Nunney Pre-School

Nunney Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY357967 Unique Reference Number 08 July 2008 Inspection date Susan June Stone Inspector

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The Sharon Dobson Building, c/o Nunney First School,, Catch Road, Nunney, FROME, Somerset, BA11 4NE

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Setting Address

01373 836353 Telephone number nunneypre-school@tiscali.co.uk E-mail Nunney Pre-School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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Setting Address

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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?

Nunney Pre-school has been established for many years. The pre-school moved to the current location in 2007. The pre-school is located in the grounds of Nunney First School in the village of Nunney, Somerset. The children have access to a main room and a smaller room for quiet activities. They have access to their own fully enclosed outdoor play area. The pre-school children are also able to access the school field and other school facilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school is open Monday to Friday during term times, between 08.45 and 11.45 and 12.15 to 14.45. A parent and toddler group is run from the setting on Thursday mornings. A maximum of 24 children may attend the group at any one time. There are currently 41 children on roll, which includes 31 funded three-year-olds and four-year-olds. The setting supports children with language and learning difficulties. There are no children attending who have English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Six members of staff are employed to work in the pre-school. All staff are suitably qualified and experienced for their roles and responsibilities within the setting. Ongoing training is encouraged for all staff and some staff are currently training to update their qualifications and

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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 skills. The pre-school is managed by a voluntary committee of parents who employ an administrator to coordinate the management of the setting.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school has good links with Nunney First school and has an ongoing working partnership with them. The pre-school also receives advice and support from the local authority advisors.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn about managing their own personal hygiene. They understand why they need to wash their hands, and do this independently after using the toilet facilities and messy play. They wash their hands at sinks that are at child height, where they use running water and liquid soap. Paper towels are provided for them to dry their hands. Staff remind children to wash their hands properly, using the poster displayed as a prompt. Staff also ensure the children are cared for in a clean environment. They help to prevent the spread of infection by carrying out effective cleaning routines within the setting, such as ensuring tables are cleaned before and after snack.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with regular snacks throughout the session. During the communal snack time, children are offered milk or water to drink. They enjoy the fresh fruit offered and confidently spread their own toppings on toast and crackers. Children are aware that they can ask for an additional snack of breadsticks or raisins during the session. They pour drinks of water for themselves if they are thirsty during the session, demonstrating that they are able to recognise some of their own health care needs for themselves.

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Helping children to be healthy

All staff have recently updated their training in first aid, which helps to ensure that children’s needs in an emergency medical situation are suitably addressed. There is a first aid box available for use within the setting and an additional one which is taken on outings. Both of these are regularly checked to ensure the contents meet current guidelines and are suitable for use with the children. Documentation and records are kept with regards to children's health, medical and dietary needs, to ensure they are cared for appropriately.

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Helping children to be healthy

The daily routines allow the children to participate in regular outdoor physical play. They benefit from the fresh air and are challenged to develop their gross motor skills. They run, jump, pedal bikes and use ride on toys. They develop their climbing and balancing skills when using the grassed tyre mound, where they create their own games of being action heroes or medieval knights. They access the outdoor area in all weathers. They wear waterproof suits and Wellington boots when the weather is damp and enjoy splashing and jumping in the muddy puddles.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The pre-school has recently moved into their own building, where a welcoming environment is provided for children and parents. Good security of the premises ensures there is no unauthorised access and the children remain safe from strangers. The door remains locked when children are present and has a combination keypad lock, with only certain key persons having access to the entry code. Staff create a child-friendly environment which enables the children to experience a good range of play opportunities. They have sufficient space to move about and enjoy the activities safely. The play space is organised so that the children experience

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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 a good range of play activities and opportunities. They make decisions about their own play and learning as they self-select from the toys and activities available. Each day they are able to access the outdoor area, which is also a safe and secure environment for them to be in. The pre-school has sufficient furniture and equipment available to use both inside and outside, which helps to meet the care needs of all children attending. Children enjoy using the toys available to them, which are clean, safe and suitable to use.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

