Werneth Infant School

Pre-school Stars

Inspection report for early years provision

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Pre-school Stars

Unique Reference Number 105637 Inspection date 01 November 2005 Inspector Christine Cutts

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Pre-school Stars

Setting Address Cippenham Community Centre, Earls Lane, Cippenham, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 5DJ Telephone number 078555 889726 01753 731705

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E-mail

Registered person Musarat Parveen Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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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

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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.

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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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Pre-School Stars opened in 2002. It operates from one room and has occasional access to a second room in a community centre on a new estate in Cippenham, Slough. The pre-school serves the local area. The group is registered for 26 children aged between 2 and under 5 years. There are currently 46 children on roll. This includes 12 funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Currently there are no children attending who have special

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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 educational needs. The group supports three children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term time. Sessions are between 09:00 and 14:30. Four part time and two full time staff work with the children. Four have early years qualifications and two staff are currently on training programmes. The setting receives support from a nursery teacher from a local school and from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a good range of energetic physical activities that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. They develop self-confidence in their physical skills as they use a wide range of indoor and outdoor toys and equipment. There is lots of space indoors and out-side for children to move freely around. The children play in a light bright environment with lots of colourful displays, friezes and artwork, stimulating and interesting to explore. The large windows allow for fresh air and good ventilation. There is a fully enclosed play area laid to paving slabs and grass in which children have good opportunity to grow plants in pots, sunflowers and vegetables learning about growth and change in the natural environment. Children learn the importance of good personal hygiene through everyday activities and routines. They wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating their snack. The majority of staff hold a current first aid certificate. This means they can

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Helping children to be healthy

give appropriate care if there is an accident. Children benefit from a healthy diet. Children learn about healthy eating through topic work and discussions at snack times on why fruit is good for you. Staff listen to the children's likes and dislikes, but encourage them to try the different fruits. Parents supply fruit for snacks encouraging the healthy eating habit between home and the group.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a very clean, well-maintained environment. The good organisation of age appropriate toys and equipment means children can move around safely and freely to independently access available resources from tables, trays and boxes at child height. Children benefit from a good range of safety measures, for example socket covers, fire extinguishers and a fully secure outdoor play area. They develop a good

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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 awareness of safety through practising regular emergency evacuations and discussing the reasons for this with staff. Annual risk assessments are in place, although these do not include electrical equipment checks. Staff regularly check toys and equipment, although there is no daily risk assessment checklist. Sensitive reminders, such as not running in the room, increase children’s awareness of everyday safety in the setting. Children are well protected from possible abuse or neglect. Management have established systems to ensure staff suitability and have obtained relevant checks on all staff. Staff attend training and show a good understanding of the procedure to follow with any concerns. They are fully aware of the types of abuse and signs to look for.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children take part in good quality activities throughout the session. 2-year-olds are confident in the setting and in their relationships with each other and the staff. They play happily with each other are learning to take turns and respond to others as they play with skittles, hoops and quoits during physical activities. Staff awareness and good use of the Birth to Three Matters framework is improving activities for younger children. They become confident communicators as they share ideas in their play, for instance using puppets and small world toys to make up imaginative stories and improve their communication skills in singing and at story times. Children make connections in their learning as they freely explore water, use computers and make Diwali masks. Their regular use of a wide range of creative materials, such as paint, dough and pencils encourages them to represent their experiences, feelings and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

ideas in a variety of ways. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. However, there are missed opportunities for children to use simple calculation in everyday situations. Children enjoy their time at pre-school and they achieve well because staff use their understanding of early years guidance to provide good quality nursery education. Planning is comprehensive and covers all areas of learning. However, links to children's individual learning needs and activities plans to focus on learning out-comes to the children are not yet fully established. Staff use on-going observations well to assess children's stage of development. Good use of observation and assessment also means that all the children receive appropriate challenges. Staff carefully adapt their questioning to reflect child's stage of development. This helps them meet the needs of all children including those who

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

have English as an additional language. Children show a sense of belonging as they greet each other and staff on arrival. They are actively involved in play and activities throughout the sessions. They have a high level of independence, freely selecting equipment for themselves and taking

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 responsibility for their personal care. Children are confident in their use of number. They count correctly sometimes to numbers over 20 and show a clear awareness of size. They confidently recognise and name numbers and use them to label days of the week or how many dough balls they have made. They enjoy stories, spontaneously sound out letters and name words that match the sounds. There are good opportunities to make marks and practise emergent writing, older children who are more able are beginning to write their names. They readily select books to share with each other or with staff and 'read' with staff the calendar at register time. Children’s physical development is good, they move confidently and safely gaining good control of small tools and equipment. Children develop an awareness of time

