Happy Faces Pre-School

Happy Faces Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY347075 Unique Reference Number 08 May 2008 Inspection date Susan Mann Inspector

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Ranvilles Community Centre, Oldbury Way, FAREHAM, Hampshire, PO14 3BN

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Setting Address

07936842802 Telephone number info@happyfaces.org.uk E-mail Caroline Horne Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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 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?

Happy Faces Preschool was registered in 2007 to provide full day care. It operates from a community centre within the grounds of a school in Fareham, Hampshire. A maximum of 26 children may attend the preschool at any one time. The preschool currently have 41 children on roll, of whom 36 children are in receipt of nursery education funding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school is open each weekday from 09.00 to 11.45, and has a lunch club and afternoon sessions from 11.45 until 15.30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The setting is able to support 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?

There are eight members of staff including the owner/manager who work at the pre-school. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications and two are working towards such a qualification. The preschool receives regular support from the Local Authority and the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's good health is fostered well in this caring pre-school. A wide range of highly effective procedures and routines ensure that the needs of each child are fully met. Children demonstrate good hygiene practices, washing their hands before a cooking activity and before they eat snack. Staff are trained in first aid so that they can provide appropriate care should a child become injured or unwell whilst at the group. There are planned procedures to follow if a child is unwell which are coordinated by the first aid officer. These allow children to be properly monitored and cared for when they become sick.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy healthy snacks that are hygienically prepared. Staff wear disposable aprons and gloves, and several are trained in Food Safety to ensure good practice. Children may access the snack bar when they choose. They help themselves to fruit and breadsticks from a buffet-style layout. This means that they learn to take what they feel they need depending on their level of hunger. They pour their own drinks of milk or water, and all show great independence and confidence as they do this. Children greatly enjoy this time, sitting together and talking about what they have done that morning, or sharing news from home.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is promoted well by daily physical exercise and fresh air. Although the pre-school does not have its own outdoor area, children and staff have daily use of the school playgrounds nearby. Here, children play games such as with the parachute, or develop their coordination playing with balls and skipping ropes. Children benefit from running around the large secure space, enjoying the exercise.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are safe in the welcoming and secure environment. They have plenty of space to play in the hall which is organised well to provide lots of opportunities for children to play and learn. Children's work is displayed around the room, which creates a colourful environment where children can see that their work is valued.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a wide variety of toys and resources for children to use and these are of good quality and are well maintained and presented to make them inviting for children to use. The book area is furnished with comfortable cushions and provides lots of space for children to sit and read, or to use disc players and headphones. The pre-school has a wide range of books, but relatively few are on display for children to choose from. This means that children do not benefit from choosing from a wide range of books that are easily accessible to them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is given a high priority by staff. The health and safety officers ensure that daily checks are done thoroughly on the premises to identify and minimise all hazards. Children are familiar with the emergency evacuation procedure because they practise it regularly. This means they could leave the building quickly in the event of a real emergency. Children are secure because the pre-school has robust systems in place to ensure they do not leave the building unaccompanied. There is an alarm on the external doors, and a stair gate is in place at the entrance to the hall. Staff are deployed well and they are vigilant in their supervision.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected well from harm and neglect because the pre-school has strong procedures in place to safeguard their welfare. The setting's child protection officer oversees a robust

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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 process of recording and reporting concerns. Staff are knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms of possible abuse so that they can recognise any potential issues. This element of the provision is underpinned by a detailed policy which is shared with all staff and parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and busy. They enjoy a wide range of interesting activities that are fun to do. Children of all ages demonstrate strong relationships with one another as they play. For example, a couple of children sit on the floor building with wooden bricks. They talk animatedly with one another about what they are making, and make suggestions to one another about what to add next.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are self-assured at the setting. Resources and routines are presented in ways that foster their development of independence. For example, they help themselves to an apron before playing at the water tray, and wash their hands in a low level sink after painting. Toys are rotated to ensure children have variety. Children can make their own choices from the self-selection on offer, or by requesting toys from the picture book of resources.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Children are excited to learn because they are involved in the planning of topics, and a great deal of their learning is initiated by them. Staff are skilled at providing a high level of support to extend children's learning as they play, whilst maintaining their interest and enjoyment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's learning is observed and assessed effectively by consistent and efficient systems. Parents provide useful basic information about their child's interests and level of development when they start at the group. This provides a starting point for staff to use in the assessment process, as well as enabling key persons to provide initial support that is tailored to the child's needs and interests. Children's learning is observed regularly, enabling staff to plan the next steps of learning for each child. These steps are incorporated into the curriculum planning to allow children to progress at their own pace.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The curriculum is planned and evaluated effectively. All areas of learning are covered well and there are a wealth of activities on offer each day. Staff adopt a very flexible approach to the delivery of the curriculum. For example, a child requests some dressing-up clothes from a cupboard and within minutes, most children have selected a costume and are engaged in imaginative role play. In one area of the hall, a child is dressed as a fire fighter and is pretending to escort children away from the 'fire'. In another part of the room, several children have dressed as pirates, and have gone over to the mark making area to draw treasure maps. Staff are on hand to follow their lead, making suggestions to enhance their play without interfering in the scenarios the children are creating. The robust observation and assessment process means that staff know the needs and preferences of individual children very well, and can plan sessions

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and activities to stimulate and interest them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are very confident to express their thoughts and ideas. For example, a child tells a member of staff about their forthcoming holiday and also talks about where they has been before. Children are learning to link sounds and letters through play, and through group activities, such as singing along to a Jolly Phonics song. Children can develop their physical

