Tickhill First School

St Paulinus Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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127618 Unique Reference Number 15 February 2008 Inspection date Stephanie Graves Inspector

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Hillcrest Road, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 6JS Setting Address

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E-mail

St Paulinus Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

St Paulinus Pre-School is a committee run group which opened in 1973. The setting operates from a church hall on the outskirts of Edenbridge, in Kent. A maximum of 24 children may attend the setting at any one time. Sessions are from 09.15 until 12.00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 09.15 until 13.00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during term times only. The Friday session is mainly for funded children. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 24 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 18 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and surrounding areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs eight members of staff. Of these, six hold appropriate Early Years qualifications and two are working towards a qualification.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting receives support from an advisor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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 learn about health and hygiene practices through effective staff input. For example, they learn to help themselves to tissues to wipe their noses and wash their hands at the appropriate times. Staff ensure they do so before eating food and encourage children's independence where possible. This helps to prevent the spread of germs. Effective hygiene procedures help to prevent cross infection, including the use of appropriate cleaning agents to ensure surfaces are hygienically clean. Children are well cared for if they have an accident or become unwell. This is because accidents are recorded and any children who have contagious illnesses remain at home. This helps to prevent the spread of infection. Children have many opportunities to be active and can also choose to access quieter activities, such as looking at books in a comfortable area of the hall, which helps to promote their sense of wellbeing.

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Helping children to be healthy

Drinking water is readily available and children can help themselves throughout the session to help keep them hydrated. They learn about healthy eating through the routines and activities provided. For example, they can choose nutritious foods at snack time, which include options, such as, cheese and pitta bread, fresh fruit, bread sticks and humus, crusty bread and toast. Children enjoy learning about foods from various countries around the world and try different options, including couscous, pasta and eating noodles with chopsticks. They help to make some snacks, including sandwiches, and staff talk about healthy eating with the children which encourages them to talk about foods they like and dislike. Clear agreements are in place between the pre-school and parents to ensure children's individual dietary needs are met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical development is promoted well through the nursery education curriculum. They enjoy outdoor play experiences and can access resources, such as, large apparatus, wheeled toys, bucket stilts, and hoops to help develop their balance and coordination. Staff imaginatively encourage children to develop an awareness of their bodies and different body functions. For example, during a small group activity they ask them to touch their noses, ears and heads and their spines. Children learn that without a spine they 'wouldn't be able to stand up.' This input enables them to learn how their bodies work. Children are provided with many fine manipulative experiences to help them develop smaller muscle development. These include, construction, mark making, manipulating malleable materials and using one handed tools. These opportunities mean children's physical skills are promoted well.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's safety is well considered within the pre-school environment. They are supervised closely and the building is secure, which means they can move around and play within safe boundaries. Toys and resources are checked regularly to ensure they are safe and suitable and these are suited to children's various ages and stages of development. A daily risk assessment helps to identify and reduce the risk of accidental injury to children. Hazardous materials are made inaccessible, helping to promote safety at all times. Children learn about keeping themselves and others safe through effective input by staff. For example, they practise the emergency evacuation procedure regularly and staff are often heard to remind children about safety concepts within the pre-school. This includes not throwing sand to avoid eye injuries, making sure they sit nicely on the floor during group activities to avoid accidentally kicking

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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 others, and not running inside during free flow play time. These reminders help children to develop a good awareness of safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is promoted well because staff have an up-to-date understanding of the procedures necessary to safeguard them at all times. Training has very recently been updated, staff understand the signs and symptoms of abuse and know the procedures to follow in the event of a concern. All staff know where to access important information. The procedures in place are based on current requirements, which helps to ensure that children’s welfare and safety remain the group's priority.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children arrive confidently and settle quickly as they put their coats on pegs and begin to play together. They are happy and involved because they have plenty of experiences to keep them interested and motivated and they receive good support from staff. This helps them to develop warm relationships within the pre-school. A balanced range of toys and activities are freely accessible and help children to learn and progress. These include art and craft activities, mark making, role play, construction, small world activities, games, puzzles and table top resources that promote all areas of learning. The younger children attending can access plenty of free flow play opportunities. They enjoy the input from staff who know them well, plan and provide appropriate play experiences and observe and assess their progress. Children become quickly interested in opportunities to communicate with others as they play together, negotiate roles

