Knossington and Somerby Pre-School

Knossington and Somerby Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY342911 Unique Reference Number 05 July 2007 Inspection date Judith Chinnery Inspector

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Knossington Village Hall, Main Street, Knossington, Leicestershire, LE15 8LT

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E-mail

The Charity 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 satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Knossington and Somerby Pre-School opened in 2006. It operates from Knossington Village Hall in Knossington, Leicestershire. Children are cared for in the main room and have access to a small outdoor area. The setting offers a maximum of 20 places to children at any one time. There are currently 22 children on role. There are nine children in receipt of nursery education funding. The Pre-School is open each weekday from 09:00 to 12:00 term time only. There are two members of staff working with the children, one of whom is qualified.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is generally promoted appropriately in the setting. Staff ensure that areas used by the children are kept clean and that food is prepared according to published guidelines. This ensures that the likelihood of cross-infection amongst the children is minimised. Children are familiar with hygiene routines such as washing their hands before snack time. However,

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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 the staff are less proactive in promoting and teaching children about good health practices so the children are less knowledgeable about why good hygiene is important. Appropriate accident and medication records and policies are in place. This helps staff manage children's health and medical needs effectively.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are appropriately nourished while at the setting. They enjoy choosing and eating the fruit provided each day and make choices between milk and water to drink. Fresh drinking water is always available to the children so they are unlikely to become thirsty. While children willingly try different fruits such as strawberries and mangoes, again children are less aware of why we need a healthy diet. This is because staff are less proactive in using situations arising from snack time to talk with them about healthy living and eating.

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Helping children to be healthy

Most children are developing some appropriate physical skills at the setting. Children are agile and move easily around the room avoiding obstacles and each other easily. Many of them attempt to catch balls and can aim small balls at a target with some success. They love to be outside and enjoy being in the fresh air. At present, however, this aspect is not well planned or resourced and does not ensure that children are effectively challenged to make good progress in this area of their development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Most children are effectively protected from harm and neglect in this setting. Staff make appropriate use of the facilities to ensure children feel welcomed such as through attractively displaying their own work. The available resources are carefully chosen by the staff so that children's developmental needs are met. Staff take the time to show children how to use resources such as the sellotape dispenser and scissors appropriately, which ensures that children are starting to learn to take some responsibility for their own safety. Suitable equipment such as tables and chairs are provided so that children are able to sit, eat and play safely and comfortably.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff manage the environment effectively to ensure that children are protected from accidents. Potential hazards such as electric sockets are covered to eliminate danger. Risk assessments are up to date and cover all areas of the premises and help staff to effectively minimise any hazards to the children. The children are starting to learn more about safety as they practise regular fire drills and evacuations. Children are also protected from unwanted visitors since the staff keep the external exits locked.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Most children are safeguarded because staff have a suitable understanding of child protection issues. They are aware of the main signs of child abuse and the need to record and report their concerns. Appropriate written policies and procedures are in place but the new staff are less familiar with these. While this has little impact on their ability to keep children safe, staff are not confident in their knowledge and are unsure what procedures to follow in the event that allegations are made against them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. The care, learning and play experiences for children in the setting are generally varied and interesting. Children of all ages are content and well-settled enjoying warm and close relationships with their carers. The youngest children enjoy exploring play dough and paint,

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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 trying to find out what it will do and what it feels like. They happily build simple models with the plastic straws and persevere to complete sticking activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

