The Queen's CofE Junior School

Blean Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 127023 Inspection date 11/03/2010 Inspector Susan Jennifer Scott

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Setting address Blean Parish Hall, School Lane,Blean, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 9JA Telephone number 07944 290301 Email hadleroo@hotmail.com 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

Blean Pre-school is a management committee run group that opened in 1994. It operates from the village hall in Blean, near to the city of Canterbury in the county of Kent. The pre-school has access to two rooms, toilets, a kitchen and an outside area. The pre-school has a dedicated outside play area situated in the field at the rear of the hall.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school serves the local area and surrounding towns. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. Staff welcome children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 30 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. There are currently 30 children from two to five years on roll. The pre-school opens five days a week during term time. Sessions last from 9.30am to 12 noon. There are extended sessions for lunch clubs on Monday and Tuesday until 1.00pm and on Fridays until 1.30pm.

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Description of the setting

There are six staff working with the children of whom five have early years qualifications. The supervisor holds a level 4 qualification and two other staff are working towards a level 3. The pre-school is accredited and receives support from a Pre-school Learning Alliance Development worker and a teacher from the Early Years Partnership.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The uniqueness of each child is recognised by staff who provide sensitive support for individuals. Children feel safe because there are good relationships with staff who have an effective partnership with their parents. All children make progress in their learning and development although there is less emphasis on planning than on observing and recognising their achievements. Children benefit from the spacious environment, although opportunities for outdoor play are limited by the layout of the facilities. The self-evaluation process has assisted staff in identifying strengths but has not been used to ensure that all the specific legal requirements are in place.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure all records are easily accessible and available for inspection by Ofsted (Documentation). 30/04/2010 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 use systematic observations and assessments of children’s achievements, interests and learning styles in all areas of learning to plan challenging, relevant and motivating play experiences for each child indoors and out, across all areas of learning and development  review constantly the environment, resources and equipment to which children are being exposed and make necessary adjustments to ensure these are hygienic and protect children's health  ensure that children have opportunities to be outside on a daily basis all year round with freedom to explore and be physically active  provide dual language books to raise awareness of different scripts and to match the languages spoken by families at the setting.

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the early years provision

The pre-school has the required policies and procedures in place to safeguard children and to ensure their welfare, although some children's records have not been available during the inspection and this is a breach of a specific legal requirement. The staff and committee are keen to keep improving outcomes for the children and parents. Action has been taken to begin addressing previous recommendations, although the system to use observations and assessments to plan for children, need further development. The staff form a stable and welcoming team who are keen to ensure children have positive experiences here. Staff understand their duty to safeguard children and to refer to the designated person in matters of child protection but they do not consistently note children's existing injuries. There is a system to ensure risk assessments and procedures ensure children are kept safe both inside and outside the building. The

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the early years provision

management committee and supervisor vet all staff to establish their suitability to care for children.

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the early years provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are welcomed into the setting and staff have undertaken specific training to support them. For instance, staff have learned to sign and receive support from the local authority to identify and use strategies for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are clear procedures in place to support communication between staff and families that enable children to participate in the programme.

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the early years provision

The supervisor has completed a self-evaluation and staff assist in identifying improvements they can make. Changes are monitored so that adjustments can be made to the quality of the provision. Staff have participated in a variety of training and provide a varied programme for children to enjoy. They place a strong emphasis on noting children's achievements and experiences and regularly share these records with parents. Children respond to this close relationship by sharing their experiences with staff, although there are limited opportunities to share resources that reflect different scripts and languages spoken by families at the setting. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Information is shared with parents when children begin at the group and staff gather information about their needs and development to accommodate children's individual requirements. There is a good two way flow of information and staff

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the early years provision

regularly make parents aware of children’s achievements and any concerns they may have. The newsletters detail activities and events planned, enabling children and parents to contribute to these and a suggestion box is available for parents to use. Parents spoken to at the inspection expressed their great satisfaction with the service and report very positive relationships with staff. They value the group for its happy atmosphere and feel that the activities support children's transitions to school successfully. There are systems in place to share information and obtain specialist advice and support for children's individual needs and this contributes to the sound partnership with other agencies.

