Sidemoor Preschool

Sidemoor Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY365014 Unique Reference Number 13 May 2008 Inspection date Esther Gray Inspector

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Peartree Children's Centre, Broad Street, BROMSGROVE, Worcestershire, B61 8LW

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E-mail

Sidemoor 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 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?

Sidemoor Pre-School opened in 1968. It was re-registered to provide full day care within the Peartree Children's Centre on Broad Street, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire in 2008.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 30 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 09.00 to 15.00 for 38 weeks of the year, 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 28 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 13 children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area serving the Bromsgrove district. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs four members of staff who work with the children, all of whom have early years qualifications to National Vocational Qualification level 3 and 4. The setting receives support from a children's centre support teacher. The group received the quality assurance Growing Together Gold Award in 2006.

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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 well nourished and have immediate access to a drink without asking staff. This means children with limited communication skills do not become dehydrated in hot weather or after physical play. They learn about the importance of healthy eating and enjoy tasting foods with different tastes and textures. Staff talk about making healthy choices during snack time and the importance of healthy eating. This encourages them to try different foods and appreciate the benefits of choosing fresh fruit and vegetables as a snack. Children enjoy excellent opportunities to experience physical activity and develop their skills indoors and outside in the fresh air. They are developing a good awareness of how to make good choices to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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Helping children to be healthy

All staff maintain their qualifications in paediatric first aid and obtain permission from parents and carers to summon medical attention in an emergency. They ensure parents and carers are made aware of the appropriate exclusion times for communicable diseases. Children are encouraged to wash their hands before snack times and before lunch. Children explain why this is important to keep them free from germs which might make them ill. They independently obtain tissues to attend to their own personal needs and dispose of these appropriately. As a result, children are protected from infection and are taken well care of if they have an accident or become ill.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children always use a wide range of equipment that is suitable and safe. As the setting moved into their new premises a very good range of new resources have been provided. As a result, they use safe and suitable resources, toys and equipment that stimulate and challenge them. Children are secure and well supervised in premises which are suitable for the purpose because the manager and staff ensure that the environment gives children good access to a comprehensive range of facilities that successfully promote children’s development. The newly built children's centre premises is secured by office staff who require identity to be confirmed and entry authorised before being admitted. Families are welcomed into a child centred environment in which all areas have been developed with children's needs in mind. For example, all resources are of child height and constructed in line with manufacturers instructions and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected from harm because staff have a very good understanding of their role in child protection. They are able to put appropriate procedures into practice. The safeguarding policy informs parents of their role in safeguarding children in their care effectively. Very good records are kept of accidents and incidents, which further safeguards children from harm. A full written risk assessment has been undertaken of the setting, which has been further assessed by the overarching provider of the premises. This includes the assessment of accidents to ensure all risks are minimised. Staff are encouraged to undertake training in health and safety and they are diligent in their observation of identified risks. For example, they ensure children put on their shoes as they exit the sand pit before moving around the other play areas in the outdoor area. As a result, children’s safety is excellently well promoted because the

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

registered person and staff take positive steps to promote safety.

