Puffins at Beer Pre-School

Puffins at Beer Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY217314 Unique Reference Number 18 October 2007 Inspection date Brenda Joan Flewitt Inspector

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Mare Lane, Beer, Nr Seaton, Devon, EX12 3NB Setting Address

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E-mail

The Trustees of Puffins at Beer Pre-School 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?

Puffins at Beer Pre-school is a committee-run setting which is situated in its own building, adjacent to Beer Church of England Primary School, Beer, Devon. There is one main playroom, with toilet and kitchen facilities adjoining, and outdoor hard and grassed areas. They also have access to the school hall, football field and playground. 'Forest School' sessions are provided twice a week using the local wooded area. The pre-school is open from 09.00 to 15.30 from Monday to Friday during term time. Children attend morning or afternoon sessions, or both, with some also attending the lunch club between 11.30 and 13.00. Breakfast club is from 08.30 until 09.00 and the after-school club runs from 15.30 to 17.45. On Fridays the session finishes at 16.30.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 26 children may attend at any one time. There are currently 36 children on roll. Of these, 24 are funded for early education, and 10 attend the after school club. The group supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 There are eight staff employed to work with the children, six of whom have appropriate child care qualifications, and the other two are working towards them. The pre-school have gained a Pre-school Learning Alliance quality assurance certificate called 'Aiming for Quality'.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a healthy lifestyle. They have daily opportunities for outside play which means they have regular fresh air and exercise. Staff utilise the various outside areas well to plan activities that promote children's good health. This includes the 'Forest School' sessions when children walk, run, and jump as they explore various aspects of the open space of the school field, and local woods. A favourite game is rolling down the grass slope, then climbing back up to start again. Children use a variety of large and small equipment which promotes their muscle development. They competently climb and slide on the climbing frame and manoeuvre wheeled vehicles by pedalling, pushing and pulling, avoiding objects and each other. Children develop skills in using various tools and equipment during activities such as dough, craft, cooking and construction. Children learn to make healthy choices in what they eat through the good example

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Helping children to be healthy

set by staff, discussion, and visitors in to pre-school when they learn about the importance of 'five-a-day fruit and veg'. They select from pieces of fruit and a choice of milk or water at snack time, developing skills in pouring their own drinks and peeling fruit.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is well promoted. They are protected from the spread of infection through staff procedures and there is a clear sickness policy which ensures that parents know that children must not attend if they have an infectious illness. Children learn good procedures for their own personal hygiene. They use the easily accessible facilities independently to wash their hands after messy play, after using the toilet, and before handling food.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's medication and accidents are managed well. A high proportion of staff hold current first aid certificates, first aid resources are easily accessible, and the relevant records are completed clearly. However, the written consent, signed by parents, for seeking medical advice or treatment is not clear, to fully promote children's health in an emergency situation.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children' safety is well promoted at all times. They play and learn in safe and secure premises where hazards and risks are identified and minimised. The good security system protects children from uninvited visitors, and makes sure that they cannot leave the building unsupervised. Staff carry out comprehensive risk assessments, both inside and out, to ensure that the environment is safe for children to move around freely. Children learn about their own safety through discussion, practising routines and through topic work. For example, during 'child safety week' children enjoy visits from police officers, fire fighters and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, which helps them learn about safety in their community. They learn what is expected if they must leave the building in an emergency through regular fire drills. Staff are clear about their roles, and the fire exits are clearly marked. This all contributes towards children's safety in a

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The effective organisation of the space available means that children confidently move from one activity to another. They use equipment and resources that are well organised and kept in

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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 good condition, and low level facilities and furniture enables children to access their activities safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities in safeguarding children, which includes recognising signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures to follow with concerns. There is a dedicated member of staff who's role includes coordinating relevant documentation for reference and ensuring that staff are up-to-date with their knowledge through training. This helps to protect children from harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, settled and secure. They enjoy the time they spend at pre-school and the after school club. Children make very good relationships with the adults who work with them and each other. They are cared for in a welcoming, friendly and busy environment by enthusiastic staff who value children as individuals and welcome their ideas. All children use a wide range of play provision and resources which are organised effectively to encourage children to access them independently to extend their own play and learning. Children are encouraged to develop skills in practical tasks which promotes their independence, such as using the toilet and hand washing facilities, managing their own clothes and helping to tidy away equipment. Staff use the Birth to three matters framework effectively to plan and assess younger children's development, which provides a good record of children's starting points in the Foundation

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children who attend the after school club are given opportunities to be active or relax after their day at school. Some like to sit quietly and complete homework, or look at books, others prefer to play ball games and 'let of steam' outside. Their ideas for activities are invited by way of a 'suggestions' book.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a clear working knowledge of the Foundation Stage and use this to plan and implement a broad range of activities and meaningful experiences that help the children develop in all areas of learning. They link activities to themes and topics, often instigated by children's interests. The key worker arrangement includes staff completing a detailed and effective assessment system to record and plan children's progress along the stepping stones, towards the early learning goals. Staff provide consistent, positive interaction to support activities, which helps children learn new vocabulary and extend what they already know. Therefore, children are making good progress in their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop a very good knowledge and understanding of the world through planned topics and during every day activities. The 'Forest School' sessions provide excellent opportunities for children to practise many skills including maths and language for communication and thinking, as well as a wealth of physical skills. They explore the outside where they learn about nature, notice changes, differences, textures and sounds. From a young age, children learn about the codes of conduct to stay safe. For example, each session starts with children sitting in a circle on 'log stools', they play games where they identify colours, patterns and clothing to indicate if it is their turn to swap places with another person. They know that they must always go around the outside of the circle, and not across the 'fire' in the middle. Children explore and investigate a wide range of materials and objects, they carry out

