St Edward's Prep

Copythorne Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 110114 Inspection date 10/03/2010 Inspector Dinah Round

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Setting address Parish Hall, Alford Corner, Pollards Moore Road, Copythorne Winsor, Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 2NZ Telephone number 023 80812478 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

Copythorne Pre-School opened in 1964. It operates from the community hall in the village of Copythorne Winsor near Southampton in Hampshire. The group is run by a voluntary management group committee and serves the local and surrounding areas. The group has use of the large hall and small side room, plus access to a kitchen, toilets and an enclosed outdoor area which has safety surface. The pre- school is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 30 children between two and the end of the early years age group at any one time. There are currently 35 children on roll; of these, 17 children are receiving funding for nursery education. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and welcomes children who speak English as an additional language. The group is open five days a week from 9.30am to 12.30pm, and will soon be offering sessions from 9.00am. Children attend for a variety of sessions

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Description of the setting

during the week. There are five staff who work with the children; of these, four are qualified in early years. The setting 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 and settled in the relaxed and friendly environment. Staff know children well; they link with parents and other professionals to make sure that children's individual needs are well supported. Children enjoy a wide range of activities, both inside and out, which are provided according to their interests and helps them make progress in their learning and development. Staff have informal systems in place to continue to monitor and evaluate the provision to help improve the learning 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?

 update the safeguarding policy to include the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff (Safeguarding and welfare) 24/03/2010

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further?

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

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further?

 make greater use of open-ended questioning to extend children's learning, and introduce number and counting in everyday routines and activities  review the layout of indoor activities so they are organised effectively and update the book corner so it is more inviting for children  continue to develop systems to evaluate the provision and identify areas for improvement for children. 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 with documentation maintained to support children's safety and welfare. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and include comprehensive recruitment and vetting procedures to make sure staff are suitable to work with children. Clear induction systems and regular staff meetings ensure that staff are clear of their roles and responsibilities. A child protection policy is in place, however, this does not include a procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff, which is a requirement. Staff have a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. This helps to protect children. Detailed risk assessments and ongoing checks are carried out for all areas children use and for any outings, which help identify and minimise risks to children. Effective security measures and close supervision at

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the early years provision

arrival and collection times mean that children cannot leave the premises unsupervised.

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the early years provision

Staff work together well as a team to make sure that the sessions run smoothly and all children can participate in activities. Effective use of free-flow systems between the different areas enables children to freely choose whether they play inside or outside. Staff set out a broad range of activities on a daily basis which are generally well positioned so that children can make independent choices about their play. However, some of the resources spill into others and the book corner is not very inviting which impacts on how often children use this area. There are some informal systems in place for staff to reflect on the success of activities, although thorough systems to highlight areas for improvement for children are not yet fully developed.

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the early years provision

Parents receive regular updates about the provision through the parents' notice board, newsletters and the group's website. They can access the forum on the pre- school's website to provide suggestions and ideas for future developments for the group. Good partnerships are established with parents, and staff use information shared to help them support children's individual needs. Information about children's progress and development is effectively shared with parents both informally and through termly meetings. Parents are encouraged to get involved in their child's learning by taking home books to share with their child, and having 'Freddie' the teddy to visit then sharing details about his adventures. Staff link with other early years settings that children attend which helps to promote continuity of care for children.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled; they feel comfortable to make their needs known as they can be assured of a warm and caring response. Staff know children well and get actively involved in children's play, providing sensitive support to help This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 promote their learning and development. However, staff do not make effective use of open-ended questioning to extend children's learning to help them reach their full potential. Staff carry out regular observations and assessments to monitor children's progress which are used alongside children's individual interests to plan future activities. Children behave well; they know what is expected of them through the familiar routines and clear explanations. They receive regular praise and encouragement for their achievements which help to boost their confidence and self-esteem.

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and outcomes for children

Children's independence is fostered well as they freely select what they need for their self-initiated activities. They speak confidently to others, initiating conversations and describing what they are doing during activities. For example, the digital cameras generate lots of excitement and children confidently explain to others which buttons to press to take pictures. Children have good opportunities to experiment with mark-making tools during their play, which successfully promotes their emergent writing. They write messages in the police station role play and sign their name on the birthday cards they make. Children have access to a variety of resources to develop their understanding of shape, size and number, although opportunities to incorporate counting and number through everyday routines and activities are not maximised. Children's creativity is extremely well promoted as they freely access an extensive selection of sensory play materials. They eagerly

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and outcomes for children

take turns to mix ingredients when making playdough, independently select materials to make cards for others, and have fun experimenting with sand and water outside.

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and outcomes for children

Children are encouraged to develop a healthy lifestyle. They follow regular routines for their own personal hygiene as they wash their hands before eating. Children make their own choices of fresh fruit from the snack bar and are able to help themselves to drinking water which makes sure they do not get thirsty. They benefit from free access to the outdoor play environment throughout the session which means they get plenty of fresh air and exercise. Children are helped to learn about how to keep themselves safe through the gentle reminders they receive 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 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 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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