Mossley Hill Pre-School

Mossley Hill Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 322456 Inspection date 13/05/2010 Inspector Margaret Patricia Mellor

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Setting address St Matthews and St James Church Rooms, Rose Lane,Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Merseyside, L18 8DB Telephone number 01517244215 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

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

Mossley Hill Pre-School was registered in 1991. It is committee run and operates from the hall of St Matthew and St James' Church in Mossley Hill, Liverpool. Children use the main hall for their care, play and learning. There is a secure, fully- enclosed area for outdoor play. The provision has wheelchair access and facilities, and primarily serves the local community.

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Description of the setting

The provision is registered on the Early Years Register and a maximum of 20 children may attend, none of whom may be under the age of two. There are 23 children on roll in this age group. It is open on a Monday and Thursday from 9.30am to 2pm, and Tuesday and Friday from 9.30am to 12.30pm, during school term time only. It supports children who have English as a second language.

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Description of the setting

The provision employs four staff to work with the children. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications to National Vocational Qualification level 3, and one to level 2. Staff receive support from Liverpool Early Years and the provision is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance. The provision 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 satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The children benefit from staff who understand their individual needs and are very caring in their approach. They happily play in a welcoming environment, where they are very settled and content. They are making steady progress in their learning and achievement, and the staff are beginning to use observations to plan a suitable range of activities for them. The management demonstrates commitment to continuous quality improvement, and has started to identify strengths and areas for development, although recorded self-evaluation is in its early stages. Each child is valued as an individual, and close relationships with parents help the staff to create an inclusive atmosphere. Good emphasis is given to promoting children's welfare and keeping them safe at all times.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop self-evaluation to include the views of parents to form a basis for ongoing review and development  take steps to further develop knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and improve the observation and assessment arrangements so they can be used to assist in planning enjoyable and challenging learning and development experiences, across the six areas of learning, that are tailored to meet each child's individual needs. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The children move freely and with confidence in their care and play environment. All of the safety measures in place help to safeguard the children, along with robust recruitment and vetting procedures. The provision is clean and children follow personal hygiene routines to help prevent the spread of infection. Snacks are nutritious and information given to parents about healthy lunch boxes contributes to the children's dietary requirements. The staff have a strong understanding of their roles and responsibilities in the area of child protection. Recommendations raised at the last inspection have been successfully met. As a result, food is stored appropriately, risk assessments have been improved, daily premises checks introduced, and the safeguarding policy and accident record have been reviewed. Written policies are given to parents in an information pack and all the regulatory daily documentation is maintained for the safe management of the

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the early years provision

The management are keen to promote better outcomes for children and since the last inspection have improved resources to ensure that their physical skills are sufficiently challenged. The planning and assessment arrangements have been reviewed, which has also been identified as a key area for further development. All staff are qualified and recent support from an early years teacher advisor has been welcomed. However, following initial Early Years Foundation Stage training, staff have been unable to consolidate their knowledge as they have received no further information on available courses. The provision is monitored through observation, parent questionnaires and staff meetings. However, they are not yet effectively recording self-evaluation or including the parents' views to use as a basis of ongoing review and development.

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the early years provision

Good thought is given to the limitations of the planet's environment and this is evident in the wide use of recycled resources in craft activities. All children are included and each child has a key person who liaises closely with parents to form an initial assessment of them. This means that staff provide appropriate support for children with English as a second language; individual needs are respected and parents are actively involved in their children's learning. Parents themselves say that they are very happy with the quality of provision offered, and are particularly pleased with their children's language development. Regular newsletters, notice boards and ongoing dialogue ensure that parents are kept up-to-date with their child's activities, interests and achievement.

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and outcomes for children

The provision is equipped with furniture to meet the needs of all children, and a cosy book area with comfy cushions helps to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The children show plenty of curiosity when exploring sand, paint or water, and eagerly delve into the recycling box to create collage pictures. They are taught to be safety-conscious during play and through focused activities, for This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 example, when they practice road safety procedures with props. Their independence is fostered well as they help themselves to drinks when thirsty and take pleasure in personal hygiene when washing their hands. Healthy eating is encouraged and fruit-tasting sessions enable children to experience different tastes and textures. Climbing, crawling through the play tunnel and coordinating obstacle courses help children learn to enjoy activities that promote a healthy lifestyle.

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and outcomes for children

The children are warmly greeted as they arrive and quickly settle into activities as they eagerly seek out favourite toys and often encourage their friends to join in with them. They enjoy warm relationships with staff and relish the adult's kind words of praise, which is reflected in their happiness and strong sense of belonging. The staff plan a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated play, and use topics in planning. They are beginning to link observations of children to the six areas of learning. However, the systems that help to identify gaps, plan for each child's next steps in learning, and monitor their progress toward the early learning goals, are not yet clearly identified. Therefore, helping children to achieve their full potential is not yet fully maximised.

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and outcomes for children

The children are encouraged to freely express themselves through a range of creative media, and role play helps them to make sense of the world. Focused activities teach children about living things as they draw observational pictures of spiders and move like a caterpillar to music. The children behave very well and understand simple expectations, such as taking turns to talk at 'circle time' and tidying away toys. Respect for other is fostered as staff share their different cultural backgrounds with the children, and parental support with words in their first language helps to celebrate each child’s unique qualities. Learning to care for others is also catered for through children's participation in charitable fundraising events, such as Sports Relief.

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and outcomes for children

The children happily engage in their play, which significantly contributes to their enjoyment and the steady progress they make in their learning and achievement. They learn about numbers and simple calculations through their daily routines, contributing to their mathematical development. The children's communication, language and literacy are particularly well supported. They use name cards to self- register on arrival and learn to write their name. At 'circle time', children discuss and reflect on specific events and enjoy stories. Key person support and good pronunciation of sounds and letters helps individual children to repeat simple words, such as 'sat'. Parental involvement is very much encouraged and the children choose books to take home, which supports their early literacy skills between environments. The children eagerly explore with torches, and are encouraged to work out for themselves how to operate the remote control fire

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and outcomes for children

engine. Developing skills on the computer also builds on their awareness of technology and skills for the future. 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 3 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 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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