Queensway Chapel Pre-School and Children's Centre

Queensway Chapel Pre-School and Children's Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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EY279555 Unique Reference Number 20 May 2008 Inspection date Beverley Blackburn Inspector

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Queensway, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 7LQ Setting Address

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E-mail

Queensway Chapel Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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?

Queensway Chapel Pre-School and Children's Centre is a neighbourhood nursery registered in 2004. It has developed from a well established pre-school nearby. It is owned by a board of trustees. The nursery operates from purpose built premises in the grounds of The Manor School in a residential area of Melksham, in Wiltshire. A maximum of 60 children may attend the setting at any one time. The nursery is open from 08.00 until 18.00 Monday to Friday all year round. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery serves the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 120 children aged from birth to under eight years on roll. Of these, 63 children receive funding for early education. The setting currently supports children with learning difficulties and /or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting employs 15 members of staff. Of these, 10 staff hold an appropriate early years qualification and five staff are working towards a qualification. The group has an Investor in People award.

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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. The environment that the children play in is clean and well kept. Staff follow effective procedures such as using anti-bacterial spray to clean the tables before and after use which promotes good hygiene practices. Children are aware that regular hand washing is part of the daily routine which promotes good health. All staff hold a current first aid certificate. They appropriately manage accidents and administration of medication and share the information with the parents, however, occasionally the parents do not sign to acknowledge when medicines have been the administered.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a healthy diet as they are introduced to healthy and nutritious snacks. Their health and wellbeing is supported effectively as they learn about healthy foods. Children learn the importance of regular drinking. A jug of drinking water and cups are always available, but not easily accessible to the children.

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Helping children to be healthy

Any allergies or dietary issues are discussed with parents at registration. These discussions are recorded and any needs accommodated. Dietary information is available to staff in the kitchen for easy reference when preparing snacks. Parents are actively encouraged to provide their child with a healthy packed lunch and are given useful written information regarding suggested food options.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have good opportunities to develop physically. They learn that physical activities help to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They have access to regular outdoor play and exercise that contributes to their good health. Children experience and enjoy the opportunity to participate in activities where they can run and jump; this helps to develop their larger muscles and exercise various parts of their bodies. Children are provided with a suitable sleep area and are able to rest according to their needs.

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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 welcoming and secure environment. Informative notices and well-presented displays in the entrance area create a welcoming environment for children and parents. Any risks to children are minimised because staff ensure children are always supervised; risk assessments are carried out regularly and effectively in order to reduce potential hazards. Fire drills are practised, but staff are not consistent in keeping accurate records.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are able to move safely around the adjoining rooms and use the well organised space properly for their chosen activities. Children are helped to understand about personal safety as they actively take part in tidying up time, which includes clearing away toys at the end of the sessions; they are also made aware of the danger of climbing on chairs. Staff are well deployed within the setting helping children to access all play opportunities in all rooms.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The wide range of resources are of good quality, in good condition and suitable to meet children’s learning needs. Resources and equipment are stored effectively to allow children to confidently access them freely and safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children’s welfare is safeguarded because staff have an appropriate knowledge and understanding of their personal responsibility with regards to child protection issues. There is

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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 an appropriate system in place for ensuring parents understand the setting's child protection responsibilities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children arrive confidently into the setting and quickly settle into the routine of the Pre-School. They learn through a wide range of planned activities. Children are given opportunities to explore and investigate a range of materials and are able to design and build. They spend their time purposefully involved in a range of appropriately planned topics which takes into account their learning needs and helps them to progress. Children are able to enjoy playing together harmoniously as they take turns playing in the home corner. They make independent choices with regard to the activities and resources they wish to explore and show interest and enjoyment in their play. Children are appropriately challenged so that learning is extended as the staff provide toys and play materials that are suitable for their age and stage of development. Children have a good relationship with the staff members and they interact well. The staff have a good

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

knowledge of child development which enables the children to progress their personal, social and emotional development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff caring for the younger children in the setting completes written observations and assessments of the children using the Birth to three matters framework. The babies seem happy and relaxed and their individual needs are met well by the staff. The environment is bright and welcoming, however, the babies would benefit from the opportunity to experience more outdoor activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The children are making sound progress in relation to the stepping stones towards the learning goals in the six areas of learning. They are supported by experienced staff with a satisfactory knowledge of the Foundation Stage and early years curriculum. They have a secure understanding of what the children are intended to learn from the activities. Planning covers all areas of leaning. Staff are working well together as a team to meet the needs of the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff are able to identify learning intentions by appropriate questioning in order to make children think and extend their knowledge. Staff carry out written observations on the children which are used to complete assessments. Staff are beginning to improve the children's learning potential by identifying each child's stage of progress, this is demonstrated in their individual activity sheets and the planning of the next steps of their development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show awareness of themselves and others when moving indoors and outdoors. They enjoy outdoor play, are able to confidently ride a bike, run and kick a ball and use large and small equipment and negotiate the space around others well. Children use a variety of textures and show interest in what they see and feel. They are able to use their imagination and express themselves as they enjoy their play in the home corner.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Most children are able to listen attentively to stories, with enjoyment, and respond appropriately to questions relating to the stories and are able to predict what will happen next. They are confident speakers and enjoy talking to adults; they speak clearly and show awareness of the listener. Children are learning to recognise familiar words in print through every day activities including self-registering and putting their coats on their named pegs. They learn to link sounds

