Havelock Academy

Grafton Pre-school Inspection report for early years provision

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135294 Unique Reference Number 08 October 2007 Inspection date Philippa Clare Williams Inspector

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United Reformed Church Parlour, Main Avenue, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 1DJ

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E-mail

Rosemary Stella Hutley 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?

Grafton Pre-school has been managed by the current owner since 1982. The pre-school operates from the United Reform Church building which is situated in a residential area of Bush Hill Park in the London borough of Enfield. Children are based in one room and also use a purpose designed outdoor play space and the large hall. The pre-school operates for eight sessions a week, every morning from 9:00 - 11:45 and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 12:15 -15:00. Children attend from the local community.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school is registered to care for 20 children between two and five years. There are currently 40 children on roll, of these 18 receive funding for nursery education. The pre-school supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Six staff work directly with the children, including the supervisor. All staff have an early years qualification. They attend training provided by 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. Staff implement effective procedures to promote children's good health. Children are learning good health and hygiene practices. They wash their hands at appropriate times of the day, such as after going to the toilet, and use anti-bacterial hand gel before eating. Children learn to take responsibility as they help to tidy up at the end of the session. Effective procedures are in place to prevent the spread of infection. Children's risk of cross-infection is low as staff have good hygiene practices and the sick-child policy informs parents when children must not attend. Children are treated appropriately for minor injuries as all staff are qualified in first aid and a fully stocked first aid box is within reach. Staff's ability to maintain accident and medication records promotes children's safety and welfare.

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Helping children to be healthy

Parents' wishes are fully considered so that children's individual health and dietary needs are met appropriately. Children understand the importance of healthy eating and good nutrition as they are involved in shopping and preparing the daily snack of fresh fruit. They carefully chop the banana with a safe knife and enjoy peeling the oranges. Staff talk at snack time about fresh fruit making you strong and healthy. They are offered a choice of water or juice at snack time and are able to freely access water from accessible jugs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children eagerly enjoy a wide variety of activities that contribute to keeping them healthy. They effectively use a range of activities on a daily basis to develop their physical skills. Children enjoy riding cars and bikes, climbing, and playing ball games. They use wheeled toys with confidence. They change direction as they stop, negotiate around equipment and avoid other children. They also enjoy music and movement and learn to coordinate their bodies and move around safely. Daily activities help children develop their small muscle skills. They competently use chalks, pencils and knives and fit lego and puzzle pieces together.

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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 clean, welcoming environment. Space is effectively organised into different areas for physical play, role play, construction and looking at books. Children move around these areas freely and safely. Children enjoy playing with a good range of well maintained toys and play equipment, which interest the children and provide sufficient challenge for them. Children independently access the resources, which staff ensure are available to them at their height.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept very safe as there are a good range of safety measures in place. Risk assessments are completed covering all aspects of the provision and regular safety checks to keep children free from harm. Fire evacuation procedures are clearly displayed and drills are carried out on a regular basis, teaching children to follow defined procedures in the event of a fire or emergency evacuation. A doorbell system is in place at the entrance area to manage access to the building, preventing unknown persons entering. Safety precautions, such as a secure fire guard, socket covers, fire safety equipment, a high level lock on the main door and a visitors' book, further contribute to the protection of children. Children are beginning to understand how to keep themselves safe on and off the premises. For example, staff give gentle reminders to children take care when riding the bikes and climbing, and use circle time to talk

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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 Children's welfare is protected because staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and are clear about their responsibility with regard to keeping children safe from harm. Most staff members have attended training in this area and all relevant information and contact details to safeguard children's welfare are in place.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enter the pre-school happily and separate from their parents and carers well. Children are very confident and comfortable with the staff and they seek support as and when needed. Children concentrate and are interested in what is available, for example, a child persevered and completed a jigsaw on her own. Children are engaged in a range of purposeful activities. Children benefit from self-selecting from a wide range of continuous provision, such as small world, construction, sand tray, maths activities, physical play, graphics area, imaginative play, science and exploration. Children move confidently from one activity to another.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children have lively and eager dispositions to learning. They enter the setting enthusiastically, settling immediately to play. They sustain their interest for substantial amounts of time, for example, whilst developing their role-play and whilst playing a rolling ball game. Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and plan a range of interesting activities across the six areas of learning. Staff record what the children can do and use these observations to complete a foundation stage tracking sheet. This enables staff to ensure children are making progress. However, not all staff consistently use this information to plan for children's next stage of learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children seek out their friends and have developed positive relationships. Children make good attempts at managing their own self-care tasks, such as washing their hands, preparing snacks, disposing of their tissues, pushing their chairs under the table and helping to tidy up. Staff use lots of open-ended questions and initiate conversations with the children, which encourages them to think and respond successfully. For example, during a rolling ball activity staff ask children why they think this has happened; what they think will happen if they move the bucket and what they need to do next. Early reading skills are promoted as children start their day by self registering, finding their name and placing it in a pocket. Children are learning to write as they access a well resourced graphics area and large chalk board where they make marks and some more able children attempt to write their own name.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's mathematical development is promoted well within the pre-school. Number is incorporated into everyday routines, such as counting the children and cups at snack time. Children develop an awareness of measure as they fill and pour different sized containers in the sand. There are some good opportunities to problem solve as staff encourage children to calculate and add numbers together whilst playing a rolling ball game.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop a sense of wider community as they learn about different cultures, through acknowledging, for example, Black History Month, Diwali and Christian festivals. Children are helped to appreciate the local community as they visit local shops each day to buy the daily fruit snack. They enjoy talking about their families and past events as they look at photographs in their own profile books. For example, one child talks with confidence about playing with his dog in the park. Children learn how to keep themselves safe in the community as they engage in role play activities at circle time about how to cross the road safely. They especially enjoy

