Avoncroft Pre-School Nursery

Avoncroft Pre-School Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY341319 Inspection date 13/01/2010 Inspector Rachel Wyatt

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Setting address Stoke Heath Community Art Centre, Redditch Road, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 4JN Telephone number 07749 477 553 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

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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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

Avoncroft Pre-School Nursery re-registered in 2006, having originally opened in 1984. It is managed by a partnership. The nursery operates from one room of a self-contained building with adjacent outside toilet facilities and is located on the south side of Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. The nursery serves the local area. It opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9:30am until 12:00pm every day with extended sessions until 2.45pm on Monday and Wednesday and from the January term there are additional afternoon sessions from 12.15pm until 2.45pm on Tuesday and Thursday. On a Friday there is a toddler session from 1.00pm until 2.30pm when parents stay with their children. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area, with opportunities for Forest School type activities and to go on local walks and outings.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 16 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 35 children aged from two to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery is also registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the setting

Three partners and five members of staff work with the children. Of these, one partner has an Early Years Foundation degree and is working towards Early Years Professional Status, two partners have relevant Level 3 qualifications, a member of staff has Early Years Professional Status, and another member of staff has an appropriate Level 2 qualification. Two members of staff are working towards a Level 3 early years qualification. The nursery is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and provides funded early education.

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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

Children's needs are very successfully met by the partners and their staff. Staff confidently engage with children, their families and other agencies or providers working with them, to ensure each child's needs and interests are fully understood and promoted at all times. Children thrive and make excellent progress because there are robust procedures to ensure they are safeguarded and learn and develop in a safe, secure and very rewarding environment. The partners are very able to maintain sustained improvement. They are enthusiastic and highly motivated about promoting good practice and ensuring children and their families consistently access high quality care and education. Consistent, thorough monitoring and evaluation help them to promptly identify and follow up priorities for improvement, taking account of children's interests and the views of others and to make sure previous inspection recommendations are fully addressed.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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further?

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

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further?

 consolidate systems for drawing together information about children's assessments to give a clearer picture of their developmental stages and individual learning priorities.

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the early years provision

Children are fully safeguarded. The partner with designated responsibility for safeguarding and all her colleagues clearly understand their role to protect children from harm and to take prompt appropriate action if they have concerns about a child. Staff attend relevant safeguarding training and have robust policies and procedures to refer to. These reflect current legislation and provide them with clear guidance, for instance about what to do if an allegation is made against a member of staff. Children are further protected as the nursery's thorough recruitment, vetting and staff development procedures ensure adults are suitable, have the relevant knowledge, skills and experience to work with children, and are kept fully up-to-date with early years good practice. All required information is obtained about children and families before a child starts. As a result there are clear agreements in place relating to each child's welfare, learning and

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the early years provision

development and the partners and staff understand who may have legal contact with each child and who has parental responsibility for them.

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the early years provision

Children and families really benefit from the strong leadership and management of the nursery. The partners' and staff's effective team work and robust operational procedures underpin the smooth running of the nursery. Adults have clear roles and responsibilities which they competently carry out. They ensure the nursery is an inviting, vibrant place so everyone feels welcomed and an effective key person system helps to forge strong links with parents and children. There is a genuine ambition to maintain high quality provision which consistently reflects the needs of the children and families who attend. The partners encourage and act on feedback from staff, parents and others and confidently evaluate the effectiveness of the nursery in meeting all aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Targets for improvement are realistic and successfully tackled such as ongoing additions to toys and equipment and improvements to the premises' safety and decor. Since

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the early years provision

the last inspection the nursery has developed really sound assessment and planning systems to enable staff to successfully narrow the gap for different groups of children, for example, in the way they plan activities to take account of their individual learning styles, interests and special educational needs and/or disabilities. The introduction of delightful pictorial diary records has given parents further insight into their child's activities and achievements and prompted their additional feedback about their children's progress. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 As part of their improvements to nursery procedures, the partners have given priority to developing very effective relationships with other professionals working with children and with providers of other settings some children attend. This has had a positive impact on the nursery's expertise and confidence in supporting

