Chesil Bank Pre School

Chesil Bank Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY271243 Unique Reference Number 10 October 2007 Inspection date Brenda Joan Flewitt Inspector

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The Square, Strangways Village Hall, Abbotsbury, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 4JR

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Setting Address

01305 871932 Telephone number kathy.davies2@btinternet.com E-mail Chesil Bank Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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Setting Address

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?

Chesil Bank Pre-school opened in 1994. It is managed by a voluntary management committee, made up of parents of children at the pre-school and members of the local community. The pre-school operates from the village hall in Abbotsbury, Dorset. Children come from the local and surrounding areas. There are two rooms, kitchen and toilet facilities and an enclosed outdoor area. Opening times are from 09.30 to 12.30, Monday to Friday during term time only.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 20 children may attend at any one time. There are currently 11 children on roll. Of these, 10 receive funding for nursery education. The setting supports children who have learning difficulties and disabilities. There are five staff employed to work with the children, most of whom hold a relevant child care 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 enjoy a healthy lifestyle. They take part in daily outside activities which means they get regular fresh air and exercise. The outside area is used well to provide a variety of large equipment. Children start their day with physical play, which means they later settle and concentrate well on inside tasks. Children confidently manoeuvre a range of wheeled vehicles, stopping and starting and avoiding obstacles and each other. Some are skilful at pedalling tricycles, and bicycles with stabilisers. A weekly event is planned where children go for a walk in the village and surrounding area. They have opportunities for walking, running, jumping and climbing gates and stiles, which all helps to develop large muscle skills. Children learn to make healthy choices in what they eat. They are offered nutritious options at the 'café', where they choose from a selection of fruit, cheese and crackers. They develop skills in pouring their own

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Helping children to be healthy

milk or water and using knives to spread butter on their crackers. They enjoy the social time of sitting and chatting together with peers and adults.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's medication and accidents are managed well. Most staff have up-to-date training in first aid and the relevant records are completed clearly. Children are protected from the spread of infection through staff procedures, and there is a clear sickness policy that ensures parents know that children must not attend if they have an infectious illness. Children develop independence in managing their own personal hygiene. They easily access the toilet and hand washing facilities, and learn to wash their hands before handling food, through routine. However, when out on walks and outings, resources are not always made available for them to clean their hands before eating a snack.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's safety is promoted well. They play and learn in safe and secure premises where hazards are identified and minimised. There is a dedicated health and safety officer who carries out regular risk assessments of the building and surrounding area. Staff complete a risk assessment for each outing to ensure that children are safe. The good security means that children are protected from uninvited visitors and cannot leave the building unsupervised. The space available is thoughtfully arranged so that children move around freely and in safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn what is expected if they must leave the building in an emergency as they are involved in practising the procedure. They respond quickly to the sound of a bell and line up by the door. Fire exits are clearly marked and fire drills are recorded and evaluated. This all contributes towards children's safety in a real situation. Children are kept safe on outings through routine procedures which includes seeking parental permission, staff wearing high-visibility jackets, and making sure that first aid resources and contact numbers are readily available. Children know what is expected when they are out through clear explanations. They know that they must stop whenever an adult shouts 'stop', and that they must hold an adult's hand until they are safely on the path.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a good understanding of recognising signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures to follow in the event of concerns. They keep up-to-date with Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures through training. Existing injuries are recorded as routine. All this helps protect children from harm.

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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. Children are happy, settled and secure. They enjoy the time they spend at pre-school and make very good relationships with staff and each other. They are cared for by staff who are friendly, approachable and interested in them and their lives. Children are confident and keen to participate in the activities offered. They are involved in a broad range of experiences which help them develop and learn. Children develop independence skills in practical tasks such as managing their own clothing and snack time. They access a good range of play provision which is organised to allow them to access resources for themselves to extend their own play and learning. The high adult-to-child ratio means that children are well supported in their activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a secure understanding of the Foundation Stage and are skilful in planning meaningful activities and experiences linked to children's particular interests. Staff know children very well as individuals and consequently extend and support activities effectively, which helps the children made good progress in their learning. Staff record children's progress and use this, together with detailed evaluation of planned activities, to plan for each child's next step.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is promoted very well. They go on regular outings to experience 'hands-on' activities which extends their understanding of what they already know. For example, children have opportunities to have a go at brick laying when they visit a building site, then they act out the situation through role play and as they play in the sand pit. They take part in weekly cooking activities where they use their senses to smell, feel and look at the ingredients, and practise skills in using tools as they chop and stir. The weekly walks develop the children's knowledge of their local environment and provide opportunities for putting various skills into practice. For example, during a walk to the woods children enjoy looking for creatures such as snails and spiders along the hedgerows and walls as they walk. They climb on a gate to look at the view and confidently name various features of their village