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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 spending time exploring spiders, insects and bugs found in the garden, talking about them and observing how they move. There are, however, fewer planned opportunities for children to use information technology to support their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Imaginative role play is a strong feature within the setting as staff provide a range of different resources for children to create their own ideas. For example, equipment to create a department store, hair salon, hospital, clinic, and fantasy land. Children use their imaginations well as they make up their own stories, for example, they pretend to be builders and make their own bouncy castle with the tools and work bench, whilst other children pretend to be grandparents caring for their grandchildren in the playhouse. Children have good opportunities to be creative through using a range of mediums such as play dough, collage, printing and painting. Music is promoted as children sing familiar songs and create rhythms using musical instruments.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's individual needs are met as clear information is gathered to ensure staff know about these needs and this contributes to children's wellbeing. Children are developing pride in their achievements through displays of their work and completing their own profile books with staff support. They are clearly secure and settled within the pre-school. They are learning about cultural diversity and the wider world as they have access to a wide range of resources which reflect positive images of race, gender, culture and disability and celebrate a number of festivals throughout the year.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave extremely well, they share, take turns and play harmoniously. For example, staff make good use of the timer to ensure children learn to take turns on equipment and they are good at sharing tasks when playing a rolling ball activity together. Staff act as positive role models, talking politely to each other and the children. Staff use appropriate strategies to manage behaviour, for instance, they are consistently praising and encouraging children. Staff proactively seek advice from other professionals to support their management of children's behaviours. Good relationships and friendships are evident. The provision fosters children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are looked after according to parents' wishes. Parents are very happy with the service provided at the pre-school. Discussions demonstrate that they feel the pre-school provides 'a happy atmosphere with caring staff.' They are pleased and re-assured with the care provided because their children are happy and enjoy attending the pre-school. Parents are kept informed about the setting and their child through newsletters, notice boards, policies and good communication on arrival and departure. A system for recording complaints is in place and parents have access to complaint procedures. However these procedures and the system for recording complaints do not fully reflect new requirements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of nursery education is good. Parents receive good quality information about the Foundation Stage when children begin at the pre-school and through access to photographs of activities relating to each area. Daily informal discussion and twice yearly parents' evenings keep parents informed about their children's care and education. However, parents are not invited to contribute to their children's ongoing assessments, which does not keep them fully up to date with their children's current learning targets.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children express themselves freely in the well organised environment. Space is maximised to its full potential to provide children with a range of exciting and worthwhile experiences which encompass all areas of their learning. Children receive a high level of adult attention as the staff-child ratio is favourable.

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Organisation

There are good systems in place for recruitment, induction and appraisal, although there has been no movement in staff structure for some years. This is because current staff are very settled and work co-operatively as a team, supporting each other in all aspects of the pre-school organisation. Clear procedures for students ensure they are aware of their role and responsibilities. The setting demonstrates its commitment to providing good quality child care as all of the staff have level 3 early years qualifications.

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Organisation

Most documentation is correctly maintained, however, some inconsistencies have been identified as the system for recording attendance for staff and children as it does not sufficiently indicate the hours of attendance. The arrangements for children's care and learning are clearly specified in the good operational plan.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education are good. The supervisor leads by positive example and supports the team well. The staff team are highly motivated, work well as a team and clearly enjoy what they do. They are committed to improving care and education and have regular opportunities for staff development, such as attending local meetings and training. Regular meetings ensure that the nursery curriculum is well maintained and the staff team continually evaluate and monitor the educational provision.

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Organisation

The provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider was asked to amend procedures for lost or uncollected children; carry out full checks on staff and review settling in procedures. Procedures for lost and uncollected children are now in place, full checks are now carried out on staff, and flexible settling in procedures meet individual children's needs. As a result children are safeguarded and their emotional needs are met.

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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 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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Complaints 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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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): • update the complaints procedures and system for recording complaints to include the required information • make sure registers accurately indicate children's and staff's hours of attendance

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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): • provide more opportunities for parents to contribute and be informed of their child's ongoing assessments and next stage in their learning • make consistent use of observations and assessments to plan for the next stage in children's learning

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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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