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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 Children’s confidence in their key staff enables them to share their feelings and know their rights and what to do if they are concerned or worried in any way. Children are learning to keep themselves safe. They move around one another safely, avoiding collision and taking care that they do not hurt themselves or others. Children are made aware of the evacuation process and have rehearsed this with staff. Consequently, children's well-being and safety is very well secured.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children currently enjoy similar routines to those which they are familiar with from their attendance at the pre-school, as it was provided at the previous venue in the church hall. This old routine has served to provide comfort in the familiarity of it, as they now find themselves in a completely different set of rooms. They have, as a result, settled well into the new setting with the continuous support of staff who get to know children and their families very well. Children make choices about what they want to play with both indoors and outside. Their play is interrupted by snack time, however, this allows staff the opportunity to develop further appreciation of their understanding of healthy eating, sharing, taking turns and gives children time to sit with staff and to socialise with their friends. This further develops language and listening skills. Activities provided encourage children to be confident and independent. However,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the use of space and lay out of the resources remains a work in progress. The use of the additional rooms are shared with the other children centre staff. As a result, children do not have free, flowing use of indoors, outside or both rooms during the day. Staff continue to experiment within the organisation of rooms to effectively promote children's play and learning. For example, although staff negotiate for the timetabled use of the additional room and are developing use of the outdoor area, there remains limited space within the pre-school room to allow children to continue to play, to extend and sustain their interest in an activity uninterrupted by times to tidy away in the routine.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff select resources and provide activities, play opportunities and first-hand experiences, which allow children to build on their natural curiosity as learners. There are opportunities to develop their language, mathematical thinking and use their imagination. Having previously used the 'Birth to three matters' framework, staff are now developing their planning to use the Early Years Foundation Stage. Both of these programmes underpin the care of younger children to ensure they develop to their full potential.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. All key staff have a very good knowledge of the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. They use their knowledge to provide a comprehensive programme of timetabled events. They provide many activities tailored to children's individual needs. The long, medium and short term planning has continued seamlessly for children attending as they transferred from one building to another for their education. The new facilities have provided a good quality backdrop for further improvements to be made in developing areas of learning within the pre-school area. However, the continuation of the restrictive routines inhibits opportunities for children to engage in activities that they plan or initiate themselves. The timetable leaves them with little time to become engrossed, work in depth and complete activities. Nevertheless, parents are kept well informed and all areas of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

learning are being covered. Staff understanding of the purpose of activities and their contribution to planned activities is excellent. Ongoing assessment of children's ability and

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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 progress is very effective and staff plan together to meet children individual needs very well. The setting organises assessments so that they are meaningful and relevant to children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are encouraged to think and demonstrate what they know and understand. Staff are very good at extending their knowledge and understanding through good questioning, listening and modelling. They are interested in what children are doing, know when to intervene, challenge and have age appropriate expectations. All staff demonstrate good skills and are very experienced in moving to where children are playing to extend their learning in an interesting and exciting way. Children are beginning to make sense of the world around them by investigating and exploring through first hand experiences. They have many opportunities to explore, question and be curious in a broad range of activities that form the foundation of later learning. For example, as children arrive they are excited to find that the chrysalis has hatched and butterflies have emerged. They are encouraged to observe this more closely, representing what they see

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

in paint and colour. Staff, remind them of what part of the cycle they are witnessing and recap previous learning. Children are also fascinated in a spontaneous event in the sand pit outdoors as water is spilt and children are challenged to think about what has happened to the water. Whilst some look under the wood to see if it is seeping out, other children also state that it has been 'sucked up'. They use their senses and imaginations to create their own work and to communicate their feelings. Consequently, children have good opportunities to develop their attitudes and dispositions that enable them to achieve in their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are able to become increasingly independent when dealing with their physical needs. They use a wide range of materials and tools to help them to express their creativity. For example, children collect their own paper, attach it to the magnetic board independently, find an apron and put it on, and explore with paint in a variety of ways. Children paint their own hand, for example, and make hand prints. No learning opportunity is lost by staff who encourage children to count how many prints they have made. Opportunities for counting and thinking about groups of numbers are presented in all areas of the setting. Outdoors a string of pink and white balls allows children to continue to develop an appreciation of groups of number. This further develops their appreciation of number and quantity. Other children, having overlaid the paint onto the paper very thickly, are encouraged to take a finger to make patterns in the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

paint, including letters they recognise from their own name. Children enjoy writing for many purposes in all part of their play. They enjoy books for their stories and entertainment and for obtaining information. They develop their language and listening skills as they sit together to recount the events of the morning. As a result, children are developing their competencies well across the four aspects of communication, speaking, listening, reading and writing.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy moving and manoeuvring around other children with wheelbarrows, on ride-on toys, balancing on blocks or climbing in and out of the sandpit. Children have many opportunities to develop their dexterity of movement in the use of tools such as scissors, paint brushes, glue and crayons. With supervision, they cut up fruit or use cutlery in cookery activities. As a result, children enjoy a wide range of physical activities that help them to develop their confidence and skills both when using large and small apparatus, tools and equipment. They are made aware of the dangers of the sun and all wear hats and apply their own sun cream, with encouragement from staff. As a result they also appreciate further actions they need to take to safeguard their health in the sun. They are developing a positive attitude towards physical exercise and fresh air and a growing awareness of how it can help them to stay fit and healthy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are beginning to take the initiative and to be self-sufficient within their learning by choosing activities and accessing resources for themselves.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are developing a very good appreciation of the wider community and diversity in culture and religion. Parents are invited to join with staff to share their diverse cultural knowledge. For example, children enjoy and take part in the festival of Diwali and they learn about the traditional art of body painting, as a flower symbol is painted on their hand. They enjoy different foods and look at the traditional costumes worn by a variety of different cultural groups in the wider community. There are sufficient resources and activities to help children learn about a diverse society through their play. Excellent arrangements are made to ensure all children are included. Children are able to feel a sincere sense of belonging, work harmoniously with others and make choices and decisions about what they want to play with. All children are able to access all resources and activities and support is given sensitively for

