Hinwick Hall College

Timsbury Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Timsbury Pre-School

Unique Reference Number 133098 Inspection date 14 November 2005 Inspector Sue Vernon

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Timsbury Pre-School

Setting Address St. Marys C of E VC Primary School, Lansdown View, Timsbury, Bath, Avon, BA2 0JR Telephone number 07960990923

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E-mail

Registered person Timsbury Pre-School Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Timsbury Playgroup was registered in 1970. It is run by a voluntary committee of parents and operates from a play room and side corridor in the local primary school in Timsbury, near Bath. The group have access to an enclosed outside area for physical activities. There are currently 44 children aged from 2 to 5 years on roll. Of these, 28 children receive nursery funding. No children attending currently have special needs or

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 English as an additional language. The group opens 5 days a week during school term times. The group is registered for full day care and offers sessions from 09.00 to 11.30 and additionally some days from 12.30 to 15.00. The group offer a lunch club on some days between the sessions. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group employs 7 part-time staff, 3 of the staff including the joint leaders have appropriate early years qualifications and 2 staff are currently working towards qualification. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is effectively promoted. The group work well with both children and parents to promote healthy eating through projects and discussion. Children enjoy nutritious snacks such as fruit and raisins at snack time with regular drinks of water or milk. Any special dietary needs are known and well supported due to clear information being gathered from parents regarding allergies or other requirements. Staff help children practise good hygiene routines such as regularly washing hands after play and before food. Children enjoy helping by taking paper towels for hand drying to the toilet area and using tissues for wiping noses. This helps them understand the need to reduce the risk of cross-infection. The written records for sickness and medication are effectively shared with parents though some detail is lacking. Children benefit from regular outdoor exercise in their enclosed play area using a

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Helping children to be healthy

variety of stimulating equipment. They relish running and stretching whilst playing parachute games and developing their co-ordination skills in music and movement sessions. They enjoy learning about the effects of exercise on their bodies, such as getting 'puffed out' after running.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are well cared for in an environment where all risks have been identified and minimised. This enables children to move around freely. They are safe and independent in their play, for example, safely exploring the sand and water play in the corridor area, then craft work and table puzzles in the main play room. Children develop an understanding about being responsible for their own safety. Staff remind them why, for example, they do not run in corridors or on the icy playground. The environment is well planned and children are attracted to the wide range of toys and resources. The play equipment is bright and modern and conforms to safety requirements. A good range of accessible low storage units enable children and staff to safely select and rotate resources smoothly between play activities. This builds

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 children's interest in their play and helps their enjoyment and concentration. Staff have effective understanding of the required procedure to be followed if any child protection concerns arise which supports children's safety.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enter happily and settle well to play due to the welcoming atmosphere created by the staff. The room is well planned with activities and play opportunities set out which enables children to confidently explore. The staff team operate a key worker system that helps them know the children well and this helps children feel secure. Effective activity planning helps staff offer an interesting range of activities. Some are linked to topics such as making diva lamps and rangoli patterns during work on the festival of Diwali. Children enjoy free play such as exploring construction kits, home corner play and craft work which builds their confidence. Planned activities such as parachute games and moving to music help them learn how to work well together. Children are helped to develop concentration skills due to the close support and consistent praise offered by the staff. Nursery Education.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. The staff team have good understanding of the Foundation Stage and work well together using the early learning goals to plan activities effectively. All staff interact well with children and use open questions very effectively. This prompts children's thinking, such as looking at ice and asking 'what is it? what's happening?'. Children are confident speakers and enjoy participating in circle time, describing their 'show and tell' items. They are familiar with mathematical language such as circles and rectangles and some count up to 10 independently. Children enjoy listening to stories and know print has meaning, making lists during role play. Opportunities for linking letters to sounds and recognising names exist but are not consistently offered. Children confidently use technology, enjoying moving the computer mouse and making pictures. They learn about the world around them through visitors such as fire

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

fighters and outings to see lambs in local farms. Children are given good opportunities to develop their physical skills such as balancing on playground equipment. They enjoy using tools effectively when exploring the variety of craft and textures offered such as clay and junk modelling. Staff engender a feeling of mutual respect by being good role models. They give consistent encouragement which helps children enjoy learning through play. Children behave well due to the high expectations of the staff. Children learn to share and take turns during group play. Observations of children's achievements contribute to their individual profile records. These are shared with parents but do not clearly identify any gaps in learning which would link back into short term planning. This would ensure all children are consistently challenged and moved on in their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children and parents receive a warm welcome on arriving in the group. Staff know them well which ensures they feel valued. Children's individual needs such as allergies are known and respected which helps them feel secure. Consistency of care between the group and parents is well promoted through setting-in routines, good paperwork and clear daily feedback. All children are included in the play opportunities, with both boys and girls enjoying cooking and home corner play. Children learn about the value of diversity through the good range of play resources offered including books and puzzles and enjoying topics on festivals such as Diwali. There is a positive approach to managing behaviour with staff consistently using smiles and praise to encourage the children. Children are supported in respecting each other which builds their self-esteem. For example, they share toys and enjoy

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Helping children make a positive contribution

passing plates to each other at snack time. Partnership with parents is good. Parents receive good information about the Foundation Stage when their child receives a funded place. Parents contribute to the record of their child's progress and are aware they can see the work folders and profiles at any time. Good information about topics and planning is displayed on the attractive notice board to encourage parental involvement. Parents are relaxed and confident about approaching staff which ensures consistency. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The group has a very positive commitment to further training and staff development that ensures staff continue to develop their skills. Training is linked to staff appraisals which assess developmental needs. This promotes support for children's continued well-being. Effective systems are in place for recruitment and induction which ensures a consistent staff approach. Good use is made of the registered areas to meet the play and care needs of the children attending. Clear policies and records are used effectively to share information with parents though some small details are lacking. Paperwork is stored with regard for confidentiality. Leadership and management is good. The voluntary committee work well with the established staff team to value and promote good quality care and education. Regular staff meetings, appraisals and access to training supports the on-going development of skills. Staff work well

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Organisation

together to plan ahead and review children's progress. However, the system for monitoring the education programme does not fully review learning effectiveness in order to inform next stage planning. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide.

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the group was asked to develop consistency in managing behaviour. They now plan staff allocation to ensure children are supported effectively during the sessions. This enables all children to participate and enjoy activities. At the last nursery inspection, the group were asked to review staff support during group activities, improve access to information technology and develop opportunities for mathematical problem solving. Children are now allocated a key worker who supports children during group activities. The computer has been moved so children enjoy free access during sessions and they have some opportunities for using maths to solve simple problems. These improvements support the development of children's learning.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. 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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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure all medical records contain full details of parental permission and administration.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • strengthen links between planning, evaluations and profiles to ensure all children are challenged and moved through the stepping stones.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • ensure consistent opportunities to link sounds to letters are offered.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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