacles in their way.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are well cared for in a welcoming, safe and secure environment. They are kept safe because staff maintain good levels of supervision and minimise any identified hazards. For example, daily visual and written risk assessments are carried out on all areas used by the children. Effective steps are taken to monitor the arrival and departure of visitors and children. A 'signing-in' system ensures that only authorized persons have access to the setting.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a wide range of toys and equipment which are safe and well maintained. Resources are changed throughout the session to ensure children are kept interested and occupied. Potential risks from broken toys and furniture are minimised as the staff carry out daily visual checks on all equipment used.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded. Staff have a good awareness of the signs and symptoms of abuse. They are confident to report concerns and are able to put necessary procedures into practice. Staff are also familiar of the procedures for allegations made against them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and content within the group. They are cared by staff who are enthusiastic, motivated and who give children lots of individual attention. Staff are experienced, skilled and know the children very well. They plan and adapt a wide range of activities that suit and challenge young children. Staff interact positively with the children, involving themselves in their play and offering appropriate assistance to enhance their learning and enjoyment. Children

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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 move around the room, eagerly engaging in activities which include role play, sand play, painting and collage making.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress through the stepping stones in the six areas of learning because staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. Staff use long, medium and short-term planning to enable children to experience a wide range of activities which meet their individual needs. Children are constantly encouraged to try new challenges, are confident and motivated in the rich learning environment. Assessments are completed using a Foundation Stage profile as staff clearly indicate by colouring in when a child has reached each stepping stone. These assessments are supported by observations made during free play and group activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's personal, social and emotional development is progressing well. They show increasing confidence as they talk about their experiences at registration time and also recall past activities, such as collecting leaves from outside. Children develop good self-help skills as they put on their polo shirts and shorts for physical activities. Their self-esteem is fostered positively when children put their shirts on inside out and are not corrected by staff. Children are making good progress in communication and literacy skills. They listen well to instructions, songs and rhymes. Staff ensure children are fully involved by asking them questions and with the use of characters which children hold when telling stories. Children have good opportunities to write and recognise letters of the alphabet through the use of name cards and work folders.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are learning about size, shape and colour through their routines. They confidently count and can identify several colours as thread buttons. They also recognise numerals on puzzles and in games. Children learn volume, size and capacity as they fill up different bottles and containers in the sand tray and during floating and sinking activities in the water. Children develop their knowledge of their community through regular outings and celebrations. They regularly attend the service at the church, assemblies at the nearby school and go for walks to collects leaves and twigs for their collage work. They learn about how things work as they play with torches and look for different objects in the room to make their magnets attract. They closely investigate plastic bugs and print on newspapers with a magnifying glass.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's small muscle skills are developing through regular use of equipment, such as construction toys, threading equipment and writing materials. They are able to express themselves freely and creatively through a very good range of media and activities, such as food tasting, painting, collage, dough and music and movement.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and respected as individuals. They are cared for by staff who work with parents to meet individual needs and ensure children are fully included in the setting. Children learn about the wider world around them as they play with a good range of toys and resources which reflect race, culture and gender. They also learn about and try exotic fruits like pomegranate and kiwi. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are well supported in the setting which enables them to take part in all activities. Children who speak English as an additional language are also well supported through one to one sessions and small group activities. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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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 are content and behave very well in the setting. Staff act as good role models who consistently give praise and encouragement to children to build their self-esteem. Children work well together by sharing and taking turns with activities and equipment, for example, they wait for their turn to use the computer. Their achievements are rewarded with stickers which they place in their individual books.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are provided with regular information about the setting though the notice board, newsletters and daily conversations with staff. Information about the regulator is displayed for parents to ensure they are made aware of what to do if they are concerned about the care of their children. A complaints log is in place to reflect the recent changes in regulations.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Parents are kept informed about their children's progress through daily verbal information and regular parent consolations. However, parents are not provided with sufficient written information about the Foundation Stage which means they are not fully involved in their children's learning. Home-learning is encouraged by children taking books to read with their carers on a weekly basis and parents are invited to the group to talk about their profession or interests. Discussions with parents and carers highlighted how children were settled in the group and always eager to attend the group.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from a well-planned environment which promotes their development in all areas. They are happy and content because staff develop close and caring relationships with them. For example, all children have a key worker which provides consistency in care for them. The setting has an effective, robust systems for recruitment and vetting procedures which ensure that all staff have suitable qualifications and experience to work with children.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery is good. Staff demonstrate a real commitment to continually developing the setting's practice to ensure that all children have access to good quality care. There are good systems in place like observation and evaluation to monitor the effectiveness of the nursery education provision. This ensures children make good progress in all areas of their development. Regular team meetings and an appraisal system are in place to help identify areas for development to further improve staff's knowledge.

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Organisation

The operation plan has been devised and works in practice to contribute to children's health, safety and well-being. Polices and procedures are reviewed and updated at regular intervals to reflect changes in the National Standards. All the required documentation is maintained and stored securely in order to maintain confidentiality. Overall children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection the provider agreed to improve staff's knowledge of the stepping stones to ensure that the areas of communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development are fully exploited. The provider has made good progress since the last inspection. Staff have attended further training to extend their knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Consequently, this enables children to make good progress in all areas of their development.

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Improvements 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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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 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 children's independence to access water

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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): • improve information given to parents relating to the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage.

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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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