Brent Road Pre-School

Brent Road Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Brent Road Pre-School

Unique Reference Number EY304484 Inspection date 17 January 2006 Inspector Christine Clint

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Brent Road Pre-School

Setting Address The Scout Hut, Brent Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 5NW Telephone number 07876 058261

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E-mail

Registered person Brent Road Pre-School 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Brent Road Pre-school has operated since 1985. The current provision is jointly owned and registered in 2005. The pre-school is accommodated in the scout hut next to Nyewood Primary School in Bognor Regis and has sole use of the free-standing building during the hours of opening.

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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 Children are cared for in one main area with separate kitchen and toilet facilities. There is an outside play area with a patio. Children from the local and wider community attend and there are close links with the neighbouring primary school. Children attend from Monday to Friday during term times, 09:00 to 11.45, with an optional extended lunch club until 12.45. There are four staff working with the children daily, three of whom are qualified in child care and early years education, with additional support staff organised to meet regulatory ratios. There are currently 14 children in funded educational places and the pre-school supports children with additional needs. The pre-school also has close links with the local authority early years department.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in reasonably clean premises, which staff check and organise daily. They learn about hygiene through following regular routines of washing their hands before snack and lunch time. Staff explain to children that they need to wash because they can have germs from playing on the floor. Children can use the toilets independently during the session; they ask staff to help them at times and they are able to reach the sinks because staff provide steps. Several younger children wear nappies and staff follow hygienic procedures for nappy changing, they wear gloves and use a sterilised changing mat. They wrap used nappies as there is no system for disposal. Children are protected by the weekly routines for sterilising all the plastic cups. The tables are thoroughly cleaned before snack and lunch time with anti-bacterial cleaner. Staff keep up to date with procedures for hygiene; they share all information

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Helping children to be healthy

regularly. Children's welfare is fully promoted by the clear policies for health. Medicine permission and records for any administration of medication are in place. Staff and parents can use the policy and procedure for illness. There is a clear awareness of children's allergies, especially relating to medication, first aid and food. A first aid kit is in place and one member of staff holds a current certificate, which is displayed. Children's accident records are noted and signed by staff and parents; a duplicate book is used and a copy is given to parents. Children follow organised routines for snack time and they are offered healthy food because staff have introduced a regular supply of fruit from parents. However snack time does not take place until most of the equipment is packed away. Children can have a drink earlier in the session but some children are too young to recognise when they are hungry or thirsty. During snack time children help themselves to small

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Helping children to be healthy

pieces of prepared fruit from a bowl, but they have less opportunity for eating more if they are hungry.

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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 Children enjoy physical activities. They come together in one group several times during the session for action songs, parachute games, group games on the floor, and outside on the patio for short times in the winter. They respond well to physical movement and happily give this their full attention. Smaller children are totally involved in their own appropriate action rhymes when they are separated at story time.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children and parents are welcomed into the setting. Staff greet them individually and fully respond to children's needs, especially those who need to be settled. Children and parents have time to talk because staff are fully organised; they ensure that the facility is prepared. Children have ample space in one large hall, which has good light, ventilation and sufficient heat. They use the outside area every day in fine weather. Children have a wide choice of play equipment and resources, which are set out daily. They have free choice to move between activities. Staff follow daily layout plans. They provide resources to fit the plans for activities and they ensure that individual children's needs are met. There are regular routines for cleaning and checking equipment. Children are safe and secure in the setting. Staff follow a system of checking the premises daily because it is used by others. They are very attentive and quick to

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

respond to any situations during the session. They remind children regularly not to run and to take care on the patio because the wet leaves are slippery. Staff conscientiously check before taking children outside for activities; they give children clear instructions and always secure the area more definitely during the summer. Children practise fire drills regularly and these are recorded; there are thorough procedures in place for fire and these are displayed. The arrival and collection routines for children are strongly upheld; one member of staff continually remains at the door to monitor this routine. Children's welfare is highly maintained because staff show a good knowledge and awareness of following local procedures for child protection. All policies and procedures for referring concerns are in place and staff have attended training. They also have a full process for handling any allegations against staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and mostly settled; they are learning to be confident and to interact with staff and each other during their daily play. Older children respond well to staff and show keen levels of concentration at specific activities. They are beginning to socialise and form friendships; they are learning to understand right from

