Penrith Pre-School Nursery

Penrith Pre-School Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 317572 Inspection date 14/01/2010 Inspector Diane Roberts

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Setting address The Old School, Meeting House Lane, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7TR Telephone number 01768 890272 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 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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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: 0300 123 1231 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

Penrith Pre-School Nursery is run by a committee. It opened in 1964 and operates from three ground floor rooms in a former primary school building. It shares the building with a parent and toddler group most mornings. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area at the rear of the building that is reached by steps. Toilets are outside the main building and are reached via a covered walkway. The nursery is in the town centre of Penrith, Cumbria. It is open each weekday during term-time from 8.30am to 4pm.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 50 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 38 children aged from three to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The nursery has a number of children who speak English as an additional language and has a number of children with special educational needs or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

There are nine staff, six of whom hold early years qualifications to at least level 2. The setting provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds. The group is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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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

A well developed knowledge of each child’s needs ensures staff successfully promote children’s welfare and learning at this inclusive setting. The partnerships with parents, local schools and other agencies are significant in making sure that the needs of all children are met. This means that children progress well, given their age, ability and starting points. Children are safe and secure and enjoy learning about their local area and the world around them. Good organisation and policies and procedures that are, on the whole, comprehensive ensure the smooth running of the setting. Regular self-evaluation by the manager and staff makes sure that priorities for development are identified and acted on, resulting in a provision that responds to all user needs.

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 improve the risk assessment so that it includes information on who conducted it and when, date of review and any action taken following a review or incident (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) 12/02/2010

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  consider ways of providing areas for relaxation throughout each session and promoting healthy eating with parents with regard to packed lunches to further ensure the good health of children.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded and very well protected due to the highly conscientious manager and staff and the high emphasis given to safeguarding children and ensuring their safety. Effective strategies are in place to make sure all staff are suitable to work with children and information from their Criminal Record Bureau disclosures is clearly recorded. The setting makes sure all staff are knowledgeable of indicators and procedures with regard to child protection. All policies and procedures and their effectiveness are closely monitored and are available to parents. Staff are vigilant in making sure highly efficient strategies are in place to ensure children’s safe collection at the end of each session. Risk assessments are used successfully to provide a safe and secure environment both indoors, outside and for outings. However, the risk assessments do not always include all the information as stated in the 'Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation

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the early years provision

Stage'. For example, they do not consistently contain the name of the person that carried them out or the date on which they were conducted. This is a breach of a specific legal requirement.

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the early years provision

The setting actively promotes equality and challenges discrimination and is outstanding in creating an inclusive environment as practitioners work in harmony. Although the setting has recently had a change of manager, staff morale appears high as they successfully work together as a cohesive unit. Further training is encouraged resulting in positive outcomes for children as staff share their learning with the rest of the team. A key-person system is firmly in place and children benefit further from having an interpreter working alongside staff on a regular basis ensuring all children are effectively supported. Staff spend their time purposefully engaged with the children building warm and trusting relationships, which has a positive impact on progress and learning. The sessions run smoothly and children benefit from the free-flow environment where they can make their own choice of indoor play and have full access to all resources to fully support

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the early years provision

their learning. Due to the design of the building, children are accompanied outdoors and to the toilet. However, staff are conscientious in making sure children have time outside to enjoy playing in the fresh air and have regular comfort breaks. Space is generally used well to ensure all children are able to participate fully in the range of activities made available. However, places for children to relax are limited when the third room, the one used by the toddler group, is not available to the pre-school children.

