Bretton Community Pre-School

Bretton Community Pre-School & Kool Kids Holiday Club Inspection report for early years provision

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256743 Unique Reference Number 25 February 2008 Inspection date Christine Eglinton Inspector

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Bretton Childrens Centre, Watergall Primary School, Watergall, Bretton, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE3 8NX

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E-mail

The Trustees of Bretton Community Pre School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Sessional 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?

Bretton Community Pre-School opened in 1974 and moved to new purpose built premises located at Bretton Children's Centre Watergall Primary school Peterborough. A maximum of 26 children may attend room one of the pre-school and a further 26 children may attend room two. The setting also operates a Breakfast club. The setting opens each weekday from 08:15 to 15:00hrs during term time only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 71 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 46 receive funding for early education. Children attend from the local community. The setting has experience of supporting children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs 12 members of staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications and three are working towards a qualification.

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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 are cared for in a very clean and warm environment where they benefit from the high level of cleanliness and hygiene throughout the setting. From an early age children learn about keeping themselves healthy through good daily routines. Staff use simple explanations that help children understand that washing their hands after visiting the toilet reduces the risk of passing on germs. Children cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze because they understand this avoids passing on germs to others. However, hand washing procedures prior to children having snacks outside are not always effective at reducing the risk of cross infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

A good percentage of the staff team hold a current first aid certificate which enables children to be given good care if there is an accident. Parents give prior written consent to administer medication which ensures children receive the correct dosage according to their needs. Good exclusion procedures are in place to protect children from specific infectious illnesses preventing the spread of infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy substantial and nutritious snacks which meet special dietary needs to ensure children remain healthy. They increase their understanding of a healthy diet because they can access water from fountains located within the two rooms. Children grow fresh vegetables and salad produce which they eat during snack times and regular cooking activities which encourages them to try a wider variety of healthy foods.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children move confidently and in a variety of ways. They are competent when using the climbing frame and show good co-ordination when running and balancing. The outdoor play area equipment and play apparatus is very well organised. Children have good physical challenges and plenty of opportunity to develop their physical skills. They also enjoy music and movement sessions that involve physical exercise which helps to keep them healthy. Children’s fine manipulative skills are developing well. They are competent when using a range of small and large equipment such as cutters, rollers and scissors. A good range of different size brushes and pens help develop children’s mark-making.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from playing in a spacious and well-organised environment which allows them to move around and play safely. The physical environment is very bright and welcoming with lots of children’s creative work attractively displayed. This helps to show children that adults value their contributions. Children’s photographs and important family members are displayed in all areas of the setting. Staff encourage children to look at their photographs and talk about the important people in their lives. This means that children quickly develop a sense of belonging within their environment which in turn, helps them settle more easily.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Space is well organised and used effectively to allow children to engage in a varied range of activities. Children use a wide range of good quality toys and resources appropriate to their age and stage of development. Equipment is stored at low-level in labelled boxes to enable all the children to make choices during their play and begin activities independently. The outdoor play space is used daily to provide children with an extended curriculum which is used effectively to offer children important hands-on learning experiences.

