Diggle Dandelions Pre-School

Diggle Dandelions Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY398906 Inspection date 28/04/2010 Inspector Barbara Christine Wearing

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Setting address Diggle Cp School, Sam Road, Diggle, OLDHAM, OL3 5PU

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Telephone number 01457 873512 Email andrea.brearley@tiscali.co.uk 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 . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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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

Diggle Dandelions Pre-School was re-registered in 2009 as a not-for-profit, community interest company. It provides care in a building in the grounds of Diggle Primary School in Oldham. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. It is open Monday to Thursday from 9.15am to 3pm, and on Fridays from 9.15am to 12.30pm, term time only.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 20 children aged from two years to five years may attend at any one time. There are currently 30 children on roll, some in part-time places. The pre-school supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

There are five members of staff, three of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to National Vocational Qualification at level 3. The pre-school provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds.

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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

Diggle Dandelions offers children a warm and caring environment in which their childhood is valued and their individual personalities are nurtured. Children have a wonderful time as they enthusiastically engage in the superb range of activities with the skilled support of knowledgeable staff who know them well. Learning for children of all ages and abilities is fun and meaningful and they make excellent progress in all areas of learning from their individual starting points. The manager's energy and enthusiasm is mirrored by the hard working staff team who recognise the importance of their role as early years professionals. They are rightfully proud of all they have achieved since the manager has taken over the registration of the pre-school and are committed to further developing the high quality provision for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 further developing children's learning journeys by including next steps that staff record as part of their tracking system.

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the early years provision

Staff give a high priority to children's safety and emotional well-being. They implement the pre-school's comprehensive, well-organised policies, procedures and records, and are incredibly sensitive to children's individual needs. The This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 safeguarding policy reflects staff's clear understanding of the local authority's child protection procedures and also the importance they give to children's rights and entitlements. This is demonstrated by the huge amount of care and respect that staff show to each other, children and parents. Staff thereby create a calm, relaxed environment where children demonstrate a strong sense of being safe and secure, develop confidence and develop a high self-esteem and sense of self-worth. Rigorous risk assessments are carried out and appropriate action is taken to minimise the likelihood of accidental injury, while allowing children the

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the early years provision

opportunities to explore and develop skills.

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the early years provision

Children have many opportunities to make choices, develop their independence and practise and consolidate their learning in the very well organised and resourced pre-school. Staff devote their time to interacting with children, fostering close relationships with them and ensuring benefits to children are maximised. The pre-school room is bright and inviting. Stimulating activities and resources and superb staff support ensure that all children's interests, skills, abilities and learning styles are catered for. Resources that reflect images of diversity are used skilfully to develop children's understanding of differences and similarities. Children ask staff about different play people, initiating discussions about people of different abilities and ages. They learn about their own and other people's cultures, beliefs and communities as staff plan meaningful activities in response to festivals and celebrations throughout the year. An ethos of sustainability is promoted as children

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the early years provision

are encouraged to treat resources with respect and to recycle paper. Furthermore, parents make regular contributions by sharing skills, donating toys and providing food for snacks and recycled materials from home.

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the early years provision

The manager is proactive and rigorous in the self-evaluation of the pre-school. She has established effective links with similar settings and uses appropriate internet forums to research and discuss best practice. The skills, views and feedback from local authority development workers, staff within the pre-school and linked school, children and parents are all taken into account and valued when drawing up the pre-school's action plan. This reflects the manager's in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage, how children learn and the needs of the children and families accessing her provision. It also demonstrates her passion and determination to provide the best possible early years experiences to children. This vision is shared by her motivated, highly skilled staff team whom she values and supports. The pre-school is aiming to develop their outdoor play area to enable free access to a stimulating outdoor learning environment

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the early years provision

throughout the day. The plans incorporate children's wishes following trips to other parks, parents suggestions and ideas and costing from various companies.

