Coombe Dean School

Hurstpierpoint Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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113538 Unique Reference Number 27 February 2008 Inspection date Christine Clint Inspector

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Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, BN6 9UU Setting Address

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E-mail

Hurstpierpoint Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

Hurstpierpoint Pre-school was registered to provide sessional day care in 1967 and is a registered charity run by a committee of parents. The pre-school operates in the new wing of the village centre in Hurstpierpoint.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting is registered to care for 26 children aged two to five years and is open from 09:00 to 11:45, Monday to Friday, term time only. A lunch club is available until 12:45 every day. Afternoon sessions are available from Monday to Thursday from 12.45 - 15.30. There are currently 63 children on roll, of whom 32 are in funded educational places. The setting supports children with learning difficulties or disabilities and offers support to children with English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The accommodation is a large room with adjoining kitchen. The outdoor area provides a secure hard surface play area and a further secure garden with permanent apparatus. The pre-school has sole use of the premises during opening hours.

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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 There are eight members of staff, six of whom are qualified in child care and education. The pre-school is supported by the local early years network and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. At the time of the inspection 19 children were attending.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in very clean and well maintained premises. They are able to be fully responsible for washing their hands after craft and messy play activities, because they have a mobile hand washing unit which is placed next to this area. They are learning about their own personal hygiene because they follow regular routines to wash hands and there are pictorial displays above the wash basins. Children are also reminded to find tissues for wiping their noses when needed. Nappy changing and toilet training routines are individually organised with parents and staff manage these according to children's needs; they have all facilities available.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have previously learned about looking after their teeth when the pre-school borrowed a dental information box. They learn about healthy bodies when staff include the 'all about me' topic and staff always promote hand washing when the mobile farm visits and children have opportunities to touch the animals.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is thoroughly managed because there are detailed records of all accidents and treatment given; these are signed by parents. A first aid kit is immediately available and staff have current certificates in first aid training. Any specific health needs or dietary requirements for individual children are clearly noted and a laminated list is displayed in the kitchen, as a reminder to all staff. There are thorough procedures for administering any medication and for ensuring that medicine is labelled and stored safely; all regulatory requirements are in place. The nursery has developed sound routines to cover all health, emergency and sickness requirements and these are all available for parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are very keen to have the prepared fruit and raisins at snack time. The pre-school organise parents to send fruit daily and they add to this when needed. Children eagerly collect their bowls and know the routines for helping themselves; they often ask for more and can have bread sticks after eating the fruit. Children competently pour their own milk or water at the table and staff are ready to assist individual children. Children are encouraged to manage their own lunch boxes at the optional lunch club and staff often sit to eat with them; they all enjoy this social time.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have daily opportunities for outside play and they use a variety of different apparatus. They ride bikes with competence and proudly show staff how they have learned to balance on one leg whilst using the scooter. Children also practise balancing when using the stepping stone equipment. They can run and enjoy the fresh air.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are safe and secure because they mostly remain in one large room, which is open and airy with ample light and ventilation. There is easy access to the outside play area and staff effectively use mobile barriers during the session as extra safety precautions. All outside areas are well fenced and the main entrance to the building is locked for most of the session. There

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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 are well organised routines to ensure that children are safe at collection time. Children have access to a wide range of play provision which is fully available and organised in different areas of the room. Staff have rotas for the responsibility of each activity area and they monitor this during the session. Children are able to freely access resources from low cupboards during their play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's ongoing safety is highly prioritised; staff complete a daily risk assessment and they clearly note any areas of concern. There is a high ratio of adults to children and staff respond immediately to remind children not to run inside the premises. Fire equipment is in place and regularly maintained, fire drills are frequently carried out and recorded. The pre-school always includes two fire drills in one week, to ensure that all staff and children practise. Full policies and procedures to maintain safety are in place, including how lost or uncollected children will be managed. A current certificate of insurance is also displayed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is fully supported because staff have experience and understanding of the routines for safeguarding children. Most staff have attended child protection training, and this is prioritised when new staff commence. All staff know that any concerns are raised with the manager. Parents are provided with information to explain the responsibilities of the pre-school and any injuries that children have on arrival are usually discussed and recorded. There are thorough written procedures for following any child protection concerns and these include full details of how any allegations against staff will be managed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Younger children are encouraged to increase their confidence when they first attend because staff continually interact with them and include them in small tasks to give them a sense of belonging. Children are happy and become settled because they are valued and acknowledged. Their individual needs are thoughtfully included and this encourages children to increase their confidence in making decisions about play, movement between activities and forming relationships. There is very close liaison with parents when children are settling and observant reports show that staff are aware of younger children's progress. Smaller children move freely for most of the session and play alongside others; as they grow and develop they seek out each other and take part in role play activities. They competently dress and undress to wear different outfits for role play and noise levels increase at times, especially when children laugh and show

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

excitement. Children also show concentration and perseverance when completing puzzles, writing their names and carrying out their own craft activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children follow the regular pre-school routines well and they fully respond because staff are very caring. They are reminded to be polite, especially at snack time and they are learning to share and take turns. There is a welcoming environment for children and their parents; this establishes strong links from the start and ensures that children have trust and feel totally secure in the setting. Younger children's development is successfully monitored because staff use the Birth to three matters framework to record their progress.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children show confidence and ability in choosing activities and carrying these out. They are forming friendships and instigating play at times; they learn each other's names through following routines and they socialise at snack and lunch time. Children are developing the ability to manage their own personal care and to know and follow the pre-school routines. They show

