Nightingale Primary School

Pensilva Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 102839 Inspection date 01/10/2009 Inspector Denise Franklin

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Setting address Pensilva Primary School, School Road,Pensilva, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 5PG Telephone number 07890023924 Email skskeed@hannah16.fsnet.co.uk 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

Pensilva Pre School is a committee run group. It opened in 1977 and operates from one room in an Elliot building in the grounds of Pensilva Primary School. It is situated in the village of Pensilva. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 20 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9.00am until 11.30am, and from 1.00pm until 3.30pm, on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday during term times only. All children share access to a secure enclosed play area. There is disabled access to the building and all areas used by the setting.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 42 children from two and a half to four years on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. Of these, 18 children receive funding for early education. Children come from the local area. The setting currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

The setting has very close links with the primary school and shares many of the outdoor facilities. There are close links with the toddler group and with other settings, who are often invited by the local authority to observe good practice.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school employs seven members of staff, including a part time administrator. The six members of staff, who work with the children, hold appropriate early years qualifications and the manager has a Level 4 and a BA in Philosophy and Education. The setting receives support from an advisory teacher from family services. They are 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 outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Pensilva Pre School is very effective and provides outstanding provision for its children. All children are fully included because activities are extremely well planned to meet their individual needs and interests. Procedures to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are excellent. The manager and staff work extremely well together and have very effective systems in place to monitor and evaluate practice. They are continually striving to improve practice through professional development and therefore the capacity for improvement is excellent.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 make effective use of the new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment to enhance outdoor learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Safeguarding arrangements are outstanding and the manager has excellent strategies in place for staff training, and to ensure staff and the committee are kept up to date with policies and procedures. Risk assessments are comprehensive. Security arrangements identified in the last report have been addressed. Children are safe and welfare requirements are fully in place so that children’s care and welfare is outstanding.

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the early years provision

The manager, ably supported by a committed and highly professional team, has a number of excellent strategies to monitor and evaluate practice and provision. The setting has been fully involved in a number of quality assurance schemes and uses the information extremely well. The self-evaluation form is a working document and the manager has detailed documents, with evidence, to show how the setting has improved significantly since the last inspection. The committee is active and takes a full part in all aspects of the leadership and management of the setting, including staff appraisals and reviewing policies and procedures. The manager has an excellent understanding of what they are planning to further improve provision and practice. Her enthusiasm and excellent management skills ensures that the setting is always striving to improve provision for the children. The manager and the committee of this setting have been extremely effective in embedding a strong

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the early years provision

ambition and have driven forward significant improvements which benefit the children.

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the early years provision

Staff are flexible and extremely well deployed to support the needs of the children. For example, children are able to begin their day by starting their learning outdoors whilst others start more formally in the classroom. Resources are used extremely well both inside and outside the setting. The manager is keen that staff become more confident in using the recently purchased Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment to enhance children’s learning in the outdoor play area.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents is outstanding. Parents feel they have plenty of information about events and their children’s progress. They feel fully involved in their children’s individual plans and make suggestions for improvement targets for their children. They regularly attend curriculum meetings such as a recent meeting about developing children’s writing skills and enjoy taking turns to help during pre- school sessions. Parents also enjoy taking part in their child’s ‘Special Day’ when both the family and the setting share something positive about their child with the group. They feel their child is valued as an individual. The events of the day are recorded in the child’s learning journal to which parents have regular access.

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the early years provision

There are excellent links with the primary school and toddler group on site. The pre-school often has joint activities with the reception class and shares the outdoor spaces. Transition arrangements are excellent and parents greatly appreciate the smooth move to school. The toddler group is held in the same building as the pre- school so toddlers get to know the environment and some of the staff before they This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 start pre-school. Joint activities such as a shared lunch help the children to settle quickly into pre-school.

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and outcomes for children

Children have a wonderful time at Pensilva Pre School and thoroughly enjoy their learning. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve extremely well because the curriculum is carefully planned to meet their individual needs. Each child has an individual plan that clearly sets simple targets to help him or her to achieve and enjoy learning. Activities are flexibly planned so that children can follow their interests. For example, during the inspection the children decided to go on a bear hunt. All the children thoroughly enjoyed going across the playground, through the field and into the nature area. All the time staff were very effectively developing children’s imagination, language and mathematical skills through play. Activities are very well planned according to the different needs of the children and staff are skilled at asking suitable questions to challenge and extend the children’s thinking. A key strength of the setting is the

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and outcomes for children

opportunity for children to choose whether to learn inside or outdoors. Both areas are extremely attractive, stimulating environments for the children and they are resourced to provide rich opportunities in all of the areas of learning. Some children choose to start their day outside while others prefer to be indoors. Role- play areas are used very effectively to develop children’s imaginative skills and their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. During the inspection children were observed buying food at the bakery and also using play dough to make cakes and biscuits. Children enjoyed making close observations of a spider using new technology. The manager is keen for all staff to make the best use of ICT to support children’s learning, particularly outdoors.

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and outcomes for children

Detailed observations are used very effectively to plan activities and to track each child’s progress. This is carefully documented in the child’s achievement folder and learning journal, together with photographic evidence and samples of children’s work. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including behavioural difficulties, have carefully devised individual education plans and their key person is very well trained to support their individual needs. Individual staff training is now extremely well focussed to enable staff to develop the necessary skills to ensure the children reach their full potential.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy snacks and drinks from the Bistro. This enables children to choose when to have their snack and allows those who want to socialise to do so as well. They know that staff have very high expectations of behaviour and good manners and children respond extremely well. Children enjoy growing their own vegetables, eating their crops and recycling the waste materials. Excellent use is made of the school facilities such as the playground, the school hall and the field and nature area to ensure children have lots of physical exercise and fresh air.

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and outcomes for children

Children’s behaviour is exemplary. Staff demonstrate high expectations, using dolls, and the children know exactly what is expected of them. For example, they know why they must sit quietly with their legs crossed and their hands in their laps This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 when on the carpet. One child carefully explained that this was to make sure children did not fall over or have their fingers hurt by someone stepping on them. Role-play is used very effectively to help children stay safe. For example, the role play areas have been used to promote road safety and safe use of tools. It is also used to highlight children’s cultural awareness for example China, Japan and Russia and children living on travellers' sites. Children also have excellent opportunities to understand their own culture by visiting Cornish tea rooms and making Cornish pasties in the bakery, in the role-play area. Children enjoy taking

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and outcomes for children

responsibilities such as being a special helper on their special day and older children support the younger children extremely well in all aspects of their learning. Children at Pensilva Pre School are extremely well prepared for their future learning and development. 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 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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