Woodlands Pre-School

Woodlands Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 507964 Inspection date 12/02/2010 Inspector Dinah Round

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Setting address Netley Marsh Community Hall, Woodlands Road, Netley Marsh, Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 7GL Telephone number 023 80293558 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 .

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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: 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

Woodlands Pre-school opened in 1982. It operates in the Community Hall in the village of Netley Marsh in Hampshire. The pre-school provides care for children aged from two years to the end of the early years age group. Children have access to two rooms and an adjacent outdoor space. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 26 children at any one time. There are currently 34 children on roll, including 26 children receiving funding for nursery education. Children from the surrounding area attend for a variety of sessions. Sessions are from 9.15am to 12.15pm from Monday to Friday and from 12.30pm to 3.30pm on some days depending on numbers of children, term time only. The pre-school is able to support children with special educational needs and children for whom English is an additional language. There are 10 part-time staff working with the children, including the manager. Of these, nine have relevant early years

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Description of the setting

qualifications. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and receives support from the local authority.

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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 happy, settled and well cared for as staff have a good understanding of their individual needs and make sure all children are valued and included. The broad range of interesting and stimulating play opportunities means that children are making good progress in their learning and development. Strong partnerships with parents and other agencies help to build positive relationships and ensure the needs of all children are followed. Effective monitoring of the provision helps staff identify areas for future development to improve the outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 maintain a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and clear details of their hours of attendance (Documentation) 19/02/2010

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further?

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

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further?

 review strategies used to manage group activities to support children's listening skills, and extend play opportunities further to provide children with greater challenges to help them move onto the next step in their learning  update policies and procedures so they are geared to the individual setting and relate to the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The provision is well organised. Policies and procedures are in place, although they do not fully reflect the individual setting and have not been updated to link with the EYFS framework. Comprehensive recruitment and vetting procedures are followed to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff induction and ongoing training ensures staff are clear of their roles and responsibilities, and supports their continual development. Documentation is used well to support children's health and safety, although the register does not always show the hours of all children's attendance. Effective security measures are in place to protect children, and staff carry out risk assessments and regular checks which mean that children can play freely and safely. Staff have a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and the procedures to report any concerns, which supports them in safeguarding children.

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the early years provision

Staff provide an inviting and enabling environment which promotes children's independence and child-initiated learning. For example, children eagerly select materials from the well positioned resources and the effective free-flow systems mean that they can make decisions whether to play indoors or outdoors. The experienced staff team work together very well to make sure that the sessions run smoothly, although some group activities are not always fully effective in supporting children's listening skills. Children with additional needs are extremely well supported due to the excellent knowledge of the group's Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). Staff have a positive attitude towards ongoing development and are pro-active in continuing to seek ways to improve the service they provide for children. For example, they have recently obtained permission to convert a grassed area adjacent to their premises into an allotment to enrich

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the early years provision

Effective relationships have been established with parents and other early years settings. This ensures that staff are well informed about all aspects of the children's individual needs to enable them to support their care and learning needs. The two-way sharing of information through daily discussions, use of a communication book and strong links with other professionals means that children receive consistency and continuity in their care. Children's progress and achievements are shared with parents, encouraging them to get involved in their child's learning, such as taking books home to share with their child. Parents receive clear information about the provision through the notice board, newsletters and the pre-school information booklet. Staff take into account the views of parents and children when evaluating the provision.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled and enjoy their time at the pre-school. They develop good relationships with staff and are confident to make their needs known as they can be sure of a friendly and caring response. Staff know the children well This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 as individuals and support them effectively in making good progress towards the early learning goals. Children enjoy a good balance of adult-led and self-chosen activities both inside and outdoors, which successfully promotes their learning and development. Although the opportunities to fully challenge and extend children's learning and development through activities and open-ended questioning are not always maximised. Observations and assessment systems work well to show how children are progressing. Staff use this information alongside children's ideas and interests to help them plan future activities, for example, a baking activity to make

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and outcomes for children

pancakes was suggested by the children. Staff take a genuine interest in children's play and are always close-by to offer sensitive support and encouragement while allowing children to work at their own pace.

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and outcomes for children

Children are confident, independent learners as they engage in a balance of free play and carefully structured activities. They communicate well with adults and their peers, showing consideration to others as they share and take turns in the activities. They develop a love of books as they share stories and are learning to recognise their names as they self-register on arrival. Children's understanding of number, counting and size is fostered well through planned activities. They help weigh out ingredients when making pancakes and learn about 'big', 'medium' and 'small' sizes when using props to act out the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Children enjoy a wide selection of creative activities; they have fun using the paint spinner and moulding the dough to create their models. They use an extensive range of small equipment, such as scissors, pens, brushes, which help to develop their physical movements.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn about keeping a healthy lifestyle. They benefit from being provided with nutritious snacks and enjoy sociable meal times, happily chatting with staff and their peers. Children have daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise, and staff provide appropriate clothing so they can still access the outdoors to explore the snow and rain. Children learn about keeping themselves safe in their play through gentle reminders from staff and taking part in emergency evacuation practices. 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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