Kirkham Pre-School Ltd

Kirkham Pre School Ltd

Inspection report for early years provision

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Kirkham Pre School Ltd

Unique Reference Number EY297933 Inspection date 09 March 2006 Inspector Joan, Patricia Flowers

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Kirkham Pre School Ltd

Setting Address Methodist Church, Nelson Street, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 2JP Telephone number 07751 504119

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E-mail

Registered person Kirkham Pre-School Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional 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?

Kirkham Pre School Limited has been part of the local community for over 30 years. It is situated within a Methodist church in the centre of Kirkham and offers sessional care for children aged 2 to 5 years. Facilities for children comprise of a main play area and two smaller rooms with an outdoor area to the side of the building. There is a kitchen, four separate toilets and reception area for parents.

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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 There is a staff team of six of whom four are qualified. The setting is open during term times and from 09:00-12:00 each weekday.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy and fully benefit from a sound range of activities and practises which contribute to their good health. Good examples are set by staff and therefore children are learning very effectively about health and hygiene. For example, wiping their own noses and disposing of the tissue properly and being encouraged to wash their hands after visiting the toilet and before snack time. There are active procedures in place to maintain appropriate levels of cleanliness, which in turn minimise the risk of cross-contamination and infection. As a result, children are able to play in a clean environment without risk to their health. There are five practitioners who are trained in first aid. A well-stocked first aid box is accessible within the pre-school as well as one to take on outings. These initiatives ensure children are attended to promptly in the event of an accident occurring, so children

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Helping children to be healthy

are protected at all times. Records relating to accidents and medication are maintained very effectively and a clearly written sick child policy includes good information regarding common childhood illnesses and exclusion periods. Children who become ill during a session are cared for until parents are able to collect their child. This provides security for the children and reassures parents that the pre-school has the best interests of all children as its priority. Practitioners provide children with a healthy snack of buttered toast with milk, water or fruit juice mid-morning. Children also are provided with extra opportunities for tasting different foods connected to special days, such as Shrove Tuesday when children helped to make and then eat pancakes. Fresh fruit is provided as part of planned topic activities only. Practitioners sit with children in small groups of five or six at snack time, offering a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of time given for children

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Helping children to be healthy

to chat and interact socially. There is no rush and second helpings are offered which children relish and enjoy. Water is available throughout the morning which children can access themselves when they are thirsty. There is a secure system in place to ensure all dietary requirements for each child are complied with including account taken of preferences and allergies. Information of this sort is fully shared and a list is available in the kitchen so that each practitioner is aware of any special requirements individual children may have. Children's physical development is well catered for as practitioners plan a range of activities to suit all ages and stages of development. Children of all ages develop strong fine motor skills as they use scissors and paint brushes, pencils and crayons with confidence. Older children are becoming increasingly skilled in controlling the mouse when using the computer and are able to balance construction bricks with

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Helping children to be healthy

success and dexterity. Regular outdoor play opportunities allow children to run around freely in the fresh air and use the outdoor play equipment so that large

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Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 muscle development is encouraged. Use of the climbing frame in the outdoor area provides challenge for most children. Indoor activities, such as music and movement to pre-recorded music tapes and action songs provide further opportunities for children to enjoy being active. This means that children's physical health and development is very well catered for.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are warmly welcomed into a well-maintained and pre-prepared play and learning environment. There are attractive examples of children's free art and topic work displayed which supports and encourages children's feelings of pride in their achievements. Children fully benefit from the good quality, wide ranging resources that are regularly checked for safety. There are soft cushions for children to sit on comfortably and relax when enjoying books in the reading area, thereby creating a homely environment for them to share with friends or alone. Children independently select equipment that is safely stored in low trays, on tables and on floor mats thus supporting safe play and learning. Children are protected from hazards because practitioners undertake regular risk assessments within the pre-school. However, not all accessible low-level heaters are regulated and those in areas that children have to walk past can compromise