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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 and letters through staff helping them write their own poems. The toddlers are encouraged to use pencils to develop their fine motor control and coordination. However, children have limit opportunity to make marks for a purpose and introduce writing in their own play, for example, in their imaginative play in the home corner. Children are helped to recognise their names, by selecting their name tag at the beginning of the sessions. Children are encouraged to listen to one another, for example, at snack time during social conversation. Children are confident in initiating conversation with each other and the staff and other adults.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have the chance to gain an awareness of shape, space and measure through practical activities such as playing in the sand, completing puzzles of a range of difficulty or making cheese straws during cooking activities. Children demonstrate their interest in numbers, for example, in cooking activities as they enjoy weighing out the ingredients for making their cheese straws. Children have some opportunities to count, such as counting the number of spoonful of water needed for making the dough for the cheese straws or four fingers to indicate how old they are. However, children have few chances to solve simple problems involving addition or subtraction, as part of the daily routine. They use language such as triangle and circle and are able to make shapes such as a circle with their fingers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children talk about the past and remember significant events personal to them. They are able to show interest in the world they live in and learn about nature as they observe the caterpillars turning into butterflies. They explore construction materials and are able to confidently use items such as Stickle bricks to model make. On the day of the inspection no children were seen spontaneously using the computer. Most children are able to use everyday technology with confidence. In addition children take part in outings, such as walks to the local post box to post letters or walks to the nearby parks. Such opportunities enable children to gain an appreciation of their local community.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children relate well to the staff. Children regularly play in small friendly groups, for example, in the home corner with a selection of toys which they share. The children are learning to take turns in play. They enjoy chatting to each other at snack time and benefit from the company of all the staff, as they encourage conversation and help the children to listen to each other and take turns in speaking. Children frequently make decisions and choices during free play. A wide range of toys are easily accessible to them, which are stored at their level.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children are confident and demonstrate increasing independence.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s individual needs are met because the staff members have an appropriate system in place to get to know their needs. Children with learning/educational difficulties are identified and staff work effectively to meet their requirements, they are fully included and have a good chance to succeed . There is a good working relationship between the parents and staff, parents are kept well informed through regular feedback from the staff at the end of each day. The setting is in the process of organising meetings with the parents to inform them of the children's progress and development. Staff are able to liaise effectively with other professionals. All children are included in the life of the setting and the range of positive images regarding cultures and disability enables the children to become aware of the different people within the society. Children are polite, this is demonstrated when they politely use please and thank you.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff are aware of effective, positive strategies such as praise and encouragement, to support

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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 appropriate behaviour. However, on the day of the inspection some children were quite lively and the noise level was a little high, which at times affects the quality of the sessions.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are given detailed written information about the provision prior to a child commencing in the group. Babies and toddlers, their parents receive daily diaries detailing relevant care information such as how well they have eaten or slept. Parents are invited to attend regularly planned 'stay and play' sessions.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. The children’s individual needs, progress and development are promoted well; the staff are committed to working in partnership with the parents. The parents are happy with the care that their children are receiving from the setting. They are kept up to date about the setting through the notice board and newsletters. Parents of children within the Foundation Stage are provided with information about the early years curriculum and are made aware of their access to their child's educational assessment. However, they do not have regularly planned opportunities to review and discuss their child's progress with the staff. The setting is in the process of improving this.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide. All staff are suitable to work with children, most are experienced and well qualified or working towards a qualification. Staff are working well as a team, they regularly discuss planning and the children’s progress and are in the process of developing a more effective system for observation and assessment. Good staff to child ratios and effective staff deployment ensures children receive plenty of time and attention. The operational plan ensures that the sessions run smoothly and children benefit from the stable routine. All required policies and procedures to promote the welfare and care of children are in place and are appropriately implemented. However, there is not a consistent and accurate record of fire drills carried out and occasionally parents do not sign to acknowledge when medicines have been administered.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is satisfactory. The recently appointed manager is making sound progress and is supported appropriately by the trustees. She has a clear vision for the future of the setting and for nursery education. At present she is getting to know the staff and how to work effectively as a team. The manager recognises the need for staff appraisals to help staff identify their training needs and any professional development, which in turn, will have a positive impact on the children's learning. There is support for the staff team to continue to develop their skills and knowledge through a variety of training. The manager is aware of what direction she needs to take for improvement in nursery education and has started to address recommendations made in the last inspection. The staff seems committed to improvement and development of the setting. They have a positive approach to providing good quality learning

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Organisation

experiences for the children. There is a good link with the local school which assist the children in the smooth transition from pre-school to statutory education.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting was asked to develop the procedure for assessment and monitoring of the educational provision, to ensure regular written observations and assessments are completed on the children across all aspects of the Foundation Stage curriculum. Use information obtained from assessment to plan suitably challenging activities to support individual children's future progress, to ensure children have meaningful practical opportunities as part

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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 of the daily routine to make marks for a purpose and to develop their calculation skills and to develop the academic partnership with parents, to ensure parents have regularly planned opportunities to review children's Foundation Stage assessments with staff. Provide opportunities for them to share with staff what they know about their child's educational achievements to aid initial and ongoing assessments.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The setting is in the process of developing the procedure for assessment and monitoring of the educational provision and improving the observations and assessments on the children across the Foundation Stage curriculum. They have planned to give the parents the opportunity to review with the staff their children's progress through the Foundation Stage by inviting the parents into the setting.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The staff have made some progress towards improving the opportunity for the children to practise their early writing skills. However, there is still limited chance for the children to have meaningful practical opportunities as part of daily routine to make marks for a purpose and to develop their calculation skills. The improvements that have been made have had positive impact on the quality of care and education offered to the children.

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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 records 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): • make sure there is consistent and accurate records kept in a fire log on fire drills carried out, in order to ensure children's safety in the setting • ensure all parents sign the written records on medicine administered to children to acknowledge the entry make of when the medication was given

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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):

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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 • ensure children have meaningful practical opportunities as part of daily routine to make marks for a purpose and to develop their calculation skills • provide more opportunities for children to access the computer in order to increase their ICT and technology skills

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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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