Crosspool Community Pre-School

Crosspool Community Pre-school

Inspection report for early years provision

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Crosspool Community Pre-school

Unique Reference Number 300933 Inspection date 20 February 2006 Inspector Jill Lee

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Crosspool Community Pre-school

Setting Address Lydgate Lane, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 5FQ

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E-mail

Registered person Crosspool Community 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Crosspool Community Pre-School opened in 2000. It operates from Lydgate Infant School in the Crosspool area of Sheffield. Children are accommodated in a classroom and there are fully enclosed areas available for outdoor play. A maximum of 20 children may attend at any one time. The pre-school opens every weekday during term time; sessions are from 08.55 to 11.25 and 12.35 to 15.05.

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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 are currently 69 children aged from 3 to under 5 years on roll; of these, 66 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery supports children with special educational needs. The pre-school employs 11 staff to work directly with the children, all of whom work on a part time basis. There are four staff who have an appropriate early years qualification and two who are working towards this. The group is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and has almost completed the local quality assurance scheme, the Sheffield Quality Kitemark.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy daily physical activity outdoors, which contributes to their overall good health; they use the outdoor area with much enjoyment in all weathers. They are developing coordination and control of their bodies as they negotiate the ladders in the play house, climb and balance on the boat and play running and chasing games. They manoeuvre wheeled toys backwards and forwards, safely avoiding others as they 'whiz' very fast down the sloping playground. Children move confidently, indoors and out, successfully negotiating space and obstacles. They are effectively supported to develop and extend their physical skills. Staff have identified the need to enhance planned use of the outdoor environment and to raise children's awareness of the value of exercise. The nursery environment is warm and well maintained. Children are protected from illness and infection as staff follow effective hygiene routines. They are helped to

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Helping children to be healthy

understand the importance of good hygiene practice and are moving towards independence in attending to their personal care. They access the tissues independently when they need to wipe their nose and discuss the importance of cleanliness before they have snack, knowing that they must wash their hands 'or you get germs in your tummy'. Arrangements for first aid and administering medication are well considered, agreed with parents and fully protect children. Staff liaise closely with parents and are very well informed about children's individual dietary needs. The parent brochure asks parents to avoid sending sweet foods or other food stuffs with their children and reminds them about the risks of sharing food in case any children have allergies. Children enjoy a variety of nutritious foods at snack time and are learning to consider healthy options. Staff plan a varied snack menu, comprising of fruits, vegetables and cereals; they encourage children to try

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Helping children to be healthy

new foods and foods they 'do not like'. They raise children's awareness of how foods grow, for example, sprouts on the stalk and tomatoes on the vine. Children develop independence as they pour milk for their cereal and butter their own toast; they sometimes help to set the table. They enjoy snack time in small groups, which encourages relaxed conversation. Snack time is used effectively to promote healthy choices but staff do not consistently maximise everyday opportunities to encourage conversations about a healthy lifestyle.

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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

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in secure, welcoming premises by staff who clearly understand their role in keeping children safe. Comprehensive health and safety procedures are implemented effectively. Staff carefully check the premises daily and take appropriate steps to minimise risks, so that children are protected from potential hazards. Children learn to keep themselves safe as staff involve them in daily discussions and teach them safe practice. For example, they know they must watch out carefully for other children when riding the bikes fast and that there is no pushing on the climbing equipment. They understand that they count to make sure everyone is present when they line up to go back indoors. They know what to do when they have fire drills. Children have access to sufficient, safe space to allow them to enjoy a wide variety of activities. They use a good variety of safe and suitable toys and play materials.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Resources are of good quality and are well maintained. Most are readily accessible for children to reach independently. The play environment is organised to allow children to move around freely and safely developing their own play ideas. Staff give high priority to protecting children and all staff have recently accessed appropriate training to enhance their understanding of child protection issues. Child protection responsibilities and recording requirements are shared well with parents and children are sensitively supported to share their feelings and make their needs known. Staff's clear understanding of their responsibilities within child protection procedures helps to ensure that children are effectively protected and their welfare fully safeguarded.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and very settled in the pre-school. Caring and supportive relationships give them confidence to explore and enjoy learning. They use initiative to make choices about their play, independently selecting activities from the well balanced range available. Children concentrate for long periods on activities which interest them, like exploring the play dough and designing their own 'junk' models. They learn to share and cooperate well, involving others in their games, for instance, as they care for the sick animals coming to the vets. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good, so that children make consistent progress towards the early learning goals. They are confident to try out new experiences, supported by staff with good knowledge of the Foundation Stage of learning. Children enjoy a wide variety of experiences within the daily environment;

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they are interested and motivated to learn. Activity planning is well structured and successfully promotes opportunities in all areas of learning. Staff use their knowledge of children's individual interests very well to extend their learning. Children can access many resources without assistance and ask staff if others are needed.