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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 development by using the wide range of equipment on offer, such as cutting, squeezing and pinching dough, or constructing with bricks or pieces of road track.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Many children demonstrate a good range of mathematical skills. For example, children enthusiastically count down from 10, before the door is opened at the end of the session. When singing the song 'Three Little Monkeys' they calculate how many are left. Children use the weighing scales to assess which items are heavier than others. Children enjoy a wide range of opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of technology. They demonstrate competent use of the computer to operate a simple game. They are engrossed in a project about a dinosaur egg that hatches when placed in water. Once the shell has cracked, children use magnifying glasses to observe the baby dinosaur as it hatches.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are enthusiastic and all demonstrate a good knowledge of how young children learn and develop. This gives the pre-school a very happy and purposeful atmosphere which creates a stimulating learning environment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging to the setting. They willingly participate in elements of the daily routine, such as self-registration and tidying away the toys. They benefit from the inclusive attitude of all staff who value and respect each child. The provision is underpinned by a strong statement on equality and diversity that is implemented well by all staff. Children learn about our diverse society in many ways, such as using resources that reflect a range of cultures. They also have valuable opportunities to discover more about one another's cultures and family life, as parents come into the sessions to share their celebrations and lifestyle. For example, a parent and child showed children Chinese clothes and traditional items to celebrate Chinese New Year, as well as children tasting traditional Chinese snacks. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive a good level of planned support to enable them to settle and progress well. The setting's special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents and staff, as well as with outside agencies, enabling children to benefit from a consistent approach. Children manage their behaviour well. They are kind to one anther and have a helpful attitude. For example, when dressing-up, a child helps another to put on a jacket. Staff have clear expectations of how children should behave, and they provide clear explanations to children about their actions to help them understand why some behaviour is unacceptable. All staff are excellent role models for the children to copy because they are kind and patient. Children's good behaviour and efforts are promoted effectively by praise, encouragement and daily routines. For example, at each session every member of staff

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Helping children make a positive contribution

gives a 'special sticker' to a child during whole group time and explains the reason for awarding this, thus celebrating children's achievements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the strong relationship that exists between their parents and the setting. Lots of information is made available to parents through useful notice boards and regular newsletters. Staff are available to talk with parents at any time. This communication is supplemented by Homelink books that are a message book and diary for each family. Staff may write comments in these about how a child is getting on, or a note for parents to read and parents write their own comments and observations to share with the pre-school. These books provide a valuable tool for ensuring a consistent approach between home and pres-school.

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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 Partnership with parents with regard to the provision of nursery education is good. Parents are given opportunity to see the curriculum planning so that they know what their child is doing. However, parents are not given any general information about the Foundation Stage curriculum and how children learn through play. This means that they are not informed of how children learn or what the curriculum has to offer.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's learning is enhanced because the staff provide ideas of how parents can extend their child's learning at home. This is done on an individual basis with each child to ensure any ideas given are appropriate and useful. Parents are able to discuss their child's progress with staff at any time because the pre-school operates an 'open door' policy. Assessment records and observations are sent home for parents to look at if they wish, and they can discuss these with staff informally, or make comments via the Homelink books. However, parents are not offered the opportunity to attend a planned meeting with their child's key person, which may suit the needs of some parents more.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from the efficient organisation of the pre-school. A wide range of polices and procedures provide an effective framework for the provision. These clearly define the caring ethos of the setting. All required documentation is in place and is properly maintained to provide an accurate record. Robust systems underpin all elements of the provision to ensure it runs smoothly, such as check lists, recording sheets, and incident records. Recruitment and induction processes cover all required areas to ensure adults working with children are suitable to do so.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are good. The owner/manager has a clear vision of the provision of nursery education and she evaluates it well to plan future developments. Regular staff meetings provide a useful forum for discussion about the curriculum and staff share information gained whilst training. This helps foster consistency in the delivery of the curriculum.

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Organisation

Staff work well together as a team to provide cheerful and skilled support for the children in their care. They are well qualified and they regularly update their knowledge by attending a wide range of short courses and workshops. The setting shares professional expertise with other settings through cluster meetings, which helps to develop practice further. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection last year, the pre-school was asked to consider two recommendations with regard to the provision of care and three concerning the provision of nursery education. All have been suitably addressed. With regard to care, all parents are now asked to provide their written consent for possible events, such as the seeking of emergency treatment. Children's attendance is accurately recorded in a register that indicates clearly their time of arrival and departure, in line with current regulations.

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Improvements since the last inspection

With regard to the provision of nursery education, new practices have been successfully implemented. The routine of the session has been revised to provide more opportunities for children to play freely as they choose. The group activities are interesting and are planned to maintain children's interest well. Staff provide individual support for children who would rather play elsewhere. For example, on one occasion, most children enjoy singing along to music, but a few children happily play with a member of staff at the water tray. The learning environment

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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 has been developed to include lots of opportunities for child initiated play. They now have much more choice because more activities and toys are put out for them to play with. Furthermore, they can ask for additional toys, or choose themselves. Finally, the written assessment records of children's learning now include each child's next steps, so that parents and staff can fully support and consolidate their progress.

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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. 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 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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • develop the book area to provide an inviting environment where children can enjoy books and stories

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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): • introduce planned opportunities for parents to discuss their children's progress with staff • provide further opportunities for parents to learn about the curriculum.

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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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