The Sir Donald Bailey Academy

Shenley Church End Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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141760 Unique Reference Number 27 September 2007 Inspection date Dorcas Forgan Inspector

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Burchard Crescent, Shenley Church End, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK5 6HF

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E-mail

Shenley Church End Pre-School 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?

Shenley Church End Pre-School opened in its present location in 1994. It operates from a community hall attached to Shenley Church End Leisure Centre in Milton Keynes. A maximum of 30 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The group is open each weekday from 09.15 to 11.45 and from 12.15 to 14.45 .

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 43 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 28 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and surrounding areas. The pre-school currently supports a number of children with English as a second language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs six staff working with children and an admissions officer, of whom five have appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a qualification.

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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 remain in good health because the practitioners follow very good hygiene routines and ensure that all areas clean. A designated member of staff is responsible for ensuring that the group follow current health and hygiene guidance. There is a policy in place. Children are learning to follow good hygiene routines and are gaining independence in their personal care. They wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating snacks. Tissues are easily accessible so that they can help themselves. Not all children are aware of this yet or have the skills to wipe their own noses effectively. All staff are qualified to administer first aid, the accident book is completed appropriately.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from their snacks being healthy and nutritional. Parents supply a wide range of snacks, which the group sometimes supplement. Parents also supply the packed lunches that the older children eat in the group. Staff take care when preparing the snacks to ensure that they are clean and presented attractively. Children choose what they would like to eat and drink either water or milk. There are careful procedures in place to make sure children only have food and drinks that are suitable. Outside professionals visit the group to talk to the children about what is healthy for them such as the dentist and the health visitor.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children take part in a range of physical activities. They have specific times in the daily routine to be outside in the fresh air. Whilst outside they practice their skills of riding bikes and scooters, they play in the house or take part in activities such as investigating the sand. The group use the facilities of the leisure centre to provide physical education sessions and dance which instructors lead. Children have various opportunities to develop their fine motor skills both inside and outside.

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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 pleasant secure and safe indoor environment that the staff make more attractive with displays of posters and children’s work. Children move around safely because the staff plan how to present activities so that they are interesting and inviting. Maintenance and cleaning are the responsibility of the property owners. The health and safety officer carries out daily checks to ensure that all areas are free from hazards. Safety equipment is in place such as heater and socket covers. Staff monitor the security of the children very well.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a very wide range of suitable and safe equipment, toys and resources that the staff maintain. Children select from activities that the staff provide. Once they are familiar with what else is available, they can request other items from the large storage cupboard. Children are learning to keep themselves safe with general rules such as no running in the building and to use equipment like scissors in the correct way. Emergency evacuations are carried out with the leisure centre and school.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are aware of their responsibilities to safe guard children. They record visible marks that are on the children when they arrive at the pre-school but they do not share these records with the relevant parent. Several staff have attended additional training in child protection. They know the procedures for reporting concerns and have relevant numbers at hand. Children’s safety is enhanced.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Most of the children enter the pre-school happily and know the routines. Some of the younger and newer children are not confident; they receive appropriate support from the staff. All children are welcomed individually. The settling in procedures is flexible to the children and parents individual needs. There is a key worker system in place so that children can form closer relationships with an adult. Staff are beginning to use Birth to three matters; they include it in their plans of activities and to assess the children’s development. While the children are new staff concentrate on providing for the children’s emotional well being making sure they feel part of the group, building their self –esteem and having confidence to make choices and decisions.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are eager to explore the activities available and move around freely. Children are making good progress especially in personal and social development. All staff have good knowledge of the Foundation Stage through training and regular use in planning and observations. Plans are very clear they include all areas of learning and the learning intensions for each activity. Staff carry out evaluations to ensure learning intentions have been met, they illustrate how activities have been adapted for children’s different abilities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff carry out tracking observations when a child starts in the group so that they can assess the child’s abilities and interests. Regular observations are made of the child to record their achievements, these are linked to the stepping-stones, but there is no clear evidence of what the individual child’s next step of learning will be. Children are beginning to sit attentively in large group activities such as registration and at story time the older children listen carefully and answer questions. They are keen to link up with others at activities such as at the role-play area where children pretend to make meals and organise social meetings. They are becoming familiar with the routines; they stop what they are doing when an adult shakes the tambourine, to tell them it is clear up time. There are several opportunities for children to become familiar with their own name when written. They talk about letters that start certain words such as W

