St Bartholomew's Pre-School

St Bartholomew's Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 205298 Inspection date 24/05/2010 Inspector Fiona Robinson

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Setting address Grimley & Holt C of E Primary School, Grimley, WORCESTER, WR2 6LU Telephone number 01905 640322 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

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

St Bartholomew's Pre-School playgroup opened in 1988. It operates from a demountable building, which is in the grounds of Grimley & Holt Church of England Primary School. There is ramped disability access to the building. It is situated in a rural village setting near the northern outskirts of Worcester City and has a voluntary management committee made up of parent representatives. It is open Mondays and Tuesdays from 08.30am until 03.50pm and on Thursdays from 08.30am until 12.30pm, during school term-times only. A maximum of 20 children aged from two to under five years may attend at any one time. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children share access to the school's secure outdoor area.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 10 children from two years to under five years on roll. Of these, four children receive funding for early education. There is provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those for whom English is an additional language. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the setting

Four staff work with the children, including two qualified teachers, and one member of staff holds an appropriate Early Years qualification. The group receives support from a local authority mentor teacher, and the pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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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 children enjoy interesting topics and activities and achieve well at the pre- school. The staff team are good at promoting children's welfare and ensure they are fully included in indoor and outdoor play. There are good links with parents and the host school and information is shared effectively. The manager and staff have a good understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement, and there is good commitment to continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the use of technology in activities  develop forest school provision in the outdoor area of learning.

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the early years provision

Children are well-cared for in a secure environment and staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures. Comprehensive policies and procedures are fully implemented to ensure children's safety. Risk assessments are carried out This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 regularly to minimise danger and the children are well-supervised in the indoor and outdoor environments. There are robust systems in place for staff recruitment and vetting, and collection procedures are rigorous.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents are good. They say that the pre-school is stimulating, caring and fun for the children. Staff involve parents in the children's learning through informal discussions and comprehensive newsletters. They keep them well-informed of the children's achievements and progress. They record information in the children's diaries and are happy to make specific key worker appointments to talk about the children's progress in more depth. Parents and the committee are very supportive of special events, such as a medieval fare and sports day, and organise a summer trip for the children. There are good links with the host school and information is shared effectively with them. The setting benefits from the use of a stimulating and safe outdoor area.

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the early years provision

The setting has a good level of leadership and management. Good self-evaluation systems ensure that improvements have a positive impact on the children's experiences. The manager and staff value the views of parents and children and enjoy and celebrate their achievements. Staff actively promote equality and diversity in the setting and work hard to ensure that children are fully included in activities, and share opinions with one another. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are treated with care and sensitivity. Good progress has been made in addressing the recommendations from the previous inspection. In particular, short-term planning has been revised to incorporate children's individual learning needs. Staff meet regularly to share planning and discuss activities and assessment observations. There are comprehensive plans in place for future improvements, such as developing the forest school provision in the outdoor area

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the early years provision

to enrich children's learning experiences. Staff also recognise the need to extend the use of technology in activities, such as the digital camera and computer. The staff are well-deployed and sound use is made of resources to meet the needs of the children. They demonstrate a good commitment to improve in the future.

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and outcomes for children

There is well-organised indoor and outdoor play. Children enjoy a positive environment in which their creative work is displayed effectively. Staff value their views and incorporate these in their choice of activities. Currently, they are exploring ways of extending the use of technology in the setting. Planning and assessment supports children's play and development well.

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and outcomes for children

Children behave well, because staff are good role models with clear expectations. They enjoy one another's company and play cooperatively. They are motivated by an interesting range of activities and experiences. They are also encouraged to develop their independent skills and be inclusive in their play.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop a good understanding of being healthy and safe. They are encouraged to make healthy choices at snack time and learn to use equipment safely as they make fruit salads and smoothies. They enjoy trying food from a This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 variety of cultures, such as noodles and rice as part of their Chinese New Year celebrations. They learn the importance of taking exercise and enjoy growing their own food outdoors. They learn to stay safe and to handle tools carefully when they make models and create colourful collages. They benefit from talks on safety.

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and outcomes for children

Children are eager to come to the pre-school and respond well to the good care and support given by staff. They enjoy dancing, singing and playing percussion instruments. Physical skills are developed well as they ride their pedalled vehicles and explore ways of going on, under and through climbing and balancing frames. They enjoy building dens in the play area and forest area. Topics, such as farming and food, and festivals, such as Diwali, Christmas and the Chinese New Year, enrich their experiences. Children are keen to grow tomatoes, onions and sunflowers in their outdoor garden. They listen well to stories, such as 'The Hungry Caterpillar' and enjoy going on bug hunts. Most children can count up to 10 and beyond and they enjoy singing songs, such as 'Five Little Speckled Frogs' to practise their counting skills. They recognise their names and most know how to write their names by the time they leave the pre-school. They enjoy creating

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and outcomes for children

sparkling pictures out of materials and glitter, and paint colourful patterns and pictures for display. However, opportunities to use technology in activities are more limited. Children have good enthusiasm and a desire to please as they help to tidy up the resources. Overall, they are well-prepared for their next stage in learning in this bright and stimulating setting. 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 exceptiona lly 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 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 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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