Riverside Pre-School

Riverside Pre-School & Owls After School Club Inspection report for early years provision

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199462 Unique Reference Number 15 October 2007 Inspection date Charlotte Jenkin Inspector

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The Mobile, Monkton Park School, Sadlers Mead, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3PN

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E-mail

The Trustees of Riverside Pre-School & Riverside Owls After School Club

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Registered person

Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care, Out of School care Type of care

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Registered person

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?

Riverside Pre-School and Owls After School Club have been opened since 1992. They operate from a mobile unit within the grounds of Monkton Park Primary School in Chippenham, Wiltshire. The group has sole use of the building and there is an enclosed area for outside play. The pre-school mainly serves the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Riverside Pre-School is registered to care for a maximum of 18 children aged two to five years old. There are currently 16 children on roll, including 14 three and four-year-olds who are in receipt of government funding for nursery education. The setting supports children with special educational needs.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school is open weekday mornings from 09:00 until 11:30 during school term times and offers a lunch club on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The setting also provides after school provision from 15:00 - 17:30. Four full-or part-time staff work with the children Three have relevant early years qualifications, two are working towards a Level 3 qualification.

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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 play in warm, clean premises. They benefit from staff's up to date knowledge of first aid and their awareness of the correct administrative procedures to follow if children have an accident or require medication whilst in their care. Children learn about the importance of hand washing routines and staff demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the need to implement hygienic routines within the setting. For example, cleaning tables prior to eating, using colour coded cloths for cleaning different areas of the pre-school and safe food preparation through attending food hygiene courses. Children are not, therefore, at risk from cross infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are encouraged to develop a positive attitude towards healthy eating through the nutritious snacks they enjoy whilst in the setting, including fruit. They have any dietary needs and preferences catered for by staff, who liaise with parents and ensure children do not receive foods they are allergic to. Children have access to water at all times, and independently help themselves to this during the session. Hence, they have enough fluids throughout the day. Children's dietary needs are successfully met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children adopt a healthy lifestyle in the pre-school, with daily access to fresh air and exercise. They enjoy dancing to music indoors, where they move in different directions, move various parts of their bodies and move to the rhythm of the music. They have access to an all weather, undercover outdoor area, which they are keen to go to, displaying a positive attitude towards physical activity. Outside, children climb the steps and slide down the slide with ease. They move around with confidence, and show a good awareness of space, themselves and others. Children steer equipment with confidence, pushing scooters around and sitting in cars. Children develop skills in throwing balls, and enjoy throwing Velcro balls at a target onto which they stick.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play in welcoming premises where space is well organised into clear learning areas. Children are able to access areas to engage in quiet activities, messy activities and have plenty of floor space for play. There are some displays and stimulating posters on the walls and accessible information for parents. Children have access to a wide range of toys and equipment that promote their development in all areas. These are stored at low level and encourage the children to make choices in their play. Hence, children develop confidence in initiating their own play and learning. Staff are aware of safety issues regarding the maintenance of toys, and this means children play with toys that are safe and suitable.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play in safe premises, free from risks as staff check the premises for potential hazards and minimise these effectively to promote safety and prevent accidents within the setting. For example, sockets are covered, a safety gate prevents access to the kitchen area and the premises are all secure and monitors entry to the provision. Hence, children move around with confidence and play in safety. The outdoor area is checked daily prior to use, to minimise dangers to the children. Procedures for taking children on outings are in place, and these promote the children's safety through high adult to child ratios and taking appropriate precautions to protect their welfare. All fire precautions are in place, the evacuation plan is practised with the children and

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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 this monitors its effectiveness. There is also an evacuation plan available to the children in pictorial form to encourage them to follow instructions in an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is suitably promoted by staff who have an appropriate knowledge of child protection issues and the procedures to follow in the event of concerns. The group shares its child protection duties with parents which promotes the children's well-being. However, they do not routinely record children's existing injuries, and hence, this does not fully safeguard the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enter the group with confidence and settle quickly. They are keen to engage in the activities, and sit down to find out what is available. They develop good concentration skills and spend long periods engaged in self-chosen tasks. Children sit together and play well together co-operatively. For example, when playing with the dough, they talk about what they are doing; 'I am making a piggy' and 'Can you help do mine now?' Children demonstrate a sense of belonging in the group, they know the routines and pick up their name prior to snack and are keen to help tidy away the toys before going outside to play. Children speak with confidence in a familiar group, and are keen to share their experiences with others. They show great pride in their achievements, being keen to share their creations with others. For example, 'Look at my picture - it is Mummy'. Children develop appropriate self-help skills, as they wash their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

hands, blow their noses and help themselves to water.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Four regular staff work with the funded children and they are suitably qualified and experienced. They have a sound knowledge of the early learning goals and the stepping stones that help children move towards these. Staff are confident in helping children learn through everyday routines by using good interaction and open ended questions to help them think. Activity plans have clear learning outcomes for children and are closely linked to the stepping stones. Staff know the areas they are promoting with the children and the skills they want them to gain.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff record children's achievements using the Building Blocks Assessments system. Children's progress through the stepping stones are highlighted and evidence of children's work is kept to show their progress during their time in the group. However, observations of children at play are not regularly undertaken and this does not show what children know, understand and can do. Staff discuss areas for children's future development to include in planning, but these are not linked to the children's interests through observing them during play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children speak with confidence and are able to make themselves understood. They engage in conversations with staff and peers, and talk fluently about what they are doing. For example, 'I am going to put a scary tiger in my garden'. Children readily make marks, and sometimes give meaning to these. For example, 'It is a spider with lots of legs'. They attempt writing for real purposes, when making a Birthday card for a family member. Children begin to recognise familiar words, for example, their names, when they arrive at the setting and when sitting down for snack time. They sit and listen to stories with enjoyment and join in with repeated rhymes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop good skills in number, counting and solving simple problems through everyday routines, such as snack time. For example, children count the number of children and find the

