Our Lady of Pity Annexe 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. Our Lady of Pity Annexe Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 306444 Inspection date 02/04/2009 Inspector Clare Henderson

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Setting address St Catherine's Church, Birkenhead Road, Hoylake, Wirral, CH47 5AF Telephone number 0151 632 6336 Email Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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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.

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Introduction

The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration whichever is the later, which require Ofsted or the provider to take action in Annex C.

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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). This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Our Lady of Pity Annexe Pre-School has been registered since 1994 and is managed by a committee. It operates from rooms within the St Catherine's Church Centre in Hoylake, Wirral. There is a safely enclosed area for outdoor play. The pre-school operates from 09.00 to 11.40 Monday to Friday and 12.40 to 15.20 Monday to Thursday in term time only. However, sessions may vary dependent on the number of children on roll in any given school year. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and provides care for a maximum of 24 children. There are currently 24 children on roll in receipt of nursery education funding. All children are in the three to five years age group. Three children are at an early stage of learning English. The setting employs five staff who all hold qualifications in early years care and education. These comprise two with National Vocation Qualification at level 3, two at level 2 and one with an NNEB qualification.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of provision is outstanding. All children, including those at an early stage of learning English, receive an extremely high standard of care and participate in very stimulating and exciting learning experiences which facilitate their excellent progress. The pre-school has gone from strength to strength since its last inspection and has an excellent capacity to extend further because all staff provide outstanding support and ensure each child’s individual needs are met. A continuous review of practice and extremely effective teamwork underpin the drive for improvement. Staff training in the Early Years Foundation Stage is secure and regularly updated.

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further?

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

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further?

 continue to make use of all available Early Years Foundation Stage courses in order to promote staff development and familiarity with all aspects of early years care and education.

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provision

Parents, grandparents and childminders collecting children exclaim, ‘It is brilliant here, staff are so approachable’ and again, ‘They are very good at communicating what the children have been learning and how we can follow this up at home’. Parents have opportunities to participate in their children’s learning by helping in the setting, or serving on the committee. They receive an extensive range of information on the setting, the curriculum and their child's welfare and progress. Comprehensive records and exemplary agreements with parents, together with positive utilisation of parental knowledge of their child’s development, support This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children’s individual needs highly effectively. Outstanding links with local schools make transition into Reception a smooth and seamless process for all concerned.

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provision

Staff’s first-rate understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage results in a well-planned curriculum which takes account of children’s views and ensures adults provide an inclusive learning environment both indoors and outside. All children benefit from the joint managers' outstanding understanding of safeguarding issues and the excellent systems to support and train all adults in this important aspect of their work. All staff are suitably vetted and detailed health and safety risk assessments are undertaken. The setting is reflective and evaluates its practice in depth. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed, very effective and continually available so that parents and carers fully understand how the setting works. Staff support systems are very good and they have a highly successful partnership with the committee, which leads to improvements to further enhance children’s experiences, for instance, in bidding for funds and subsequently using

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provision

them to develop outdoor provision further.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

All children make outstanding progress in their learning and development as a result of the high priority staff place on their welfare. Effective daily observations of the child at play, together with regular assessments, ensure that staff have an excellent knowledge of what each child knows and can do. This helps them plan for future learning successfully. High staffing ratios ensure plenty of adult support is readily available to cater for each individual’s needs and to make their learning fun. Through purposeful questioning, adults probe children’s imaginations and memories. As a result, they extend their language development and understanding of the world highly effectively, whether they are baking crispy cakes or engaging in purposeful role play during their ‘Pets and Vets’ topic.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are eager, happy learners because the setting provides a stimulating, exciting and purposeful curriculum. Both inside and outdoors, the environment is secure, hygienic and extremely well planned. Children enjoy making choices in their play because staff plan for this continually. They play cooperatively within a very calm atmosphere, learning to share, accept and care for one another. Parents comment that they particularly value the development of these strong social and moral skills. Staff extend children's knowledge of diversity within their environment and ability to empathise with others through, for instance, capitalising on the occupations, race and cultural differences of the parents. Those who are new to life in England are welcomed and, through opportunities to share their customs and traditions, children feel important and highly valued and grow increasingly confident at speaking in English. Frequent visits from children with specific learning

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

needs who attend a local school enable the children to learn from and to respect those who are different.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are learning strong self-care skills, for example, how to use a knife safely to butter their crackers at snack time. They understand that they wash their hands prior to eating because, 'there could be germs on our hands from using the glue'. Adults make excellent use of the limited outdoor space and adjoining park to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 ensure that children can explore, experiment and generally enjoy themselves daily in the outdoors. Inside, staff provide opportunities for children to develop physical skills, such as climbing, jumping and dancing. Children have excellent access to high quality play resources including computers. All children use and enjoy books, learn and sing rhymes and join in with conversations. The development of communication, language and literacy skills is a key strength. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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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

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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.

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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

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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?

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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

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Annex C: complaint/s made to Ofsted

This section of the report includes details of any complaint/s made to Ofsted when:  we took action for the provider to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register; or  we asked the provider to take action in order to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register; or  the provider had already taken any necessary action to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register.

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Annex C: complaint/s made to Ofsted

We will not report on any complaint where the provider met the requirements of the Early Years Register or did not require any action by Ofsted or the registered provider.

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Detail of the complaint/s

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration.

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Detail of the complaint/s

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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