Hind Leys Pre-school and Natural Play Centre

Hind Leys Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Hind Leys Pre-School

Unique Reference Number EY221912 Inspection date 22 February 2006 Inspector Kate Bryan

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Hind Leys Pre-School

Setting Address Mobile No 2, Forest Street, Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 9DB Telephone number 01509 508731 E-mail Jane.Stackhouse@NTLWorld.com Registered person Hind Leys Pre-School Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care

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Hind Leys Pre-School

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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Hind Leys Pre-school Playgroup opened in 1976 and is run by a committee. It operates from a mobile with its own facilities within the local community college. The immediate college grounds are available for outside play. The pre-school serves the local community of Shepshed and surrounding villages. There are currently 70 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 49 funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports

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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 with special educational needs and provides a service to children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term-times. Sessions are from 09:15 until 12:00 and 13:30 until 15:30. A lunch club operates on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There are 11 staff who work with the children. There are 9 staff who have early years qualifications to National Vocational Qualification level 2 or 3 and 2 staff are working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Leicestershire Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are learning to be responsible for their own healthy practices by, for example, washing their hands before snack time and using their own towel to prevent cross contamination. They are well aware of these daily routines which effectively promote their health and development. However, staff do not make good use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework to increase children's awareness of healthy practices through discussion. Children are learning to be responsible for their own dietary needs as they make good use of a milk bar. Staff sit with them at this and children have fruit as a healthy snack option, however, staff do not make effective use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework to explain to them why healthy eating is important. Children socialise at the milk bar and use a signing in system so that staff can effectively ensure that all children have a drink and snack.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's emotional well-being is effectively promoted, for example, a crying child was comforted and offered a range of activities until he became calm. There are also good measures in place to ensure that sick children are looked after and comforted until carers can collect them. Children have access to a good range of equipment for developing physical skills and thoroughly enjoy being outside daily. They also have access to indoor equipment which promotes their physical development well, such as a trampoline, a climbing frame and access to the college gym weekly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a very well-organised room which is designed to reflect their developmental needs. This means that younger children attend for afternoon sessions whilst older children attend morning sessions, a system which allows older children the freedom to learn through more active activities whilst younger ones are

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 kept safe. Children have easy access to a vast range of developmentally appropriate resources, many of which are stored at children's height to promote independence and choice well. They are able to use child-sized furniture which further contributes to their safety as they work at their own level. Children are kept safe at the group because there are good measures in place to ensure this. Access to the mobile is maintained safe by staff so that unauthorised persons cannot enter and the patio door has an alarm so children cannot leave unsupervised. Children's safety is consistently maintained because effective risk assessments are in place for both indoors and outdoors. Staff receive a copy of all polices and procedures, for example, the health and hygiene policy, so that children's

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

safety is effectively promoted by all. However, staff do not use the 'Birth to three matters' framework effectively to encourage children to think about promoting their own safety. Children are well protected from harm as a comprehensive child protection procedure is in place that is known by all staff. Parents also receive a copy of this so that they are aware that the group will always act in the best interests of the children if any concerns are noted.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at the group and achieve well because staff are interested in providing a good quality of care and education. They are skilled practitioners who use their knowledge of the Foundation Stage to provide an outstanding range of good learning activities for children. However, the 'Birth to three matters' framework is not currently used to plan and assess activities for younger children which may mean some learning opportunities are missed. Young children are recognised as individuals and learn to make sense of their world as they enjoy a good range of experiences such as hand painting. Children receive good levels of staff support to ensure that they develop independence and confidence. Children are developing good communication skills because there are good quality child-adult interactions. These support early communication skills well and children are confident that they will be listened to. The very warm relationships that are in

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

place between the children and the staff help support children's trust and promote a strong sense of self. Children have a good range of activities offered and staff are flexible in responding to children's own interests, for example, children really enjoyed bouncing on the trampoline. Children have many opportunities to foster their imagination and creativity in a wide range of craft activities and enjoy working in a variety of mediums using paint, play dough and sand. Their work is displayed around the room which promotes a sense of pride and creates a stimulating environment for them. Children's learning and play are well supported by lots of praise and acknowledgement which promotes their confidence and self-esteem. Nursery Education.

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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 The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Children are very interested and engaged in the wide range of activities provided which stimulates their development. The wide range of resources provided ensures that they are making excellent progress in all areas of learning. Children work extremely well together and know the importance of cooperation, for example, children worked together effectively and imaginatively to create a cave for the three bears. They are confident and skilled speakers and use words effectively to convey their experiences both real and imaginary in activities such as arranging a house for the bears. Children are enthusiastic in their use of books and imaginatively create their own which show photographs and their ideas about issues, such as

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

when the firemen visited the group. They are competent and eager mark-makers and many are able to write their own names and recognise words, such as salt, which they used to follow a play dough recipe. Children gain an extensive awareness of the wider world by celebrating a range of festivals and hosting visitors from a local community centre who inform them of topics such as food and clothes. They are systematic in using computer programmes to solve problems and are inquisitive about the changes they observe in ice and snow when they go outside. The children are extremely imaginative and create exciting work, such as the caves for the bears, which they also build into other activities. For example, another bear's cave was made using a tent which the children equipped with books. Children can use numbers with confidence and respond enthusiastically to challenges to extend their skills, for example, cutting an apple up into equal

