Hinwick Hall College

Timsbury Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 133098 Inspection date 21/01/2010 Inspector Denise Franklin

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Setting address St. Marys C of E VC Primary School, Lansdown View, Timsbury, Bath, Avon, BA2 0JR Telephone number 01761 479009 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

Timsbury Pre-School opened in 1970. It is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 24 children from two years to under eight years may attend at any one time. It operates from one room and the corridor in the local primary school in Timsbury near Bath. They have access to an enclosed outside area for physical activities, which is shared with the reception classes. The pre-school has close links with the school, particularly regarding use of facilities and with transition arrangements.

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Description of the setting

The group serves the local area. There are currently 38 children from two to five years in the early years age range on roll, 31 children receive funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting is able to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, although currently no children receive additional support. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9am to 11.30am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Sessions on Monday and Wednesday are from 9am to 3pm. There are seven part-time staff members who work with the children, all have suitable early years qualifications. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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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

Timsbury Pre-school is effective and provides good provision for the children. Most leaders and managers have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development and are taking effective steps to further improve provision. Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding and a key strength of the setting. Parents appreciate the opportunities provided to share in their child’s learning and development. The setting has good capacity to continue to improve.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop strategies to enable all leaders and managers to monitor and evaluate policies, practice and provision formally to ensure high quality provision  ensure that learning intentions for adult-led activities are clearly defined and that each child’s progress towards achieving the early learning goals is rigorously tracked. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The joint leaders are ably supported by a strong, committed team and are all focused on helping children to make good progress in their learning and development. There is a common sense of purpose between adults to ensure that all groups of children have the opportunity to achieve as well as they can. Staff are well deployed and ensure children are fully included at all times. Safeguarding procedures are good and rigorously implemented. This includes procedures for ensuring staff are suitable to work with children and those to ensure the safety of the children whilst in the setting. Daily and annual risks assessments are comprehensive and staff check for any risks before taking children out of the setting.

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the early years provision

Self-evaluation effectively identifies the strengths and areas for development and the setting has rightly judged themselves as good for most aspects of their work. Staff meet after each session to evaluate practice. The leaders regularly lead staff appraisals to identify staff’s strengths and training needs. The committee are supportive and effectively oversee fundraising and other financial aspects of the setting. They have regular reports from the leaders but their involvement in monitoring and evaluating policies, practice and provision is under developed. Resources are good and well organised to ensure children’s needs and interests are fully met. Adults have good knowledge of their key children and this effectively ensures children achieve as well as they can. The planned curriculum enables children to gain a good understanding of the different cultures practised in Britain today.

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the early years provision

The setting has close links with the school. Transition arrangements are good and the pre-school share facilities such as the outdoor area, hall, environmental area and playing field. Parents feel that their children make the move to school smoothly because of these close links.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. Parents regularly receive attractive and informative newsletters that provide detailed information about events and curriculum matters. Parents attend both formal and informal meetings with their child’s key worker to discuss their child’s progress and any concerns. They are encouraged to take part in ‘pop in’ sessions when parents can share their expertise and interests with the children. For example, parents, in the past, helped the children to make Diwali lights, bake cakes, and demonstrated how to play a flute. There is a comprehensive induction programme and parents/carers' views on all aspects of the setting are regularly sought. Parents particularly like to share their child’s learning diaries, which they can do at any time in the setting or at home. They contribute to these diaries with photographs, samples of their child’s work at home and written records of events and outings. Parents are able to share

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the early years provision

any significant progress in their child’s learning and development by using the ‘wow stickers’. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

The learning environment is attractive and stimulating. Children enjoy learning and are achieving well. They are able to select their own resources and contribute to their own learning and development. Staff know their key children well and are skilled at asking open-ended questions to develop children’s communication/language skills, for example, children were observed moulding and rolling play dough to make long and short snakes. The adult was effectively questioning to ensure understanding of new mathematical vocabulary. Another child demonstrated very good concentration skills when making a print of a Wellington boot. After making a print with white paint, they confidently asked if they could add blue to make another print. Outside, children enjoyed bouncing on a small trampoline, riding bikes and cars and throwing balls through holes in a net. They counted to keep their scores. There are plenty of opportunities for children to

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and outcomes for children

choose to be inside or outdoors. The new play equipment outside provides a stimulating environment for children to investigate, take risks and enjoy learning.

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and outcomes for children

The setting has a six weekly topic cycle, which is adapted to meet the needs and interests of the children. Planning is reviewed daily so that staff can develop any particular interests of the children. For example, several children took an interest in the cars used in a recent film and staff set up an activity using this interest to develop certain skills and move children to their next stage in learning. However, learning intentions for many of the adult-led activities are not always clear. Learning diaries are well organised and show samples of children’s work, photographs and detailed observations of children achieving in each area of learning. Each diary is an accurate record to demonstrate what a child does whilst at pre-school. Adults regularly identify a number of next steps for groups of children, using information from observations of their key children. However, the setting does not have a system to track individual children’s progress towards

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and outcomes for children

achieving the early learning goals so that more able children can be challenged and those with additional needs can be identified and supported.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy helping to prepare snacks and serve their peers. This effectively gives them a sense of responsibility. Snack time is a good social occasion and adults have high expectations of children’s behaviour and manners. Generally staff use praise effectively to promote good behaviour and children respond well with good behaviour at all times. There are plenty of opportunities for children to have exercise and fresh air and the setting follows the primary school’s healthy eating policy. All other policies and procedures are in place and welfare provision is good. Children feel safe because adults are careful to ensure high quality supervision whilst allowing children to take a certain amount of supervised risks, particularly outside. Children are also taught safe practices well through activities and stories. Children are taking some responsibility for their own learning, and achievement in all areas of learning is good. Therefore, children are making good progress

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and outcomes for children

towards developing basic skills and are well prepared for their next stage in learning and development. 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 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 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 1 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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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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