RAF Brize Norton Pre-School

RAF Brize Norton Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

EY281461 Unique Reference Number 06 March 2008 Inspection date Bridgette Williams Inspector

p.1

Stanmore Crescent, Carterton, Oxfordshire, OX18 3UG Setting Address

p.1

E-mail

RAF Brize Norton Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

RAF Brize Norton Pre-School opened in this premises in 1999 and operates from an old Health Centre (known as building 99) on Stanmore Crescent in Carterton, Oxfordshire. A maximum of 50 children may attend the provision at any one time. The facility is open each weekday from 08.30 until 11.30 and on Mondays to Thursdays 12.15 until 14.45 in school term times. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 58 children aged two to under five years on roll. Of these 45 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local community.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The facility employs eight staff, of these, six, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting employs the treasurer to manage the finances and a resource assistant to support the staff working with the children.

p.2

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Staff are first aid trained and there is easy access to a well stocked first aid box, although some of the contents are out of date. Accidents are recorded and shared with parents to contribute towards continuity of care.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children independently visit the toilet and of those children who remember to wash their hands, some use paper towels while others use the communal towel. Staff do not regularly monitored this practice and therefore not all children are following good personal hygiene.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

At snack times children are not provided with eating equipment such as plates, they benefit from regular healthy drinks and fresh drinking water is available so they do not become thirsty. They receive good healthy snacks but only at designated sessions, with biscuits being offered during the remaining snack times, therefore not fully developing positive healthy eating habits.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy being able to choose times when they want to play outside. They independently collect their coats and put on their own hats on to keep their ears warm, therefore children are gaining an understanding of the needs of their bodies. They develop their large muscles skills as they climb large climbing boxes and confidently use the slide. They freely run around negotiating space well as they chase their friends around the play area.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The setting has a large entrance area where there are informative notice boards for parents. There are five small classrooms situated off the large central play area. Children are able to freely move between the play areas both indoors and out. The outdoor area is enclosed and gates are locked, the playground area has been designed for the children to play safely for example, safe surfaces for climbing frames. There are a range of push along toys and bikes for the children to access independently while playing outside.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe as they practise fire evacuation procedures regularly. Children benefit from a range of safety measures, for example socket covers and regular checks of fire equipment. Risk assessments take place, however, not all potential risks have been identified. The storage areas for toys and craft materials are not secure, therefore there may be occasions when children access these areas unsupervised.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are aware of child protection policies and understand the procedures to follow if they have any concerns. This supports children's wellbeing.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children arrive at the pre school happy and keen to join in the activities, they independently hang their coats on their pegs before going to their classrooms. Children confidently approach staff for support indicating good trusting relationships are being built. Staff encourage all children to participate in the activities provided such as, water play, painting and playing with shaving foam. This ensures children have equal opportunities to maximise their enjoyment and

p.3

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 potential. Outside the children enjoy a variety of activities such as hiding in dens and painting the fences with water then watching it disappear.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children benefit from staff having a good knowledge on how young children learn. Staff observe the children during free and focussed activities and use their notes to assess children's achievements. This helps to identify children's stage of learning and allows staff to plan the next steps in each child's learning. The environment is bright and stimulating, staff make good use of the space available at the setting. During the session children rotate through a range of activities covering the six areas of the curriculum, they have a free choice time where the children can play outside or in the main central play area where they choose from a good range of resources previously laid out by staff. The outdoor area is used in a variety of ways to provide opportunities for different skills to be developed such as, playing with musical instruments and caring for their plants through out the different

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

seasons. Children are interested in the activities available and spend time concentrating on self chosen tasks. When the children rotate through the teacher directed activities in the individual classrooms they benefit from one to one focussed activities which are planned to meet their individual needs such as, practising their cutting skills and they enjoy learning about specific projects such as mini beasts, but resources in the classrooms are not presented to allow the children the opportunity to independently make choices and use their initiative.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff read a variety of fictional and factual books to children, they confidently recall parts of stories and apply their knowledge when looking at factual books. For example, children enthusiastically state that the caterpillar in the book will turn into a butterfly and use this opportunity to discuss when they have seen butterflies using vocabulary such as, beautiful and delicate. Children are becoming confident writers they enjoy writing their names on their large wipe boards when they are the classroom helper and have free access to writing equipment during their free play time. A tactile approach is used to develop the child's understanding of how letters are formed correctly by drawing the letters of their name in a tray of fine sand. Children's spoken language is developing well. They learn to negotiate and express their imagined experiences during role play, such as, playing hospitals. Children are confident in