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

pieces. They are also accurate in using the language of volume as they estimate how many cups of ingredients are required for recipes. Children are highly active and their physical skills are developing extremely well. They were delighted to be out in the snow and laughed with delight as they ran up and down a slope, practising stopping, starting and sliding. Comprehensive long, medium and short term planning covers all areas of learning and thorough observations are in place to record children's progress. All areas of learning are effectively covered and the well organised designation of key worker sessions twice weekly ensure that children's progress is accurately recorded. Excellent involvement of the children in planning activities encourages them to be motivated to participate. Children wished to taste porridge after hearing the story of 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' and staff responded to this so the children knew

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they had been listened to. Assessment profiles are completed which clearly show what the children have learned and what they need to learn next. Very good levels of adult support ensure that children receive a stimulating balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities which allows them to enjoy their time at the group. Therefore, children may enjoy the dark room when they wish or choose to join in focused activities. Children are challenged by the skilful use of questions, for example, they are asked to predict what the weather will be like from looking outdoors, so they learn to think purposefully about their activities and achievements. Staff are enthusiastic and clearly enjoy their work which provides a happy atmosphere in which children can enjoy play and learning.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are warmly welcomed into the group and are valued as individuals. Their needs are met well because staff work very closely with parents to ensure that they have all relevant details about them. Children are encouraged to have positive attitudes towards each other by the provision of a good range of resources and topic work on other cultures and religions. This ensures that all children develop self-esteem and a good sense of belonging. It also promotes children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Children's awareness of the wider world is also well promoted as they celebrate a range of festivals and learn about the local community by trips out. Children are well behaved and are learning to use good manners at all times, they are also aware of the need for rules to ensure that activities are successful. This is demonstrated as the children help to tidy away, which also helps them to feel

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Helping children make a positive contribution

included in the routines of the group and fosters a strong sense of belonging. Children's behaviour is managed well by developmentally appropriate strategies, such as distraction and 'time out' for older children which allows them to reflect upon their behaviour. Staff use lots of praise to encourage children's confidence and self-esteem and good use is made of a 'kindness wall' where children's achievements are acknowledged. For example, a child who helped to sweep up had this effort displayed for all to see. A wide range of measures are in place to ensure that children with special needs receive an individual and quality service. Children receive input from specialist workers, such as the area special needs coordinator and speech therapist, who work closely with staff to ensure that children are able to participate fully in the life of the group. Staff know children well and placed a stepping stone and number trail to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

encourage a child to follow a pathway and reduce falls. Children and staff use Makaton to effectively promote inclusion and give children a strong sense of self. Parents receive a very good range of written information which details how the service will be provided in the best interests of their child. However, the current complaints procedure is out of date which may result in parents not receiving accurate information. Parents receive regular newsletters and parents' evenings ensure they are well informed and have many opportunities to be involved, for example, via a parent's rota or open committee meetings. Children also have the opportunity to see their parents involved in the group as workshops, such as 'Dads and Children' are run which increases children's sense of self-worth well. The quality of the partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. A proactive partnership is in place with parents which contributes successfully to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

children's well-being and learning in the Foundation Stage. Parents receive regular daily reports from staff about their child's progress and imaginative use is made of a weekly summary book which also affords parents the opportunity to comment on their child's learning at home. Parents spoken with stated that staff are approachable and that they are always kept well informed of their child's progress. Thorough

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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 information is taken about individual children, which includes a baseline assessment, so that staff can build effectively upon children's existing skills and so enhance their learning. Excellent use is made of observations and a 'Next Steps' sheet which is sent home termly to parents to ensure they are aware of what their child needs to learn next. Systematic use of a comments sheet also allows parents to be highly involved in their child's learning as they report on their progress at home. Parents are also purposefully involved in practical activities to stimulate their child's learning, for example, parents helped children to collect resources, such as porridge oats, which fed through from the 'Goldilocks' story the children had been working on.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care is enhanced by the well organised premises. Indoor and outdoor space is designed to maximise play and learning opportunities for all children. All legally required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place and is regularly reviewed to ensure that children's needs are well met. Staff undergo an effective induction procedure and share in the manager's vision for the group. This means children receive care and education from a committed staff group who know them well. However, the 'Birth to three matters' framework is not currently used for planning which limits opportunities for assessing the children. Comprehensive policies and procedures are known by all staff and training is well supported so that children benefit from skilled and qualified staff with current knowledge. Children also receive good levels of adult support which enhances their

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Organisation

confidence in initiating their own activities, for example, children happily play in the dark room knowing that staff are nearby. Good systems are in place to ensure that all children are included in the group and children with special needs receive an individual service with input from other professionals. The quality of leadership and management of the nursery education is outstanding. The manager has a clear and purposeful vision of how she wishes the group to deliver a high quality service to all children and is very enthusiastic about this. The manager is highly committed to supporting training for staff and the staff group are dedicated to improving quality and practice as part of an accredited quality assurance scheme. There are very clear systems in place to monitor and evaluate the Foundation Stage to ensure children are making excellent progress in all areas of learning. Staff receive regular appraisals and supervision which successfully ensures

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Organisation

that their needs for training and development are supported and that children benefit from this. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider agreed to ensure systems for recording accidents and incidents maintain confidentiality, ensure that the first aid box contents are

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Improvements 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 checked frequently and replaced as necessary and request written permission from parents for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment. All recommendations are now in place which has enhanced existing safety measures for children.

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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 complaint 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 outstanding.

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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 the complaints procedure complies with current requirements • ensure that the 'Birth to three matters' framework is used to plan and assess children's progress and to improve outcomes for children under 3 years.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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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