Genesis Pre-School

Genesis Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY285572 Unique Reference Number 21 January 2008 Inspection date Jill Scargall Inspector

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St Martin's Hall, North Road, Hull, HU4 6DD Setting Address

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E-mail

Genesis Pre-School Hull Trust Registered person Integrated Type of inspection 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Genesis Pre-School opened in 2004 and operates from St Martin's Church Hall in the west of Hull. It is privately run by the Genesis Pre-School Hull Trust. A maximum of 34 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open every weekday morning from 09.15 to 11.45 and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 12.45 to 15.15 during term times only. All children share access to an enclosed outside area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 53 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 39 receive funding for early education. The pre-school currently supports children with learning difficulties and 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 nine members of staff, all of whom work on a part-time basis. Seven staff hold an appropriate early years qualification and two are working towards a qualification. The group is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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 satisfactory. Cross-infection is minimised because children are constantly encouraged to wash their hands and to use antibacterial rub after toileting and messy activities and before food. Satisfactory routines are in place for changing nappies and escorting children to the toilet, and they are encouraged to blow their own noses. Children are protected from accidents by staff's first aid knowledge and emergency procedures. There are sufficient staff with first aid qualifications to protect children against accidents and records are accurately kept.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are given a daily opportunity for exercise. They go outside when the weather is suitable, and have a variety of indoor equipment to develop large muscle skills, for example, balance beams and a climbing frame. They can rest in chairs or on mats in the book corner. A snack bar for refreshments is open for at least an hour during the session so all children have a good opportunity to look after themselves by pouring their own drinks and helping themselves from a selection of healthy snacks. For example, they have crackers, grapes or carrot sticks. Children wipe hands with gel, collect a plate, choose their food, pour drinks and have a pleasant time sitting and chatting with their friends whilst they eat. Special diets are noted and catered for individually. Children are encouraged to use good manners and say please and thank you.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children and parents are welcomed to the provision in a friendly manner. Every effort is made by staff to make the building look as clean, attractive and welcoming as possible to the children. However, this is an elderly building which is hard to heat and maintain the temperature; therefore, there are ongoing difficulties maintaining a comfortable environment for children's play and combating damp and condensation, which is particularly obvious in the entrance foyer and toilets used by children. The main hall used by children is set out to provide varied play opportunities for children but the room is not subdivided into smaller areas, for the number and ages of children present.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The majority of risks for children are minimised by daily risk assessments and staff's attention to the children's best interests and vigilant supervision. Storage is adequate with a wide range of varied toys and resources available each day, set out so that children can make independent choices. They are also encouraged to help to tidy up and put things away. Children have a daily opportunity to play with large equipment and they also regularly make visits around the local area, for example, to the neighbouring church. They learn about personal safety when they are crossing roads and away from the pre-school.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept safe from harm because of the fire safety precautions in place; an emergency evacuation procedure is clearly visible and is practised by the children. Effective procedures are also in place to make sure of the ongoing safety of children, so that they are collected by named persons. Children are protected by the staff having received further training and by their suitable knowledge of child protection issues and procedures.

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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 satisfactory. Children are provided with a planned range of appropriate play resources and materials using 'Birth to three matters' and the Foundation stage guidance so that they progress in all areas of learning. They are given the opportunity to play independently and with their friends. For example, younger children enjoy making an independent collection of objects from around the room, putting them in a bag, then sorting them out and replacing them. They enjoy imaginary play in the home corner where they pretend to shop and look after the baby.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show interest in exploring and investigating their surroundings, accessing water and sand play. They are invited to participate in a range of adult-led activities. They are helped to make junk models of animals who go out in the snow, making a reindeer and a bird. Children have a daily opportunity to develop large muscle skills by using large equipment, for example, balance beams, a slide and climbing equipment, and frequently take walks and make visits locally. They take part in a variety of play experiences that maintain their interests and have a happy time at pre-school.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The majority of staff have a sound understanding of the supporting framework for early education and talk to children well, asking them open-ended questions, but there are some missed opportunities to develop their knowledge, for example, showing children how to hold scissors or pencils. Activities planned are interesting and cover all six areas of learning; as a result, the majority of children are motivated to try new ventures. However, not all staff are fully aware of how they can develop planned activities and give children interesting new experiences which engage their attention, and there is a minority of children who become distracted. Although planning makes provision for children with learning difficulties, it does not show extension activities for more-able children. Effective systems are in place to observe, record and monitor children's progress and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

this is recorded on individual children's records of achievements.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good relationships with staff and they will talk freely to their key worker in a confident manner and to other adults and their friends. Children are greeted by staff as they arrive at pre-school and they try to self-register, giving them an opportunity for independence and to try to recognise the initial letter of their names. They are becoming good at looking after their own personal hygiene, going to the toilet, watching their hands and learning to blow their own noses and dispose of the tissues. Most children can sit attentively for short periods of time and they can choose their own toys and help to tidy up.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are becoming confident conversationalists. They are happy to discuss their likes and dislikes of various superheroes, naming their favourites. They can talk about stories they have heard and some are prepared to ask searching questions and require answers; for example, at snack time one child asked, 'Where do crackers come from?' Children are making decisions about their play and telling adults what they are doing, for example, choosing the colour of the paint they are going to use. The four-year-olds are beginning to identify the first letters of their names and help to write it on their paintings, and all three- and four-year-olds enjoy listening to adults reading stories to them, or trying to read their own in the book corner. They show the pictures to their friends as they turn the pages and retell the story. Children also join in nursery rhymes and action songs with enthusiasm.

