Alban Wood Junior School

Kiddiewinks Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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117191 Unique Reference Number 21 February 2008 Inspection date Pamela Woodhouse Inspector

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Salisbury Road Baptist Church, Rosebery Avenue, St. Judes, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8SX

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Setting Address

0777 9336475 Telephone number person in charge home phone 01752 254 397 E-mail The Trustees of Kiddiewinks Pre School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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Setting Address

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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?

Kiddiewinks pre-school opened in 1968 and operates from two rooms in the Baptist church in Salisbury Road, St Judes, a mainly residential suburb which is very close to Plymouth city centre. The setting is managed by a voluntary committee and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 26 children may attend the setting at any one time. The pre-school is open each week day from 09:15 until 13:00 term time only. There are currently 29 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 25 receive funding for early education. Children attend from the local area. The setting supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who have English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs five members of staff all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications; two of these are working towards a higher qualification. The setting receives support from Early Years Advisory Teachers.

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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's good health is supported well because stringent procedures have been put in place to reduce their risk to the spread of infection. Staff ensure that the premises, facilities and equipment are clean and that children's snacks are hygienically prepared and stored. Children's understanding of the importance of good personal hygiene is promoted through staffs' good role modelling and through their activities and daily routines. Children's wellbeing is supported through the implementation of appropriate systems to contain the circulation of infectious illnesses within the setting. These include children not attending when they are ill and contacting parents to collect them should they become ill during the session. These actions help to protect all children.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff receive regular first aid training and maintain current certificates. This ensures that they have up-to-date knowledge about first aid procedures to enable them to administer basic treatment in the case of accident or injury to the children. A clear record of accidents and any agreed medication being administered to the children is maintained and parents countersign to confirm that they have been informed of any action taken. This enables them to make a decision about whether further medical intervention should be sought. Parental consents are in place to enable staff to seek immediate help and/or advice should a medical emergency arise.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children learn about the importance of eating healthily and taking regular exercise during the time they spend at the setting. They receive varied and nutritious snacks, such as vegetable sticks, fresh and dried fruit and are able to choose from any or all of the items available. Parents contribute to the healthy eating ethos by providing their children with healthy packed lunches. Children thoroughly enjoy their lengthy physical play session. Although there is no outside play space, very good use is made of the large hall to ensure that they exercise every day. The hall is set up to provide separate areas for different activities and these are planned and arranged as though they were to take place outside. Activities include children having opportunities to play games, climb, crawl and balance on equipment as well as riding wheeled toys and playing with balls and skittles.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment due to the positive steps taken by staff to ensure that their exposure to the risk of accidental injury and harm is reduced. The door security system prevents visitors from gaining unsolicited entry and children from leaving the premises unnoticed. Safety equipment is used to prevent them from accessing potentially unsafe areas and equipment. For example, electrical sockets are covered, barriers are used across the staircases and children do not have access to the kitchen. Children's awareness of their own safety and that of others is promoted. They know that they must use the handrails when using the stairs and they take part in regular fire drills so that they are familiar with the routine for evacuating the premises quickly and safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children's play environment is cheerful and made welcoming by the pleasant presentation of activities and equipment. However, the hall and small room temperatures are not adequately maintained and although children are mostly active when using these facilities they are still

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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 cold. Children have access to a varied range of safe play provision which promotes their learning and development. They are able to access their toys and activities from a low storage unit or choose from the wide range already presented for them as they arrive. Tables and chairs are of a suitable height so that they can play and work comfortably.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is not effectively promoted because staff are not confident about putting the safeguarding children policy and procedures into practice.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy and self assured, confidently leaving their parents and quickly settling down to their self-chosen activities. They are familiar with their routines and know what is going to happen next. For example, they know that after circle time it is time for physical play and then snack time. Children confidently move around their environment and engage in activities with their peers, often playing together. For instance, some children build a farm and play cooperatively, making pens for the animals and jumping them over the fences. They pretend that a horse has been injured and decide it needs to visit the vet, one child promptly assumes the role to attend to its leg.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children engage in a wide range of activities which take account of the Birth to three matters framework and the Foundation Stage of learning. Activities are planned well and give children numerous options, for example, role play, using simple technology, such as the computer and bee bot, many table top activities and physical play activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a suitable understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and plan activities which link to all areas of learning. They use appropriate teaching methods, offering children regular praise and encouragement which promotes their confidence and self-esteem. Planning does not effectively take into account children's individual learning or their next steps. For example, where next steps have been identified, these are not re-visited to check that they have been achieved. As a result, some activities do not always offer appropriate challenges to the more able children and it is difficult to monitor their progress with any accuracy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are keen to learn and are becoming independent and self-confident. They are forming positive friendships with their peers and are learning to respect others, for example, they listen to what each other has to say during circle time, share and take turns. However, some children are finding this more difficult than others. Children are beginning to gain an understanding of other cultures and traditions through topics, activities and resources. They are confident speakers and have regular opportunities to talk with the adults and their peers about what they are doing. Children participate in the BLAST (boosting language, auditory and self esteem skills) programme, enjoying the simple games which helps them to construct complex sentences and use language confidently. They enjoy contributing to the story, repeating familiar words and phrases and anticipating what might happen next. Children have some opportunities to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

develop early writing skills with a range of different resources, such as pencils, pens, crayons and chalks. However, they are not routinely encouraged to name their own drawings and paintings.

