Shoreham Pre-School

Shoreham Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Shoreham Pre-School

Unique Reference Number EY293803 Inspection date 13 October 2005 Inspector Susan McCourt

p.1

Shoreham Pre-School

Setting Address Swiss Gardens, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5WH

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Louisa Kate Holden Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care

p.1

E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.1

ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

p.2

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Shoreham Pre-school originally opened about 45 years ago and was re-registered under private ownership in 2004. It operates from a room in a primary school in Shoreham. It has its own enclosed playground for outdoor activities. The pre-school serves families from the local residential area. The setting is registered to care for 22 children aged 2 to 5 years. There are currently 31 children on roll, 18 of whom received funding. The setting is able to support

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 children with English as an additional language as well as those with special needs. There are four members of staff, including the owner/manager, three of whom have early years qualifications; the fourth is an experienced primary teacher. The setting receives support from the Local Authority and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn good hygiene habits from well-established routines. They play in a clean environment where staff take care to prevent any chance of cross-infection. Children's individual needs in terms of allergies or medical needs are known to staff who are attentive to individual needs. Children learn to be independent in their self-care and have easy access to tissues, sinks and paper towels. Children learn about a healthy diet and eat a good variety of healthy foods at snack time. They also help prepare foods in cooking activities and when learning about different cultures. Children do not take an active role at snack-time which means they may miss out on the learning opportunities that are a natural part of such practical activities. Children have easy access to fresh drinking water at all times and enjoy milk or low-sugar squash at snack times. This ensures that children need never by

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

thirsty and can be independent in getting their drinks. Children have lots of opportunities to take part in physical exercise, including riding bikes and action songs. Children's small muscle development is also well-developed as they get lots of opportunities to handle objects such as beads, pegs and scissors.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children enjoy playing in a bright and stimulating environment which is well-organised to provide a child-friendly space. Colourful murals are interspersed with displays of children's work and children have named pegs and trays to store their belongings. Children can easily access toys and equipment from well-sited storage units around the room. The outdoor area is for the sole use of the pre-school and it provides some good learning opportunities although it is not as stimulating as the indoor learning environment. Children play in a safe environment and staff are vigilant about ensuring that no unvetted people can get access, and that children cannot leave unaccompanied. There is a robust health and safety policy, regular fire drills and safety checks to ensure that children are safe at all times. Staff renew their child protection training regularly and the welfare of the child is paramount.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are well-settled in the routine of the nursery and staff are very attentive to children's responses, gently giving them the support they need to play happily in the group. The routine allows for independent play and small group work as well as times for the whole group to sit together for story or singing. This ensures that children have a varied morning and develop appropriate social skills. Staff are alongside the children at all times which means that each child's learning style, preferences and interests are known to staff and taken into consideration. Staff communicate well which ensures that each child receives consistent good-quality care. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff plan a varied curriculum to include an excellent variety of first hand experiences for children. Children can choose what they want to play and move between activities freely. Staff invite them to take part in

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

more adult-led activities, and enjoy taking part at their own pace because staff are skilled at ensuring a good balance between support and challenge. Children persist when learning new skills and concentrate well. Children's development is closely observed and noted to ensure that their progress feeds in to future plans. This ensures that plans are based on what children can do and maximises their learning. Children learn to be independent and can take an active role in choosing what they do. They co-operate well with each other and support turn-taking and sharing. Children have lots of opportunities to write and make marks both in and out of doors and enjoy using the cosy book corner. They make connections between sounds and letters and see numerous labels around the room on toys and objects, although languages other than English are only represented during specific projects. Children count spontaneously as a natural part of their play and also use lots of mathematical

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

words such as taller, big, small and narrow. Children like to solve problems, experiment and persist in their attempts, such as using a hoop to retrieve a lost bean bag, although their natural interest in solving mathematical problems is not fostered in activities such as snack time. Children use a variety of technological items such as computers and tape recorders and learn about natural materials as they plant seeds in their garden. Children go on outings in the local area as well as having visitors such as farmers, police officers and musicians. Children relish playing with an interesting variety of art materials when foot-painting and using straw or lentils to make pictures. They dress-up frequently and take part in role play when the home corner may become a café or rain forest.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have a positive approach to diversity and difference as they take part in activities where they make pictures of themselves or learn about different festivals

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 celebrated in their community. The setting supports children with English as an additional language as staff respond quickly to any expression or gesture and ensure that they are immediately on hand. Staff are attentive to any individual need and are especially skilled with special needs, liaising with parents and other professionals to foster their inclusion. Children are well-behaved. They show pride when staff praise and encourage them, and show their parents any stickers or certificates they have received. Children learn to take turns and are polite, saying excuse me and thank you appropriately and naturally. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. The partnership with parents is good. Parents receive a handbook which gives a comprehensive overview of the setting and a copy of all policies and procedures is on

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

the notice-board. Parents see the plans and contribute items for the interest table. Parents can volunteer in the group and can drop-in at any time to see staff. Parents talk with the key-worker at the end of the session and are given a folder of their child's work at the end of the year. Parents and staff can also exchange note-formats that help prompt conversations about what the child has done. This all helps to ensure that the care of the child is consistent between the home and the pre-school.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. The staff team is well-established and all are qualified for their role, attending courses to further develop their skills. Records, policies and procedures are kept in line with the standards and are all stored to promote confidentiality. Staff have a handbook of policies and procedures which are reviewed every year to ensure they reflect the practice of the group and are compliant with regulations. The leadership and management of the group is good. The owner/manager works alongside staff and all share the varied roles and tasks within the setting. All staff have strong shared values which are evident in the practice. They evaluate the setting regularly and are committed to improving what they do in line with best practice. Staff development is fostered through appraisal systems and staff hold regular meetings to talk about any issues or ideas they may have.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

There has been considerable progress since the last nursery education inspection, when the group were asked to review planning to include linking sounds and letters, simple word recognition and writing for different purposes. Staff have redesigned their planning procedures and include these items regularly, creating frequent opportunities in role play and craft as well as permanent writing areas. Children frequently refer to the letters and letter sounds and can spot significant letters in words around the room. They can write lists and menus in role play and see a variety of written labels on boxes of toys and equipment.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Staff were also asked to include opportunities for adding and subtracting. There is now a permanent maths table with a variety of activities every day. A number line has been painted on to the outdoor play area for children to step along and staff take opportunities to encourage children to think about simple calculations when singing songs such as 'Five Currant Buns'.

p.5

Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by the parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.6

The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • consider adopting free-flow between indoor and outdoor activities

p.6

The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • incorporate the curriculum into snack-times • add pictures and different languages to labels throughout the room • develop the outdoor learning environment.

p.6

The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.6

The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.6