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

using information and communication technology. They help each other at the computer station and demonstrate good mouse control when playing on the games independently. Children gain an increasing understanding of their local environment through walks to the shops and the post office and from visitors coming to the setting such as, paramedics the fire service and parachute jump instructors. Children enjoy singing sessions and have a good repertoire of songs and action rhymes. They have many opportunities to explore a varied range of materials such as, water, soil and play dough.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Parents report that staff are always very welcoming, approachable and feel that their thoughts are listened to. Parents and carers collect their children from their classrooms, this provides a good opportunity for the children's key worker to provide daily feedback about their child's day, which contributes towards providing consistent care for the children between home and the pre school.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children feel valued as staff listen to their ideas, for example, children confidently talk to staff about what toys they would like out at the next session such as, turning the role play area into

p.4

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 a hospital. Children feel good about themselves and learn to show respect for others this is reinforced through the use of the kindness tree. Every time a child is kind and helpful a special leaf is placed on the tree such as, sharing toys well and helping others. These acts of kindness are shared during a large assembly, this provides the opportunity for children to develop a good strong positive self esteem. Children learn about cultures through activities, books and a range of resources and they celebrate different religious festivals such as, Chinese New Year and Diwali. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers are good. The setting ensures that parents are always made welcome and make daily provision for parents to discuss any issues with either the manager or their child's key worker and when necessary the discussions take place in the office paying good regard to confidentiality. At the end of each term the parents and carers are invited to watch an end of term production and there are opportunities for parents to look at their children's work, however, parents are not involved in their child's next steps of learning. Staff provide a weekly report on the project board about what activities have taken place, this is complemented with photographs of the children involved in the activities. In the main entrance area there is a large notice board illustrating to parents the six areas of the curriculum and weekly plans are displayed in each classroom. The formal and informal systems in place at the

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

setting provides a good two way flow of information between parents and staff.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children benefit from qualified and experienced staff who are caring. The staff are committed to attending further childcare training and development courses which management actively support . This helps support the children within the setting.

p.5

Organisation

In each classroom the children meet their key worker for their daily registration, these records are transferred onto one large register and stored in the kitchen, the setting record the time when children leave early from the session, however, do not record the times of children who arrive late therefore not fully recording the children's hours of attendance this is a breach of regulation.

p.5

Organisation

The setting's documentation is accessible in secure storage with due regard for confidentiality. Policies and procedures are in place and available to parents, although some are out of date. Legally required documentation such as, prior written permission for the administration of medication are in place which contributes to the welfare of the children. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

p.5

Organisation

The leadership and management of the setting are good. The staff work well as a team, on-going reviews and appraisals ensure that they receive the support they need to teach children effectively. Staff meetings are held regularly to discuss planning and to cascade any new information they have received on training. The setting make good use of the advisory teachers in supporting the staff to monitor and improve the education they offer to all children.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting agreed to ensure that all mathematical activities have a purpose.

p.5

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 Provide appropriate furnishings to enable children to use the computer in comfort. Provide opportunities for children to work uninterrupted and to complete activities and to provide opportunities for three year olds to make additional choices in what they do.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

In response the computer area has appropriate child sized furniture, mathematical activities have a variety of purposes covering a range of different concepts such as long and short and 'how tall are you?'. Children have good opportunities to see numbers in their environment and staff use opportunities in the children's daily routines to practice their counting skills such as, counting the number of cups at snack time. The setting operate a Friday fun time where the children choose their activities for the whole session staff report that this is very popular session and provides the opportunity for children to become involved in self chosen activities and not be interrupted during their play. The three year olds have a range of opportunities to make choices during their free choice time, but there is scope for further improvements during their activities in the classrooms.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

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.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.6

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 hand washing and drying procedures promote the development of good personal hygiene • extend healthy options through out the week and provide appropriate tableware • ensure that storage areas are made inaccessible to children • ensure registers show hours of attendance

p.6

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):

p.6

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 • organise resources for children to access independently to make choices and use their initiative in the classroom activities (also applies to care) • devise systems to inform parents of their child's next steps of learning

p.6

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

p.7

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

p.7