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

including the church, an old chapel and the 'Tythe Barn'. One child spots a waterfall and describes it as making a 'lovely sound'. Children like to investigate a multitude of natural objects, including the patterns on tree bark, sawdust and a range of different sized sticks. One child suggests that the birds are flying and squawking because 'we are close to their homes'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing a good sense of number as they hear and use counting and are encouraged to problem solve in everyday situations. For instance, a three-year-old works out how many biscuits are needed by counting the number of children present. An older child confidently identifies numerals up to 10 while finding magnetic numbers, matching them to the cards on the number line. Children use language well to communicate. Most children initiate conversations with staff and each other, they are keen to talk about events in their lives and are encouraged to speak about their favourite things. They learn to recognise their written name through daily routines such as selecting their name card when they decide to visit the 'café'. Children express themselves in various forms. They have daily opportunities to use creative materials. They enjoy choosing different coloured paints to make patterns and pictures

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and can easily access extra resources to extend their creations, such as bottle tops and shiny shapes. Children concentrate well on completing their work 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 valued as individuals. Staff get to know each child well through ongoing communication with parents and as they support their activities. Children with additional needs receive good support. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator liaises with parents, staff and connected professionals to ensure that all children are fully included. Children develop a very strong sense of belonging to a community. They like to see photos of themselves and their work displayed in the pre-school. The topic 'All about me' includes children travelling in a bus to each child's house, where they proudly show their friends where they live and have a photograph taken to record the event. Children notice the differences in people's homes. They use a good range of resources that reflect diversity which helps them develop an open attitude to people's differences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well. They know what is expected through clear explanations for requests, and from the consistent good role modelling by the staff. Children receive much praise and encouragement for their efforts and achievements, which helps build their self-esteem. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Children benefit from the positive relationships established between staff and parents. Parents have various opportunities to become involved with the group and their child's learning. They are supplied with good information about topics and what the children are to learn from the planned activities, which enables them to give extra support at home. The parent rota is well supported as parents take turns in helping with practical tasks and interacting with the children during each session. Parents have the opportunity to have an active voice in their child's care and education by being a member of the management committee. Staff make themselves available on a daily basis to talk to parents to help meet children's individual needs. Parents are able to see their child's progress records at any time by request, but there are no formal opportunities for discussing these with staff.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for by suitably qualified staff who work very well together as a team to provide sessions that run smoothly. Therefore, children know what to expect and settle quickly. There are satisfactory staff recruitment procedures which include making sure that applicants are subject to vetting procedures to ensure they are suitable to work with children. However, there is no system to obtain information about any health issues, to ensure that the children's welfare is fully protected. The clear staff induction system makes sure that new staff are well informed to be able to carry out policies and procedures that promote children's safety, welfare and learning. However, the good hygiene routines are not always continued when on outings. All the required documentation and records are in place, completed clearly and stored confidentially. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The pre-school leader has clear aims and objectives with regards to the provision for nursery education. She is updating her qualification and uses her contact with other providers to share good practice. Staff discuss and evaluate activities and children's progression on a regular basis at the end of sessions. The committee have dedicated roles and responsibilities and offer good support for the running of the group. There are strong links with the local schools, which helps children's transition as they move on to reception classes.

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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

Previous recommendations for improvement are as follows: make sure that all records are sufficiently detailed and shared appropriately with parents; that the security of the side door was reviewed, so that children are protected from uninvited visitors; and that a complaints record is kept, suitable for parents to see on request.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The register now includes a record of any variation in times that children arrive or depart, accident and medication records are signed by parents to acknowledge the entry. The side door of the hall is kept locked, with the keys easily accessible to adults in the case of an emergency. There is a clear record of complaints which is suitable for parents to see on request. Therefore, children's ongoing health, safety and welfare is promoted.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last nursery education inspection recommended: that the assessment records were used to plan appropriate challenges for more able children, and the information is shared with parents; and that clear structures were implemented to monitor and evaluate the quality of the nursery education.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The assessment records include dated achievements linked to stepping stones. Staff use these, and their clear knowledge of each child, to set appropriate challenges throughout the session as they support their activities. There is ongoing communication with parents as they deliver and collect their children, when progress is discussed.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The setting receives support from the local authority advisors, there are strong links with schools and planned activities are evaluated in detail, including individual children's achievements. This all helps to monitor the provision for nursery education.

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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.

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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 the good practice of children cleaning hands before handling food, is promoted when on outings

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • develop the staff recruitment procedures to include all aspects of suitability.

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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 more formal opportunities for sharing children's progress records with parents.

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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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