Langtoft Pre-School

Langtoft Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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253771 Unique Reference Number 29 January 2008 Inspection date Katherine Powell Inspector

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The Sports Pavillion, Manor Close, Langtoft, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE6 9NB

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Setting Address

07852 834700 Telephone number langtoft-preschool@tiscali.co.uk E-mail The Trustees of Langtoft Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

Langtoft Pre-School is a committee run provision which opened in 1975. It operates from Langtoft sports pavilion which is situated adjacent to the village primary school. The group has the use of two playrooms, a kitchen, toilets and storage areas. There is an enclosed outside play area at the rear of the building and the group also use the playing field and the school's outdoor facilities. There is a large car park for staff and parents. The pre-school serves Langtoft and surrounding rural villages.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 40 children on roll. This includes 26 children in receipt of funding for early education. All children speak English as their first language and there are no children attending who have been identified with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school is open each week day during term time. Sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday run from 09.15 until 12.00. Sessions on Wednesday and Friday run from 09.15 until 14.45.

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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 The pre-school employs seven members of staff. Of these, four have completed childcare qualifications. The pre-school is a registered charity and receives support from a teacher advisor from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children benefit from being cared for in an environment where good hygiene practices are prioritised. Children learn to maintain good hygiene routines through washing their hands appropriately, such as after using the toilet and before eating. Staff effectively support children's self-care skills by ensuring they have easy access to paper towels and tissues to wipe their hands and blow their noses. Staff consistently apply agreed health procedures and have developed a good awareness of appropriate food handling practices by undertaking relevant training. This ensures that the risk of cross-contamination is minimised and children's health is maintained.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's awareness of the benefits of healthy eating is actively promoted at snack time. Children enjoy a wide variety of healthy snacks, such as fresh fruit, vegetables and brown bread. They learn why some foods are better for our bodies than others through discussions with staff around the snack table and by contributing towards a group display about healthy eating. Children independently help themselves to drinking water throughout the session. Children are able to rest and relax in warm, comfortable surroundings according to their individual needs. Staff maintain good written records for each child to ensure their individual health and dietary requirements are met.

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Helping children to be healthy

All children enjoy daily opportunities to engage in physical activities both indoors and outdoors. They delight in playing in the stimulating outdoor area and confidently use the large apparatus to practise and develop their whole body movements. They have access to a wide range of tools and activities to develop their fine hand skills. For example, they handle scissors appropriately, use a wide range of construction toys, fit jigsaws pieces together and use a computer mouse. Children are developing good climbing and balancing skills and are able to negotiate their way around obstacles safely and with good co-ordination.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a warm, safe and well-maintained environment. Regular risk assessments are undertaken ensuring potential hazards are minimised and children's safety is maintained. Staff organise space, furniture and equipment effectively to enable children to move freely and independently between different activities and play areas. Consequently, children are confident and feel safe and secure. Children benefit from having sufficient space to engage in indoor and outdoor activities and areas for active and quiet play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All toys and play equipment are in good condition and are appropriate for the ages of the children. Children are able to reach toys safely as they are stored at child height. Children learn about safety by being encouraged to handle play equipment with care and helping to tidy away toys to prevent accidents from occurring. All children are developing a good awareness of fire safety as they have regular opportunities to practise emergency evacuation procedures. Children have regular opportunities to go on outings around the village. Staff use these occasions well

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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 to talk to children about road safety issues and practise looking and listening carefully for traffic before crossing the road.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Access to the building is carefully monitored and clear procedures are in place for the collection of children by named adults. Consequently, children are well protected. All members of staff have a sound awareness of child protection policies and procedures which has been developed through further training and reading current guidance. Staff are aware of possible signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect and know the relevant agencies to contact if they have concerns. As a result, children's welfare is safeguarded.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the provision and arrive happily and eager to participate. Staff create a stimulating and harmonious environment. They know the children well and are caring and sensitive to their needs. For example, they help new children to settle quickly and give them plenty of reassurance. Children have developed effective relationships with staff and each other and they feel safe, secure and valued. They develop a strong sense of their own self-worth. Younger children are developing their confidence and independence as they easily and spontaneously move around their play areas. Staff encourage children to follow their own interests and are on-hand to offer support and guidance when needed. Children freely explore a broad and varied range of age appropriate activities as staff are effectively using the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan these. Staff make very good use of the outdoor play area