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and discuss their home news. They develop confidence as they choose their favourite activities and begin to represent their ideas through role play and small world activities. They demonstrate curiosity, for example, as they explore resources, including sand and making their own creations with clay or play dough. Children's achievements are beautifully displayed, which helps to reinforce a sense of ownership and pride in what they do.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are progressing well through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Staff implement the Foundation Stage requirements well. They observe and assess children's learning from when they join the setting to when they move on to school. At this time a transfer document is completed to help with the transition and provide continuity of learning and development. Planning covers all areas of learning and is differentiated to ensure the needs of all children are met. The next steps in children's learning are currently not identified consistently enough to inform future planning. However, staff know the children well and ensure a good range of evidence is available to demonstrate clear progress for each child. Activity plans are used to ensure learning objectives are met and these are evaluated clearly. This helps to identify what works well and what may need to be improved to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident and friendly and interact well with staff and one another. They show independence when choosing their preferred activities and persist at completing tasks. This is because staff demonstrate effective teaching methods to engage their interest but also ensure children can enjoy plenty of free choice. Children take turns to be the helper of the day, leading with tasks, including wheeling out the snack trolley and handing round drinks and snacks. They are not afraid to approach staff to share ideas and ask for support, which means they feel comfortable and confident around them. They are sociable and spend a great deal of their time talking together and discussing play concepts.

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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 interested in the activities provided because staff extend play and learning concepts well. For example, they ask many questions to help children think and respond and this is evident during small group activities and story times, where children confidently contribute to the main themes. Children can access a good variety of tools to make marks in a variety of situations. They learn to identify initial sounds through games, such as 'I spy' where they guess the names of different objects and are encouraged to recognise and write their own names. These activities help to develop children's pre-reading and writing skills. Children are confident communicators and can be heard discussing concepts, such as, going to 'visit the Queen of England' and 'an England farm', after learning about different countries around the world.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They confidently talk about activities they like, including playing with 'firemen and builders' in the small world play set, as well as those they say they do not like as much. Staff spend most of their time interacting with the children to help develop their language skills. They also use picture cues, which help to reinforce key messages.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A good variety of mathematical experiences are available during every day activities. These include opportunities for matching, sorting, shape recognition and measuring. Children are also gaining confidence with numbers and counting, for instance, as they identify that a '1' and a '5' together make the 15th day of the month and they use simple addition and subtraction, for example, during action songs. They learn to problem solve, for instance, by working out the colours of the clothes they wear as staff tell them that those with 'brown shoes' or a 'blue sweat shirt' can go and wash their hands for snack time. Children develop a sense of time, as they follow the routine and know when it is time to tidy away or get ready to go home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children demonstrate curiosity, for instance, as they manipulate malleable materials or listen to staff talking about different animals or concepts relating to the current topic about different countries. They cut out pictures to help create displays of various countries around the world and use globes and books which help to develop their knowledge and understanding of different cultures and locations. They enjoy learning about living things, including camels in Egypt and different species of butterfly. They demonstrate good hand-eye co-ordination, for example, as they pour their own drinks or cut with scissors, and have access to a wide range of outdoor resources to promote their physical skills. They access a range of programmable toys and those that help them make connections regarding information and communication technology. These include a computer keyboard, cameras, mobile phones, tape recorders and microphones.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy action songs and eagerly play along using a range of musical instruments. Staff use words, such as, 'quiet,' 'fast' and 'slow' to help them develop a sense of rhythm and sound. Children are creative and enjoy role play, for example, as they dress up as brides or princesses and use their imaginations as they pretend to be dogs, babies and singers. These experiences help children to represent real life scenarios through their play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall the group plans and provides a very good range of activities and play opportunities, to ensure children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities are well promoted.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are welcomed by attentive staff who care for them according to their individual needs. Those taking time to settle are regularly acknowledged and affirmed, helping them to feel secure and comfortable. Children learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others through toys and resources which include positive images of diversity. They have many opportunities to learn about the wider world and their place within it, through meaningful

