Saint Chad's Anglican Pre-School

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated. Saint Chads Anglican Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number EY353970 Inspection date 23/04/2009 Inspector Amanda Gill

p.1

Setting address Church Hall, Eric Road, Romford, Essex, RM6 6JH

p.1

Telephone number 0208 5978076 Email stchadschurch@btinternet.com Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.1

Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.2

Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

p.2

Introduction

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.2

Description of the setting

St Chad's Anglican Pre-school is run by St Chad's Anglican Pre school Management Committee. It opened in 2007 and operates from a church hall. It is situated in a residential area in Romford in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. It is open each weekday from 09:30 to 12:00 for 38 weeks of the year.

p.3

Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 26 children may attend at any one time. There are currently 33 children aged from two to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The pre-school currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

p.3

Description of the setting

There are 11 members of staff, seven of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least NVQ level 2 and three are currently working towards an early years qualification. The setting works closely with the local authority and provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds.

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding. The staff have excellent knowledge of each of the children's individual needs, as a result staff promote the children's welfare and learning development with great success. All children engage in activities and have equal access to the wide range of play activities, equipment and resources. Children’s welfare is well promoted with very good organisation for risk assessment and staff have an excellent knowledge of safeguarding children and policies and procedures are fully reflected in practice.

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The setting have excellent partnerships with parents and outside agencies, which benefits and enhances the care of the children. The setting promotes inclusive practice with all the children by finding out about their unique characters and valuing their similarities and differences. The manager and staff regularly self- evaluate the provision, which ensures areas for future development are targeted and acted upon with great efficiency.

p.3

further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

p.3

further?

 continuing to reflect on practice by the way the provision meets the needs of all children in the EYFS and encourage further training and continuing to work alongside other agencies such as the Pre-School Learning Alliance (PSLA) and the advisory teacher team This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.3

provision

Children are kept extremely safe whilst they attend the pre-school. Staff carry out daily checks of the building and the resources which ensures the children are attending a safe and secure setting. Doors are continually locked when entering and leaving the building and Criminal Records Bureau checks are carried out on all staff, which enhances the safety of the children. All staff have an excellent awareness of child protection and how to safeguard children as most staff have completed safeguarding training which is a mandatory part of their employment at the preschool.

p.4

provision

Staff are highly skilled in writing the children's assessments and ensure they are linked to the early learning goals. Each member of staff is responsible for a number of key children and they record their observations on record sheets relating to each of the six areas of learning. This ensures staff are able to track the successful progress the children are making and to work on the areas which the children need extra help in. Staff have an excellent understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and are extremely aware of planning for the individual needs of the children. This ensures children are making excellent progress towards the early learning goals from their initial entry assessments.

p.4

provision

The manager and staff carry out regular self evaluation of the setting and the services it provides to the parents. A key strength for the children is the relationships the staff have built with the parents. The setting has an open door policy and regularly invites and encourages parents to participate in activities with their child. This enhances the concrete relationships between the staff and parents. Parents receive regular updates about the setting through newsletters and the review meetings take place where the staff talk to the parents about the curriculum and the excellent progress the children are making with their learning and development. Parents have an active role in how the setting is run. They receive questionnaires regarding the service provided and a suggestion box is placed in the hall way for any additional ideas and suggestions they may have for further improvements. This feedback is efficiently used to improve what is

p.4

provision

provided for the children. As a result, children benefit greatly from the relationship built between the parents and the staff. Staff work extremely well with outside agencies such as, pre-school learning alliance, local authority advisory teachers, educational psychologists to ensure the needs of the children are fully met and that they are able to progress with their development at a rate that they can cope with.

p.4

provision

The self evaluation process is used extremely well. Consequently, the manager and staff are fully aware of areas within the preschool that may need to improve and they ensure they work together as a team and with parents to ensure they are all fully involved in the process. The manager is very proactive in ensuring continuous improvement of the setting and is continually reflecting on the service provided and ways staff can develop their knowledge and skills through additional training. She also works on any ideas and suggestions given from parents and staff to ensure the pre-school maintains continuous improvement of the services it This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 provides. Ongoing suitability of staff is monitored through an effective appraisal system which identifies individual training and development needs. The result is a staff team who effectively support and include all children.

p.4

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a very warm and welcoming environment by a caring, enthusiastic and motivated staff team. Staff are fully aware of the needs of the children in their care and the children thrive. The staff provide an inclusive service where children learn about diversity at a level they can understand and ensure that they learn about what is right and what is wrong at a level appropriate to their age, enabling them to learn about valuing each other and understanding and respecting other cultures and beliefs. As a result, the staff demonstrates a very strong commitment to providing an inclusive service that meets the needs of all children attending the setting.

p.5

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are making excellent progress with their development because staff plan individually for their needs. Staff write focused assessments on the children which are then fed into the weekly planning. As a result of this staff have identified children who require extra help with the development of their language skills. The manager and staff have been working closely with the local authority to provide activities to help children with language delay, which ensures they are fully integrated into the setting. Staff have started a language programme for these children. This ensures the children's needs are being fully met by the staff. Staff also write meaningful spontaneous observational assessments on the children which they use to aid their planning. This ensures all children attend a fully inclusive pre-school.

p.5

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children have access to an excellent range of resources, which they are able to self-select, enhancing their acquisition of independence skills. All six areas of learning are covered by the resources and activities that are on offer to the children throughout the day. This ensures children are able to make excellent progress through all areas. Children's independence skills are further enhanced as they self select from the rolling snack tables both inside and outside in the garden where they can choose and help themselves from a range of healthy snacks, such as, carrot sticks, crisp breads with dip, cucumber, tomatoes and bananas and milk or water to drink. Children's health is further nurtured through daily opportunities to explore the fantastic garden area outside and through rigorous hygiene procedures. Children are able to independently wash their hands and staff explain to the children the importance of doing this.

p.5

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Staff are extremely knowledgeable in adapting activities to suit the needs of the children. Children play excitedly with different materials such as play bark. Staff arrange spades and buckets so that the children can independently dig up the bark from the large buckets and place it into the plastic cement mixer and wooden wheelbarrows. The children are intrigued to see which one they can fill up first and enjoy counting as they spin the handle of the cement mixer. Staff give children the opportunity to talk about how heavy and light the bark is and what it feels and smells like. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children are keen to participate in the range of activities provided and are encouraged to independently select resources and initiate their own activities and games. Activities around the room follow the theme of bears and children have fun dressing up in the bear costumes and acting out the story of goldilocks and the

p.5

The quality and standards of the early years provision

three bears. Children are very polite and cooperative. They willingly take turns and follow simple instructions. Children are extremely happy and settled in the pre- school as the manager and staff provide a child centred, welcoming environment in which children can play, learn and relax. A calm and supportive environment helps children learn to play and learn together and as a result of this children greatly enjoy learning.

p.6

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Staff extend children's learning by the language they use with them. They ensure they use open-ended questions which makes the children think about what they are doing, for example, talking about the sounds of the instruments and how they sound like the rain, during a musical session in the garden area. Children work very well together and have good relationships with their peers. Staff are excellent role models to the children; as a result they are extremely well behaved. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.6

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.7

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

p.7

of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How well does the provision promote inclusive practice? 1 The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement.

p.7

Foundation Stage led and managed?

How effective is the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement? How well does the setting work in partnership with parents and others? How well are children safeguarded? 1

p.7

Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 1 How well are children helped to be healthy? 1 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 1 How well are children helped to make a positive contribution? How well are children helped develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being?

p.7

Years Foundation Stage promoted?

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.7