Buxton Bears Pre-School

Buxton Bears Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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156206 Unique Reference Number 04 December 2007 Inspection date S Campbell Inspector

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Station Road, Chingford, London, E4 7BJ Setting Address

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E-mail

The Trustees of Buxton Bears 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 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?

Buxton Bears Pre-School is run by a management committee. It opened in 1993 and has sole use of the building during operating hours and operates from two rooms and a hall. It is situated in a residential area of Chingford the London borough of Waltham Forest. A maximum of 26 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The playgroup is open each weekday from 09:10 to 15:00 term time only.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 47 children aged from three to under five years on roll. Of these, 46 children receive funding for early education. Children attend a variety of full-time and part-time sessions. The setting currently have no children attending with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, but supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The playgroup employs 10 members of staff. Most staff hold early years qualification to National Vocational Qualification Level 2 and 3. Two staff are working towards a qualification Level 3 and the Foundation Stage degree. The setting receives support from the local authority and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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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 are beginning to develop an understanding of good personal hygiene as they wash their hands at appropriate times and know why they should wash their hands, for example because of germs. The setting ensures tissues are readily available throughout the session and children independently wipe their noses, and then dispose tissues straight away. However, the arrangements at snack time require further development to ensure children’s plates are changed after each use to minimise the spread of infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children’s good health is further promoted because practitioners have arranged for professional local agencies to facilitate sessions at the group about Health and Hygiene where parents are invited to attend.

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Helping children to be healthy

Most staff hold a current first aid certificate and all relevant documentation is in place to ensure children receive appropriate care in the event of minor accident. However, current systems requires further development to ensure parents countersign entries.

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Helping children to be healthy

Older children take it in turns to take Bobby Bear home. They are further developing the need for good personal hygiene because they have to ensure Bobby Bear brushes his teeth before bedtime and is fed. Feedback sheets completed in partnership with children and their parents state that Bobby Bear had chicken satay for dinner and hot Ribena.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children learn the importance of a healthy diet because practitioners provide a range of healthy and nutritious snacks, such as wholemeal pitta bread, satsuma, cucumber and tomato. Children receive a choice of milk or water at snack times and water is readily available throughout the session. This encourages children to think about their own personal needs and prevent dehydration.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have daily opportunities to engage in physical activities both indoor and outdoor, which contribute to a healthy lifestyle. The children use a range of large equipment to enable them to balance, climb and jump. They crawl through tunnels and use wheeled toys with good coordination. However, some planning takes place for physical play, but planning has yet to be implemented to ensure weekly activities are fully planned to extend children’s learning experiences when taking part in everyday gross motor play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a caring environment where they are warmly greeted on their arrival, which builds upon their confidence. They have access to age appropriate toys and activities that are fun and stimulating, which captures their interest throughout the session.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment. Practitioners ensure the entry to the setting is closely monitored to prevent unwanted visitors gaining access. Children’s safety is further promoted because practitioners are effectively deployed both indoor and outdoor to maximise children’s safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Regular fire drills help children become familiar with the procedures to so they learn how to leave the premises quickly and safely. Practitioners continually reinforce the need for safety

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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 within the setting and when children happily take part in the parachute group activity they are gently reminded to be careful to ensure they do not bump into each other. Children’s safety is further supported through arranged visits from the local Road Safety Awareness agency and Fire Brigade. This helps children understand how to keep themselves safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Practitioners have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and what action to take if they have concerns about a child in their care. This ensures practitioners quickly recognise when a child is in danger and can act in the child’s best interest.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children’s welfare is further safeguarded because parents are given clear information of the group’s responsibility to act upon any concerns. The safeguarding information given to parents also includes detailed information about the indicators and procedures to be followed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. There are currently no children attending under three years. However, practitioners have regard for the Birth to three matters framework and they ensure planning reflects this to support younger children’s development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Practitioners ensure activities and resources are nicely presented and as a result children happily engage in the toys on offer. Practitioners encourage children to take part in the preparation of activities, such as making play dough with their peers. Practitioners use practical situations to encourage children’s vocabulary and to think by asking them questions about how does the play dough feel.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children have developed good relationships with practitioners and they benefit from quieter activities when looking at and reading books with staff. Practitioners ensure throughout the session children are very well supported in their play. They position themselves well around the main play area at tables to work with a small group of children at a time. This ensures all children benefit from the activities on offer.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from a range of group activities, such as playing board games, singing and story time sessions. Practitioners skilfully engage children in group time sessions by narrating stories from memory and encouraging children to use props when singing Five Current Buns and Five Little Ducks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress in their overall development towards the stepping stones and early learning goals. Practitioners have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and planning takes into account all aspects of the curriculum to support children’s learning. Focus activities are carried out daily and jointly with the small group plans. Focus activities are evaluated after each session and includes individual children’s needs. Practitioners know children well and progress reports clearly identify their next steps.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Practitioners provide opportunities for children to write for a variety of different purposes. During the session children take notes when playing in the office and they write their names on their artwork. Children are confident speakers in group situations as they sing songs to their peers and initiate discussions with others. More able children are able to sing the alphabet song and can recognise their name and others.