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Helping children make a positive contribution

those with disabilities, learning difficulties or who speak English as an additional language. As a result, children are developing very good self-esteem and respect for others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children understand responsible behaviour and learn about boundaries because staff are able to manage a wide range of children’s behaviour. The experienced staff team have undertaken many courses over their career in childcare, which includes updating their knowledge on managing behaviour. Very good explanations are given to children about the consequences of their actions. For example, children who take another child's cup of water and pour the contents into their own cup, are made aware that the other child will now be thirsty because they have no drink. Children are actively encouraged to take turns and share and are rewarded for their kindness and good behaviour. They learn to sit together at the table, learning very good manners. Children demonstrate thoughtfulness as they bring a chair for an adult to sit on outdoors, without being

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Helping children make a positive contribution

asked. Consequently, children are confident and very well cared for in harmonious surroundings.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. The exchange of information with parents and carers is excellent. All parents were invited to look around the new facilities before they were opened and their opinions were canvassed as to the presentation and security of the building. The response from parents is very favourable. Parents express their satisfaction with the amount of information supplied and are well informed. Some families travel from outlying areas to attend the setting due to the reputation it has gained over many years in supporting children's individual needs very well. As a result, children are developing very good relationships with adults and other children in a setting where staff work closely with parents and carers to meet individual children’s needs very effectively and ensure they are fully included in the life of the setting.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The management and organisation of the setting is pro-active in ensuring the practice of all staff contributes positively to children’s good health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to take an active part in the setting. Children are protected from harm as the staff are aware of the importance of ensuring that all unvetted visitors are suitable and are not left unattended with children in the setting or whilst on outings. The committee support the staff in developing the setting as they re-settle into the new premises. Although the policies and procedures are currently under full review, following the move to new premises, all policies and procedures protect children well and are effectively implemented to promote good outcomes

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 for children. Records are available and retained for inspection. They are well organised and kept confidential.

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Organisation

The pre-school group are the first to take up residence in the Peartree Children's Centre, however, have already established a good working relationship with the associated school and other professionals who will support families in this area. Support from other professionals is already programmed as part of the 'Stay and Play' activities, which will provide further opportunities to work with parents, to promote children's good health and well-being. This includes support for those families who have children with disability or learning difficulty and provide opportunities for families to share their experiences and enjoy workshops. For example, they are all benefiting from a healthy eating topic being covered by the pre-school and the 'Stay and Play' programme at the centre.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. The use of play space and areas of learning for children has been well thought out. However, staff continue to develop the use of space as they find their way in their new surroundings. Although they have less overall space than at their previous venue, due to the layout of the premises, which has more doors and windows and less display space than they might have anticipated, they have made a very good first attempt at the layout. They have not yet successfully made best use of both rooms and the outdoor area within the timetable or found the best layout for the resources within the pre-school room. The organisation and deployment of staff and use of key persons in support of children is very well managed. Staff work together like a well-oiled machine in identifying when to engage in children's play, when to extend their play and when to let play unfold as it is developed by children's own

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Organisation

imagination. As a result, children benefit from good organisation of the setting. Overall children’s needs are met.

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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

Since registration 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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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 AND 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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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 the organisation of the resources to support children’s play and learning further; this refers to the use of space and layout of the rooms available for play.

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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): • develop further opportunities for children to engage in activities that they plan or initiate themselves, with time to become engrossed, work in depth and complete activities.

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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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