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for Wednesday. They have daily use of the mark-making table to further their interest in writing. Children sit and look at books carefully following the pictures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children frequently practice counting. Some are beginning to recognise numerals and to use numbers naturally in their play. They enjoy sorting the bears into different groups by their colour and size. Children use simple calculation such as when they sing activity songs like five currant buns and subtract the buns when they have been purchased. When one person makes a very long train children count the carriages so that it is divided equally in half. Children explore a wide range of materials and noting their differences such as dry sand that can be poured and wet sand used to make shapes. They experiment with glue; watching how it dribbled into a pool and how it is sticky to the touch, they describe how it feels. Children are developing their hand –eye co-ordination as they use a variety of tools such as teaspoons and glue sticks. They fit small figures into the pirate ships and space ships with dexterity. Wardens from the parks

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

trust escort them on walks in the local area explaining items of interest and initiating curiosity in the surrounding nature. Children take part in creative activities where they can use their imaginations such as creating collages with pre-cut pictures and glitter or building models from cartons and boxes. They have free access to painting at the easel with a wide range of colours; they can create pictures to their own satisfaction.

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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 good. Children are cared for by staff who work closely with the parents to meet children’s individual needs and to ensure they are included fully in the life of the setting. When children do not have English as a first language staff try to use words that are familiar to them. They request help and advice from the parents. Children become familiar with the local area and community through close links with the school and the leisure centre. They enjoy walks in the local area to the shops and post box to extend activities such as writing letters. Children learn about the wider world through interesting activities; the group invite parents of other cultures to share their traditions and festivals. They have a wide range of resources to promote diversity such as cooking utensils, dressing up costumes, dolls and small world figures. The setting has effective arrangements to care for children with learning difficulties and disabilities, although none

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Helping children make a positive contribution

currently attends. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well. Staff help them to understand the golden rules of the group which provide guidance in areas such as behaving responsibly. Staff remind children to be polite and kind to others such as thanking someone when they pass the glue pot. Staff support the children to negotiate when they would like a toy that someone else has. Staff use positive reinforcement to encourage children’s good behaviour, they award stickers and certificates of achievement.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good which enhances the care that children receive. Parents receive written information about the group, which include the policies and procedures. In addition, there is an information folder, which they can refer to, as they need. Staff request information from the parent about their child. Parents are invited to take part in the sessions or to help their child bring in items that are relevant to the themes. Staff give feed back about the child’s progress as requested by the parents and at open evenings that are held twice a year. Parents receive a written report when their child leaves to go to school. Parents are well informed about the progress their child is making.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from their care being well organised. The committee are very new, the officers have not been elected yet. There is a comprehensive operational plan. This includes good procedures for careful recruitment of staff and their vetting to ensure they are suitable to be working with children. The very good ratios of adults to children help to ensure that children receive individual attention when necessary.

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Organisation

The committee are not in a position to offer support and guidance to the staff yet. The group is running effectively as the manager and her deputy have several years experience and there are good systems in place to ensure the smooth running. The staff work well as a team they understand their roles and work co-operatively. Staff encourage feedback from the parents; the committee do not have means of monitoring the care and education that the group provide. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the Children Act inspection recommendation was made that the group should develop the procedures for giving medication and child protection. Both of these have been developed to include all the necessary areas. The child protection procedure now includes what should be done if an allegation is made against a member of staff so that children's safety is enhanced in the group.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the Nursery education inspection it was recommended that consideration should be given to the way observations were made of the children and how they should be linked to the stepping stones. Changes have been made to the way observations are carried out and they are clearly linked to the stepping stones to show the progress that each child is making.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 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.

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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): • ensure that recordings in the visible marks book are shared with the parents

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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): • ensure that the committee have ways of monitoring the care provided for children and nursery education • develop further the recording of children's achievements to show clearly the next steps of learning for individual 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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