Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School

Portreath Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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102847 Unique Reference Number 13 November 2007 Inspection date Linda Janet Chauveau Inspector

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The Institute, Penberthy Road,Portreath, Redruth, Cornwall, TR16 4LP Setting Address

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E-mail

The Trustees of Portreath 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 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Portreath Pre-school is managed by a voluntary committee made up of parents of children attending the setting. It opened over 30 years ago and operates from The Village Institute in the coastal village of Portreath, in Cornwall. A maximum of 20 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday from 09:00 until 11:30, on Mondays and Thursdays the pre-school offers a lunch club from 11:30 until 12:30, the setting operates during term time only. All children share access to a secure enclosed play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 36 children from two to four years on roll. Of these, 10 children receive funding for nursery education. Children generally come from the local area and surrounding villages.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs six staff, over half have appropriate early years qualifications. Two members of staff are currently working towards further qualifications. The setting receives support from advisory staff from Family Services and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA) .

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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 satisfactory. Children benefit from a healthy and nutritious snack each session. They enjoy choosing from a good variety including fresh fruits, vegetables, rice cakes, breadsticks and dips. Staff encourage children to prepare their own snack by peeling and cutting soft fruit and by pouring their own drinks. Afterwards they willingly wash and dry their own cup and plate, enabling them to learn the importance of good hygiene practices in everyday situations. They have constant access to fresh drinks, to maintain good fluid levels, throughout the session. Children also have the opportunity to stay for a lunch club, bringing packed lunches to eat on site. Staff store perishable items safely in the pre-school's fridge, however, as the premises have not been checked by the local environmental health officer the group are not able to show that the food preparation areas conform to environmental health and food safety regulations. Staff help children to

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Helping children to be healthy

develop independent personal care skills by encouraging them to visit the toilet by themselves, however, the lack of hot water provision at the wash basins does not promote good hygiene when children wash their hands.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from being cared for by staff who have a sound understanding of the pre-school's health and hygiene policies. They are kept safe from infection as staff clean tables during the session and prepare the toilets before their arrival. Children's health is safeguarded as staff hold current first aid certificates, complete required accident and medication records and take note of individual children's health and dietary requirements. This information is shared appropriately with parents to ensure children's well-being, however, the procedures relating to the care of sick children do not inform parents of what staff will do if a child falls ill during a pre-school session or if there is an outbreak of a contagious disease.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children regularly learn about keeping healthy through planned activities and by enjoying physical exercise. They balance on small tracks, spin and jump through hoops, developing physical co-ordination and control. Outdoors, they enjoy time in the fresh air riding bikes and have opportunities to use the grassed area in the grounds of the nearby church to run, throw balls and play with a parachute. Occasional use of challenging equipment such as the climbing frame helps promote physical strength. Children develop small muscles and hand-eye co-ordination as they competently use a range of large and small equipment, for example, paintbrushes, scissors, glue spreaders, construction sets and bikes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Staff make the best use of the indoor space available to them to provide children with an exciting and stimulating environment. Children play with a good variety of well-presented toys, which are easily accessible on floor level and at tabletop. Staff rotate resources on a regular basis and there are some opportunities for children to make safe and independent choices, for example, from the book and construction areas. Children play outdoors under supervision in fine weather but staff are restricted in what activities can be presented to children in the small space available.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is given the high priority within the pre-school and staff have a good understanding of all safety issues. Consequently, children play in a safe and secure environment. Their security is well promoted, both indoors and outside. Children are aware of possible hazards,

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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 explaining that 'It's not very friendly so we don't run outside' and they know how to carry chairs safely across the playroom. Staff follow a range of health and safety procedures and daily checks to ensure that risks to children are minimised and that they are kept safe. Children benefit from a range of sensible security measures, for example, locked external doors, which cannot be opened from the outside. Children are protected from possible abuse or neglect. A designated member of staff co-ordinates child protection issues and is aware of the procedures to follow if any member of staff refers concerns to her. All staff have an adequate awareness of types of abuse and signs to look for.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at the pre-school. They achieve well due to the pre-school manager's understanding and use of the Foundation Stage curriculum, supported by local authority guidance, to plan an effective environment for care and learning. Younger children benefit from planned activities linked to the Birth to three matters framework and they take an active part in all aspects of the pre-school's routines. The manager is conscious that a large percentage of the children attending are aged under three years and ensures that the sessions meet their needs effectively. She knows that younger children will not be able to sit still or concentrate for long periods and allows them freedom within the setting to move around the range of activities at their own pace. A café-style snack time ensures that children eat when they want to but are not interrupted in developing their own play. Many activities are set out on floor

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

level, for example, a cosy den, construction and small world play, and activities to explore pasta hidden in sand and animals buried in soil. This enables younger children to play and learn in a way that is comfortable for them. Children benefit from warm relationships with staff, who are interested in them and give them lots of praise and encouragement. Children play well together; they learn to share and co-operate.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All children arrive interested and keen to participate. Those new to the group are helped to settle by key staff who are sensitive to their individual needs. Children make independent play choices from the stimulating range of resources presented by staff. All toys and activities are developmentally appropriate and appeal to all ages and abilities. Indoors, children move freely between activities, they have time to develop their own play, interact with staff and be quiet or active. The outdoor play area is only accessed under staff supervision; the space used by the group is small and not particularly child-friendly. Staff have to set out and clear away children's toys and activities before and after use, there is little visual decoration or permanent equipment to present the outside area as an exciting environment to encourage children's development and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of children's teaching and learning is good. The pre-school manager has a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and provides a range of activities and experiences to cover all areas of children's learning. Her planning links to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. She clearly directs her staff team so that they know how their interaction will help to develop children's learning. She provides guidance to help staff focus on observing key activities to assess children's achievements. Observation records are used to show how children progress and to plan the next steps in their learning. Staff set out the playroom effectively and interact with children when appropriate to stimulate their interest.

