Crabbs Cross & Hunt End Pre-School

Crabbs Cross And Hunt End Pre-School Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY340614 Inspection date 20/04/2010 Inspector Rachel Wyatt

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Setting address St. Peters Church, Littlewoods, REDDITCH, Worcestershire, B97 5LB Telephone number 0795 199 7022 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 . 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

Crabbs Cross and Hunt End Pre-School is a limited company. The pre-school originally opened in 1975 and reregistered in 2006 under new management. The pre-school operates from one room in St Peters Church Hall in the Crabbs Cross area of Redditch, Worcestershire. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The pre-school is open each weekday during term-time. Sessions are from 09.00am to 12.30pm on Monday and 09.00 to 03.00pm Tuesday to Friday.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 26 children may attend at any one time. There are currently 43 children aged from two to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The pre-school currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school employs eight members of staff, of whom seven work directly with the children. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications to Level 3 and the two members of staff with Level 2 qualifications are currently working towards a Level 3 qualification. The other member of staff is the administrator. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and provides funded early education.

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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

The pre-school successfully recognises and promotes the uniqueness of each child. Priority is given to forging close partnerships with parents and developing professional relationships with all those involved in children's welfare, learning and development in order to ensure each child's care and education is appropriate and tailored to their needs. As a result each child is fully included, positively valued and makes good progress in relation to his or her starting points. Apart from an omission to required records, the pre-school has robust systems to ensure children are fully safeguarded, kept safe and to promote their good health. The provider and her staff show a sound commitment and ability to sustain continuous improvement. They effectively evaluate the quality of the provision, taking account of the views of parents and children, and ensure priorities for improvement are fully addressed and maintained.

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 maintain a record of the date on which each member of staff's Criminal Record Bureau Disclosure was obtained (Suitable people). 04/05/2010 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 improve consistency in demonstrating how parents are informed of any accidents or injuries sustained by their children whilst at the pre-school and of any first aid treatment given.

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the early years provision

Children are fully safeguarded. The provider is the designated person responsible for safeguarding and has a sound awareness of child protection issues and procedures. She ensures she and her staff keep up-to-date and attend relevant training. They have clear policies and current guidance to refer to, including procedures to follow if an allegation is made against a member of staff. The pre- school works effectively with other agencies who support families, and carefully monitors children's well-being to ensure prompt action is taken if there are any concerns about their welfare. All relevant information is obtained about children before they start at the pre-school, so it clear who has parental responsibility for them and who has legal contact with them. Parents are further reassured because the pre-school has robust recruitment, induction and staff development procedures to ensure all adults, working with the children or on the premises, are suitable and

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the early years provision

have the appropriate skills, knowledge and qualifications. The provider maintains a required record of all adults' Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks and seeks an annual declaration from each member of staff to confirm their continued suitability. However, she has not kept a record of the date when each person's CRB was obtained which is also an Early Years Foundation Stage requirement.

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the early years provision

The outcomes for children are consistently improved as the provider and her staff show a clear commitment to driving improvement, taking account of children's needs and of parents' views, for instance, through discussions and questionnaires. Effective ongoing self-evaluation of all aspects of the pre-school provision and good use of other monitoring systems ensure the provider and staff know the group's strengths and agree and follow up achievable targets for improvement. These include the successful renovation and reorganisation of the outdoor play area, resulting in children's free access to a wide range of rewarding activities, whatever the weather. Previous inspection recommendations have been successfully tackled. As a result, promoting children's independence throughout the session has become a particular strength of the pre-school, and they are consistently provided with physical activities and equipment that build on and

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the early years provision

Children are confident and purposeful and develop a strong sense of belonging because all of those working in the pre-school are committed to ensuring each child is valued as an individual, and that their needs and interests are fully reflected in the provision. From the outset, parents are encouraged to share information about their child's background, interests, care and development. Children are consistently helped to express their ideas, interests and choices which are always followed up, for example, their suggestions are included in topic plans. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Staff prepare and follow up an individual plan for each child, and throughout each session children's choices form part of the activities and routines. Activities, resources and arrangements for the staff's deployment all take account of children's varying abilities, skills, interests and learning styles. The learning and

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the early years provision

care environment is inviting and welcoming, with well set up activity areas, such as the mark-making table, where children help themselves to a wealth of items, including crayons, chalks, paints, paper, scissors, glue and interesting collage materials. Children self-select many resources from low level storage. Posters are displayed which depict children like themselves and which illustrate the behaviour and skills required during activities and routines. Children see examples of their work displayed around the room. As part of the positive attitudes and atmosphere fostered in the pre-school, children learn about being kind and helpful towards each other and to respect their differing backgrounds. The pre-school aims to include children's home languages in the setting by providing dual language books and signs, and asking parents to provide some key words. Children are often encouraged to talk about their families and they take part in activities featuring the

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the early years provision

lives and customs of others and use many toys, books and puzzles depicting positive images of diversity. Children are also involved in caring for the environment, they contribute to fund raising and take part in the local community, including regular visits to a nearby primary school.