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the early years provision

children. Children who attend another setting, or who move into the nursery or onto school, all benefit from smooth transitions and experience continuity of care and learning because the nursery is proactive about appropriately exchanging information with other providers about their individual needs. From the outset the nursery develops very effective partnerships with parents and carers. Their involvement and contributions are very much encouraged so that their children settle well and the partners and staff quickly get to know each child. Parents are given and have ready access to a wealth of information about the nursery so they know how it operates and what happens in sessions. Regular newsletters and copies of plans keep them up-to-date with aspects of nursery life, including topics and activities. They are encouraged to contribute to their children's learning both in the nursery and at home, for example, by helping their child to find items to

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the early years provision

bring in to reflect the letter, colour or shape of the week. Parents help on outings and at special events and children enjoy their visits to nursery to help in a session, to talk to them about their work or to bring in special foods for them to try. Information from parents really helps staff to assess and monitor children's progress, for example, when they meet to discuss children's starting points or to formally review their progress.

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and outcomes for children

Children really enjoy learning and make excellent progress. The partners and staff are welcoming and encouraging. They ably support children so they settle quickly, play purposefully, concentrate and persevere. Adults successfully consolidate and extend children's understanding and skills through their adept questions and explanations and their use of stimulating resources. They confidently adapt their approaches, toys and equipment to cater for children's differing abilities and interests. Exemplary support is given to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and to children who speak English as an additional language. Robust assessment and planning means each child's interests and learning and development needs are fully understood and incorporated into activities. The partners confidently carry out their key person roles, working with their staff to regularly observe and monitor each child's progress, taking into account the views

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and outcomes for children

of parents and others who work with the children. A new assessment record has been introduced and the partners are working out the most effective way to use this to collate all the information they have about children so that they and parents can refer to a clear overview of a child's learning and development at any given time. Children are eager to learn because topics and activities are well planned, varied and rewarding. These are consistently evaluated to ensure children's interests, learning styles and next steps are successfully promoted and that they are offered suitable challenges plus a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led experiences.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop very good skills for the future. They are independent and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 resourceful, for example, becoming increasingly competent at serving their own drinks and food, in getting ready for outdoor play, seeing to their personal hygiene and looking after their possessions. They readily express their ideas during play and make choices about books, toys and activities, benefiting from the wealth of accessible resources and well-presented activities. Children get on really well, playing harmoniously and showing respect for each other's differing abilities and backgrounds. They talk about and contribute to the nursery's pictorial display of behaviour rules. Children develop a sound awareness of the life and customs of others through playing with toys and looking at books reflecting positive images of diversity and by taking part in rewarding activities, for example, during Diwali and

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and outcomes for children

Chinese New Year. Children are interested in features of the natural world. They confidently discuss the weather; enjoy observing and investigating different aspects of their outdoor surroundings; they garden and tend plants and feed the birds. Children become skilful communicators, confidently taking part in discussions, describing and recalling events and asking and answering questions. They happily look at books independently or with a friend and enjoy and listen attentively to well-told stories. Children competently recognise and use letter sounds and increasingly form recognisable letters and/or write simple words such as their name. Children think critically and confidently using numbers for counting and problem solving and accurately compare and match items according to type, colour, shape and size. Children are creative and imaginative, engaging in sustained role play and expressing their ideas through their paintings, drawings

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and outcomes for children

Children's welfare is promoted very well in comfortable, safe and secure surroundings. Their care, health, dietary and cultural needs are fully understood and met and they have prompt appropriate treatment from first aid trained staff if they have an accident, become unwell or need medication. Clear records are kept which are discussed with parents and signed by them. Children fully understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They adopt good hygiene practices, make healthy choices about what to eat and drink, and thoroughly enjoy regular physical exercise. They relish being outside, for example, happily playing in the snow, digging, rolling increasingly large snow balls and making a succession of snowmen and an igloo. They confidently balance, climb and move in different ways and competently use a variety of wheeled toys, extending their skills in steering and pedalling. Children are kept safe as the premises are secure and free from hazards.

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and outcomes for children

They are well supervised and robust risk assessments and checks are used to effectively monitor overall safety, with prompt action taken to remove any hazards. Children also learn to behave sensibly and responsibly, in the way they handle tools, use apparatus and equipment and move safely around the premises. They help to keep play areas clear and toys in good condition by assisting with tidying up and making sure their own possessions are kept together. It is clear children feel emotionally secure at nursery. They have positive relationships with caring adults who readily reassure children and create opportunities for them to express their feelings. 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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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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