Malmesbury School

Jigsaw Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Jigsaw Pre-School

Unique Reference Number 137308 Inspection date 10 October 2005 Inspector Denys Rasmussen

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Jigsaw Pre-School

Setting Address Coney Hill Road, Coney Hall, West Wickham, Kent, BR4 9BU

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E-mail

Registered person Coney Hill Baptist Church Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional 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?

Jigsaw Pre-School operates from the Coney Hall Baptist Church premises, situated within a residential road in Coney Hall, West Wickham. Available space includes a large hall, a smaller adjoining hall and a side room. There is an enclosed, secure outdoor area available for outdoor play. All children are allocated to a key worker and are grouped according to age and stage of development for part of the morning. The service has a Christian ethos and is available to anybody within the community.

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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 It is open Monday to Friday from 09:00 until 12:00. There is a minimum daily attendance of 7 staff of whom at least 50% are qualified. Staff who are presently unqualified are currently undertaking relevant training. The nursery can care for a maximum of 36 children at any one time. Currently there are 52 children on roll, of these 25 3 and 4-year-olds are funded for nursery education. The group supports children with special needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn the importance of good personal hygiene, they know when to wash their hands and why they need to brush their teeth. The use of liquid soap and paper towels helps to prevent the risk of cross contamination. Children are protected from the spread of infection because of the pre school's effective sick child policy. All staff are trained in first aid ensuring that accidents are dealt with appropriately. Clear and accurate records are kept, for example about any accidents that have occurred. This ensures that children's health needs are met and information can be effectively shared with the parents. The pre school keep good records about children's health needs and dietary requirements including any allergies. These are complied with to keep children healthy. Children enjoy a wide range of activities, which contribute to their good health. Each day there are outdoor activities to help them develop control of their bodies, for

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Helping children to be healthy

example as they ride on wheeled toys and negotiate the climbing frame. Garden games and indoor music and movement sessions improve children's physical skills. They become increasingly aware of the way activity affects their bodies, for example when they are encouraged to listen to their heartbeat. Children are encouraged to develop healthy eating habits through the use of a milk bar. This encourages children to access water or milk independently and to eat fruit and vegetables. Children learn about healthy living through good topic work. They discuss healthy and less healthy foods, why they need to brush their teeth and why physical exercise is important to their good health. This helps them to make healthy choices.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a welcoming environment where their work is displayed and information for parents is readily available. The premises is comfortably warm and is separated into learning areas which provide a range of activities to promote children's development. Children have access to a wide range of good quality play materials that are checked for safety and are appropriate for their age and stage of development.

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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 risk of accidental injury is minimised because staff monitor safety arrangements regularly and take steps to reduce hazards. For instance, they monitor the accident book and identify any risks to ensure measures are taken to keep children safe. However, daily risk assessments are not always sufficiently thorough which can impact on children's safety. Regular fire drills help children become familiar with the procedures so they learn how to leave the premises quickly and safely. Children learn to keep themselves safe when staff remind them of the rules during outings such as holding hands and not picking up things off the floor. Children are well protected, the staff recognise their responsibility to the children in their care. Key staff have attended up-to-date training ensuring the correct

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

procedures are followed if there are any concerns about a child's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children throughout the pre school are generally confident within the setting and have built secure relationships with the staff. Most arrive happily and quickly settle at an activity. Staff consistently interact in a supportive and warm manner with children and have a secure knowledge of child development which improves children's achievements. They enjoy participating in a varied programme which develops communication skills well and promotes physical development creatively. 'Circle time' and 'show and tell' are used skilfully by the staff to develop children's listening skills and to build children's confidence when their contributions are valued. They play imaginatively using all of their senses and gain good levels of self-esteem. The children are age grouped for some of the time which helps to extend their play according to their age and ability. Children are encouraged to be independent by

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

using the 'milk bar' and by putting their work in their named pouch. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Activities are planned well around the six areas of learning and include outcomes for children based on the early learning goals. The plans are themed with topics such as transport, animals, food, buildings, clothes and weather which helps children to gain knowledge and understanding of the world around them. There is a good system to track children's progress. The use of assessment is good, allowing staff to have clear knowledge of children's individual abilities and areas for progression. Staff's observation skills ensure children are assessed effectively in all areas of learning. Staff build good relationships with the children and help them to behave well through the good use of praise, for instance when they help tidy up or complete a task. Children are interested and motivated to learn because of the well organised and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

stimulating activities on offer. Children show a strong sense of belonging as they greet each other and staff on arrival. They show and speak proudly about pictures and objects they have made. They engage in their play as they select and carry out activities and assume responsibility for personal care. They participate in discussion and speak confidently to share their experiences. The staff use props well to engage the children and sustain their interest during story time. Children are beginning to