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and place and gain knowledge of the local environment by 'all about me' topics. Children have opportunities to increase their knowledge of simple technology and explore ‘how things work’ through regular use of the computer and other technology. They are able to complete simple programmes and are skilled at using the mouse and keyboard. Children use their imagination well in role and small world play and explore a range of craft and design activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals. The group acknowledge and celebrate children's backgrounds, cultural and religious needs in an accepting nurturing environment. The children develop a positive attitude to others and gain a good understanding about the wider world and community through celebrating festivals and learning stories from a variety of cultures and having access to a good range of play resources, which show positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability. The setting is meeting the individual needs of the children and has effective arrangements to care for children with English as an additional language and for children with special educational needs although none currently attends. Children's behaviour is good. They show concern for each other, share and take turns. Children develop a sense of right from wrong through the support of the staff who act as good role models. Children know the rules of the pre-school and readily

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Helping children make a positive contribution

give examples such as, we are kind to one another and we have fun. Partnership with parents and carers is good. Children benefit from parents’ involvement in their learning. Parents have access to information on the Foundation Stage curriculum and effective communication through newsletters, daily chats and detailed notice boards helps staff and parents work together to help children make progress. Good home/school partnerships exist with initial profiles from parents, parents commenting on annual reports and with homework books and early reading books for those who wish to participate. The setting fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Staff enhance children's care by the good quality of organisation. The premises are well organised. Indoor and outdoor space is laid out to maximise play opportunities for children. The welfare, care and learning of children are appropriately promoted by the clear comprehensive policies and procedures. All are available for parents to keep them informed of the service. The children are kept safe by the good range of well-completed documentation, which is, up to date and stored on site in an accessible yet confidential manner. This contributes well, to the continuity of care for the children. Induction, training and the enthusiasm of the staff have a positive impact on children’s welfare and development. Leadership and management are good. Management and staff work well as a team and there is a shared commitment to early years care and education. Staff have a clear understanding of the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage and the

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Organisation

Birth to Three Matters framework. They are applying these in practice to support children's development. However, planning lacks detail in some areas. They have effectively identified areas to improve their setting with clear plans in place to achieve their aims. This affects their ability to monitor the provision well and prioritise aims. Children benefit from the high level of qualified staff who are effectively inducted. The on going training and regular team meetings ensures that the pre-schools comprehensive policies and procedures are consistently applied. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The group have made significant improvements since the last inspection. Children's benefit from their learning needs are being clearly identified with, children's profile records include observations and examples of childrens work and record children's progress towards the early learning goals. Yearly reports are prepared from the profiles and are shared with parents who have the opportunity to comment of their children's progress. The group are still developing planning to take into account children's developmental needs, introducing a formal system of activity plans and with key workers developing a system to implement individual learning plans for their children. There are now lots of opportunities for children to make marks, practise emergent writing and begin to develop their writing skills, with painting and drawing, pencil skill activities and with children beginning to write their own names on their work.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children have good opportunities to develop letter recognition and link letters to sounds, with computer games and through their play and interactions with adults. Children enjoy books and freely access them from the open bookshelves, they also enjoy stories and rhymes at group times. There are good home to school links with first reading books and activity sheets that are optional for parents to participate.

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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 Children enjoy exploring shape and colour with the shape sorters and puzzles, children name shapes, such as square and triangle. Children use mathematical language such as longest, shortest, big and small. There are still missed opportunities for children to use simple calculation in everyday situations. Recommendations for improvements in documentation have been implemented with a good range of information now available for parents. Children's safety and well-being has been improved with the development of sick children's policy, registration procedure and record of visitors. Annual risk assessments are in place and staff regularly check toys and equipment, although there is no daily risk assessment checklist. Management are undertaking a review of staff suitability and has obtained relevant

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Improvements since the last inspection

checks on all staff. An on going system for ensuring suitability has yet to be established. Confidentiality is maintained in all situations with staff agreeing to a confidentiality policy, all records are stored securely and in separate files, accident and medication records are now recorded on separate sheets.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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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): • ensure daily checks of garden and hall are undertaken and electrical equipment is regularly checked

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The quality and standards of the care

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

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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): • provide opportunities for children to use simple calculation in every day situations • continue to develop planning to identify children's individual learning needs and plan activities to focus on learning out-comes to the children.

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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

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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

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