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the early years provision

Systems are in place to share information with other settings children attend that deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage and with schools that children will go to when they leave pre-school. This enables settings to compliment each other, ensure children's needs are met and maintain a consistent approach and continuity for children. Staff recognise and value parents as partners in their children's learning. They appreciate that parents have different preferences for how information is shared and cater for these accordingly. Children's achievements and abilities observed at home and at pre-school are shared, enabling children's learning to be enhanced in both environments. Children proudly display samples of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their work to show to their parents/carers when they are collected. Parents and grandparents are invited into the pre-school to talk about their jobs or share their

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the early years provision

talents or interests with the children. Feedback from parents gives high praise to the quality of care and education their children receive at the pre-school and to the commitment staff show to continually improve the provision.

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and outcomes for children

Highly effective observation, assessment and planning systems ensure that staff have an excellent knowledge of individual children's abilities, interests and learning styles. They allow staff to track children's progress towards the early learning goals, make well-informed decisions about next steps in children's learning and to provide activities and opportunities to enable them to meet their full potential. Children develop a sense of pride as they look at their own learning journeys with staff. They talk about the photographs and observations that clearly show the skills they have developed during their time at pre-school and regularly ask if they can take photographs of their work to add to their learning journeys or yearbook. Next steps are noted and used by staff when planning but are not included in the learning journeys. Plans to enhance the continuous provision available to children are responsive to events in children's lives and their changing interests. For

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and outcomes for children

example, following the birth of a baby sister for one of the children they are currently talking about babies, linking it the theme of spring and growing. Other children had become fascinated by a worm they found so the pre-school is awaiting the delivery of a wormery.

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and outcomes for children

Children become highly engaged in their chosen activities. They play on their own, with peers and with the support of staff who show true insight into how children develop and who recognise that children learn best when they are motivated, secure and able to make choices in their learning. They have a sensitive and positive approach to managing children's behaviour. They have appropriate expectations of children and acknowledge that children may become frustrated and at times find it difficult to play within the boundaries. They calmly support children in sorting out minor squabbles, giving them a chance to explain how they feel and to suggest solutions. Therefore, children develop high self-esteem and good social skills.

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and outcomes for children

Staff are highly skilled in optimising experiences for children, using every opportunity possible to extend their learning in a relaxed and interesting way. Children develop excellent communication skills and a wide vocabulary as staff explain the meaning of new words and listen to children carefully, encouraging them to describe their play and creations. Mark making and writing skills are made accessible and interesting to all children. Photographs show a group of boys in police helmets writing down 'arrests' in their police notebooks. Children use brushes and rollers outside to paint with water on trees and walls, and wash the cars and trucks. Parents help children find their name cards to attach to the white board when they come into pre-school, and those who choose to write their names underneath. Staff support more able children by asking them to sound out letters and some enjoy writing simple words. Staff and children share books on a one-to-

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 one basis in the cosy book corner and children recognise words that rhyme when listening to a story in a small group.

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and outcomes for children

Children and staff use mathematical language spontaneously throughout the day. Some children recognise and sequence numerals, for example, as staff help them peg up number cards on the 'washing line' outside. They count the vegetables they give to staff when playing in the home corner and talk about size and shape when looking at books, playing with play dough and building models in the construction area. Individual creativity is nurtured as children have many opportunities to use their imagination using a rich and varied range of art materials that are freely available to them. They access good quality musical instruments, a range of small world resources and role play materials. These include manufactured resources and natural materials such as sticks they gather outdoors to build a 'camp fire' outside their tent.

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and outcomes for children

There are many opportunities for children to develop their large muscle skills and an understanding of maintaining a healthy lifestyle as they engage in physical activities outdoors and in. They play with a parachute, ride bikes, balance on beams and enjoy dancing sessions. Staff talk to children about the effect that exercise has on their bodies, the importance of drinking water and of healthy eating. Children understand the importance of personal hygiene, explaining to each other that they have to wash their hands before lunch to wash off the germs. 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 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 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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