To help ensure that the children can enjoy a variety of play opportunities in safe surroundings, general risk assessments are conducted of the premises each day. Staff carry out general safety checks of the indoor and outdoor areas, to ensure the environment is safe for the children to use. This helps ensure the children's safety and well-being. The staff are well deployed within the setting and appropriate adult to child ratios are maintained, which helps ensure that the children are supervised closely at all times. Staff remind the children about their own safety and well-being. There is a code of conduct that the children follow when using the bikes outside, which the children know is to prevent any accidents occurring. The pre-school has a defined procedure for the emergency evacuation of the building, which the children are frequently made aware of, so they know what they must do in the event of a real emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff ensure the children’s safety remains a priority. The children are well protected by staff who have a good understanding of their role in protecting children. All staff are aware of the setting's child protection policy and procedures. The joint managers have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibility in the safeguarding of children, making sure the children's welfare is always a priority.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children feel confident and secure in their surroundings and they are beginning to share and take turns. They interact well and play alongside each other. Good relationships have developed between staff and children. Staff have a very good understanding of the development and care needs of the children attending and help each child to enjoy their time at the setting. There is a calm, relaxed and happy atmosphere throughout the pre-school. Children are offered a balance of free play and adult-led activities which encourage them to explore and investigate using all their senses. Their personal independence is being developed as they make choices about their play and learning. They choose the activity they wish to do, such as role play, construction or painting. A good range of development activities and resources are available to the children, which encourage learning and development in all areas. Children’s care and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

development needs are well met and they are making good progress in their development and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. They are effectively involved in the activities provided to allow children to develop at their own pace. They use open-ended questions to make children think, such as ‘Where would you find…?’ Staff are in the process of reviewing and evaluating the delivery of the educational programme to ensure the individual needs of all children are identified and met. They work together to observe and report on the children's progress and achievements. Staff are fully aware of the abilities of all children attending. They make written observations of children’s achievements and use these to plan and provide for children’s future needs. Activities offered are based on children’s likes and interests.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Children are confident to attend the pre-school and separate from their parents and carers with ease. They settle to their chosen task, choosing from the activities set out each day. They mostly sit quietly at group time, and they understand the levels of expected behaviour. They respond well to the positive praise and encouragement offered by staff. They are developing their independence; they take themselves to the toilet and spread their own toppings on toast and crackers at snack time. They pour drinks of water for themselves during the session if they are thirsty, but staff do not encourage these skills at snack time as they pour the drinks for the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use language well to communicate and express their thoughts and ideas. They enjoy listening to the story at story time and join in with enthusiasm, using the pictures as a guide. Children recognise their written name on the name cards as they self register in the mornings. They confidently initiate conversations with adults and each other, and eagerly talk about what they are doing or what they know.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show an interest in numbers and counting. They count spontaneously within their chosen play. They can name a variety of colours and shapes. They use their knowledge of size and shape when completing number puzzles. They count the dots and recognize the numbers in the numeral form to help them complete the puzzle of a clock face. They say if they need longer or shorter pieces of sticky tape when making models from boxes and junk.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Through topic work and themes they are learning about different festivals, cultures and beliefs. They are learning to value and respect others' views and beliefs. They are developing an appreciation of wildlife and nature as they explore and investigate, growing plants and vegetables in the pre-school garden and watching the development of tadpoles and newts in the pre-school pond. They are developing their computer skills during structured activities using the pre-school computer.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have access to many different creative activities like collage, painting, play dough and cooking. Staff are appropriately involved in these activities. They supervise the children and allow them to develop their own artistic flair and design; they encourage self expression and provide a variety of resources and materials to develop this. A child proudly shows off their model aeroplane that they have made from boxes and cardboard. Children use their imagination well during role play activities, such as pretending to care for babies, or be medieval knights and kings of the realm, using dressing up clothes to enhance their characters.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children move around the setting with confidence. They successfully negotiate space when pushing pushchairs around the room. They use a variety of tools and equipment with increasing control and dexterity, such as rolling pins, cutters and paintbrushes. Children are offered regular opportunities for outdoor physical play which contributes to their physical development and coordination. Children successfully negotiate and show an awareness of others when they pedal on bikes or balance on scooters. They move their bodies in different ways as they pretend to fly like a butterfly or gallop like a horse. Overall, children are making good progress in all areas of learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are building good relationships with staff and peers. They play well individually or together in small groups. They know the levels of expected behaviour and behave well. They are aware of the realistic boundaries that have been set and respond effectively to staff direction.