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the early years provision

The pre-school's strong partnerships, with parents, other professionals and other settings children attend, ensure they experience consistency and continuity in their care and education. Very good partnerships with other agencies ensure each child's particular needs are fully provided for whilst they are at the pre-school and followed up when they move on. Shared activities with a local primary school extend children's experiences, for instance, in using different computers and physical equipment and exploring other outdoor environments, and help to prepare them for moving on to the next stage in their education. The provider also has appropriate systems for liaising with other settings some children attend. Parents are very much encouraged to be part of pre-school life. They are well-informed about how the pre-school operates and the provision for their children. They help to settle their child and regularly discuss their routines, activities and achievements

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the early years provision

with their child's key person. Parents are encouraged to be involved in more formal reviews of their child's progress and to come into sessions to see the range of activities provided, for instance, during a recent 'open' week. Parents are given regular updates about activities, topics and special events, and are able to help in sessions, such as coming in to talk about an aspect of their culture or work, or to help with an activity.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy being at pre-school and make good progress. Staff plan and organise a worthwhile programme of well-resourced activities and experiences that fully take account of children's individual needs and interests. All areas of learning are effectively covered and include children's choice and ideas, so there is a successful balance of child-initiated and adult led activities. Robust assessment procedures ensure that key persons and colleagues know each child's starting This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 points, and they consistently observe, monitor and review their development. Parents are encouraged from the outset to share information about their children's abilities and preferences, which helps staff to get to know children, settle them and to understand and plan for their individual needs. Consistent monitoring of children's development, together with their regular observations and interactions

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and outcomes for children

with children, enable staff to have a clear picture of each child's learning priorities and to plan for these. Plans and resources are well thought out and adapted to cater for children's differing levels of ability and skill. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for children who speak English as an additional language is exemplary. Concerns about a child's development or behaviour are promptly identified and followed up. The provider and staff sensitively work with parents and are proactive about helping them access relevant advice, support and guidance. Close links with various professionals means children get very good individual support, are provided with appropriate resources and have their needs consistently assessed and reviewed. All those working in the pre-school are skilled at adapting their approaches to cater for children's differing abilities. They confidently use signing, visual prompts and puppets to support

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and outcomes for children

individual children's understanding, communication and good behaviour and these strategies also have an overall positive impact on all children's concentration, attentive listening, critical thinking and harmonious relationships.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop good skills for the future. They become confident and resourceful as their choices and independence are successfully encouraged throughout the session. For example, the introduction of a well-managed, free choice snack time enables children to decide when they want to have something to eat and drink. They go to wash their hands, find their name card to 'register' at the snack area, help to prepare their own snacks from a wide choice of healthy options, and then enjoy a relaxed social time sitting with their friends. Children are helped to become confident, articulate speakers and good listeners. They chat easily to their friends, talk about what they are doing and are encouraged to recall past events or stories. During group discussions they are encouraged to wait their turn in speaking and to listen carefully. Children increasingly understand print has meaning and their mark- making is fostered successfully, with many opportunities to draw, paint, make

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and outcomes for children

marks in different media, and to practise emergent writing during activities and role play. They relish well-told, and often amusing, stories and enjoy looking at books. Children think critically as staff ensure they have many practical opportunities to make decisions, for instance, about what toys they want out during a session, or to work out how things fit together and work during puzzle play or making models from different materials. Children take part in memory games, use numbers for counting or simple problem solving, and recognise colours, shapes and sizes.

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and outcomes for children

The pre-school's recently redeveloped outdoor area is used well to promote children's appreciation of their environment. They garden, tending plants and seeds, and observe and learn about looking after birds and animals, for instance, by making and using bird feeders. Indoors and outside they explore a wide range of natural and other materials, such as sand, soil, water, dough, foam and various other modelling media. They competently fix together recycled materials to make models or larger structures, such as dens, or something to walk along to perfect their balancing skills. Children also creatively express their ideas through their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 drawings, art and craft work and they play imaginatively, dressing-up and acting out roles, aided by a good selection of small world and role play toys and equipment.

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and outcomes for children

Children's welfare is promoted well. All required information is obtained about their health, diet, care and cultural needs and these are carefully met in the pre-school. Clear parental agreements are obtained to maintain children's good health and care, including in medical emergencies. The premises, toys and equipment are kept clean, and play areas are inviting and comfortable. Staff have appropriate training and skills to ensure children are well looked after and have prompt appropriate treatment if they become unwell, have an accident or need medication. Relevant records are kept of accidents, medication and incidents, although, just occasionally it is not always clear how parents are informed about accidents. Children develop a sound understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle so they follow good hygiene procedures and become increasingly independent in seeing to their personal care. They make healthy choices about

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and outcomes for children

what to eat and drink and relish physical activity. They competently climb, balance and move in different ways, as well as steer and pedal a more challenging range of wheeled toys which were introduced after the last inspection. It is clear children feel safe at pre-school. They have positive, affectionate relationships with the caring staff who consistently reassure, encourage and value each child, so they feel confident to seek an adult's help, as well as to negotiate with each other in order to resolve minor disputes. Children understand how to behave in ways that are safe for themselves and each other. They help to tidy up, to keep areas safe, and they correctly use physical play apparatus and tools, such as utensils and scissors. Children learn about other aspects of safety, for instance taking part in regular practises of fire evacuations and discussing road safety during activities and local walks. They are looked after in a safe and secure environment as adults

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and outcomes for children

are vigilant about security and effectively use risk assessments, including daily checks, to ensure hazards are promptly identified and addressed. 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 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 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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