Aston Clinton School

Heydays Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 110332 Inspection date 25/03/2010 Inspector Stephanie Matthews

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Setting address Four Marks School, Kitwood Road, Four Marks, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 5AS Telephone number 07504 433939 Email heydayspreschool@aol.com 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

Heydays Pre-School is managed by a committee and first opened in 1972. It operates from accommodation on the site of Four Marks Primary School in Alton, a residential area of Hampshire. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 26 children from two years to the end of the early years age group may attend the setting at any one time. There are currently 24 children in the early years age group on roll and 22 of them receive funding. Children may start to attend at two years and six months old.

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Description of the setting

The setting is open each weekday during school term time only from 9am to 12 noon and the sessions are extended to 3pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. Children have access to an outdoor area for their sole use and also use the school field and playground. A disabled toilet is available in the adjacent school and there is a ramp providing wheelchair access at the front of the building, but not at the rear. The setting supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The pre- school employs six members of staff. Of these, four staff have an early years National Vocational Qualification at Level 3, the manager has a diploma in pre school practice and one member of staff has a teaching qualification. All staff are trained in paediatric first aid. The setting receives local authority support.

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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

Heydeys Pre-School provides well for the children in its care and ensures their safety at all times. Children show outstanding levels of enjoyment and respond very well to the excellent opportunities to contribute to their own learning and that of others. It is an inclusive setting that uses its available space and resources well. Leadership and management are good and its record of continued development shows a good capacity for further improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the hard surfaces and availability of shade/cover in the immediate vicinity of the setting in order that children have easy access to the range of learning experiences provided  include photographs, as appropriate, taken by the children in their learning journals. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The setting is led and managed well. It has a good drive for improvement and has dealt effectively with issues raised in the previous report. All staff now use the same approaches to behaviour and children are managed very well. Health declarations are included in the documentation. The children’s welfare is safeguarded effectively. Vetting procedures for the appointment of new staff are secure. The management committee is now more active in planning and parents are now more involved with assessment, for example, by helping children complete a holiday diary. Overall improvement has been good particularly in the acquisition of information and communication technology resources. The indoor area is compact, but it is used very well to provide lots of play opportunities for children. The outside area is very extensive because the setting is able to use the six acres of school grounds and these include a large wooded area and a pond. However,

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the early years provision

there is no permanent covered area to protect the children from sunlight or in wet weather and the hard surface of the immediate play area is not suitable for climbing.

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the early years provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well, as are children who have English as an additional language. Disabled facilities are limited, the only suitable toilet is in the main building some distance away and there is no ramp to enable access to the outdoor area at the rear. The setting celebrates a range of festivals including the Chinese New Year and overall its contribution in promoting equality and diversity is good. Safeguarding procedures are effective and the manager has completed a full self-evaluation that has a clear focus on securing children’s welfare and other aspects of young children’s care, support and guidance. Partnerships with the school, church and local community are good and children have enjoyed visits from the fire service, local police and a librarian. Parents acknowledge that they are kept very well informed about their children’s progress. Parents speak with real enthusiasm about the overall provision

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the early years provision

and the quality of communication with the manager and her team.

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and outcomes for children

The early years provision is good. There are some outstanding areas, for example, children show a high level of enjoyment and their assessment records show that their progress is very good. The children are very confident and sustain independent play activities really well. They greatly enjoy group activities such as counting and singing and the setting supports learning in communication and language development very effectively. Children clearly feel safe and secure and they relate to staff very confidently and, as a result, relationships are a real strength of the setting.

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and outcomes for children

The children show a good understanding of healthy living, for example, they understand about the importance of eating fruit and drinking water and they are sensible about washing their hands. Children make excellent contributions to their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 own and to each other’s learning. They help to prepare snacks by using safely designed knives to cut up fruit, and they help to clear up after play sessions. The children also contribute to the community by helping to raise money for charity. The setting is fortunate in having good Information and Communication Technology facilities including a range of digital cameras. Children take photographs, but as yet these are not used to enrich their assessment records. Following a suggestion made by a child who has since moved on into the Reception class, children can now take home books from the setting. ‘Heydeys’

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and outcomes for children

children are secure and happy and they enjoy learning. Most of them progress into Reception classes at the adjacent school. They are well prepared for this transition and are ready to make further good progress in their learning. 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 1 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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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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