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and outcomes for children

Children settle happily into this welcoming environment and feel secure in the setting. They enjoy positive relationships with staff who value their contributions and enable their participation. This promotes their confidence and self-esteem, making them eager to share their achievements and ideas. Staff pay particular attention to children's feelings and encourage them to recognise these by using a feelings board so that children can select happy or sad face masks to explain how they feel. Children also benefit from staff who acknowledge their differences in a positive ways, such as providing cut-out spectacles for them to use in craft sessions.

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and outcomes for children

Children use a range of apparatus such as stilts and a climbing frame and staff provide opportunities for vigorous physical activity on a daily basis. The play resources are age-appropriate and in good condition, allowing children to experience play and learning which is adapted to suit their ages and stages of development. For instance, there are resources for imaginative role play, including dressing up clothes and dolls. Staff make good suggestions to extend children's understanding by asking questions about the spontaneous play small groups engage in and point out how children can keep themselves safe. For instance, children are given explanations about why it is unsafe to put shopping bags over their head.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy a visit from musicians who play instruments for them and encourage the children to keep time by shaking, clapping and marching to rhythms as they play instruments and sing songs. They have opportunities to learn from visitors such as the dentist and by going on nature walks and visits in the locality. Plans utilise themes which celebrate varied cultures, extending children's understanding. For example, Diwali is explored through discussions, crafts and sharing foods. Children enjoy books and staff build upon their understanding when they read these by asking good questions and listening to their comments. Staff are developing children's skills by encouraging them to write their names on work and using their name labels for self-registration. Puzzles, games and activities which build upon children's understanding are provided on a regular basis and children consolidate their understanding of numbers, colours and quantity through

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their conversations with staff while using these.

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and outcomes for children

Children are generally introduced to visitors which reinforces their understanding of safety as they know it is safe to talk to visiting adults. Staff also take steps to ensure children are kept safe during possible emergencies by discussing and carrying out emergency evacuations. Children enjoy healthy snacks at the time they choose and pour themselves drinks of water independently which ensures they are not hungry or thirsty. They learn good personal hygiene by confidently helping themselves to tissues. Children explore using glue-sticks and select from a number of materials, such as, glitter to make Mother's Day cards. Children use the computer and develop their hand-eye coordination by using a mouse to negotiate through the software programmes. They enjoy organising their own activities and benefit from engaging in games and imaginative play in small groups. For example, children play with the trains and cars, building the track for these as a

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and outcomes for children

group. Children's behaviour is good and they respond positively to staff instructions and requests by helping to tidy away resources.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy a varied range of play activities to support their progress towards the early learning goals. Adults support children by working closely with them during their play, listening to what they say and encouraging them to express their own ideas. For example, staff encourage children to describe their paintings and craft items they make. There is a system for recording children's achievements as staff observe and assess all areas of development. There are limited records available to show how the children's next steps are used to inform planning. Staff use the Early Years Practice Guidance to reference some of their observations but do not ensure this is used to plan for children's progress on a frequent basis. However, children are able to choose the activities from the resources which are selected to meet their interests and preferences, covering all areas of the curriculum, including creative and imaginative play and mark making.

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and outcomes for children

Staff ensure all children are able to fully participate and enjoy their play by ensuring activities are developmentally appropriate. For example, staff encourage the older and more able children to write their own names on the cards they are making and willingly write the names for children who are not able or willing to do this independently. As a result, all children enjoy the activities and confidently participate, or sometimes just choose to watch. Children have access to a purpose built, dedicated play area outside, although this is situated some way from the door which leads part of the way across a field. Children do not experience daily outside play because of the difficulties staff sometimes have in supervising the inside and outside areas as well as the toilets.

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit from procedures that protect their safety as they are cared for in spacious premises with all the appropriate safety measures in place. For example, there are first aid supplies easily available. Children who need medicine to be administered receive care from staff who follow parents' instructions and ensure medicines are accessible but stored safely. The premises and adult furniture which children and parents use is in poor condition. For example, the adult chairs which children use to store belongings on are covered with stained carpet pieces which are stuck onto the seats. The toilet and changing facilities are in need of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 refurbishment although the staff use the facilities flexibly to ensure that children receive a service that meets their needs. 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 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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