Wisbech St Mary CofE Academy

St. Dunstans Honeybees Inspection report for early years provision

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142810 Unique Reference Number 20 November 2007 Inspection date Jennifer Barton Inspector

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Wells Road, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 9BY Setting Address

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E-mail

The Trustees of St Dunstans Honeybees Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

St Dunstans Honeybees is a pre-school group which opened 10 years ago and is committee run. It operates in purpose built premises on the campus of St Dunstans Community School in Glastonbury, Somerset. The premises consist of a large playroom, kitchen, entrance and toilet facilities. There is an adjacent fully enclosed area for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group is registered for a maximum of 20 children aged two to five years of age. At present there are 25 children on roll, of whom 16 children are in receipt of funding. The group is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 15:00 during term time only.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are five regular staff who work with the children. Three of these staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications and one is a qualified primary teacher. The group receive support from the Local Authority.

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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 outstanding. Children thrive in a healthy environment where they frequently access fresh air. Children regularly participate in a wide variety of daily physical activities both structured and free play to ensure plenty of exercise to contribute to their good health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit greatly from very high standards of hygiene. Premises and equipment are cleaned regularly through the day and notices are displayed in the kitchen to inform and remind staff of these procedures. Children also take pride in helping to wash tables after messy activities. Children are encouraged to wash their hands before handling food, after visits to the toilet and outdoor play. Children are able to access disposable towels for hand drying which helps to prevent cross contamination.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's dietary needs are met exceptionally well. Children are able to access their drinking bottles throughout the day and snacks are taken in the café area which promotes children's individual needs. Children access the café when they choose and are offered a selection of healthy and nourishing foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, bread sticks and toasted fruit teacakes. Children are learning about healthy foods through planned activities and participate in growing foods in their own wonderful garden which provides first hand experiences.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children bring a packed lunch and through discussion with staff are learning about nutritional value and that eating savoury foods is good for their bodies. Staff support parent's knowledge and understanding of healthy eating through providing information and displaying notices.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are very well protected from illness and infection through excellent policies and procedures. Staff ensure the parents understand the procedures for children not attending when they are ill so they not only protect their children but others as well. Children are constantly reminded to cover their mouth and nose if they cough or sneeze and children have easy access to tissues. Accurate accident and medication records ensure children are well cared for. Written consent to seek emergency medical advice or treatment is obtained so staff can act in the best interest of the child. Children's health is enhanced by staff's up to date first aid skills and procedures to check first aid resources which ensures minor accidents can be dealt with effectively.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children enjoy a safe, bright and cheerful setting. Children's safety is promoted through appropriate risk assessments which minimise accidents, such as completing daily checks on the building and equipment. The premises provide adequate space and the furniture and equipment is well maintained and suitable for the ages of children cared for. There is a very good range of toys, resources and equipment and they are organised effectively so children can easily access them and make their own choices.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are learning to keep themselves safe as they are reminded by notices and pictures displayed around the room. For example, a poster with words and picture reminds children to keep the scissors on the cutting table to prevent accidents. Good supervision levels support children's safety indoors and outdoors. Staff are vigilant in their supervision and are able to act quickly to prevent accidents, such as a wheeled toy was removed and repaired as soon as

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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 a problem with the steering was observed. A very secure and enclosed outdoor space with bolts and locks on gates ensure children play safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety against the risk of fire is promoted by staff's clear procedures for evacuation and the participation of regular fire drills, which are appropriately logged. All fire appliances are installed and annually maintained by the fire authority.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are appropriately protected from harm through staff's understanding of child protection, however, the up to date information on the Local Safeguarding Children's Board is not available.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time in the pre-school, they arrive happy and eager to participate. Children are achieving well because staff are committed and interested in what children do and say and respond well to their needs. Staff have a good knowledge of the curriculum guidance for Foundation Stage and the framework for Birth to three matters. Staff are enthusiastic and give children lots of choices which motivates children to participate and become involved. Staff plan free play and planned activities, such as colouring their 'Hanukkah' lights to run along side one another so children can make decisions and choices. However, choices and variety of role play and art and crafts, such as recycling resources, are limited. Children are able to meet their own individual needs as they decide when they wish to have their snack in the café area and this routine prevents interrupting their play. Staff have good interaction skills to extend children's