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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 Children are generally well behaved; they know and follow the pre-school routines well. They enjoy sitting and talking to staff, discussing home life and social activities. They are confident to initiate their own play, working well together in small groups, for example, in the role-play area, whilst climbing on the small balance beam or when playing with cars on the road track and garage. Children are supported by staff in developing self-care skills, by preparing and serving their own snack, learning to use the toilet independently and putting on their coats. They are starting to recognise their own name by selecting their named photographs to self-register; more able children are able to recognise, and start to write, the letters in their name. Children have opportunities to use a variety of props to develop mark-making skills,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

making lists in the role-play area and practising writing their name with staff at the literacy area. Children are introduced to the concept of number. They enjoy singing number songs and work with staff to complete simple computer programs to develop counting skills and numeral awareness. They count, pour and measure, scooping sand and soil into paper bags and look at different shapes whilst making vegetable print patterns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop computer skills using the pre-school's computer, and they learn that technology is part of daily life whilst using props in the role-play area. They construct and modify their own designs using a range of large and small construction sets. They learn about the natural world, planting bedding plants in outdoor tubs. They show interest in people familiar to them and have planned opportunities to learn about their local community and the wider world. Children develop their imaginations in the role-play area, using a variety of props and act out imagined scenarios using small world play such as the doll's house and train tracks. They use a range of media to develop creative skills, enjoying free style painting, feeling and exploring a range of different textures such as cooked spaghetti and soil. They enjoy singing songs, beating and shaking tambourines and maracas to explore sound and rhythm.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have good relationships with staff and each other. Staff have sound knowledge of children's individual needs and those children who are new to the group are supported effectively, enabling them to settle in quickly. Children's behaviour is good; they respond well to staff and happily follow simple instructions, for example, when putting on their coats to go outside. Staff have high expectations of children and lead by setting clear examples. Staff reward children with warmth and praise for their participation and help. As a result, children develop self-esteem and confidence to express their thoughts and feelings.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children have access to a sufficient range of resources and curriculum activities to develop their understanding the wider world. Planned trips off site to local beaches, woods and the nearby primary school helps children to be aware of their local environment and community. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have been supported at the group. Staff have good links with local support agencies to ensure that appropriate individual care plans could be provided. The pre-school fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is good. Parents receive adequate information about the pre-school's operational procedures and good information about the education curriculum. This supports children's well-being at the pre-school. Staff have friendly, informal relationships with parents. Verbal feedback and a daily up-date written on a white board for all to see keeps parents informed of what their child has done at pre-school each day. Parents' views are sought on their child's capabilities before receiving nursery education. Parents are able to look at their

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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 children's developmental records and their children's progress is discussed regularly. Parents are aware of the individual attainment targets set for their children and are encouraged to become involved in their children's learning by extending pre-school activities at home.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children benefit from the staff's ability to present a well-organised environment, which makes the best use of the space available. Children make good use of the resources presented to them to initiate their own play, be active or spend time quietly with a member of staff or each other. Staff know their roles and responsibilities and effectively implement routines to give children a broad range of experiences.

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Organisation

A voluntary committee runs the pre-school. Most committee members are newly appointed and are not yet fully aware of their responsibilities as employers to support the staff team and manage the operation of the group. The systems to appoint and check future staff and to assess the continuing suitability of current staff are not sufficiently robust. Responsibility for provision of the operational policies and procedures is delegated to the manager. The policies currently in place cover most aspects of the National Standards and underpin the group's operation. The manager seeks advice from local authority support staff to ensure that policies are generally kept up to date. Policies are made available to parents through a policy of the week but this has not been effective in ensuring that parents are given sufficient information about the way the group is run.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the group are good. Children benefit from being cared for by a committed and cohesive staff team. The pre-school leader acts as a strong and supportive role model to her staff. She clearly directs her team and provides plans for each session to show staff where they will be and what they need to do to promote children's learning. The group receives monitoring visits to evaluate the care and nursery education programmes from local authority teaching and advisory support staff. All staff regularly attend training events organised by the local authority to ensure they keep up to date with current practice. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the group was asked to improve procedures to promote children's health by ensuring that sufficient staff held first aid training qualifications and by parents giving staff permission to seek medical advice and treatment in an emergency. Permissions are now in place enabling staff to support children effectively in an emergency and sufficient staff now hold paediatric first aid training.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The group was also asked to improve aspects of the provision for nursery education. The planned curriculum now provides children with many opportunities to learn through meaningful experiences throughout the session and parents are encouraged to become fully involved in their children's learning.

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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 in order to meet the National Standards.

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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 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 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 there are procedures to follow in the event of a child falling ill whilst attending the setting or following the outbreak of a contagious disease as defined by the Health Protection Agency • promote children's health by ensuring that children have access to suitable facilities in order to wash their hands and ensure that the food preparation areas conform to environmental health and food safety regulations • ensure that the committee is fully aware of its responsibilities regarding the management of the group, the employment and support of staff and the procedures for sharing the group's operational policies with 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): • continue to develop the outside areas to provide a stimulating learning environment for children.

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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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