St Nicolas CofE Academy

Rainbow Pre-School (Aylesbury) Inspection report for early years provision

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140878 Unique Reference Number 29 January 2008 Inspection date Jane Plested Inspector

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Aylesbury Sports & Social Club, Cricket and Hockey Section, Wendover Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 9NJ

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Setting Address

07941 820325 Telephone number rainbow.pre-school@ntlworld.com E-mail The Trustees Of Rainbow Pre-School (Aylesbury) Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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Setting Address

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?

Rainbow Pre-School first opened in 1980. It operates from a sports and social club in Aylesbury. A maximum of 26 children aged from two years to under five years may attend at any one time. The pre-school is open five days a week from 09.30 until 12.00. The setting opens afternoon sessions when there are sufficient numbers of children on roll. All children share access to an outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 39 children on roll. Of these, 31 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend from the local surrounding area. The pre-school supports a number of children with learning difficulties and additional needs, and a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs eight staff and of these five staff hold relevant early years qualifications. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance (PSLA). The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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 enjoy free flow between the indoor and outdoor environment, where they take part in a wide range of activities. This ensures they have plenty of opportunities for fresh air and exercise. Children jump with both feet having fun as they use ‘stamping rockets’ to develop a sense of balance and co-ordination. They are learning to manoeuvre equipment such as tri-cycles and persist in developing new skills in hula-hoop rolling. Table based activities ensure children develop fine muscle control as they use a wide range of tools.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children learn to develop good personal hygiene habits from the daily routines. Those that are more able know to use tissues to wipe their own noses and do this independently. Paper towels ensure children do not share hand-drying resources and practice such as wiping tables before meals reduces the spread of infection. Practitioners explain to children the importance of separate utensils, for different spreads, during toast making activities. As a result, children learn to keep food hygienic and appealing.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s snacks provide a range of healthy choices. For example, children select from banana, apple and cucumber on the day of the inspection. Practitioner's use both the snack time and activities to talk about the scents from their fruit and foods. They also develop conversations about healthy choices. This ensures children learn about healthy diets. Children routinely receive a drink mid-session and they are encouraged to pour their own water. This develops self-care skills and ensures children do not get thirsty.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Toys and resources that children use are of good quality and safe. Practitioner's make sure activities have sufficient resources and offer appropriate challenge. For example, table based activities provide for several children to be engaged in learning together, they can play with a variety of vessels in both the sand and water trays and they have access to a well stocked book corner. This ensures children are fully engaged in playful learning.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The likelihood of accidental injury is minimised through practitioner’s awareness of risks to children. They check that the premises remains safe daily, and the setting completes a detailed risk assessment on a regular basis. Practitioners talk to children about health and safety issues such as, running indoors reminding them they can do this outside. Fire safety equipment is in place and staff know the evacuation procedures. However, a lack of frequency in practicing this drill, means that some children are not familiar with what they must do in the event of an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s welfare is important to practitioners. The premises are secure. Arrivals and departures are monitored and effective emergency collection procedures are agreed with parents. Staff know many of the signs that might cause concern regarding a child’s well-being. They complete child protection training and reference information is also available in the setting, to support their role in the protection of children. This ensures the well-being of children.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children benefit from attending a setting with a team of caring practitioner's who quickly establish children’s needs and routines. Children move around the setting confidently and they are familiar with the routine. Parents comment both verbally and in letters of thanks, that practitioner's are supportive and sensitive during the settling process, which reassures children with separation anxiety. Resources such as the ‘Rainbow Bear’s’ also allow children to create a secure link between home and the setting. Practitioners encourage all children’s learning through appropriate communication. Children all have access to the wide range of learning opportunities to enhance their development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress because they take part in a wide range of interesting activities. Practitioners plan an interesting curriculum and learning environment. They effectively use a variety of teaching techniques. The development of children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is strength of the setting. For example, practitioners encourage them to explore with their senses of smell and touch and often use questioning to encourage children to think. Planning is detailed and successful and record keeping links to the ‘stepping-stones’ for learning. Key worker’s regularly complete evaluative observations on children, they update records quite frequently but they lack a pro-approach for assessing starting points in learning. This means forming a full developmental picture takes time. Practitioners are good role models being polite, calm and interested. They

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

encourage children to develop feelings of self-worth through plenty of positive reinforcement and by encouraging independence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) has clear understanding of her role and responsibilities. She gains support from Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. Children with additional needs receive some strong support and make progress. Practitioner's recognises the needs of those with English as an additional language for example, by providing a visual timetable. However, practitioner's lack systems to value and reflect children’s linguistic diversity diminishing the opportunity for others understand the heritage of their peers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident in the setting and when speaking to their peers and carers. They quickly settle to their play and have a positive approach to learning. Children concentrate when using walking-bikes or participating in sensory experiences with herbs. They are developing relationships, for example, one child assists another to use a walking-bike successfully. They show a sense of pride in their work, for example, one child proudly exhibits her picture of ‘going into space’. Parents share their knowledge and working roles with children. For example, a father shares being a paramedic and another shares celebrations like Chinese New Year. This will enhance children’s knowledge of the wider world.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use talk to ask questions, share experiences and as part of their role-play activities. They use and enjoy books in small groups, one-to-one with staff and as a whole group. Practitioners use books to reinforce learning and children are captivated during story time. Practitioner's use strategies such as questioning and using flap books to engage successfully children's attention. Children have daily access to writing resources and some are encouraged to name their work, enhancing their emerging writing skills. Children are encouraged by staff to count during their play with trains and in planned mathematical activities. Children that are more able do this successfully up to nine and ten. Practitioner's plan opportunities for them

