Lower Willingdon Pre-School Nursery

Lower Willingdon Pre-School Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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507915 Unique Reference Number 08 November 2007 Inspection date Alison Weaver Inspector

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Willingdon Primary School, Rapsons Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 9RJ

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Setting Address

07703 716 874 or 01323 489 264 Telephone number

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E-mail

The Trustees of Lower Willingdon Pre-School Nursery Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School 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?

Lower Willingdon Pre-School Nursery opened in 1971. It operates from a purpose built unit in the grounds of a primary school in Willingdon. A maximum of 22 children may attend at any one time. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Opening times are from 07.30 until 17.30. The setting operates a breakfast club and an after school club. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 98 children from two to under eight years on roll. Of these 38 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The setting currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting employs four staff. All of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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. Staff ensure that they carry out the necessary procedures to prevent the spread of infection and promote children's health. There are high standards of hygiene and cleanliness in the setting and these include ensuring the areas and equipment used by the children are kept clean. The children learn to automatically wash their hands before handling food and after using the toilet. Staff give gentle reminders to the children when necessary. Children’s independence is also promoted well because they are able to access the toilets and hand washing facilities by themselves. Older children are encouraged to brush their teeth after they have had their breakfast.

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Helping children to be healthy

All of the staff are trained in first aid, which ensures that they can act in the best interest of a child in the event of an accident. The setting obtains the necessary information about children’s individual health and dietary needs from parents. All staff are made aware of any issues so that they can all help promote children’s welfare. Sick children are cared for appropriately and parents are notified of any health concerns.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children soon learn about the importance of eating well. They develop an excellent understanding of how some foods help them grow and make them strong. They often talk together about what they like to eat. Staff interact very effectively with the children to help develop and extend their understanding of healthy eating. The children enjoy the themes on food and parents comment on how the teaching has a positive impact on how they eat at home. All the children enjoy a variety of cooking activities and have fun cutting up vegetables to make soup.

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Helping children to be healthy

The staff use snack times effectively to promote healthy eating with the children. Children often help to prepare the healthy snacks. They are encouraged to try different foods and unusual fruits. The children make good use of the water dispenser as they help themselves to a drink when they get thirsty.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical skills develop well as staff provide plenty of activities that effectively promote this area of learning. The children show good co-ordination as they play and move around the setting. They enthusiastically join in the movement activities and action songs, learning to use their bodies in a variety of different ways. Children begin to understand about the effect exercise has on their bodies as they listen to their heartbeats. They have regular opportunities to use large equipment such as climbing frames, balancing beams, parachutes, tunnels and scooters. Their manipulative skills develop well as they use a good range of tools and small equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from playing in a secure and safe environment. Safety is given a high priority and there is no unauthorised access to the children. A few areas are sometimes slightly cluttered but these are not a safety hazard to children. Older children are safely escorted around the school site and staff ensure that they are not left unsupervised. The staff are deployed effectively to ensure that children are well supervised at all times. This is particularly evident when the staff offer free-flow play where children can choose to go outside if they wish. All the children enjoy playing with an extensive range of age appropriate toys and equipment, which is kept

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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 clean, safe and in excellent condition. These resources are used effectively by staff to challenge and extend the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff have made considerable effort to make the environment colourful, attractive and welcoming to children, with plenty of pictures and posters displayed. The children’s work is clearly valued as it is presented so beautifully on the walls. Staff make very good use of the rooms to create different, interesting and stimulating play areas for the children. However, the area used for nappy changing is less child friendly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A designated health and safety officer ensures that staff carry out daily and weekly visual safety checks. A more formal yearly written risk assessment is also in place. All of these checks help staff to monitor safety for children in all areas of the setting. All the necessary safety precautions are in place including the use of socket covers and high handles for doors to areas where children should not have access. The setting regularly takes part in fire drills to ensure that all staff and children are aware of what to do in an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The setting has all the required procedures and documents in place to ensure children’s welfare is safeguarded and promoted. Staff have a very good awareness of the signs and symptoms of child abuse as they have all attended training on child protection. They are very clear about their responsibilities to report any concerns about a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children arrive happily and soon settle at activities of their choice. The younger children settle quickly into the afternoon group. They develop their confidence and play happily together. The schoolchildren enjoy the relaxed and informal atmosphere in their clubs. These older children make their own choices from age appropriate resources and enjoy the opportunities to experience different crafts such as model making with clay. They are encouraged to bring their own ideas and interests to the planning of their themes and activities. Many of them like the opportunity they have to play in the home corner.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All the children thoroughly enjoy themselves and are helped to achieve because staff are very caring and supportive. The children are interested in the activities and adults give their attention to the children as they play. They talk to them about what they are doing and help to promote their development. All children have opportunities to take part in quiet and more active play. Free-flow play is well promoted as children can regularly choose whether they want to play indoors or outdoors. Plenty of fun equipment is available to them outdoors.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff use the Birth to three matters framework to plan appropriate activities for children under three years to help them develop. These children enjoy a wide variety of activities including painting and play dough. They use their imagination as they play in the home corner, speaking to their families on the telephone and making meals. They spend long periods of time absorbed in activities such as building with different construction materials. Records of younger children’s achievements are kept so that the staff can help them make progress but these tend to be linked more to the Foundation Stage rather than the Birth to three matters framework.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make very good progress towards all the early learning goals. Staff spend time playing and interacting with the children to support and