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to give all children daily opportunities to get fresh air and engage in outdoor physical activities. Children develop their independence and small hand skills as they put on their outdoor clothing. They squeal with delight as they run around in the open spaces and show excitement as they initiate their own games on join in with others. Children develop their skills as they dig in the sand pit and fill up buckets and the wheelbarrow. They display good co-ordination as they race around bikes and scooters and use the climbing apparatus and stepping stones.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a very secure understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and how children learn. As a result, children take part in a range of stimulating and meaningful practical activities that help them to make good progress towards all the early learning goals. Regular observations and on-going assessment enable staff to identify the next steps in children’s learning and ensure children are sufficiently challenged. Sessions are well paced and lively which helps to motivate children and ensure they gain the most from the activities. Staff organise key group times effectively to introduce different topics and engage children in discussion. This enables all children to participate effectively and develop their confidence. Children have free access to a wide variety of play resources both indoors and outdoors which engage their interest and help to extend their experiences.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children quickly become absorbed in activities and approach staff confidently for help. They have formed very good relationships with each other and staff and learn to play co-operatively during group activities. Children are very well behaved and are polite and respectful. Many persevere for a considerable time on activities such as role play and creative activities. They show pride in their achievements and enjoy showing their finished work to others. Through planned activities, children develop their awareness of their own culture and faith and those of other people. Children learn to take turns when speaking and listening and are beginning to sustain their concentration during small group activities, such as circle time. All children

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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 spend time mark making and some children write their own names independently. They have good opportunities to read their names and independently collect their name cards at snack time. They benefit from seeing a wide range of words and labels displayed around the room which helps them to understand that print carries meaning. Children listen with interest to stories and have access to a wide selection of books. They enjoy using their knowledge of familiar stories and rhymes when engaging in imaginative play. For example, they use small world toys to act out well-known stories and fairy tales. Children show a good awareness of letter sounds and names and can identify the initial letters in their own names and familiar words. Children confidently use number and can count accurately to at least 10. More able

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children are beginning to recognise some numerals. They are developing their awareness of addition and subtraction through number rhymes and practical activities such as putting out cups and plates on the snack table. They use a wide range of vocabulary to describe size, shape and position. Children enjoy using the computer to support their mathematical awareness and can sort and match objects by shape and colour. Children delight in making their own patterns using a range of media. For example, they formed different patterns by printing with a range of objects and ran some wheeled toys through the paint. They then compared the different effects.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children observe change through activities such as growing seeds and going on nature walks around the village. Children regularly visit the local community and are developing their awareness of the different jobs that people do in society. Children talk with interest about their own lives and can recall past and present events. They are developing their awareness of the uses of technology and are able to operate programmable toys. They use a mouse to navigate through different computer programmes. They enjoy an excellent range of creative play opportunities which fully encourage them to use their imaginations. For example, children have access to a wide range of props in the home corner and frequently engage in role play games. They use their senses to explore different materials such as dry and wet sand, water, play dough and corn flour. They make careful observations when exploring the properties of different

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

materials, such as finding out which materials float or sink. They experiment freely with a wide range of musical instruments and join in enthusiastically during group singing times.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are warmly welcomed into the setting which helps them to feel happy and relaxed. They are keen to enter the setting and show a strong sense of belonging. Children benefit from having access to a good range of resources which promote positive images of diversity and from participating in activities which promote their awareness of different festivals and cultures. For example, children were eager to take part in activities linked to the Chinese New Year celebrations. They listened with interest to stories about China and enjoyed watching a short film about Chinese children. They beamed with delight as they ran around the room with coloured scarves and material, making up their own dragon dance. Children have very good opportunities to learn about themselves, other people and the world around them through planned activities, visitors to the setting and outings around the local area. Children's spiritual,