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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 wrong. Several younger children roam and need continual encouragement to join in activities at group times; staff show understanding and encouragement. Some younger children attend with their siblings and staff recognise their need to be together at times. Smaller children are sensibly separated; especially when older children are enjoying stories, they sit at the other side of the room with staff and happily act out songs. Children can freely access all resources that are set out daily; they have a good variety for most of the session. They come together for group registration, news, stories and group physical play. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children are learning to have meaningful conversations, especially at snack time; and staff engage and encourage

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children to respond. Children help with tidy-up time. Staff give them areas of responsibility and older children clearly try to complete tasks; they put all the pieces of the puzzle back together. They follow regular routines of clearing away their cups, jugs and fruit bowls at snack time, although they are mostly following staff requests and do not have opportunities to fully make their own decisions. Children use the enclosed home corner for spontaneous role-play and staff observe from a distance so that children can follow their own ideas, although younger children often parallel play only in this area. Children do take part in planned role-play which is linked with other areas of learning; they taste porridge because they are acting Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Children freely paint and make collage faces on paper bears. They have many opportunities to take part in creative activities and they are encouraged to recognise

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and name colours during every day routines. Children sing well and know the words to many songs. They frequently enjoy action songs and rhymes and participate fully. Children sit in small groups to carry out a maths activity. They are keen and most older children easily recognise and count the numbers on the cards. They can match quantity with numbers and confidently put numbers into sequence. Staff swiftly recognise when children need more challenge. Children count and problem-solve at snack time; they collect the correct number of cups for the children at their table. Older children listen well at story time. They are enthralled with the experience of creeping past the giant, and they cover their faces and show expressions of excitement and anxiety, ending with a scream. Children can recite the words of a story book that they know well. There are fewer books available for children to choose from during regular play. Many books are stored for story time or for using in

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the book bag scheme; and the pre-school has a regular visit from the local book bus. Children learn to find their own names to hang on their peg when they arrive, and they repeat this at snack time. They listen to their own names at registration time and they are learning the full names of other children. Some older children are practising

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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 emergent writing and add their names to their drawings. Children are learning about the wider community and the outside world. They are encouraged to think about the weather when they go outside and they learn about nature and wildlife by watching tadpoles and butterflies grow and setting them free. Children have practised crossing the road with the lollipop lady during a special road safety topic. They talk about birthdays and celebrate festivals from other cultures. Children have access to a computer and they are encouraged to increase their skills as they prepare for school. Children enjoy the yellow play dough; they squeeze and roll the dough, they use cutters and make patterns. They move different parts of their body when they are preparing for story time. They stand and shake their arms and wriggle to prepare

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

them for sitting still and listening. Children eagerly participate in games with the parachute. They hold on with two hands and shake the parachute to wake it up. They include many different actions; they are asked to feel the breeze from the parachute when it is waved up and down over their heads. Children use the outside area regularly in fine weather. They can often play outside under the trees for the whole session in the summer. Children are mostly developing and learning because staff have a good understanding of the stepping stones of the Foundation Stage for learning. Staff plan activities and encourage children in their emotional, social and physical development, although the needs of the younger children sometimes influence the amount of time that is spent with the older, more able children. Staff have organised key worker roles; they observe children and show an awareness of children's individual level of development. They record some

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

observations of development in children's key worker books. However, there is less continuity and insufficient observations to show how children have achieved many stepping stones in their development profiles. Staff do not fully refer to the development records to plan for children's learning to ensure their progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's individual needs are substantially met because staff learn about children from the information that parents give; and they interact with children and their parents frequently. Staff thoughtfully manage the needs of the younger children attending and provide alternative attention at times. These younger children are also not expected to sit for long periods; they are frequently allowed to wander at group time. Children wearing nappies are accepted in the pre-school; and staff endeavour to assist with toilet training and to work alongside parents. The pre-school has an equal opportunities policy in place. Children have opportunities to learn about other countries and cultures, through topics which widen their understanding; they dress up and they also taste Oriental and Asian food. There are some books which show positive images of a multicultural society.