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

learning. There is a good balance of child initiation and staff direction which supports children's learning well. For example, children are eager to participate in the play dough making activity they discuss with staff and observe the changes which are happening to the ingredients as they mix and cook the dough. Children experience good learning in sand play as they mark make to draw letters and numbers. Children also draw houses and faces in the sand and use pasta shapes to decorate using their imaginary skills well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning for funded children is good. Children are making good progress across the six areas of learning. Good planning identifies aims and objectives related to the stepping stones. Good systems are in place to ensure children are regularly observed and progress recorded. Also included are children's individual learning needs which are carried forward to future planning. Children's learning is effectively extended through staff's good interaction skills as they play, talk and question without stifling children's own development. Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and provide some interesting and challenging activities and they make excellent use of story aids to encourage children to learn, such as using puppets for the 'Billy Goats Gruff' story.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's communication, literacy and language skills are developing well, they join in enthusiastically to stories and singing their Christmas songs, such as Jingle bells. Children are learning about letters and their sounds through everyday activities, such as calendar time where they know the letters of the day and month. There are few opportunities for children to access resources for mark making.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have many opportunities during daily routines and activities to learn about numbers and counting. They are learning the concept of number as they relate objects to numbers as they count the candles on their pictures. Children enjoy exploring and investigating as they

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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 explore the garden. They are able to observe their plants growing and insects, and they take photographs and record their observations in a book. Children are very competent using information technology, such as computers to support their learning. Children are growing in confidence and independence as they choose their own activities and snack time. Children access good resources and equipment to develop their fine motor skills, but do not access sufficient challenging activities to develop their gross motor skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are highly valued and respected as individuals. All children are welcome into the setting and receive excellent support and care from staff who work closely with one another and with the parents and carers, to ensure children's development and progress is suitably enhanced. Children are able to access a good range of resources and planned activities, such as celebrating 'Hanukkah' to promote positive images of diversity. Staff are proactive in supporting different cultures and learning difficulties through attending training, researching and acquiring information on different languages. Staff are aware of liaising with other professionals and keeping appropriate records. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Staff are able to use sign language and the pictorial displays of routines support all children's understanding and inclusion.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave exceptionally well. Children develop a positive attitude to expectations of their behaviour through staff's gently reminders and the pictorial signs displayed around the room. Children's good behaviour is very well promoted through staff's constant praise and encouragement as they are fully engrossed with children's play. Staff are consistent in keeping children busy which supports good behaviour. For example, children enjoy singing 'Simon Says' as they wait for everyone to put on coats before going for outside play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. Comprehensive written information is provided to keep parents well informed about the setting; this includes a prospectus, policies and procedures, and newsletter. Parents benefit from a warm and welcoming entrance area where posters and information is displayed on walls and notice boards. Parents are invited to formal appointments to discuss their children's development and progress records. Staff are available on a daily basis to discuss verbally with parents any concerns or issues. Parents are requested to complete feedback forms and use suggestion boxes to support the monitoring of the provision and improve practices to meet children's needs.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are happy and settled in the well organised setting. They regularly sing to themselves as they are engrossed in their play. Children's work and posters are displayed to provide a warm, cheerful and welcoming environment. Staff ensure furniture, equipment and toys are arranged to cater for the needs of all children and offer easy accessibility to a variety of resources, however, storage inhibits the space available. Indoor and outdoor space is used effectively to meet the needs of children. Staff are well deployed and children are well supported by regular positive interaction.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the group is good. There is a good relationship between staff and committee and they are motivated and committed and work together well as a team. They have effective systems in place to monitor the provision, such as staff appraisals, meetings

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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 and parent questionnaires. Staff evaluate children's progress and activities and ensure any improvements identified are addressed. However, not all areas have been identified for improvement. For example, the provision of some resources in enjoying and achieving. The committee is very supportive of staff's training needs to ensure they increase their knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage to enable children to reach their potential.

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Organisation

Children's welfare, care and learning is very well supported through comprehensive and effective documentation which reflects current practices, but some are not fully up to date. All children's records are shared with parents to ensure children's individual needs are met. The good quality of care and nursery education supports the requirements to meet children's needs. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The previous care inspection recommended the provision ensure risk assessment is completed in respect of door security and ensure staff deployment is effective. The provision completes daily risk assessments and ensures gates and doors are locked and use a gate at the play room door to promote children's safety. Good staffing levels and organisation of activities ensure staff are deployed well to support children's learning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The previous nursery education inspection recommended that planning is reviewed to ensure a balance across the six areas of learning and that staff deployment is effective. New planning systems have been implemented to ensure a balance across all the six areas of learning and these are regularly evaluated to ensure children are progressing along the stepping stones. Staff training and good interaction skills now ensure staff are deployed well and support effectively children's learning.

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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):

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • update the child protection policy to include the Local Safeguarding Children's Board details • introduce more varied role play and art and craft resources to enable children to develop their imaginary and creative skills • ensure storage does not encroach on children's free space.

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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): • consider more challenging physical activities and more opportunities and resources for mark making for the older and more able children to reach their full potential.

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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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