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Helping children make a positive contribution

moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are settled because staff work closely with parents to ensure children's individual needs are met. However, parents’ views about their child's interests and abilities are not actively sought before a child starts at the setting, limiting staff's ability to plan activities that build on children's previous knowledge, understanding and skills. Children are very well behaved and respond to the good examples being set by the staff. Children are encouraged to share resources

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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 and take turns and are learning to take responsibility for their own actions. Children benefit from having consistent boundaries and their self-esteem is well promoted through regular praise and encouragement. Children's understanding of right and wrong is increased through gentle reminders to care for their environment, the resources and each other. Effective systems are in place to ensure children with additional needs are well supported and their individual needs are met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. This contributes positively to children’s well-being. Parents receive useful information about the setting through regular newsletters, a prospectus, notice boards and parent’s evenings. They access good information about the Foundation Stage through leaflets produced by staff and planned workshops and therefore develop an awareness of the curriculum and how children’s learning is supported through play in each area. Children benefit from their parents having good opportunities to be involved in their learning, for example by bringing in artefacts from home to contribute to topics. Key workers keep parents well informed about how their child is progressing through regular communication and children's assessment records are regularly shared with all parents. Parents share their views informally about their child's learning at home but do not have opportunities

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Helping children make a positive contribution

to record their comments in children's progress records. Systems are not yet in place to record information about what children already know and can do when they start at the setting. As a result, staff are not able to effectively build on children's previous knowledge and skills or clearly show the full progress a child has made when they transfer to school.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The effective organisation of the setting and the good leadership and management of nursery education enhance children’s care. The premises are very well organised which fully encourages children to make independent choices. Staff make very good use of indoor and outdoor space to maximise play and learning opportunities for all children. All legally required documentation which contributes to children’s health, safety and well-being is in place. Staff consistently implement the setting's policies and procedures and these are easily accessible to parents. The key worker system is highly effective in supporting individual children and ensuring parents have a consistent member of staff whom they can liaise with regarding the care of their child.

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Organisation

Children benefit from being cared for by committed staff who are skilled practitioners and well qualified for their individual roles. Staff are well deployed and high staffing ratios are maintained ensuring children are closely supervised and supported during activities. Staff are positively encouraged to undertake further training to enhance their knowledge and understanding of relevant issues. For example, most staff have completed child protection training and they have recently completed in-house training in preparation for the implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are good. Staff work very well together as a team to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum and ensure children achieve well. Staff are well supported by the committee and receive strong leadership from the manager. Appropriate systems are in place to monitor the provision, such as staff appraisal, accessing support from a teacher advisor and undertaking a quality assurance scheme. All staff are involved in assessing and evaluating the quality of the provision and they are strongly committed to continuous improvement. Some systems are in place to identify areas for future development but these lack clear detail at present. Overall, children's needs are met.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection three recommendations were raised in relation to recording the times of attendance of any visitors, obtaining written permission from parents to administer medication and improving written child protection procedures.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff have implemented a new system for recording any visitors to the setting which clearly records their times of arrival and departure. Written consent is now obtained from parents before administering any medication to children. Written procedures have been developed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff. Staff have taken positive action to address the areas for improvement which has had a positive impact on children's health and safety.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection two recommendations were made in relation to improving children's progress records and sharing them with parents and carers.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff have implemented an effective system for recording children's progress which is clearly linked to the six areas of learning. Staff regularly update children's records and these clearly show the progress each child is making towards the early learning goals. Staff have also introduced more formal opportunities to share children's records with parents and to enable all parents to have an opportunity to discuss their child's progress. This has helped to improve the partnership with parents and carers.

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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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • develop systems to enable parents to share their views, in relation to identifying starting points for children's learning and their on-going progress and development (also applies to nursery education.)

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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

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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 systems to monitor and evaluate the provision.

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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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