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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 interest and provide information, they are eager to communicate and can concentrate well when making their trains and show determination to complete puzzles. Children are developing their communication, language and literacy because they are recognising their own names when they self register. This is repeated at snack time when letter sounds are also recognised. They have regular opportunities for mark making and use emergent writing; older children can confidently write their names. Children can recognise and use the letters on a key board to type their own name. They listen well to stories and learn new words from the context of the story because staff ask them appropriate questions to confirm their understanding of new words. Children are constantly involved in dialogue with each other and with staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn to recognise and name number symbols during stories and songs, they are encouraged to use their fingers and this helps them to gauge sequence and quantity. Their development profiles also show that children can count and recognise numbers during games. Children show confidence when introducing lower numbers into conversation and they talk about making an engine with four wheels and two drivers. They understand positional language because children carry out actions and line up behind each other. Children's creative development is regularly encouraged through songs with actions and rhyming stories. They play their own imaginary games in the role play area and with the train track; they make birthday cakes for pretend puppies at the play dough table. Children make steam engine models with cardboard and tubes, using different items to represent parts of their model. Children are encouraged to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

recognise colours and feel textures and they have opportunities to practise with different musical instruments.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn about the wider world and other cultures through themes and topics. They also learn about different animals from books, because staff ask them to name animals and to identify and copy the sounds they make. Children can look at bugs through magnified lenses; they show interest in technology and use the pre-school computer, and also have a programmable roaming toy. Children build houses with duplo, join the train track and play circle games. Children recognise what happens around them and they talk about the weather when they are going outside. Children have very regular opportunities for fresh air and exercise. They use the hard surface area in winter for bikes, scooters and wheeled toys. They have a more rural garden area for summer activities in the shade, where they have tunnels and they can dig in the sand. Children learn about their hearts beating faster during physical activities and when

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they follow the activity tapes; they also carry out yoga stretches and learn to feel their bodies slowing down after exercise.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff plan and provide a wide variety of resources and organise activities in different areas of the room to enable children to identify and make choices. Qualified staff have a clear knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and all staff are involved in the planning, which is clearly available. However, the plans in place and the activities being carried out do not fully show any challenge for older more able children. Staff respond very well to children and show interest and involvement, they include children in conversation, question them to encourage their thinking and learning, praise their achievements and value their comments. Observations of individual children's development are available and these are transferred to their profiles. Staff are currently compiling information from parents to help them plan future activities to link with children's development.

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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 have a variety of resources which are regularly available in the pre-school to reflect the diversity within society. They also celebrate festivals from other cultures and have recently included Chinese New Year celebrations by tasting foods in their role play restaurant. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported and staff show that they have well organised systems in place to link with other professionals when children have any learning difficulties or disabilities. They work with parents to include all children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well and they learn to follow the pre-school's golden rules, which are displayed. Older children are encouraged to know and understand these rules and they all respond very well to staff. They are happy because they have ample resources and the regular involvement of staff in their play. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children are praised frequently for effort and achievement; they show progress in their development folders of learning to share and show care and concern for each other.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Children are very happy and settled in the nursery because their parents are welcomed and regularly informed about all aspects of care and about the planned educational activities. Parents are very supportive and fully appreciate the quality of the pre-school; they form the committee annually to manage the provision. There are effective systems in place to ensure regular communication with all parents: they receive newsletters and a white board in the entrance area informs them about daily activities or special events. The detailed registration forms provide parents with opportunities to give very individual information. Parents are clearly aware of their children's achievements and progress because they attend planned consultation meetings to discuss their children's development profiles and they are asked to record areas of interest to help with the future planning of activities.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care and the daily management of the pre-school is fully planned and organised. There are comprehensive systems in place to show that any new staff are thoroughly checked as suitable to work with children and there are efficient systems to share the registration responsibilities and inform Ofsted of any changes.

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Organisation

The pre-school has developed clear routines to form an operational plan and these are linked with staff meetings, committee meetings and clearly planned rotas. The committee and staff show high levels of team work and support for each other and the full range of policies and procedures are currently being reviewed. The registration certificate is displayed and children's attendance is recorded at each session, with a separate register for the lunch club. However, children are not always instantly marked out when they leave the premises. Staff seek and attend relevant training to ensure their knowledge is up to date and any training attended is shared with all staff.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. There is a clear vision for the pre-school in providing care and education for a growing community. Staff work together to evaluate the daily activities and the use of resources, and use this evaluation to inform the development plans for future provision. There are formal arrangements in place for staff appraisals and these take place annually with smaller meetings every half year. The pre-school has developed close links with the local school to ensure the smooth transfer of children and with the early years service to

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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 update and maintain information. 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 providers where asked to increase the children's access to play equipment. An action plan is in place following the last inspection and all activity areas have a designated staff member who is responsible. There are trolleys with an ample choice of resources and these are available throughout the sessions for children to access. This enables children to have full freedom to choose and enhances their experiences and learning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last educational inspection the providers were asked to review the planning to link with the early learning goals and to ensure that observations of children are used to inform the plans. The pre-school has introduced new systems of planning with broader aspects to ensure that all activities are linked to the early learning goals. Staff have also introduced forms for parents to list children's interests and achievements to help them to form future plans. These methods provide more scope for children to follow their individual patterns of learning and enable staff to provide more opportunities during every day play.

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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

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 register shows when children leave the premises

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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): • extend activity plans to include challenge for more able 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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