While staff provide worthwhile and stimulating activities for young children to enjoy and learn, they do not actively use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan activities, but this has little impact on children's learning. The staff are beginning to adopt suitable systems for assessing children's progress but have not yet started to use this information to identify and provide for the next steps which children need to take. This means that some children are less likely to make as much progress as they are able.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Quality of teaching and learning for funded children is satisfactory. Children are confident in the setting and are familiar with its provision and resources. They are beginning to help themselves to some resources such as paint and paper, which helps to foster their skills in independence. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and its stepping stones which they are beginning to use to organise and provide appropriate activities to promote children's learning. They work alongside the children encouraging them to stay to complete activities but also know when to allow a child to experiment and explore for themselves. Children love to do things for themselves such as using the sellotape dispenser safely and trying on dressing up clothes. The setting is starting to increase and organise its resources to support children's play and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There are appropriate systems in place for staff to observe children and record their progress towards the early learning goals. Staff have a sound understanding of how these systems work but are not yet making full use of them. They have not yet identified children's starting points or what they need to do next. Consequently, the planning of activities is not usually based on what the children need to do next and leads to missed opportunities for staff to challenge and extend children's learning particularly in mathematics and physical development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident speakers and are eager to share their news about home and other events in their lives. Staff facilitate discussions which enable children to use language to think and make connections such as in a conversation about holidays. Regular story times encourage children to look at and handle books appropriately. Some of the older children are adept at writing their names because staff provide suitable opportunities for children to make marks and see print in a variety of situations. In mathematics children are keen to count and most can use numbers in their play. However, the limitations mentioned in assessment and planning mean that there are a number of missed opportunities. Children have less experience in solving problems and learning about simple calculations such as adding one and taking away.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are beginning to extend the activities on offer to help children find out and explore how things work. They are starting to develop a sense of time as they talk about the day and the weather. Children are able to use scissors to cut and snip and persevere with picking up tiny sequins to stick on to collage pictures. This helps to develop their fine hand skills. Children are learning a wide repertoire of songs and rhymes and sometimes hear and explore different kinds of music when they listen to compact discs. Again children experience less challenge in some aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development because of the weaknesses identified in assessment and planning systems.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are able to join in, take some responsibility and generally play a productive part in the setting. The individual needs of most children are met by staff using information from parents regarding diet and likes and dislikes. Staff are starting to promote equality of opportunity in some aspects of the setting. The children are starting to join in celebrations and events in the local community such as the summer fete, which means they are starting to develop an understanding of their own cultures and backgrounds. While some resources reflect diversity and positive images, children have little experience of other cultures and beliefs. This means that they are less able to develop respect and understanding about differences and diversity. The staff have a sound understanding of how to adapt activities to children's needs and to include all children in the life of the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children generally behave well in the setting. Staff support young children effectively as they learn to share, distracting them and redirecting them to other activities appropriately. Older children are well aware of boundaries and accept the support of staff in resolving minor squabbles. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. This is also seen in the way staff support children's independence and encourage their social skills during snack and circle time.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Relationships between staff and parents are sound. Information regarding children's care needs is shared and used effectively. Daily discussions with parents keeps them informed about how their child has been during the session, contributing effectively to the care and well-being of their child. Partnership with parents and carers for nursery education is satisfactory. Parents are appropriately informed about the educational curriculum in the setting through the prospectus. However, while staff share some information about children's progress verbally, systems for enabling parents and carers to contribute and become meaningfully involved in their child's learning are not yet well developed.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The setting is organised appropriately to promote satisfactory outcomes for children. The provision meets the needs of the children for whom it provides. The management committee of this newly formed group support staff effectively in the running of the pre-school. The manager is appropriately qualified and experienced and is ably supported by another member of staff who is undertaking training. This ensures that children are well cared for and protected.

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Organisation

The suitable staff to child ratios appropriately supports children's care, learning and play. Staff place themselves effectively amongst the children, which ensures they are able to make some progress and take an active part in the setting. Most policies and procedures support practice well to promote children's health, safety, enjoyment and ability to make a positive contribution. The staff and management committee are aware of the weaknesses identified in the outcomes for children. As the number of children attending the group increases they are seeking to address them and make improvements so that children are able to make suitable progress.

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Organisation

Leadership and management for nursery education is satisfactory. The manager and staff work closely together and are starting to develop a clear vision and focus for the group to continue improving the personal development and achievements for all funded children. Staff are knowledgeable about the Foundation Stage and seek to keep their knowledge up to date. Staff

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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 do not yet evaluate and monitor the educational provision regularly and have not implemented any development plans. Whilst they are aware of many of their strengths and weaknesses they rely mainly on the support of external development officers and inspections to inform and guide their improvements.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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 satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve staff knowledge and understanding of safeguarding child protection procedures • ensure that equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice is actively promoted within the setting.

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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): • develop the systems for assessing children's progress, which establishes their starting points and indentifies what they need to do next • develop planning systems to ensure that they are drawn from children's interests and what they need to do next and which ensure that the stepping stones are covered evenly and consistently particularly with regard to mathematics and physical development • ensure that parents receive and are able to share information about their child's progress and are able to become involved in their child's learning in meaningful ways • develop systems for monitoring and evaluating the settings educational provision which lead to improvements for all children.

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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 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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