Jiminy Crickets Pre-School

Jiminy Crickets Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 507959 Inspection date 11/11/2009 Inspector Amanda Shedden

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Setting address Ashford Hill Cricket Club, Chapel Lane, Ashford Hill, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 8BE Telephone number 07709 937773 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

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

Jiminy Cricket Pre-School operates from Ashford Hill Cricket Club, Chapel Lane, Thatcham, situated in a rural area, and has been registered since 1990. The playgroup is run by a parents committee.

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Description of the setting

The hall offers the pre-school the use of a hall and access to kitchen and toilets. The outside play area surrounds the hall and there is an enclosed garden area.

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Description of the setting

There is an open admission policy serving the local community and it is open from 9am to 3pm on Mondays, Tuesdays 9.15am to 1.15pm and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9.15am to 12.15pm, term time only excluding bank holidays.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register for 15 children. At present, there are 16 on roll in the early years age range all of whom attend on a part-time basis. There are four members of staff, three of whom have a level 2 or above qualification in childcare.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school has funded three and four year olds and caters for children with additional learning needs or disabilities.

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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

Children are offered a wide range of interesting and worthwhile activities that are supporting them in making good progress linked to the early learning goals. The staff's knowledge of the children enables all children to be fully included and their individual needs met. Staff work together with other agencies to identify targets for further improvement that will benefit the children.

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further?

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

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further?

 further develop assessments and planning to ensure all areas of the curriculum are delivered equally  ensure that children have access to clean water to wash their hands in  ensure that the policies reflect the procedures.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded effectively because all of the staff have a good understanding of how to keep children safe and are aware of the procedures if they had a concern about a child. Robust procedures are in place to ensure that only staff that are suitable to work with children are appointed and no adult is left This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 alone with a child unless they have been fully vetted. There are good systems in place for the arrival and departure of children to ensure they are safe. Risk assessments are in place and are used to ensure that the environments the children use both inside and outside are safe. The majority of the staff have current first aid certificates enabling a child to be treated quickly and effectively if they were to have an accident. The procedures for administering medication and the recording of accidents are fully in place and used correctly.

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the early years provision

Senior staff monitor the provision and have long term plans for the pre-school. All staff are asked to contribute to the evaluations made on the provision along with other agencies to identify any areas of improvement or changes that will benefit the children. For instance, they have recently fenced in an area of the garden and obtained more resources for the children to explore and investigate.

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the early years provision

This is a well resourced pre-school; the environment is very child friendly with displays of the children's work giving the children a sense of belonging. The planning of activities includes the rotation of resources and children are able to request for different ones to be brought out if they wish. The resources on display are arranged to encourage children to self select encouraging their independence. Staff ensure that all children are fully included whatever their abilities may be by differentiating the activities to enable all children to progress.

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the early years provision

Partnership with the children's other early years providers has not yet been fully developed. They do however, have positive relationships with the local school supporting children's transition into school. When needed they work with other agencies such as health visitors and area inclusion officers to ensure that the children's individual needs are being fully met.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents is very positive; the parents are very supportive of the pre-school, they at times help out during the sessions or undertake jobs such as tidying away, providing items for snack or being on the committee. They are fully aware of the records kept on their child and are asked to contribute to their child's next steps to enable learning to be continued at home. Parents' views are sought and acted upon for example, meetings with the staff have increased and children all take snack together as requested by the majority of parents. Parents acknowledge that they have seen the policies and procedures ensuring they are aware of each other's responsibilities. However, the policies do not always reflect the practice. All necessary written permissions are in place which support the staff in caring for the children appropriately.

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and outcomes for children

Children are offered a wide range of activities and experiences that support them in making good progress. Staff have a good understanding of child development and how it links to the early learning goals. They undertake observations on the children and identify the child's individual next steps and this information is used when staff are interacting with the children. Staff make plans both for adult- initiated activities and to support child-led activities. However, there is no tracking This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 system in place to ensure that all six areas are being equally offered, giving the children a balanced curriculum.

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and outcomes for children

The children arrive happily and eager to see what there is today to play with. They know the routine of the session well; first self registering by finding their name and putting it on the board and then having free play until snack time. Children have many opportunities during the session to enhance their language and literacy skills. They use white boards to draw on, write their names on their work and use the magnetic letters to form their names. They listen to familiar stories interacting with the member of staff calling out the last lines on the pages. They are encouraged to talk about events that have happened to them and they have conversations with each other during their play.

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and outcomes for children

Children are becoming confident in their computing skills, choosing programmes using the mouse and interacting with the game. They use boxes sticking them together to make rockets and gifts for their friends. They have examined mini beasts using magnifying glasses and frequently go for nature walks in the surrounding area. Children work together to make the train track and take turns using the resources with the play dough.

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and outcomes for children

Children have many activities and experiences to use their imaginations, they dress up as super heroes, create lovely pictures using the paints where staff make the most of incidental opportunities to talk about colour and what happens when colours are mixed, encouraging children to predict what the colour will change into as they mix the paints. They enjoy playing circle games and singing familiar songs and rhymes.

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and outcomes for children

Children feel secure in the pre-school; they have good relationships with the staff who know them well. They know about the rules such as no running indoors and when going out to play that they have to wait until they are told to enter any particular area as a member of staff makes sure it is safe for them. They practise the evacuation procedure regularly ensuring they would know what to do if an evacuation was necessary.

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and outcomes for children

They are becoming confident and learning about healthy lifestyles. They access fresh air each day and they bring healthy foods in to be shared at snack time. They pour their own drinks supporting their independence skills and they help to lay the table at snack time. They are becoming confident in their self care skills, blowing their own noses then disposing of the tissue themselves and taking themselves to the toilet and washing their hands in the sink afterwards. However, they do not have access to clean water when washing their hands before snack.

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and outcomes for children

Children's behaviour is very good. They can earn stickers through a range of activities from helping to lay the table to improving in their self care skills to tidying up the resources. They cooperate with each other taking turns for instance when using the grill in the home corner or on the computer. They respond well to praise and encouragement and show real pride in their achievements for instance wanting to have a photocopy of a picture they have drawn on the white board so they can take it home or when building using the magnetic blocks eagerly showing a member of staff and keeping it until they can show their parent. 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 3 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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