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

children's safety as they are hot to touch. Children's safety is assured relating to fire procedures as these are carried out each term. Consequently children are familiar with procedures and practitioners are clear in the requirements placed upon them. Children are learning to take responsibility for their own safety as they help to tidy the toys away and to walk instead of running inside. Access to the pre-school is secure and monitored extremely well so that children are kept safe and are unable to leave the building or outside play area unsupervised. Children's welfare is assured as staff are well aware of the procedures for recording and reporting child protection concerns. There is a designated person responsible for this area of the settings responsibilities. The child protection statement does not however include relevant contact telephone numbers of referral agencies, thereby compromising the speed in which action would be taken were this to be necessary.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy and achieve because practitioners provide a wide range of interesting and challenging play opportunities for children aged from 2 to 5 years. Children are happy and settled thereby promoting their ability to learn and make progress in their development. Consideration is given to providing a balance of adult-focussed and self-initiated play opportunities as children move freely around between the hall and the rear activity room. They play together in small groups as well as in pairs, or singly with a practitioner, engendering lively interaction between all. Practitioners are becoming familiar with the Birth to three matters framework and hope to implement

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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 this in their planning soon. Photographs show activities which link to the different components of this framework and children are profiting from the routine planning of activities that provide a variety of different opportunities for all children. As this area develops further, young children will gain from having improved targeted play experiences. There are many resources provided that offer various sensory experiences allowing children to explore for themselves and discover differences in textures. They print with the plastic bath scrunchies and metal pan scrubs and handle wood shavings as they make their lamb masks. Children throughout the pre-school are extremely confident and are eager to learn. They respond positively to challenges, such as learning the new computer game and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

play harmoniously together. They communicate exceedingly well and are able to express a range of emotions. For example, two children negotiating turns with a hoop discovered that they could both fit inside one hoop which moved their game to another dimension involving other children in the process. Children enjoy singing and display confidence in answering questions when listening and contributing at story times. They show interest and ask questions to clarify parts they are unfamiliar with. All children are involved and included because practitioners organise story time with thought given to the different ages and stages the children are at. Abundant and easily accessible books encourage children's enjoyment of pictures and the written word, supported by practitioners who help children make links to familiar letters in print, such as their initial letter in their name as children become able to select their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

own place mat at registration and snack time. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and children's learning is good. Practitioners plan a curriculum which is challenging, purposeful and innovative so that high expectations are placed on children. It covers all the six areas of learning and indicates the intended outcome in achievement. Importantly though, this does not provide sufficient detail for planning the next steps in individual children's learning. Practitioners are however developing a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage and are generally able to provide access to each area of learning. Individual children's learning needs are achieved through initial information gathered from parents and effective observation, monitoring and assessment. Subsequently, children are progressing along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Key workers are responsible for completing their group's assessments, although all

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

staff can contribute using spontaneous observations. Art work, pictures and photographs illustrate the progress children are making and the written comments filed in each child's folder provides information for parents about children's learning. Children are developing a meaningful and competent understanding of number. They are beginning to recognise numbers and some 3 year olds can count by rote up to 10 and beyond. They can recognise which animals have two legs and some numbers such as 1, 4 and 7. Older children are able to count extremely well, for example, one child lined up all the counting bears and was able to count up to 12 pointing to each one in sequence. Children are able to draw figures of people including extensive detail, such as features and fingers on hands. Children fully enjoy spending plenty of time doing this and staff allow them opportunity to finish what they have started. Some children can write their names with increasing dexterity and can copy letters

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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 from examples on their name cards. Children are learning to recognise letters and say the initial sound in their name. Children learn about the world around them through inventive and inspiring topics. They meet people who help them because they are invited into the setting and talk about their profession. Parents are invited to share their skills and visitors are invited, who are connected to the theme or topic, to provide interesting links. These activities helps children learn about the world around them. They are learning about their local community by going on outings such as visiting the library and going for walks to a nearby woodland area. Their understanding of the natural world is helped by undertaking topics such as 'growth' and 'animals'. There are opportunities outdoors for physical development as well as usual aspects