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the early years provision

Leaders and managers of the setting are firmly committed to embedding ambition and driving improvement. All staff take responsibility and are enthusiastic about their role in raising standards for children. Improvements made since the last inspection, such as furthering the development of using observations to inform future planning and next steps in children's learning, have been highly successful. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Proposed improvements to the outdoor play area are realistic and they focus on the item that will have the greatest impact on children. The setting is devoted to working with providers of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), such as schools and other professionals, such as health specialists. The manager and staff are dedicated to establishing firm partnerships with parents and in the main these are highly effective. However, at the moment staff are not working sufficiently with

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the early years provision

parents with regards to healthy eating, the provision of lunchboxes and the setting’s own healthy eating policy. Parents are very well informed regarding their children's care and are routinely involved in their child's continuous learning and development. The pre-school dedicates time to getting to know children and their families, fostering strong relationships and helping to ensure that children settle quickly and feel secure. Parents make highly positive comments about the setting and are very impressed with the care their child receives. They say their children’s speech has come on ‘leaps and bounds’ and their children have become much more confident since attending. Parents are highly complimentary of staff saying how caring and affectionate they are and how they keep them informed of their child's achievements, taking pride in what their child has done.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled at this highly inclusive setting where all children are treated with great respect and sensitivity by skilled practitioners. Every child is fully included and their uniqueness acknowledged as equality and diversity are significant strengths of this welcoming setting. Attractive collages on the wall, created by children, depict individual families and acknowledge their uniqueness. Practitioners strive to narrow the achievement gap by making sure every child’s progress can be tracked from starting points with clear plans in place for achievement. This enables them to value and build upon children’s existing skills. Practitioners are intuitive of children's individual learning needs and routinely undertake sensitive observational assessment to identify children's learning priorities. As a result, learning experiences are relevant and match children's stages of development. Very good use is made of home-link books to promote

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and outcomes for children

inclusive practice. For example, in the books parents are asked ‘where does Santa leave his presents?’ to ensure staff are aware of family traditions.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy their time at the setting and display a very good attitude towards learning, responding well to the clear strategies in place to encourage good behaviour. Children cooperate very well and take responsibility, accept differences, make choices and decisions and show independence. Throughout the session children happily chat and joke with staff showing secure attachments and are confident to talk to visitors to the setting. Children demonstrate good manners by asking to leave the table when they have finished their snack. They behave in ways that are safe demonstrating a clear understanding about their own safety. For instance, whilst climbing the steps leading to the outdoor play area after a heavy snowfall, they take extra care. They tentatively move around the snow- covered play area realising that some parts might be more slippery than others depending how thick the snow is. Good questioning by staff about the snow and

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and outcomes for children

how it melts helps to further children’s knowledge and understanding of the world. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children’s good health is encouraged through the provision of healthy snacks, a safe and clean environment, mental stimulation, access to the outdoors and loving relationships. Staff are conscientious in making sure children have the benefit of exercising in the fresh air each session and indoors children regularly enjoy dancing or taking part in action songs. Very good use is made of the resident soft toy, Bobby Bear, as it goes home with a child each weekend and returns the following week. Wonderful illustrations and photographs supplied by parents encourage children to talk about their experiences and share with the group information about their home life. This effective practice of using experiences children bring from home ensures children are listened to and their needs are

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and outcomes for children

central to the learning process. Children are learning about their community and the wider world. Practitioners are most conscientious in ensuring all children are able to fully participate in any given topic. For instance, a recent visit to a familiar local landmark has inspired children to recreate it in their indoor play area. Lots of photographs taken on their trip help to promote children’s communication, language and literacy as they talk and write about what they did on the day.

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and outcomes for children

Children are developing and applying skills in communicating, literacy and numeracy as there are lots of opportunities for applying these skills both indoors and outside. For example, whilst outdoors children eagerly collect buckets of snow, counting how many there are in total and whether they are full. Children are active, inquisitive and independent learners at the setting and are intrigued with the snow, confidently using their physical skills to dig it up and fill their buckets. They talk about the different textures and how some is more frozen and thereby more solid in places than others. Skilful questioning by the practitioners causes children to think whilst also having sufficient time to explore for themselves. Children thrive as practitioners spend the majority of their time at their level, interacting with them. They greatly enjoy having one-to-one time with the adults. For example, staff inspire children to paint a self-portrait. Armed with a large

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and outcomes for children

mirror reflecting the whole of their face, children are gently supported by the adult as they paint. Questions about their eye or hair colour or how many ears they have, causes them to think before they apply the paint. When finished, children show their tremendous pride in their achievement of observational art by smiling as they stand back and admire their work. 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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