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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 right amount of cups. Children explore shapes and make patterns with them using bricks and flat shapes, showing interest in the patterns they make. Children use language to describe shape, position and numbers during their play. Children enjoy exploring construction equipment and build and balance, often with a purpose in mind. For example, a group of children were building a boat and needed to use more bricks to stop the cars from falling off, others made a house, using bricks to represent a chimney and a washing machine. Children have opportunities to operate simple programmes on the computer, both independently and with adult support. Children observe the natural environment, exploring animals and growing plants.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use their imagination well in role play. Children dress up and use props to support their play and recreate personal experiences, for example, feeding the dolls. Others use blankets and cushions to make dens. Children use their senses well when exploring textures, describing what they see and feel. Children enjoy singing to themselves whilst playing and readily dance to music. Children are able to draw and paint and make models. However, art activities are often adult led and do not allow children to select freely the materials they wish to use to represent their own ideas.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and respected by staff, who meet their individual needs effectively. They find out information regarding children's backgrounds and ensure their needs are well met. They have access to some activities and resources that help them learn about the lives of others, but these are limited. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities have their development well supported and monitored in the group.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is very good. Children learn to share and take turns, for example, offering and sharing play dough amongst themselves. They show respect for their environment, being keen to help tidy the toys away and show kindness towards their peers. Staff are excellent role models to the children. They are calm and respectful to the children, as well as one another. Children are well engaged in their play and the environment is calm and relaxed for them to play and learn.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children have opportunities to explore their local environment, with trips to investigate the natural world, and local places in the area. They visit the library, and this helps them become a part of their local community. They have some opportunities to develop respect for the lives of others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good. Parents receive information regarding the pre-school routines and the six areas of learning. They are kept up to date with current themes for learning through regular newsletters. Parents are welcome to view their child's assessments at any time, and have formal opportunities to discuss their child's progress with their key worker. However, they are not encouraged to contribute to these by detailing their child's achievements outside of the group. They are involved in their child's learning through helping out in the pre-school and accompanying their children on visits in the local environment.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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 Children are cared for by suitable and appropriately qualified staff. The procedures for recruiting new staff are robust, and ensure adults working with children are suitable to do so. The register shows a true record of the times the children are in the care of the staff. Staff maintain the required adult to child ratios at all times, and this means children receive suitable adult support as staff spend quality time playing and interacting with them, supporting their development well. Children, therefore, are extremely relaxed in the calm learning environment where they are highly engaged in their play and learning.

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Organisation

All policies have been updated to reflect current legislation and practice. These are implemented consistently in the group to promote the children's welfare, care and learning. However, these are not made available to parents. All required consents have been gained from parents regarding their children participating in activities and routines. This protects their well-being and ensures they are cared for in line with parents' wishes. All necessary documentation is kept on premises, stored securely and is readily available for inspection.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Staff work closely together as a team, they share responsibilities of the group, including leading activities and planning. Staff deployment is effective and ensures all staff are aware of their daily roles and responsibilities. The committee are active in supporting staff, both with regard to their professional development and with the day to day running of the group. Staff are committed to improving curriculum delivery through attending training courses, gaining new ideas and implementing these into the setting. Hence, they enhance children's learning and development. Children's transition to school is aided by the positive relationship staff establish with the main feeder school.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the pre-school agreed to ensure the daily register of attendance includes the arrival and departure times of children, staff and visitors and to request written permission from parents for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment. They also agreed to maintain a written record of medication administered to children and ensure a policy is in place for lost and uncollected children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Records are now kept of medication administered to children and this protects the children's health. A policy is in place for lost and uncollected children and this means staff are aware of the procedure to follow in the event of this occurring. Written permission has been gained from parents for seeking emergency medical treatment and this protects the children's health in the event of an emergency. The register includes the arrival and departure times of children, staff and visitors, and shows a true record of the times the children are in the care of the staff.

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Improvements since the last inspection

With regard to nursery education the pre-school agreed to ensure children learn respect their toys and equipment and use them appropriately and to encourage children to keep the pre-school tidy so that they have a safe and attractive environment in which to learn. They agreed to use the observations made on the children's progress in the daily planning, so that children are encouraged to move onto the next steps in their learning on an individual basis, and any gaps in the educational provision are identified, and to ensure this includes planning for children who learn more quickly. Finally the setting agreed to provide parents with planned opportunities to share what they know about their children's learning with the setting and to be involved with their learning at home.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children respect their toys and the environment in which they play and learn. They are eager to help tidy away and are well engaged in their play. The pre-school is still developing the

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Improvements 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 observation system as observations are not regularly carried out that show what children know, understand and can do. Although staff know the children in their care well, records are not used to inform future planning to move children onto the next stage in their learning. Parents are encouraged to be involved with their child's learning, through accompanying them on trips and being welcomed to help out in the pre-school. They do not have opportunities to contribute to assessments of their child's progress to enable them to share details of their achievements outside of the group.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 no complaints have been 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 children's welfare in the setting is fully safeguarded • ensure the pre-school's policies and procedures are made available to 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 observations of children during their play and use these to demonstrate their progress towards the early learning goals and how this is to be incorporated into future planning • ensure children are able to freely select materials they wish to use to represent their own ideas through art and craft

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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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