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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 activities and experiences that develop their knowledge and understanding. Children learn the expected behaviour boundaries set by staff and any challenging behaviour is dealt with calmly and consistently. This helps to develop children's understanding of right from wrong. Staff are good role models who encourage good manners and can be heard asking children questions, such as, 'why do we say thank you?' Children respond quickly by answering 'because it is good manners.' As a result children are polite and respectful towards staff and one another. Staff regularly praise children for their achievements and good behaviour, which promotes their welfare and self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from consistency of care because staff and parents work together to meet their needs. A good range of information is shared and parents know they can visit to discuss their children's progress at any time. They feel included and involved and believe staff input helps to maintain effective support for children between home and the pre-school. Although the complaints procedure has not been fully updated to current requirements, the provider takes positive steps to ensure that parents are kept well informed about all relevant policies and procedures.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents of children in receipt of funding for nursery education receive good quality information and have ongoing opportunities to share their children's progress records and contribute towards transfer records for school. Short term curriculum plans are displayed along with daily activities and staff talk with parents about their children's experiences, as they come into the pre-school at the end of each session. Parents know they are welcome to visit the setting to share their special interests and skills and these opportunities help to promote children's enjoyment of teaching and learning concepts.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They demonstrate a sense of excitement as they explore the stimulating experiences available. Children are sociable and their communication skills are promoted well. They learn right from wrong and are able to share and take turns. They have regular opportunities to discuss their interests, family news and special events, such as birthdays. Staff listen with genuine interest which means children's contributions are valued.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are settled and cared for within a well organised environment. They enjoy warm relationships with staff and one another and have free access to a good range of play and learning experiences. Systems are in place to help ensure the adults working with children are suitable and staff training needs are addressed. The provider ensures all staff are well aware of their roles and responsibilities. This helps to ensure children benefit from appropriate care. The registration certificate is displayed clearly and the necessary records are all in place and shared with parents. Daily attendance records are in place for children, staff and visitors. Although further improvement is required in relation to the complaints policy, the range of policies, procedures and supporting documentation in place underpin the group's professional practice and help to ensure that children's welfare, care and learning are well promoted.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. Staff apply the Foundation Stage principles well and clear aims are in place to promote the learning and development of all children. Although some improvement is required regarding the next steps in learning for individual children, the group ensure all children are observed and assessed against the areas of learning and keep a variety of evidence regarding their progress. As a result, good progress is evident. Curriculum plans

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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 include all areas of the curriculum and these are displayed for parents along with other helpful information. Staff are dedicated towards meeting the children's needs and integrate care and nursery education well to promote successful outcomes in all areas of learning and development. The provision of toys, equipment and resources is good. Toys and resources are appealing and stimulating, therefore, children remain interested and focussed. The effectiveness of teaching and learning is monitored and evaluated well. The setting enjoys links with local primary schools, which helps to prepare the children for transitions into school.

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Organisation

The provider is committed towards the ongoing improvement of the pre-school. As a result children are well cared for and enjoy many different opportunities to play and learn. The pre-school provides a professional service. 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 provider received a recommendation to review the policies and procedures to ensure they contain the required information. Policies are updated as necessary, although a further recommendation has been left in relation to the complaints policy.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection of nursery education, one point for consideration was highlighted. This concerned extending the planning by documenting learning intentions in relation to the stepping stones. Further improvement has been made and learning intentions are recorded on activity plans.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The provider has taken positive steps towards improving the service and providing children with a safe, secure and stimulating play environment.

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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 the written complaints procedure contains all the required information.

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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

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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 systems to identify the next steps needed in children's learning to help inform future planning.

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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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