Highworth Combined School and Nursery

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. Bidbury Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number 110403 Inspection date 13/07/2009 Inspector Una Stevens

p.1

Setting address Bidbury Infant School, Fraser Road, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 3EF Telephone number 023 92471472 Email 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). This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.2

Description of the setting

Bidbury Pre-school opened in 1998. It operates in a ground floor room in Bidbury Infants' School with access to the kitchen, toilets and outside play area of the Infants’ School. The Pre-school also uses the Infants’ School hall and music room for sessional activities. The Pre-school is a community group managed by a voluntary committee of parents and is currently exploring operational links with Bidbury Infants’ School. Children attend from the surrounding area and most move on to Bidbury Infants’ School. The setting is registered to accept up to 18 children, aged from three to under five years. There are currently 41 children on roll, including nine funded three year olds and 31 funded four year olds. There is one unfunded child on roll. The preschool supports a small number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and with English as a second language. The Pre-school opens five days a week in term time. Sessions are from 09:00 to 11:30

p.3

Description of the setting

from Monday to Friday and from 12:30 to 15:00 from Tuesday to Friday. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are seven members of staff working with the children, including five with early years qualification to NVQ level 2 or 3 and one working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Hampshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. Bidbury Pre-school is currently registered on the Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register and Voluntary Childcare Register.

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the provision is satisfactory. Dedicated and approachable staff ensure that all children are included and looked after in a clean, safe and welcoming environment. Children enjoy coming to the setting: they arrive eagerly and settle well to their chosen activities. The setting is well equipped. Careful thought is given to the provision of well-maintained resources to ensure that a good variety of activities is available to the children, indoors and out, and that they remain safe. The manager recognises the need to continuously improving the practice of the setting. To this end, she has sought advice from outside agencies, that encourage her to evaluate practice and to identify areas for improvement, that extend children’s learning further.

p.3

further?

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

p.3

further?

 improve planning and monitoring so that the next steps in children’s learning are clearly identified by key workers  build on work done so far to develop systems to share children’s progress with parents to increase their involvement with children’s learning and development

p.3

further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  obtain written permission from parents before administering medication to children (Promoting good health) (also applies to both parts of the Childcare Register) 30/09/2009  keep a written record of medicines given to children (Promoting good health) (also applies to both parts of the Childcare Register) 30/09/2009

p.3

provision

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Staff are friendly and approachable, so that all children are well integrated. The children’s welfare is given a high priority, so that the staff are successfully promoting understanding of a healthy lifestyle, staying safe and making a positive contribution to the community amongst their children. The written self-evaluation is detailed and accurately reflects the setting in a number of areas, particularly relating to welfare and resource provision. However, it is in need of revision to bring analysis of learning and development into line with the current Early Years Foundation Stage framework. The Monday afternoon session in which no children are in the setting is devoted to planning, so that planning is being satisfactorily addressed. The manager is aware that the staff are not using information about children’s progress sufficiently incisively to meet learning needs fully. They have recently introduced a

p.4

provision

new planning aid to accelerate progress in all six areas of learning, but it is in an early stage of development.

p.4

provision

The manager and her staff promote good relationships with parents. Parents report that the staff in the setting are very supportive of their children and that they are kept well informed about activities, including outings and excursions, in which they are welcome to participate. Parents are kept informed of their children’s progress on a regular basis, but there is further scope to share next steps in learning with parents.

p.4

provision

Good arrangements are in place relating to child protection, including thorough checks on staff, volunteer parents and members of the committee. Fire drills take place half-termly to further promote children’s safety, risk assessments are completed regularly and effective steps are taken to protect children from potentially harmful equipment.

p.4

The quality and standards of the early years provision

The use of the space available is regularly reviewed to ensure that it is used effectively to support children’s needs and interests. Children enter the setting eagerly and quickly select activities independently. There is good free-flow between the indoor and outdoor environment. Outdoor learning experiences are enhanced by accompanied trips to the infant school’s imaginative outdoor provision and to the adjacent park. However, some boys opt to spend too much time in the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 outdoor environment.

p.4

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Staff enjoy very good relationships with the children, with whom they interact well. They readily give praise and encouragement, so that the children make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Staff have high expectations of the children and serve as good role models. The children behave well in the calm environment of the setting. They take turns, listen to each other and share resources readily. Listening skills, described as 'limited during large group activities' at the time of the last inspection have improved considerably. The children make friends rapidly and respect others' needs, with a well-developed sense of right and wrong. Children with learning difficulties and disadvantages are well integrated, as are the few children with English as an additional language.

p.5

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Key workers observe their children carefully, record those observations and complete the learning journals in a detailed manner. Although they are monitoring the children in this way, they are not checking rates of progress sufficiently rigorously to identify the next steps in the children’s learning, so that progress is currently satisfactory, particularly in communication, language and literacy. The water and sand areas are well equipped to allow children to develop mathematical ideas. However, adult intervention, particularly by the use of open-ended questions, is not fully developed. Generous staff ratios and the contribution of volunteer parents offer children regular opportunities to talk to an adult, often informally. In their desire to support the children, on occasion staff do not give the children sufficient thinking time before providing answers.

p.5

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children have a good understanding of being healthy and safe. The setting further promotes understanding in these areas by visits from external agencies. The children are involved in discussions about the choice of snacks available to them and a strict code of hygiene is consistently reinforced.

p.5

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Currently, medication is not administered to the children in the setting, given the length of the sessions. When the sessions extend in September, the manager is aware of the need to obtain written permission from parents before administering medication to children and that a written record of medicines given to children is required. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.5

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.6

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.6

of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How well does the provision promote inclusive practice? 2 The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement.

p.6

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? 2

p.6

Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 2 How well are children helped to be healthy? 2 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?

p.6

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.6