Shernhall Pre-School

Shernhall Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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153685 Unique Reference Number 29 February 2008 Inspection date Maxine Rose Inspector

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136 Shernhall Street, Walthamstow, London, E17 9HU Setting Address

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020 8520 6756 or 07957 170807 Telephone number

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E-mail

Shernall Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Sessional care Type of care

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E-mail

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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?

Shernall Pre-School opened in 1992. It is situated in the grounds of a church building and operates in the area of Walthamstow in the London borough of Waltham Forest. A maximum of 42 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 09:30 to 15:30 for 50 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 64 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 30 receive funding for early education. The nursery mainly provides for children in the local area. The nursery currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs five members of staff. Of these, Four hold appropriate early years qualifications and one are working towards a qualification.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The children enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Each day children take part in physical activities such as running and riding tricycles. Children’s packed lunches are checked to ensure they provide children with a balanced diet that includes fresh fruit and vegetables. Children have access to drinking water throughout the day to keep them hydrated. Children’s meals and daily exercise helps to ensure they are well nourished and develop appropriately. The children’s play areas are kept clean during the day. This helps to reduce the spread of infection. The group have appropriate procedures in place for providing children with first aid, medication and emergency treatment. This helps to ensure the children’s health is promoted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is inadequate. The children are not adequately safeguarded because the group do not always implement the procedures correctly. For example when the group investigate allegations relating to safeguarding children they do not inform the relevant external agencies such as Local Safeguarding Children team in social services and Ofsted. The lack of appropriate professional intervention and consistent procedures in this area, result in children not being fully safeguarded. This is a breach of regulation. There are some practices that are implemented well. The premises are well maintained this includes the play equipment. This enables the children to have easy access to the full range of resources. The children are supervised appropriately and ratios are maintained because the attendance register is kept up to date. There are other safety features which are implemented well. This includes the conducting of fire drills and maintaining an

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

accident book. Risks assessments are completed daily. This helps to reduce potential safety hazards to children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children have access to a range of enjoyable activities each day. The staff have received training in implementing the Birth to three matters framework. They provide children with practical activities that help them make progress in all areas of their development. Children’s activities include building with construction, painting, and role play in the home corner. The children are confident. They actively take part in group activities. They enjoy listening to stories and are able to develop their social skills as they take part in group discussion. The staff have a warm relationship with the children which helps the children to settle well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The staff have received training in the Foundation Stage of learning for funded children. They complete long and short term curriculum plans using the early learning goals and stepping stones as a guide. The staff also observe the children’s activities. Children’s assessments are not sufficiently evaluated or linked to the stepping stones. Also assessments are not used to inform plans in order to support children to the next stage of their learning.

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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 The children’s social skills and personal independence is promoted well. The children take the opportunity in small groups to talk about their families and past and, present events in their lives. For example, children talk about their parents having 'a computer at home'. Whilst the children are keen to speak in familiar situations, they are not always helped to form sentences correctly. There is a range of writing and stationery equipment. At times these resources are not always readily available for children to use for a variety of purposes and to develop skills for writing. This limits the opportunities for older children to learn how to write their names making correct use of upper and lower case letters.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children are able to learn new words as they listen to stories being told in the book corner. Whilst children can listen to stories their language is not fully extended in this area. For instance children are not always able to observe and recognise printed words on labels, displays and familiar objects because there are few examples in the group room.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children enjoy counting and do this well counting from one to ten. Some staff use these opportunities to extend children’s learning by introducing them to problem solving such as adding and taking away. Children’s work show they are learning about shapes and they use words such as big and small in group discussions. Whilst some staff work purposefully with children to enhance their understanding of using numbers in practical ways, there are few examples of this happening in other activities. Also this aspect of learning is not reflected in plans to ensure older children receive a consistent programme of activities. The children’s imaginative and creative skills are a strong feature of the group. The children have endless fun using construction and role play equipment. They skilfully use a range of art and craft materials when designing cards. The children learn about the natural world in practical ways. For example

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they observe the waves in the water and when they go to the sea side they learn about different foods when they celebrate various religious festivities such as Christmas, Chinese New Year and Diwali.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. The children behave well. They are given clear explanations on how to behave appropriately and they learn to share and take turns in routine activities. There are no children with learning difficulties or disabilities. There are suitable procedures in place to ensure all children are included in the full range activities. The children have access to a range of books, dolls and small world equipment which develop their understanding of diversity in positive ways.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is satisfactory. The parents form part of the committee and are involved in decision making. They are able to spend time in the setting to settle children and to discuss the care and progress they are making. Parents receive useful information about the group's policies and procedures and children’s records are available on request. Information about the early learning goals and children’s assessments are limited. The parents are able to view what activities are available to the children because this is recorded in curriculum plans under the heading of the early learning goals. Information about children's assessments are not fully evaluated or used to inform plans for the next stage of learning. Therefore parents are not always sufficiently informed about how well children are progressing towards the learning goals. The group encourage the involvement of parents and carers in positive ways

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Helping children make a positive contribution

for example assisting on outings. This helps to promote a secure learning environment for the children. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately.

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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 inadequate. The children’s welfare is not always safeguarded because the group do not always follow appropriate procedures relating to safeguarding children. For example, the group do not always notify Ofsted of significant events. This is a breach of regulation. There are some practices that are implemented well. The children have access to a range of resources such as home corner accessories and art and, craft materials. This is made possible because the setting is organised well in some areas, this includes practical storage equipment. Most staff are suitably qualified and experienced in child care. The setting does not meet the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is satisfactory. The team, including the manager work well to share ideas and plan a curriculum programme. This helps children to make progress in some areas of learning. For example, the development of children's creativity features strongly in the curriculum programme but there is less emphasis for older children to develop skills for writing and to use numbers in practical ways. This creates some inconsistency in the curriculum programme. The staff do observe and assess children’s learning but this information is not used to inform plans for the next stage of learning. Also assessments are not always clearly linked to the stepping stones. This limits the effectiveness of curriculum programme and children’s progress in some areas. The staff have opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills through training. There are opportunities for the group to receive support from early years

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the group were given one action and four recommendations. The action requires the group to notify Ofsted of significant events. The group have not addressed the above action because in October 2007 the group did not inform Ofsted of a significant event. This does not ensure children are fully safeguarded because the regulating body Ofsted were not notified and therefore unable to assess what action the group had taken to protect children. The four recommendations required the group to: amend the policy relating to safeguarding children to ensure they comply with guidance from the local authority; to ensure the management committee are aware of their responsibilities; also to deploy staff effectively to improve the care, learning and play provided for the children and to obtain consent from parents to provide children with emergency medical treatment. Children are not fully safeguarded

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Improvements since the last inspection

because the group have not amended their safeguarding children procedures and the committee are not clear about their responsibility in this area. The children can enjoy a range of activities and they can receive emergency treatment because staff are deployed at group activities and there are suitable procedures in place to promote children's health.

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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 further action in order to meet the Nationals 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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, the registered person must take the following actions: • ensure Ofsted is notified of all significant events • ensure that the child protection procedure complies with those of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice.

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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 children's communication and language skills to enable them to speak using full sentences and to learn simple words they see in print, also provide older children with suitable resources to develop their skills for writing, using upper and lower case letters correctly • evaluate and use assessments effectively, ensure the information obtained is used to inform plans to support children to the next stage of their learning • ensure older children receive a consistent programme of learning in the area of mathematics, by planning opportunities for them to take part in practical activities involving numbers.

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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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