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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 Children's mathematical thinking is supported in a number of meaningful ways by counting the number of places needed at snack time and the number of cups needed for drinks and by comparison of the size of objects. They talk about full and empty when the are playing in the sand and the water and identify cut out gummed shapes as circles, triangles and squares. Children enjoy building a tower of blocks and comparing its height to their friends and to an adult, deciding which is taller. They learn about their environment when they are in the outside area or in the locality and they look at rainbows and identify their colours. They experiment with melting ice and learn about design and using tools by making sandwiches and choosing the fillings. Children are developing technological skills by using a games console and playing

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

with toy phones and tills. Their physical development is promoted by the use of a range of suitable equipment to develop fine motor skills; for example, they use scissors and paste brushes when they are junk modelling and use trikes and 'wheelies' for physical development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Several daily creative activities are offered for children to choose from, for example, painting, play dough and an adult-led craft activity. Children also learn to appreciate music by joining in with songs and action rhymes and listening to tapes. Imaginative play is promoted, for example, when they play with the dinosaurs and invent their own stories and play with dressing up clothes in the home corner.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy planned activities that help them to learn about the wider world. They visit the neighbouring church to find out about christenings, and they celebrate festivals, for example, Divali. Individual differences and similarities are celebrated and many notices around the pre-school are written in several languages to assist the children who do not have English as a first language. Children learn about different countries around the world. Children are encouraged to take part in all activities and resources are well used to teach about diversity. Staff work closely with parents to make sure that children's individuality is honoured.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Positive steps are taken to meet the needs of children with learning difficulties. At least one member of staff has extended her knowledge through training and is able to identify and support where they consider a child needs extra care. Parents, staff and other childcare professionals work closely together to promote the best interest of the children. They instigate individual programmes of learning and additional support. The majority of children are well behaved and respond well to praise and encouragement. Staff speak to children in a calm, friendly manner and treat children with respect. However, there are some who exhibit challenging and unacceptable behaviour and staff are not always consistent in their approach to behaviour management.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good and it contributes to children's well-being in the pre-school. Parents are well informed about the group and they are given a comprehensive welcome booklet including information about early education. They are welcome to access their children's records at any time as well as more formal opportunities to discuss their child's progress. They are informed of any incidents that affect their child's welfare by their key worker at informal doorstep meetings. A parents' noticeboard and newsletters keep parents informed of topics and ask for their contributions. They are welcome to work with their children at any time. Parents interviewed were fulsome in their praise and support for the care provided. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The leadership and management are good. The recently appointed manager has a clear vision for the pre-school with a strong emphasis on the children's development. She has instigated some positive changes to the provision including reviewing policies, procedures and planning. New staff are involved in induction procedures and their training needs assessed and activities are under constant review and evaluation, although not all staff take part in planning. The manager liaises closely with the pre-school trustees to make sure all appropriate employment procedures are in place.

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Organisation

Staff are encouraged to take up training opportunities and to keep up to date with current practices. The manager works closely with local authority staff. Staff ratios are maintained at a high level and children's needs are regularly discussed with parents to ensure consistency of care. Documentation is all in place and is accurately kept. Overall, the provision 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 the group were asked to provide an area for children to relax or play quietly, equipped with appropriate furniture. This is now in place with child-sized furniture to make children comfortable and an area set aside, but there are not as yet any room dividers in position to isolate a particular area. The group were asked to conduct a risk assessment of the premises including an action plan with timescales identifying actions to be taken to minimise identified risks. Some risk assessments are in place; however, some risks are not addressed. Therefore, children are not fully protected by the actions; for example, for the condensation on floor and walls, the group have put up a wet floor sign but not addressed the problem so this carries forward as a recommendation for this inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The pre-school were asked to develop the range of resources showing positive images of people with varying needs. This has been addressed well. Children's understanding of diversity is addressed and improved because they can access a wide variety of toys that show diversity, for example, books, small world toys, dressing up clothes, musical instruments and home corner toys.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The pre-school were asked to develop the written statement on behaviour management, to include bullying. The policy has been updated to protect children from bullying. They were also asked to develop an operational plan and make it available to parents. All policies and procedures have been collated and are made available for parents. Parents are fully informed, can access this at any time and are made aware of all necessary documentation according to regulations.

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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 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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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): • make sure space is divided to cater for children of different ages and stages of development, and to ensure children are in groups of 26 or less • monitor temperatures throughout the building, including toilets used by children, and maintain an adequate temperature at all times • assess the risks to children in relation to wet walls and floors caused by condensation and damp and take action to minimise these • make sure all staff are fully aware of the behaviour policy.

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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): • make sure that all staff are familiar with planned activities and that they are aware how to extend activities for more able children • make sure that all staff have a secure knowledge of early education guidance.

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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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