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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 recognise words and letters through the staff's good use of labels. The children mark their own work and are confident to use writing in a variety of ways for instance in the role play area on the clip board. This all contributes to their communication, language and literacy development. Children learn about size, shape and measure through good practical activities. They experiment in the sand and water trays. They use size language to describe and compare and sing songs that introduce them to early addition and subtraction. The children like to count, they count how many puzzle pieces, how many children in the role play area and how many fingers is the same as their age. They grow in confidence as they problem solve, complete a puzzle or fill a container with water. This promotes their mathematical development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The good use of props help children to learn about the world around them and their own safety. For example, they make traffic lights, a pedestrian crossing and a kerb and take turns driving the car. They know about different animals and whether they live in a hot or cold climate. The children are introduced to a variety of different countries and their culture, for instance different buildings, different types of food and different ways to dress. They are encouraged to bring in things from around the world for discussion. Children learn how things work, for instance when they put the cogs and wheels together and talk about how it is similar to their bike at home. They are skilled at the computer and complete simple programmes. This all promotes children's knowledge and understanding of the world. Children are given worthwhile activities to practise and consolidate their manipulative skills, they play with gloop,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

play dough, pastry, clay and sand. They use tools with increasing control such as scissors and pencils. Children enjoy the outdoor play space, they run, climb, hop and use wheeled toys with skill. Music and movement sessions are planned well to promote physical development. The action songs, throwing the bean bag, musical games, balancing beams, climbing frame, ball games and relaxation tapes all help children learn to control their body. Children use their imagination well during role play and using small world equipment. Children sometimes create things which focus on the end product led by an adult and this does not encourage self expression or learning through the process. They experiment with musical instruments making weather sounds. They explore colour when painting at the easel and can differentiate colour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children show a sense of belonging when they share their experiences about their family, friends and pre school. Resources positively represent the children attending as well as individuals from the wider community. They are encouraged to develop an awareness of people in their local community, for example visits from fire service, dentist, Minister, library and outings to local parks and shops. They learn about the wider world through worthwhile topic based activities. This all helps children to develop a positive attitude and respect for each other. Children's self-esteem is fostered when staff praise them and recognise their achievements, such as when they tidy up or are kind to somebody. Children are generally well behaved and work harmoniously with each other in response to the realistic boundaries and expectations of staff. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 and cultural development. Children benefit from the positive partnership staff have developed with parents. This ensures children settle well and their individual needs are met. Children build good relationships with staff ensuring they are happy and secure in their environment. Children with special needs are well supported because staff work closely with parents and outside professionals and one to one support is available. The partnership with parents of children receiving nursery education is good. Samples of work and photographic evidence enables parents to have clear guidance on how their child is developing. These are used to inform the planning and are shared with parents on a regular basis. Parents are offered parents evenings to discuss their child. They are encouraged to share their skills and interests with the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

pre school and often help children at the computer or on outings. The pre school provides opportunities for parents to learn about the Foundation Stage and how to develop this at home. For example, workshops and parent afternoons when parents are invited to look at and take part in the activities with their children. This helps promote children's development.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Space, staff and resources are well organised to create a stimulating and accessible environment where children are busy and occupied throughout the session. Children are cared for by suitably qualified staff who have been appropriately vetted, due to effective recruitment procedures. Induction training policies and procedures mostly work well in practice, ensuring the efficient and safe management of the pre school. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of child development, and the pre school has high staff to children ratios. This enables them to meet children's individual needs and support children with additional needs well. Leadership and management of the nursery education is good. There is a strong commitment to develop the provision and effective systems in place to monitor and evaluate teaching. This ensures that improvements are made and any potential weaknesses are identified at an early stage. Staff development is encouraged

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Organisation

ensuring practice is up-to date. Staff have a sound understanding of the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage and how to apply this in practice to support children's development. Parents are kept up to date about their child's progress through regular meetings with staff. The range and quality of activities provided for children ensure they make steady progress. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last Children Act inspection recommended that the pre school improve safety. The pre school has made positive improvements by installing covers on the radiators

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Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 and using adequate safety mats around the climbing frames promoting the prevention of accidents. The last Education inspection recommended that the pre school include more opportunities for children to use communication and information technology. They have access to the computer for most of the session. The pre school has invested in a 'Pixie' to use as an activity and has been given the go ahead to purchase a digital camera and processor for the children's use to promote their understanding of technology and how it can be used.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. 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 daily risk assessments are sufficiently thorough.

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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): • provide more opportunities for children to be creative in art and design with more emphasis on the process rather than the end product.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and

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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 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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