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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 However, sufficient consideration has not been given to the overall storage of resources, or the range which should be routinely accessible, so that children are independently able to extend their own play ideas. Children enjoy coming to the nursery. They are very confident communicators and happily share their own ideas and experiences; they use language well to describe, recall and explain. Children love stories; they listen attentively and contribute enthusiastically. Older children recognise and practice writing their name; they begin to links sounds and letters. They practice writing for real purposes as they record what is the matter with the animal patients at the vets. Children count and use numbers in everyday activities; they confidently count to 19 as everybody lines up,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

recognise the date on the calendar and participate actively in number rhymes. They use comparative size and positional language with comprehension as they sort and order the elephants and make patterns. Children are very interested in the world around them. They learn about the seasons and the weather and search for creatures in the nature garden. They explore full, empty and half full as they fill pots with soil to plant the 'pretend flowers'. They make their own models and have free opportunity for spontaneous expression of their own creativity, for example as they develop imaginary games in the pirate ship outdoors. They learn about the wider world as they use the map to look for the countries where different breads at snack time come from. Staff routinely observe children in varied ways in their play experiences, identifying what they know and can do. These observations are shared well by staff and clearly

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

inform overall planning. However, they are not used sufficiently effectively to inform how activities are to be differentiated, so that more able children are consistently challenged within their everyday play. For example, staff do not consistently maximise opportunities to extend exploration of number concepts within free play activities and routines.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff work very closely with parents to find out what is important to their child. Children know they are valued as individuals, as staff listen attentively to what they say and ask questions about what they have been doing. They find out about their interests and link these to planned activities. Familiar staff are always on hand to offer support and reassurance, helping children develop confidence and self-esteem. Children behave very well and they are encouraged to take responsibility for their own behaviour. They help to tidy away toys when they have finished playing and enjoy helping staff within everyday routines, for example setting the table for snack. Children play together very harmoniously; they show consideration for the needs of others as they learn to take turns and share toys and know staff will support them with negotiations where they disagree. Staff consistently remind children about rules

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and reinforce boundaries; gentle reminders warn children that it will soon be time to stop what they are doing. Staff clearly explain the reasons for rules so that children understand why some behaviour is unacceptable. They help children to understand

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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 the consequences of their behaviour, for example that throwing soil can be very upsetting to another child, especially if it goes in their eyes and mouth. Children are supported to apologise when they have done something which has upset someone. A wide range of visitors to the nursery, often parents of children attending, stimulate children's interest in people who support the local community. They find out about the role of the road safety officer, the police, fire service and paramedics, the work of vets and people who help to train guide dogs for the blind. Children learn about the wider world as staff plan activities which raise their awareness of the lives and cultures of people in other countries. For example, they find out about different festivals, like Divali and use factual books well to stimulate their interest. Their

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Helping children make a positive contribution

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered well. The pre-school establishes a very good partnership with parents and carers. Parents feel well informed about pre-school policies and are confident in approaching staff about any concerns. They are asked to share what they know about their child so that they work closely with staff to support their child's needs. They enjoy relaxed and friendly relationships, promoting children's sense of security. Parents receive clear information about the Foundation Stage curriculum and are well informed about planned activities. They are encouraged to share activities with their child and are invited to help on rota each half term. Staff share information daily with parents and confidential meetings can be arranged if needed. Parents receive regular, informative newsletters which keep them fully updated about pre-school issues; comments slips are always available inviting their views. Parents are able to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

discuss their child's assessment record with the key worker at any time and more formal 'communication' meetings are planned twice yearly. They are well informed about and fully involved in their child's learning experiences.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The pre-school environment is well organised to promote children's welfare and safety. Daily routines are clearly planned and flexibly implemented. Staff are deployed very effectively to respond to and support children's varying needs and interests. Staff rotas aim to support consistency and priority is given to establishing good levels of communication within the large, wholly part-time staff team. Children's care and education are supported by good leadership and management. The enthusiastic and committed staff team has well planned access to appropriate training and development opportunities, which enhances their ability to plan varied and interesting experiences for children. Procedures to monitor the effectiveness of teaching is systematically helping children to make progress are well established. Comprehensive policies and procedures are in place to support children's welfare.

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Organisation

These are shared very effectively with parents. Clear induction procedures and close teamwork help to ensure procedures are consistently applied, so that children's welfare is safeguarded. The pre-school has appointed an administrator to support implementation of required procedures for both staff and the management

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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 committee. Recruitment procedures are well considered and robust; staff are appropriately vetted and have suitable skills and experience to work with children. All required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place; there are systems in place for regular review and updating. Parent's wishes regarding their child's care, influence day-to-day practice and clear written agreements are recorded. Overall the pre-school promotes children's well-being and successfully meets the individual needs of the range of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the pre-school was asked to amend the Child Protection policy to include the action to be taken if an allegation was made against a member of staff. This has now been incorporated into procedures, ensuring that children's welfare is fully safeguarded. With regard to the provision of nursery education, the pre-school was asked to provide more opportunities for children to construct using large materials and to record planned next steps in their learning. Children now have access to a good range of resources, which promote opportunities to build on a large scale outdoors, encouraging them to explore and develop their spatial awareness and creativity. Staff routinely observe and record children's progress; these observations are used to identify next steps in their learning and to inform future planning. However, further work is needed to enhance the ways in which observations of children's progress are

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Improvements since the last inspection

used, on a daily basis, to help staff to differentiate planned activities within the continuous provision and ensure sufficient challenge for more able children in their free play.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints made to Ofsted. 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 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): • further develop planning to enhance children's experiences using the outdoor environment and promote their awareness of a healthy lifestyle (also applies to nursery education).

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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): • re-evaluate the range and accessibility of stored resources in all areas of the continuous provision, to further enhance children's independent opportunities to extend their own play ideas • further develop the links between observations of children and planning the next steps in their learning; maximise opportunities within the daily environment to promote 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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