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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 Staff use lots of praise and encouragement, show a united approach and are positive role models for the children. The children demonstrate good manners and are polite, saying 'please' and 'thank you' when appropriate, such as at snack time. Staff know the children well; they effectively monitor and support children's individual needs. Discussions indicate suitable support is offered for children with learning difficulties or English as an additional language. The group liaise with other professionals and agencies to ensure a consistent approach is offered and children's specific needs are identified and addressed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Through planned activities children are offered opportunities to learn about themselves, each other and the wider world around them. They look at and explore nature as they watch the tadpoles and newts in the pre-school pond. They have planted a variety of plants in the pre-school garden, including potatoes, tomatoes, onions, herbs and sunflowers. The children celebrate a variety of festivals and have access to a range of resources which help to promote positive attitudes to diversity. The children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the staff's friendly relationship with parents. Information about the provision is shared through newsletters, the notice board and the group prospectus. A detailed notice board in the main hall foyer contains information about the provision. The pre-school policies and procedures are also readily available to parents. Staff are available to talk with parents each day. These discussions help to ensure that the individual needs of the children are identified and addressed. Parents also have the choice of using home link books as an additional means of sharing information with the setting. The partnership with parents is good. Parents are happy with the care their children receive and it is apparent that there are good relationships between parents and staff. Children’s progress records are available for parents to see at any time, and information about the activities offered is on display for parents to see.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are also encouraged to be involved in their children’s learning and often offer additional resources such as dressing up clothes when the recent topic was ‘role play’.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Daily sessions are well organised to ensure that suitable care and education is provided for all children attending. The children benefit from a variety of different play opportunities which support their development and learning. They experience a well organised environment with a balance of free play and adult-led activities that enable them to play and explore freely. The sessions are organised by the joint pre-school managers and pre-school staff. They work well together and are well motivated. Staff and volunteers are effectively deployed within the setting to ensure adult to child ratios and the quality of care is well maintained. Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities and work well together to provide for the children’s needs. They are well qualified and experienced in childcare, and have a good understanding of child development. They continue to attend ongoing training courses and workshops to update and

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Organisation

improve their knowledge and skills. They have recently attended training with regards to the Early Years Foundation Stage framework that is soon to be introduced.

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Organisation

The leadership and management are good. The pre-school is run by a volunteer committee of parents who oversee the general organisation and running of the setting. The setting has an administrator, whose role is to coordinate between staff and committee to ensure suitable support is available to the pre-school staff. The committee and staff work well together. This has been especially apparent during the recent change of premises where they all ensured the move went smoothly and did not affect the children’s care and education. The committee

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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 ensures that all necessary operational policies and procedures are in place, and regularly reviewed to ensure they meet current legislation and guidance. This helps to ensure the outcomes for children are promoted and helps to contribute to children's health and well-being.

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Organisation

The required documentation relating to the children's education, care, health and safety is in place to ensure that they are cared for appropriately and the outcomes for children are promoted. However, parent signatures are not always gained to give consent to administer long term medication, such as asthma inhalers. Documentation is suitably stored in a locked office to ensure confidentiality is maintained. Overall, the pre-school meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Not applicable: this is the first inspection since registration.

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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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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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): • further develop children's independence at snack time by allowing them to pour their own drinks • make sure all consents to administer long term medication are signed by parents

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • continue to develop activity plans and evaluations, to ensure children's individual learning and development needs are identified and provided for.

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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 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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