First Steps (Rocester)

First Steps (Rocester) Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 218145 Inspection date 18/09/2009 Inspector Mary Anne Henderson

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Setting address Rocester Community Centre, High Street, Rocester, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, ST14 5JU Telephone number 07815 660041 Email Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA

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T: 08456 404040 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

First Steps Pre-school opened in 1992. It operates from all areas within the community centre in the village of Rocester, near Uttoxeter. The pre-school serves the local and surrounding areas. They are registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The pre-school is registered to care for a maximum of 24 children at any one time and are currently caring for 32 children from two to under five years old. Children can attend for a variety of sessions. There is no outdoor play area. The children visit the nearby play park each week.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is open each weekday from 9.30am to 1.00pm term time only. The pre-school supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those children who speak English as an additional language. There are five members of staff working with the children. Three members of staff have recognised early years qualifications. One member of staff is working towards an early years qualification. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the effectiveness of the early years provision is good. The staff work well with the management and the committee. There are positive relationships with the parents and their children. The staff and management also liaise with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), thereby, promoting inclusion for all children on roll. The indoor space provides a good range of learning and development opportunities for children including daily physical play. Systems in place to evaluate the setting are good and includes input from management, staff, committee, most parents and the children. The capacity to make further improvement is strong.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure all parents are meaningfully involved in the self-evaluation processes of the setting  encourage children to develop positive relationships with community members such as police officers and firefighters.

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the early years provision

The leadership and management of the pre-school is good. The staff and management team work well to foster positive relationships with the parents and their children. Staff liaise very well with other providers of the Early Years This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Foundation Stage (EYFS) which ensures inclusion for all children. The systems in place to monitor and evaluate the quality of the provision are good and includes input from management, staff, most parents and the children. However, the systems do not yet include all parents. The capacity to make further improvement on an ongoing basis is strong.

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the early years provision

The children feel safe because the staff foster positive relationships with them ensuring they feel secure and cared for. Risk assessment procedure includes areas, equipment and toys and all outings involving the children including weekly visits to the nearby play park. Children are protected because all staff are aware of the policies and procedures to be followed. The staff ensure good standards of hygiene are implemented throughout the setting, thereby, ensuring children's health and wellbeing is maintained. Improvements made since the last inspection ensures children's learning and welfare is well maintained.

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the early years provision

The staff engage with the parents well. Parents have access to their child's learning and development files at all times which provides parents with information about their child's ongoing progression. Daily verbal exchanges of information between the parents and the child's key worker ensures children's needs are identified and met. The parents have free access to the setting's policies and procedures.

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and outcomes for children

Children find out about their environment, identifying features and noticing the natural world. They enjoy local walks to look at the cows and sheep in the fields and talk about how they live and what they eat. The children also like to go on a bear hunt looking at the trees and how they change through the seasons and finding insects to look at and talk about. They also walk around the village to look at the different buildings and pop into the village church to look around and chat to the vicar. Children enjoy visits to the shop to buy ingredients for their baking activities. In finding out about their environment the children enjoy having visitors to the pre- school. This includes the local vet who comes in to talk to the children about pet care and the osteopath who comes in to talk to the children about caring for themselves and their posture. Parents also bring in animals such as guinea pigs for

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and outcomes for children

the children to hold and talk about. Other visitors include the music lady who comes in to play music and sing with the children. Currently, visitors from the community such as police officers, road safety and fire safety officers are not regularly invited to the setting to talk to the children. This may possibly compromise this area of children's learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children are beginning to recognise the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle and those things that contribute to this. They know to wash their hands before eating and after visiting the toilet and do this independently. Generally, parents provide packed lunches for their child. The group provides a broad range of vegetables and fruit for children's snack's which are accessible as and when children want them throughout the morning session. During this time, children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 chat with their peers and the staff about the benefits of healthy eating and why they need to be physically active. The children are beginning to move with control and use a range of equipment to develop their physical skills. They enjoy using the indoor play area to ride their trikes, use balance and climbing equipment and crawl through tunnels. They also extend their physical skills when using the nearby play

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and outcomes for children

park which they visit every week to run around on the grass and play on the roundabout and climb and balance equipment under close supervision of the staff. The children use a broad range of tools to extend their small muscle movement, such as glue sticks paintbrushes and crayons to make their own pictures to take home or display in the pre-school. This promotes their sense of belonging. Children are well behaved and have a sound regard for one another and the adults that care for them.

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and outcomes for children

Children are beginning to use information and communication technology to support their learning. They access the laptop using the mouse to navigate around various computer programmes that support their problem solving skills. This includes exploring numbers, shapes and position. They also use table top computers to support their mathematical skills. The children enjoy using battery operated remote controlled toys such as the bee bot which provides them with opportunities to explore concepts of backwards and forwards.

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and outcomes for children

The children are beginning to understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs. They enjoy playing with a range of resources that positively reflects diversity including dolls, small world people depicting various cultures and people with disabilities and they read a range of story and reference books about various festivals around the calendar year. The children enjoy exploring festivals through arts and crafts as they paint and colour in pictures and talk about Chinese New Year and Divvali. Parents also come in to the pre-school to talk to the children and encourage them to try various foods around festival times. 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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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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Stage

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 B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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