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of the curriculum which are taken outdoors in fine weather. The creation of an exciting and challenging space, which maximises all kinds of physical and creative development is well used and enjoyed by children and extends their learning experiences well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are made to feel welcome and valued within the setting as they are treated with equal concern and attention by staff. They are learning about other cultures and issues of diversity through their planned themes linked to festivals, although resources in everyday play are limited and provide no opportunities for children to learn about disability. Children with special needs are supported by the implementation of the Code of Practice, and close working relationships with other professionals and parents ensures development is encouraged. Practitioners provide good role models to children showing them respect, offering them praise and encouraging good manners. They have high expectations of children's behaviour and they treat children with regard in applying positive strategies and implementing positive reinforcement. Children consequently develop and learn in a nurturing

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Helping children make a positive contribution

environment about how their behaviour can affect others. They contribute to the 'code of conduct' which they help draw up at the start of each term. Children form friendships, play well together and consider each other as they sit close to a friend at story time. Children's social, moral, cultural and spiritual development is fostered. Strong relationships are maintained with parents/carers. From the outset they are provided with information about the setting when shown around the pre-school areas. If a place is accepted parents/carers are then offered a welcome pack with further details. Significant and reliable information is gathered to meet each child's individual needs, and various forms of communication are used to keep information flowing. These include newsletters, daily verbal feedback and bi-annual parent's/carers meetings to discuss the progress the children are making. Parents/carers are

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Helping children make a positive contribution

included in their children's learning through monthly curriculum up-dates detailing the coming topic and how this can be supported and continued at home. They are welcome at any time to discuss their child with their key worker. All policies and procedures are shared with parents as well as using the display boards to ensure

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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 routines and daily practice is shared. These ways of working with parents encourages a beneficial two-way communication so that children spend their time in the setting happily, and progressing well along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Parents speak highly of the provision and are especially pleased with how much their children enjoy attending together with the varied experiences they are offered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Practitioners organise internal and external areas very well. Ample resources are provided and the use of space is sufficiently maximised to facilitate learning opportunities across all learning areas. This enables children to self-select from inviting and continuous provision. Children as a result, are eager to enter the setting and are very happy in their play and education. Practitioners ensure that children are suitably supervised in order that they can learn and explore in safety. Documentation is kept to a good standard. It is well-organised, in very good detail, up to date and regularly reviewed. Confidentiality is acknowledged as important and records are securely stored providing reassurance to parents and staff alike. Leadership and management of the setting is good. The registered provider undertakes planning for future improvements. Each practitioner's professional

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Organisation

development needs are identified, with them being encouraged and supported to attend training programmes that enhance their child care skills and the delivery of the foundation stage curriculum. Good support is given to staff to implement aspects of their work such as arranging to attend cluster meetings provided by the local authority advisory teacher. The manager has clear vision for developing the setting and is enthusiastic in creating a strong staff team. Further effective leadership is achieved by the monitoring and the planning of the curriculum to ensure topics and links fit together and there are sufficient activities and opportunities to help children progress along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. For example, the manager encourages different ways of learning such as taking children on outings to the library and inviting visitors to talk to the children linked to the current

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Organisation

topic. Children enthusiastically described seeing the lamb and how soft its wool felt when they made their own lamb masks the next day. Such planned activities ensure that children are provided with a meaningful and varied educational programme that is relevant and interesting to all children and promotes their learning effectvely. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration in February 2005.

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Complaints 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 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): • improve safety by ensuring that heated surfaces do not pose a risk to children and ensure that the child protection statement includes the telephone number of Social Services • ensure there are resources and images provided which reflect positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability within the setting

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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): • ensure that the planning for individual children's progress towards the early learning goals is informed by effective assessment that identifies the next steps in learning • provide and plan activities that offer appropriate physical challenge for more able 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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