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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 to develop skills such as calculation, they do this by providing coloured pegs for children count and encourage them to add the piles together. They encourage children identify and differentiate between shapes and colours. Practice that will promote children's mathematical and creative development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from exciting opportunities to explore with their senses. Planned activities provide opportunities for children to touch and smell a range of dried herbs like mint, parsley, lavender and sprigs of rosemary. Practitioners encourage children to talk about different smells and reflect on which one they like; one child says ‘lavender is my favourite’. Practitioner's link these scents and plants to children’s own experiences at home, through talking about using herbs for culinary purposes, to perfume rooms and to flavour toothpaste. Children explore the properties of water, sand and dough on a regular basis and at other times use more unusual textures such as cooked spaghetti. Children show strong imaginative thinking as they identify shapes emerging from sticking activities. For example, one child excitedly says ‘oh, it looks like a reindeer’ and another builds a transformer from construction resources. Children use tools

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

such as pencils, scissors and cutters confidently. They are very familiar with using information technology and can use a computer mouse ably.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The pre-school welcomes children and families from a range of backgrounds. Children can access a range of resources with positive images and this practice helps children feel welcome. Practitioners establish individual children’s needs through discussion with their parents and are aware of issues such as allergies. Children are encouraged to develop independence, persist and concentrate. Children who have learning disabilities, additional needs and English as an additional language receive good levels of support so they can be successful. However, the setting lacks systems for affirming children’s heritage languages.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Practitioners are effective in influencing and supporting children’s behaviour through positive reinforcement. Children behave well and engage in purposeful activity during their time in the setting. They help each other and take turns. Overall, the children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parent’s comment upon receiving helpful information about the pre-school on commencing, its policies and procedures are freely available and on-going information is available via a website, notice boards and in newsletters. Parental involvement is encouraged by the pre-school. However, the setting lacks systems for gaining information on what children can do when they start in the pre-school. The setting has many letters from past parents valuing their work with children commenting on their positive impact on children’s development. The partnership with parents of children receiving nursery education is good. Practitioners have some clear systems for sharing information about children’s learning, through termly record sharing events. The prospectus and other communications provide information about the curriculum so parents can understand the planned areas of learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting is well organised to provide care and education for children. Staff use the space available well to provide a broad range of interesting activities for children. The premises are clean and safe. Children have access to good quality toys to cover the curriculum and the staff

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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 plan activities effectively. Children are familiar with the daily routine. As a result, they quickly settle and engage in purposeful play with low risk of accidental injury.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are good. There are appropriate staff management systems in place. This results in, staff feeling supported and being encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills. The setting exceeds the minimum requirements for staff qualification in both childcare and first aid. They work well as a team and generally know the policies and procedures although some staff lack familiarity with the behaviour management policy. Child to staff ratios are good and consequently children receive plenty of support and encouragement in their learning. Parental involvement is encouraged; however, information sharing about children’s starting points in learning is more limited. There are some strong aspects to the setting’s key worker system and this means that children receive support to learn and to develop relationships with both peers and staff.

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Organisation

Records on children’s development are generally good, as are the majority of mandatory records such as, those for recording attendance and accidents. Systems for recording pre-existing injuries lack parental contribution because they are not asked to sign these observations. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection of care, the setting agreed to ensure that the policies and procedure for uncollected children and complaints are sufficiently detailed. They also agreed to ensure fire exits are free from obstruction and to ensure good hygiene practices are in place regarding hand washing.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The fire exits are free from obstruction and staff understand their responsibly should an evacuation of the children be required. Staff ensure good hygiene practices are in place, for example, children are encouraged to wash hands after using the toilet and wipes are provided before they eat their snack. This will minimise infection amongst children. All the relevant information is set out in policy for uncollected children so parents are aware of how this event will be managed. The pre-school has up-dated its complaints procedures and the ‘parent poster’ is displayed in the waiting room, so that Ofsted details are available to any parent with a concern.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection of nursery education, there were no significant weaknesses to report but the setting agreed to consider the development of an appraisal system and improving opportunities for children to calculate.

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Improvements since the last inspection

A simple documented appraisal system is now in place and this allows both staff and their managers to comment on individual’s performance. The process also includes a face-to-face meeting and this provides opportunities to discuss areas for future development. This will enhance the care and education of children in the setting. Staff provide formal and informal opportunities for children to begin to develop problem solving skills. This will support their mathematical development.

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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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Complaints 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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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): • review the systems for recording pre-existing injuries • review systems for assuring all children are familiar with the evacuation procedures and staff are fully aware of all the setting’s policies.

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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): • further, improve the systems for assessing children’s starting points for learning • develop resources to reflect children’s linguistic diversity and provide opportunities for children to understand the heritage of their peers (this also applies to care).

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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