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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 Children are effectively supported and their special needs are totally considered. Staff have a proactive attitude towards meeting children's additional needs; and the named staff member who is responsible is continuing to attend training. Staff frequently prepare activities to meet the needs of children attending, especially when they know children's likes and dislikes. All staff readily accept opportunities to meet professional advisors locally, and they find these sessions very valuable. There are thorough examples in the records to show how children with additional needs are making progress, and staff have a good rapport with parents. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Older children respond well to staff. They recognise the sound of the tambourine and know that this

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Helping children make a positive contribution

signals time to finish activities. Noise levels are sometimes high and staff have to raise their voices to ensure that children hear them; however, they use well practised tactics to bring the noise levels down. Children become involved and carry out the 'brain gym' tactics, which are used after the parachute game to encourage them to stand still and think about their actions. Children are offered alternative activities if they become disruptive, staff intervene swiftly to manage the situation. Children are encouraged to be polite at snack time and to listen to each other at group time. Staff use behaviour charts at times and always in conjunction with parents wishes. Children settle well because their parents are well informed about all aspects of the provision. The quality of the partnership with parents is good. The pre-school staff place notice-boards in the entrance hall daily, with various information to remind

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Helping children make a positive contribution

parents about important changes, or to sensibly ensure that parents provide warm clothes. Parents have a welcome pack when children first attend, and they have access to all policies and procedures in the pre-school portfolio. Parents receive regular newsletters which keep them up to date and aware of topics. They are informed about staff changes and any new staff training being attended. They are openly invited to spend time in the provision. All parents confidently state that they can raise any concerns with staff. They are notified about the complaints log. They are very content with their children's progress. They have an understanding of the Foundation Stage of learning and an awareness of their children's development profiles. They strongly praise the joint providers.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The jointly registered providers are very aware of their new responsibilities towards maintaining a safe environment for the children and their families. All current staff clearances are in place on the Ofsted system and staff continuity is good; there have been few staff changes. Procedures are being developed for taking responsibility for checking all new staff and newly appointed trainee staff are not given unsupervised access to children. The registration document is displayed in the pre-school. The pre-school has a full portfolio of policies and procedures to form an operational plan. These are currently being updated and amended to take account of the new

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 ownership and to meet the changing needs of the pre-school. All permanent staff have relevant qualifications. These are displayed in the portfolio for parents; and certificates for short training courses are also included. Staff show interest and enthusiasm for continual training; they have good local links with the primary school and the local early years provision. All staff details are available and staff attendance is marked in the register daily. Staff have organised areas of responsibility within the provision; they work well together and share their knowledge. A daily register is in place for children and staff. All visitors sign to show they are on the premises. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. The quality of the leadership and management is satisfactory. Staff use their

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Organisation

knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum to plan appropriate activities and they frequently include learning opportunities during regular routines. The plans for activities are thorough and include an organised daily floor plan; however, the staff state that spontaneity is often included depending on children's needs or the weather. Staff have a strong awareness of encouraging children to extend their thinking through their use of questioning and dialogue. However, the leadership and management of the provision has not recognised that children's development profiles lack sufficient evidence to support the highlighted stepping stones; therefore the records are not used to plan for future learning.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. 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 satisfactory.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND 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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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): • ensure that children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs

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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): • observe and record children's development to ensure that their progress is reflected in the development profiles and use this to plan for their future learning.

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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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