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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 Comprehensive safety policies and procedures are implemented well by the staff to ensure children’s safety. For instance, staff use a daily safety checklist along with risk assessments that are kept updated. This enables children to play safely without risk of injury from hazardous equipment or dangerous practices. Children and staff have a good understanding of the procedure to follow in the event of a fire because these are regularly practised. Practical activities such as children making traffic lights which they use in the garden during their play, encourages them to learn about safety in meaningful ways.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff show good knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. They are clear about appropriate procedures to follow if they have any concerns regarding children’s welfare. This helps to protect children from harm and neglect and promotes their overall well-being.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children arrive happy and confident and they enter the setting with cheerful expectation and immediately involve themselves in play. Children are encouraged to wave their parents and carers goodbye at the beginning of the session, which helps to support their emotional development. Children and staff sit together at the beginning of the session and sing a welcoming song to acknowledge everyone present. Staff use information gained from parents to help them plan for activities that are based on children’s current interests. This enables them to build on children’s starting points, and offers children important familiar experiences. Consequently, children settle very quickly and they are provided with a wide range of stimulating activities with a clear understanding of each child’s age and stage of development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are very competent in taking care of their own personal needs. They are learning to put on their own coats and boots, and pour their drinks. This helps children to become independent learners and equips them with important skills which are needed when they move on to school. Children are developing good relationships with adults and other children in the pre-school. Staff’s warm interaction and good support helps build positive relationships. Children confidently approach staff and are very keen to show them what they have made, or ask them for support. This shows that children have built trusting relationships which in turn enables them to become confident and self-assured within their surroundings.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a secure understanding of the Foundation Stage, the stepping stones and how children learn. This enables them to plan a broad range of practical and meaningful activities. An effective key worker system and the use of regular observations and assessments, mean that staff know the children very well. Staff focus on each individual child’s interest which subsequently helps to engage and extend children in their learning. Consequently, children are interested in what they are doing which helps them to become focused, able to resist distractions and persist for some time. However, sometimes staff do not make full use of incidental learning opportunities to utilise further learning opportunities. The environment is well-organised and good use is made of the outside play area and availability of a range of relevant resources.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing their communication skills well and are very confident to initiate conversations sharing their ideas during large, and small group activities. Children are given good opportunities to practice writing in a number of situations including imaginative and role play settings. They are beginning to link sounds and letters during their play. For example, 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 use a variety of letter stamps while playing with the play dough and associate the letter 'M' with the word ‘Mum’. Children enjoy looking at books and listen avidly to stories.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show a keen interest in numbers and counting. They confidently count to 10 using their fingers during their play, and enjoy number rhymes and songs. Children have good opportunities to recognise numerals, for example, children are able to recognise different numbers shown on the side of the toy trains. Children’s understanding of space, shape and measure is developing well. They recognise shapes within their environment and make patterns using their fingers during painting activities. They enjoy fitting together the wooden blocks to create different shapes, and use appropriate mathematical language during free play activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities to investigate using their senses and use a range of tools and equipment to explore their surroundings. They demonstrate good cutting and joining skills and are competent in building various models with construction resources. They are learning about living things when they care for the setting’s African snails. They learn about their local environment through visits to the local park and shops. Children have free access to a very good range of information and technology equipment which they confidently use.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities of using their imagination in a variety of ways. They pretend to make pancakes out of play dough and act out familiar experiences of visiting a hairdressers in the role play area. Children are encouraged to express themselves creatively through using a range of different mediums. They paint, draw and make collages and models that represent their experiences. Children enjoy music and regularly explore sound and musical instruments. They have many opportunities to use their senses and explore a varied range of materials, including natural and manufactured.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Staff encourage all children to participate in the activities provided which ensures children have equal chances to maximise their enjoyment and potential. They treat children as individuals and acknowledge differences and preferences. Staff have an excellent attitude towards promoting equality. They provide children with an extensive range of innovative experiences to help develop children’s awareness of diversity. For instance, children regularly contact another pre-school in Poland and discuss each other's cultural similarities and differences. Children choose to welcome each other by singing in different languages including German and Polish. Parents visit the setting and translate stories and songs in their home languages. Photographs displayed in the setting reflect important images of individual children's and families cultural practices, clothes and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

traditions. These significant experiences help children to learn about themselves, each other and the world around the them in meaningful ways.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are good systems in place to support children with learning difficulties and /or disabilities. Close liaison with parents and outside agencies ensure all children’s needs are well planned for and met. Staff are secure in their knowledge of the code of practice, which means they are able to plan for children’s individual needs. Therefore, children are able to experience a range of stimulating activities appropriate to their level of ability.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from lots of praise and encouragement and they are well behaved and know the routine and boundaries of the pre-school. Staff are positive role models and treat children respectfully and manage children’s behaviour calmly and patiently. Children are encouraged to

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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 show kindness and consideration towards each other. Consequently, children enjoy each other's company they play well together and respond effectively to any guidance and praise.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Parents speak warmly of staff’s positive and welcoming approach. Parents contribute to an initial assessment of their child. This ensures staff have good knowledge of individual needs and achievement, and helps staff build on what children already know. Parents and staff continue to work together to share information about children’s individual progress and development. Staff involve parents in their child’s learning by giving suggestions that can extend learning at home. This regular sharing of information enhances children’s progress towards the early learning goals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are given clear information about the pre-school through the prospectus and through frequent newsletters. There are effective systems in place to ensure parents are kept informed about children’s individual progress and development. Weekly information about the curriculum is displayed for parents to help keep them aware of activities which are linked to the six key areas of learning

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting has appropriate recruitment procedures in place to ensure the suitability of the staff in terms of their qualifications and experience. However, they have not implemented robust systems to demonstrate staff’s physical and ongoing suitability. Staff work well as a team due to being clear about their roles and responsibilities. Management actively encourage staff to undertake relevant training, which supports staff in their role and ensures they have the latest and most relevant information available. This enables staff to meet children’s needs appropriately.

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Organisation

Children receive good support from staff who enjoy their company and know them well. This helps them feel secure and confident. The day is well-organised allowing children time for quiet and active play which includes regular opportunities for outside play. Information kept about children is relevant and helps to promote their welfare. A good two-way flow of information between parents ensures continuity of care. The premises layout is well organised and enables children to play safely and freely. All mandatory records are in place, confidential and generally well maintained. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of the nursery is good. Management have created an inclusive setting where the pre-school aspires to provide a multi-cultural diverse setting that is inviting, family orientated and friendly. The aims are for staff to closely support and nurture children as they explore and investigate their environment through stimulating learning experiences. This is being achieved through effective delegation, ongoing training of staff, and regular evaluation of the principles and practices of the setting. There are effective systems in place for monitoring the quality of nursery education. The manager is pro-active in looking at ways of improving the overall service. She frequently liaises with other professionals working within the children’s centre to enable her to enhance the overall curriculum and learning experiences for all of the children attending the facility.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection there were no weaknesses identified.

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Improvements since the last inspection

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

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 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 the 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): • ensure hand washing facilities for when children eat their snacks outside promote good hygiene practices • improve systems for recording staff’s physical and ongoing suitability.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure staff are making full and effective use of spontaneous learning opportunities.

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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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