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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 use mathematical language spontaneously and when placing the play dough in the scales they describe that the scales is balancing. Through practical situations practitioners introduce children to simple additions and subtractions, for example singing songs. Children talk about their butterfly print Christmas tree activity as being the same and they use the cubes and board to make simple patterns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children participate in a range of adult led creative activities. They enjoy making a Christmas pudding with currants and equally take pleasure in eating them. However, there are few opportunities on offer for children to access craft resources independently to extend their imaginative and creative skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident when using everyday technology. They use programmes on the computer to develop their skills when using the mouse, for example drawing. Additionally the children benefit from playing ‘Matching Pairs’ to enhance their memory skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children learn about each other and the wider world through planned topics and celebrations, such as Hanukah, Diwali and Chinese New Year. They have access to a good range of resources that reflect positive images, which further develops children’s understanding of similarities and differences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Practitioners continually work towards providing positive images by arranging specific events, for example ‘Dad’s Day’. This enables fathers to take part in activities and contribute to their children’s learning while at the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children develop a good understanding of right and wrong. They behave very well and are polite. Practitioners are consistent in their approach in managing children’s behaviour and children benefit from consistent praise and encouragement. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

A good partnership with parents contributes considerably to children’s well-being while at the group. Parents are on the management committee and play an active role in the running of the group and decision making. All relevant information is shared with parents including regular formal and informal discussions about their children’s development, which promotes continuity of care. Parents receive an attractive parent handbook at point of registration and they receive additional information in relation to the group’s polices and procedures. However, the complaint procedure does not include the correct contact information.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents receive ongoing information about the Foundation Stage through newsletters of forthcoming topics and the parent handbook. Additional ongoing information is given to parents on a daily basis about small group activities, which covers the aspect of the curriculum. Parents contribute to an initial and ongoing assessments of their children’s develop allowing practitioners to build on what children already know.

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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 satisfactory. The person in charge holds a suitable level 3 qualification and management actively encourage practitioners to undertake relevant training, which helps support children within the setting. There are regular appraisals that identify training needs and management and staff have clear defined role and responsibilities.

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Organisation

All documentation required for the safe and efficient management of the playgroup is in place, which contributes to the welfare of the children. There are appropriate recruitment procedures in place to ensure children are cared for by suitably qualified and vetted staff. However, management has failed to notify Ofsted of all relevant staff changes, namely committee members.

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Organisation

Staff deployment is effective and ensures children are well supervised at all times. Children receive good support from practitioners to support their learning and development. Subsequently, children are making good progress in their overall development and the setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Management evaluate practice constantly and actively encourage staff to evaluation their own practice and their peers to ensure continual improvement in the outcomes for children. Practitioners work very well as a team and children benefit from a well organised environment where they feel secure and confident. Additionally current systems for monitoring and improving the quality of care and education support all children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last Care inspection the provider has implemented an action plan to support the running of the setting and promote children’s welfare.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last Nursery Education inspection a point of consideration was made to further enhance the provision's good practice and as a result children now have opportunities to practice mathematical problem solving, including simple addition and subtraction in daily routines.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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 AND 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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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): • further develop the arrangements at snack time to ensure children's plates are changed after each use to minimise the spread of infection • further develop systems for the recording of accidents to ensure parents countersign entries • further develop the complaint procedure to include the correct contact details of the regulator • inform Ofsted of relevant significant events in relation to change of committee members

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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 opportunities for children to access craft resources independently to further promote their imaginative and creative skills • further develop planning to ensure children's learning experiences are extended outdoors (also applies to care)

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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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