Headstart Education Centre

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. Headstart Education Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY366020 Inspection date 07/07/2009 Inspector Jennifer Liverpool

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Setting address 56-62 Church Road, LONDON, E12 6AF

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Telephone number 0208 478 3708 Email headstart@hotmail.co.uk 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 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

Headstart Education Centre opened in January 2008. It is managed by management committee made up mainly by parents and community members. The nursery operates from two rooms in Church road studio, which is situated in Manor Park, in the London borough of Newham. A maximum of 40 children, aged three to five years, may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open Monday to Thursday from 08.45 to 13.30, term time only. Holidays reflect the Islamic calendar. The nursery provides a religious ethos based on Islamic traditions.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 28 children aged from three to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) on roll and of these 23 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and wider catchment areas. The nursery supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs six members of staff. Five of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications and one staff member is working towards a qualification. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the early years provision is satisfactory. Suitable arrangements are in place to ensure that children are generally safeguarded though a few shortcomings have been identified. Children are making sound progress in their learning and development as they are supported within planned activities and in their free play. A sense of belonging and harmony is encouraged through daily routine and Islamic traditions. Positive partnership with parents enables children to benefit from consistency of care and learning. The management team and practitioners have begun to identify their strengths and areas for improvements, thus demonstrating a satisfactory capacity to maintain continuous improvement for the care and learning of children.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 make soiled paper hand towels inaccessible to children  ensure that the fire extinguishers are maintained in good working order  make sure that all children's learning and development are consistently monitored and assessed in order to fully support and extend their learning across the curriculum and encourage parents to contribute to their child's assessment  improve the system for record keeping by including relevant details such as the time of the events in the accident and incident books  extend children's knowledge of cultures within and beyond the nursery through activities and resources and provide dual language books to raise their awareness of different scripts This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 complete relevant forms and send to the regulator at the earliest opportunity in order that checks can be undertaken to ensure that persons managing the care of children are suitable to do so (Suitable people) 14/07/2009  maintain the record of attendance to show children's arrival and departure times (Documentation) 14/07/2009

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provision

The management and practitioners work well together as they are clear about their roles and responsibilities for the care of children. Sufficient steps are taken to develop and update practitioner's knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and other related childcare courses. In addition, the management and practitioners are committed to making improvements for children through the use of a self- evaluation system and responding to parents' questionnaires. For example, the setting provides a balance of adult led activities alongside play that children initiate themselves, thus promoting children's learning and development. Also practitioners are continuing to review policies to ensure that they are in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements. All mandatory documents for the safety and welfare of children are in place, though the times of events are missed on accident and incident records. Children's attendance record does not show their arrival or

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provision

Practitioner's sufficient knowledge of child protection issues helps to protect children from harm. The process for the recruitment and vetting of staff is appropriate and ensures that practitioners are suitable to work with children. Whilst the management team is clear about the requirements for the notification of a change of manager, they have failed to provide the regulator with the relevant forms required in order to check the suitability of the acting manager. This is a breach of a welfare requirement. Although the nursery has no direct access to an outdoor play area, practitioners provide children with opportunities to visit the local park where children participate in relay and sack races and ball games. Children's health is generally maintained as hand washing at routine times is encouraged and staff ensure that the environment is kept clean for children to play and learn. However, children have easy access to soiled hand paper towels in the bathroom as not all

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provision

bins have lids. Regular risk assessments and procedures for security generally maintain children's safety within the setting, although the fire extinguishers have not been checked for two years.

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provision

Children benefit from practitioners' positive partnership with their parents. Practitioners obtain relevant information about children's health, development and abilities to establish their starting point. Consequently, this ensures consistency of care for children and helps practitioners to build on what children already know This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and can do. Practitioners encourage parents involvement in their children's learning by sharing general information, assessment reports and by giving suggestions regarding activities that can support children's learning at home. However, parents are not always encouraged to contribute to their child's assessment.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children feel secure in the care of the practitioners and close interaction reveals that trusting relationships are formed. Children are familiar with the daily routine and know what to expect at different times of the session. Consequently, they respond well to changes within the session, such as focus group activities led by practitioners, whole group activities that include circle time opportunities and free play where they independently choose from the activities that are set out. All children are beginning to develop a spiritual awareness and a sense of belonging as they participate in reciting the Qur'an with practitioners at the beginning of the session. On the whole, children are making sound progress in their learning and development, though some children's progress is stronger in areas, particularly when their abilities are regularly monitored and the outcome of their assessment is used to inform planning. However, not all children's abilities

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

and current stage of development are fully known as in some cases assessments are not always updated regularly to see how these children are progressing.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children learn about their own traditions and beliefs through discussions, celebrations and in Islamic books. However, their awareness of other cultures and faiths is not always encouraged as there are limited resources that reflect positive images of diversity. All children are confident speakers and have a growing vocabulary. They enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. Some older children are beginning to write their own name on their work and younger children are provided with a range of opportunities and support to develop early writing skills. Staff provide daily opportunities for older children to learn to link sounds to alphabet letters, whilst younger children are supported to become aware of rhyming words. Many of the children in the setting are bilingual and they have opportunities to learn about and recognise Arabic letters and numbers. Whilst there is labelling displayed on the walls and on resources, which enables children

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

to recognise that print has meaning, opportunities for children to see scripts written in their first language or different languages in books and on labels are rarely seen.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children show interests in problem solving, reasoning and numeracy through counting during practical routines; measuring and comparing their heights; learning to recognise different coins and developing an understanding of what is more or less when playing shops in the role play area. Children explore paint, texture and form through activities such as fruit painting prints, sand play that includes lentils and rice and using recycled boxes to make models. Suitable topics about buildings and structures and regular trips in the community enable children to learn about some of the common features in their environment. For example, children see the temple and mosques when walking to the park. They have access to a computer and this is used to support their learning. Children receive lots of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 praise and encouragement. They respond positively to staff instructions and

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

demonstrate a willingness to help practitioners with tidying up. Children's independence is promoted in a number of ways that includes accessible storage facilities that enable children to make decisions about their play and they help themselves to drinking water from the availability of water jugs throughout the session. Children are offered fresh fruits for snacks each day, which enables them to develop healthy eating habits. Practitioners are warm, friendly and calm and in turn, children demonstrate positive behaviour and cooperate well with their peers. 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? 3 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? 3

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 3 How well are children helped to be healthy? 3 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 3 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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