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

experiments such as finding out which fabrics are waterproof, or what happens to water when

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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 it is put in the freezer. They have regular opportunities to use technology, developing skills in completing computer programmes, or printing photos they have taken using a digital camera.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use language well to communicate. They confidently initiate conversations with both adults and peers, they like to talk about events in their lives, sometimes to the whole group. Children enjoy books and stories. They listen well to stories in a group, sometimes read by visitors, joining in appropriately and discussing suggestions such as whether Beer has a lighthouse. Children learn to recognise their written name through daily routines and are encouraged to 'write' for a purpose, including naming their own work. Children have daily opportunities to express themselves in various ways. There are always art and craft materials available. Small world toys and the role play area are used well, where children act out real life situations. For example, children 'mend' cars in a garage using a drill and spanners.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop a real sense of maths as they solve problems in everyday situations, recognise shapes in their play, count and calculate both in songs and practical tasks. For instance, children identify a triangle, square or rectangle by the number of corners and sides, during outside play. They are encouraged to work out how many children there will be in the group when one more arrives, and regularly count the number of people present.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals. Staff get to know each child's needs well through effective communication with parents and as they support their activities. Staff offer a home visit before the child starts at pre-school to help to get to know about them and their home life. There are good systems in place to help identify any special needs. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator attends on-going training and liaises with parents, staff and connected professionals to ensure that all children are fully included. Children develop a very strong sense of belonging to a community. They like to see photos of themselves and their work displayed in the pre-school and have individual hooks and trays for their belongings. They become familiar with the school as they visit regularly to use the facilities and join in particular activities such as music sessions. Children start to become aware of the wider world and helping people less fortunate than

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Helping children make a positive contribution

themselves, as they are involved in many fund raising events such as Children in Need and a Christmas box appeal.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well. They respond positively to being given tasks of responsibility. For example, the 'helper of the day' rings a bell to indicate that it is time to pack away equipment and change activity, and helps pour drinks at snack time. Children consistently receive praise and encouragement for effort and achievement, which helps boost their self-esteem. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from positive relationships between parents and staff. Parents receive comprehensive information about the setting in the form of a prospectus, regular newsletters and displays on a notice board in the entrance. There are daily opportunities for verbal exchange of information to help meet children's individual needs. Partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents are invited to have an active voice in their child's care and education by becoming a member of the management committee. They are well informed about the curriculum and included in planning their child's progress. Key workers seek parents knowledge to include in the Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) compiled for each child. However, the system to record information about the child's stage of development on admission does not clearly relate to the six areas of learning, to provide a clear starting point in the Foundation Stage.

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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 good. Children are cared for by a team of dedicated, well qualified and enthusiastic staff who work very well together to provide smoothly run sessions. This means that children know what to expect and settle quickly. There are satisfactory staff recruitment procedures which include making sure that applicants are subject to procedures to ensure they are suitable to work with children. However, there is no system to obtain information about any health issues, to ensure that children's welfare is fully protected. The clear staff induction makes sure that new staff are well informed to be able to carry out the policies and procedures that promote children's safety and welfare. All the required documentation and records are in place, well organised, completed clearly and stored confidentially. However, the parental consent for seeking emergency medical treatment is not distinct.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. There are very effective systems in place to monitor and maintain the high quality provision for nursery education. This includes staff appraisals and an ongoing self-assessment document, as well as participating in a quality assurance scheme. The setting is pro-active in keeping up-to-date with changes and information regarding children's learning. Staff regularly attend training to develop their roles and knowledge of various aspects of children's care and education. They seek advice and support from local authority advisors as required, and maintain strong links with the school, which helps children make a smooth transition as they start in the reception class. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last care inspection recommended: that staff's understanding of effective ways to manage children's behaviour was developed; that all records relating to day care activities are up-to-date and sufficiently detailed; and that a sufficiently detailed record is kept of significant issues and shared with parents.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff have attended training on behaviour management and work consistently to provide positive strategies for managing children's behaviour. All records are up-to-date and completed clearly, and signed by parents as appropriate, including an incident record book. This all promotes children's welfare and safety and working in partnership with parents.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last nursery education inspection recommended: that planning systems were developed to insure all areas of learning were fully covered; that the assessment records were developed and used to plan appropriate challenges; and that daily routines were reviewed to help children's understanding of number patterns letter sounds.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff plan activities clearly linked to the various aspects of each area of learning, providing a broad range of experiences. The assessment system clearly records children's achievements linked to the stepping stones and is used to inform the ILP for each child. Opportunities in daily activities are maximised to help children develop a good sense of number and begin to link sounds and letters. For example, when a child is looking for their name label, staff support by sounding out initial letters. Children take part in many rhymes and alliteration to help them gain an understanding of letter sounds. This all contributes towards children making good progress in their learning.

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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

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 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 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): • clarify the parental permission for seeking medical advice or treatment in an emergency • develop the staff recruitment procedures to include all aspects of suitability.

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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 the system for seeking information from parents about children's development on admission, with regards to their starting points in the Foundation Stage.

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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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