Hurst Drive Primary School

Compton Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

117180 Unique Reference Number 01 October 2007 Inspection date Heather Morgan Inspector

p.1

Higher Compton Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL3 5JB Setting Address

p.1

E-mail

Sharon Amanda Matthews Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional 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?

Compton Pre-school is located in a mobile classroom in the grounds of Higher Compton Church of England Primary School. It was registered in 1997 and is privately owned. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. It is situated in the urban area of Higher Compton, which is close to the city centre of Plymouth.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 20 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. There are currently 48 children aged between three and five years old on roll, 47 of whom are in receipt of funded nursery education. The pre-school currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and also children who speak English as an additional language.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school operates during term time only. There are a range of sessions that children can attend. Some sessions are specifically for the older or the younger children, whilst some are mixed. Children attend Monday to Friday mornings from 09:00 to 11:30 and afternoon sessions run from 12:00 to 15:15 on Mondays and from 12:45 to 15:15 on Tuesdays to Thursdays. Monday afternoons are for children who are four years old. The majority of the children transfer from the pre-school to the primary school.

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 There are seven members of staff working with the children, all of whom hold a relevant qualification. The pre-school receives support from the Local Authority.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are developing healthy eating habits as they choose from nutritious snack items during the session. They have a drink of milk or water with their snack and older children are able to help themselves to additional drinks to ensure they are well hydrated throughout the session. Children regularly play outdoors in the fresh air and carefully planned activities support them in developing their physical skills. For example, they exercise and move to music indoors and learn to climb, balance and ride wheeled toys outdoors.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are cared for appropriately in the event of an accident as staff keep their first aid qualifications up to date. There is a well-stocked, easily accessible first aid kit and staff keep a clear record of any accidents. Children's continuity of care is adequately supported as these records are shared with parents. However, not all parents have been asked to give permission for staff to seek medical advice or treatment in the event of an emergency.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are learning the importance of good hygiene as they are aware of the need to wash their hands before eating or after using the toilet in order to remove germs. They use liquid soap, but do not always have access to clean, warm water and, although paper towels are available, they often choose to dry their hands on a shared fabric towel. This compromises their ability to reduce the risk of cross infection.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are safe and secure in the pre-school environment. The door is kept locked when they are present to ensure that they cannot leave the building unsupervised and that the premises cannot be accessed by unauthorised persons. Staff assess potential hazards within the pre-school and take steps to minimise risks to children. For example, they protect electric sockets with safety covers and ensure that cleaning materials are inaccessible to children. The room is carefully set up each day to ensure that available space is organised effectively and that children can safely access the activities. Children can access many of the well maintained resources independently.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are learning to keep themselves safe as they regularly practise fire drills to ensure they can evacuate the building quickly in the event of an emergency. They handle equipment, such as scissors with increasing skill and control and sometimes remind each other of safety issues such as not putting bricks in their mouths.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is given good priority as staff have a clear understanding of child protection issues. They are aware of their roles and responsibilities and implement effective procedures to safeguard children.

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

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settle quickly into the pre-school setting. They enjoy participating in the range of activities offered and are able to initiate play opportunities for themselves. They quickly become familiar with daily routines that help develop their social skills, as they make friends and engage in group activities.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children have an eager disposition towards learning and enthusiastically participate in the wide range of activities available. They have good opportunities to choose freely from the carefully selected and attractively presented resources, and also demonstrate a genuine interest in the focused adult-led activities. Even the youngest children are able to concentrate well and persevere with their chosen tasks in the well-structured sessions that are sensitively adapted to meet their changing needs.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are making good progress in all six areas of learning as the staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. This enables them to plan interesting and challenging activities with clear learning objectives. Children also benefit from the staff's skilled interaction with spontaneous play opportunities as the staff support learning by asking open-ended questions or encouraging children to practise and develops skills such as counting and calculating when role-playing in a shop. Staff know the children well as they regularly observe them at play and make useful observations of their achievements. This enables them to compile records of their progress and plan their next steps for learning. However, some of the documentation used lacks sufficient detail to give a clear picture of progress along many of the early stepping stones, particularly for the younger or less able children.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident and sociable in their everyday play. They enjoy lively conversations with each other, the staff and visitors. They are able to use language well to organise their play and thinking, for example when developing complex role play. They become increasingly confident in their counting skills as they regularly practise this during familiar routines such as registration. Older children are able to carry out simple calculations and all children have many opportunities to practise sorting, matching and comparing different resources. Children enjoy exploring different aspects of the natural world and also developing technological skills as they access the computer. They engage in imaginative role play and also express themselves through art and music.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are welcomed into the pre-school and supported well during their settling in period. They quickly develop friendships with one another and are proud to take on special roles such as helping to collect name cards after registration or snack time. They quickly become familiar with the regular daily routines that help them to settle and take an active role in the pre-school community. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Staff work closely with parents to ensure they are familiar with each child's individual needs and use this information effectively to support the transition to pre-school. Children learn about diversity as they celebrate each others traditional festivals and taste foods from different cultures and countries around the world.

p.4

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 with special needs are supported well. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to identify strategies for supporting all children. Activities and daily routines are adapted effectively to ensure all children can participate and make steady progress in their learning and development.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is very good. They are familiar with the routine of the session and co-operate cheerfully with tasks such as tidying up. They respond well to the praise and encouragement that staff offer to reward their good behaviour. Sometimes they remind each other of the rules of acceptable behaviour, for example, commenting that they should not snatch.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's continuity of care is supported well as staff develop good relationships with parents, who are happy with the care their children receive. The partnership with parents in respect of nursery education is good. Parents provide staff with detailed information about their children's achievements when they begin at pre-school and have opportunities to get involved in their learning by, for example, participating in the shared book scheme. The pre-school prospectus provides them with an overview of the curriculum their children are following and regular newsletters update them about the topics covered each term. Parents are aware that staff keep records of their children's progress, although they do not often look at or contribute to them.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Children are cared for by a qualified team of staff who work well together. Sessions are organised and adapted to meet the needs of the group of children attending. Staff generally make good use of the premises to provide a secure environment where children can play safely and access activities that promote their progress and development. However, hand washing facilities and routines are not sufficiently robust to protect children from the risk of cross infection. All regulatory documentation is in place, although some policies and procedures have not been promptly updated to fully reflect regulatory requirements.

p.5

Organisation

Leadership and management of nursery education is good. The proprietor works closely with the whole staff team to monitor delivery of the curriculum and a successful system of planning has been introduced to ensure that children access all six areas of learning. There is a strong commitment to improvement; plans are evaluated regularly, staff meet to discuss children's progress and each member of staff attends regular training to support their own professional development and the overall performance of the pre-school.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last inspection the pre-school has revised its fire evacuation procedures and children now have regular opportunities to practise evacuating the building quickly and safely in the event of an emergency. Policies and procedures have been reviewed regularly, although they have not always been updated promptly to reflect regulatory changes. The pre-school has recently introduced a new procedure to address this and is currently in the process of reviewing and updating all their policies and procedures to ensure they reflect and underpin their good practice.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

The pre-school has also implemented new procedures for planning delivery of the nursery education curriculum. Documentation used for planning is now more manageable and provides

p.5

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 an effective system for planning activities that support children's progress in all six areas of learning.

p.5

Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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 they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

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.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.6

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 hand washing procedures to limit the risk of cross infection • ensure that policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and promptly updated to ensure they fully reflect changes to regulatory requirements and underpin good practice

p.6

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): • further develop assessment procedures to ensure they give a clear picture of children's progress along the stepping stones; share these records with parents

p.6

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.6

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.6