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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 have opportunities to develop early mathematical skills, such as counting, comparing and calculating. They play matching games to help them recognise shape and colour and are beginning to understand simple calculation. For example, children add to and take away from their groups of farm animals, sometimes sequencing to put them in size order. Children can operate simple technology on their own and sometimes with assistance. For example, they confidently follow the instructions using simple computer programmes and operate the bee bot with adult help to make it change direction. They enjoy making different constructions with their magnetic shapes and with various materials, such as cartons, boxes and tubes as well as using blocks and octons.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's physical development is promoted well. They have daily opportunities to play on a range of equipment which promotes the development of their large muscle skills. As a result they are developing good balance and control, for example, children throw and catch balls with ease and are able to stop, start and manoeuvre their wheeled toys around obstacles. The physical play session is lengthy and this does impact on the time children are able to spend on other activities. Children use a range of tools and resources which promote the development of their small muscle skills and hand-eye control, for example, transferring sand from one vessel to another using spades and small containers. They manage scissors well, some children are able to cut precisely around outlines and others are mastering the skill of the scissor action.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children explore different media, such as paint, glue, chalks and malleable materials, experimenting, for example, with different techniques, such as finger and brush painting, collage and three-dimensional modelling. However, creative activities are usually defined by staff for the children to make rather than them being encouraged to use their own ideas. They have opportunities to move to music and explore the different sounds instruments make. Children play well in the role play area, dressing-up and acting out roles which are familiar to them. The role play area changes frequently to maintain their interest and to broaden their knowledge about their local environment, for example, a cafeteria or office.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are made to feel very welcome and have established a warm rapport with their peers and the adults who care for them. Their individual care needs are appropriately met because staff liaise regularly with children's parents to ensure that they have relevant information to enable them to plan for these accordingly. Additional resources are obtained where appropriate, to support children's care and learning needs and staff work in partnership with other professionals involved to ensure that they are all working towards the same aim. As a result, children benefit from a cohesive and consistent approach to their specific needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are lively, confident and demonstrate through their actions that they are very secure. They generally behave well, listening to what is being said to them and enjoy taking responsibility, such as being helper of the day. However, some children have not fully developed the concept of sharing or taking turns, for example, they do not readily share or they take toys away from their peers causing them distress. The system for choosing the helper of the day is not clear and some children are disappointed and upset because they do not know when it will be their turn. Children respond keenly to requests to undertake tasks, such as tidying away their toys and contributing to group activities and discussion at the beginning of the session. Their awareness of the wider world in which they live is promoted through activities which introduce them to different cultures and traditions. For example, children celebrate occasions

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Helping children make a positive contribution

with which they are familiar such as Christmas and Easter and others which are not so familiar,

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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 such as Chinese New Year. Books, wall displays and play resources support children in these activities. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is satisfactory. Parents receive a range of information about the setting via their welcome pack, newsletters, notice board and daily discussions with staff as they drop off and collect their children. They are encouraged to contribute to the organisation of the setting by serving on the management committee and to help with tasks, such as making/repairing dressing-up clothes. Children benefit from their parents involvement in their activities at the beginning of each session. They are encouraged to stay for the first 15 minutes or so to play with their children and also to take a book home each week to look at together. However, parents do not have the opportunity to contribute to the children's starting points nor to their ongoing assessments to enable them to be more actively involved in their children's learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The provider meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Children benefit from the suitably organised provision. Appropriate procedures are in place to ensure that those involved in the management of the setting and the care of the children are suitable to be so. Staff are qualified and experienced. They work well together as a close knit team to support each other and the children, regularly undertaking training to update their skills and working practices. The play areas are very well presented, cheerfully decorated and welcoming. High adult:child ratios means that there are plenty of staff available to support the children, however, there are times when they fail to notice misdemeanours, such as snatching and pushing which is distressful to the recipients of this behaviour.

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Organisation

All required documentation, policies and procedures that help to ensure children's health, safety and welfare are in place and stored securely so that confidentiality is maintained.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is satisfactory. The team work well together to ensure that children receive a varied nursery education programme and meet regularly to plan activities to support all six areas of learning. There are systems in place to evaluate some activities and to monitor children's progress, however, these are not always effective. This is because children's identified next steps are not followed through and as a result, their activities do not always offer sufficient challenges.

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Organisation

The management committee have appropriate procedures in place to ensure that the setting is running efficiently and meet regularly to monitor this. Staff receive regular appraisals to monitor their professional development and to identify their training needs. They demonstrate a commitment to their ongoing development through attending external training events and sharing information and knowledge with their colleagues. Links have been established with local schools so that children's transition is smooth and less daunting for them.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the provider agreed to ensure that fire drills are practised with the children regularly and to request written permission from parents to seek emergency medical advice/or treatment. The provider has addressed these issues by conducting fire drills with the children on a regular basis and as a result, children are familiar with the procedure to evacuate the premises quickly in an emergency. Written consents have been obtained from parents to

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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 enable staff to seek emergency medical advice and/or treatment. Consequently children's good health and well-being is promoted.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection the provider agreed to improve the planning system to ensure learning intentions are clear and to develop the curriculum to ensure that there is good coverage in all areas, in particular to link sounds and letters effectively and to plan opportunities for calculating. The provider has addressed these issues by ensuring that plans clearly link to all areas of learning and refer to the learning intention of the activity. The BLAST programme has been introduced which ensures that children participate in simple activities which link to letters and sounds. Children are beginning to learn simple calculation through informal discussion with staff in their play, for example, adding to a group of objects and taking away from. As a result, they are beginning to understand the concept.

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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 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): • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection issues • ensure that suitable temperatures are maintained in areas used by the children • review staff deployment to ensure that children's behaviour is monitored effectively

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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 children's assessments and ensure that these are used to effectively monitor their progress and identify the next steps in their learning (also applies to care) • develop a system for evaluating activities to ensure that they offer children appropriate challenges

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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 • develop opportunities for parents to contribute to their children's assessments to enable them to play a more active role in their learning (also applies to care)

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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

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