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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 reinforce their learning. The adults ask very good questions that extend children’s experiences and help them express their own ideas. Staff make good use of resources and activities to promote children’s learning. The outdoor area is well used as a learning environment for the children but further development is planned to continue to improve what they offer.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The curriculum planning is broad and balanced as it covers all six areas of learning. It shows clear links to the stepping stones and enables staff to focus clearly on the learning intention of the activities. Staff carry out regular observations and use these to inform children's records of achievements. The staff use the observations and records to create individual learning plans for the children where next targets are identified for each child. This enables staff to plan more effectively for each child and help them make progress. Staff informally adapt planned activities to meet the individual needs of children and those working at different rates.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident and happy. They like to join in with the activities and learn new skills. They play happily on their own and in groups. They begin to form friendships with their peers and build good caring relationships with adults. Children’s independence develops very well in the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children speak confidently and staff frequently extend their vocabulary by introducing new words such as hibernation. The children listen well and learn to take turns when speaking in group times. The children begin to recognise the link between sounds and letters through very effective adult interaction. When asked, children offer many different words that begin with a specific sound and letter. They enjoy looking at books with friends and adults. They experience a variety of opportunities to practice mark making and writing their names. Several children form letters successfully. Children learn to recognise their names and some can make their name with the magnetic letters.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count confidently and enjoy number activities during free play. They sort and match easily. They learn to recognise numerals as they are playing. They develop a very good awareness of simple calculation through everyday routines, songs and incidental teaching by the adults as the children play. Children use mathematical language correctly, for example, as they talk about how many more candles are needed on the home corner cake. They explore measuring and weighing as they play in the sand and do cooking activities. Children learn to recognise shapes as they play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children regularly explore the natural world. They use magnifiers to find and look at mini-beasts outdoors. They plant and grow flowers and beans. Children experience a wide variety of simple technology. They have regular access to a computer and develop good mouse control. They thoroughly enjoy the different activities using the interactive whiteboard. Children build a variety of models using different construction materials. They learn about other ways of life as they explore topics on other countries and festivals. They find out about places such as Italy and Spain and have fun exploring how people live and eat in those countries.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have many opportunities to express themselves freely and creatively on a daily basis. They select and use a variety of art and craft materials. They enjoy printing with vegetables and painting at the easel. They enjoy acting out stories such as 'The Enormous Turnip'. They sing along enthusiastically in music sessions.

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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. Staff value children as individuals and work closely with parents to meet their needs. They obtain the necessary information from parents about their child to help them settle into the group. The staff respect the wishes of parents and acknowledge their family backgrounds. Parents are encouraged to share their traditions and festivals with all the children in the setting. Children have access to a variety of resources that represent the wider community. The resources and planned activities help children develop a positive attitude to others and learn about the world around them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The setting has very good arrangements in place to care for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to ensure that they are well cared for and fully included. This includes the use of sign language to help support children with communication difficulties. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to help these children achieve. Individual learning plans are in place and good records are kept to help staff plan activities for these children to help them develop.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well and learn to play happily together. They are well occupied at all times so do not become bored. They learn to share and take turns. Staff value children’s contributions and frequently praise and encourage them. Staff use appropriate strategies to deal with any unacceptable behaviour. The schoolchildren have club rules for behaviour that they decide on with the staff. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good. Staff are very proactive at promoting an effective partnership with parents. They ask new parents to complete an initial assessment so that staff have an overall picture of what each child can do before they start in the setting. The parents of funded children receive a variety of very good written information about the Foundation Stage to help them understand the curriculum. The staff display details of the themes, plans and activities so parents are aware of what children are learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are welcome to help in the group and this gives them an opportunity to talk to staff about their child and see what children take part in and enjoy doing. Parents also make good use of the excellent home activity sheet, which gives them ideas of how to extend activities at home so that they can contribute to their child’s learning. Parents meet with staff to look at the profiles and discuss children's progress towards the early learning goals. They work closely with staff to prepare and review children’s individual learning plans. Parents are encouraged to share what they know about their child’s interests and achievements and contribute to the profiles. Parents receive yearly written reports that show how their child is progressing in the six areas of learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from being cared for by a high level of qualified and experienced staff. The staff team is well established and they all work very closely together to create a stimulating learning environment for the children. All the staff are well motivated and enthusiastic. The setting is well organised and space is used very effectively for the children. All the necessary procedures and policies are in place to support the staff in ensuring the setting runs smoothly. Staff group children appropriately and supervise them well. There is an effective key worker system in place to ensure that children’s individual needs are met. All staff are included in the

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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 planning and decision-making. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

All the required documentation, which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being, is in place. Overall, the records are well maintained with the exception of the registers. These lack the necessary details with regard to times of attendance.

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Organisation

A thorough recruitment procedure is in place, which ensures that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff development is promoted by inductions and yearly staff appraisals. They carry out peer observations so that they can help each other improve their skills. The staff also meet regularly to discuss children’s progress and general issues in the setting.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are good. The staff are committed to continuous improvement and development of the nursery education provision. They obtain support and advice from the school staff and other professionals to help develop their practices. The staff keep well informed about current childcare practices as they regularly attend training and meet with other settings to discuss childcare issues. This ensures that staff continually look at ways to improve what they offer and how they support children in their play and learning. Teaching is monitored through evaluation and staff discussions. Staff regularly review the curriculum and activities to ensure that the provision is helping children make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care and nursery education inspections the setting was asked to develop the outdoor area and to include more use of print. The setting addressed these issues effectively after the inspection. They have since moved to a new building and are in the process of developing the new outdoor area. There are already plenty of opportunities for children to explore and see print outdoors. There are a variety of posters and words used around the area. Staff also ensure there are plenty of activities and resources available for children to develop in all areas of learning when playing outdoors.

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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 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): • ensure that an accurate record of times of attendance of children is maintained.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • continue to develop the outdoor area as a learning environment.

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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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