Step Forward Educational Trust (Derby)

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 23/02/2005 Inspector Name Jill Milton

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Stonesfield Pre-School Setting Address Unit 4 Glovers Yard Witney Oxfordshire OX29 8PT

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Stonesfield Pre-School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Stonesfield Pre-School Address Stonesfield Pre-School, Unit 4, Glovers Yard Stonesfield Witney Oxfordshire OX29 8PT

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Stonesfield Pre-School was established in 1968 and is a voluntary sector group managed by a committee of parents and carers. The pre-school is located in a village in rural Oxfordshire and the intake of children is mainly from families living locally. The group rents premises from a community trust and they have use of a playroom, kitchen, toilet facilities and enclosed outdoor play area. The pre-school opens on weekdays during school term times from 09.05 to 18.00. A maximum of 20 children, between 2 ½ and 5 years, may attend the day care sessions and there are currently 32 children on roll. Of these 23 children, receive nursery education funding. The group supports children who have special needs and for whom English is an additional language. Up to 16 children, from 3 to 11 years, may attend the out-of-school care and there are currently 24 children on roll using this facility. Nine members of staff are employed in total, three of whom hold appropriate

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Information about the setting

qualifications and a further four who are attending relevant training courses in early years.

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How good is the Day Care?

Stonesfield Pre-School provides good quality care for children. The manager has appropriate qualifications and experience and staff have put together a good action plan to increase the numbers of adults holding relevant qualifications in order to meet regulations. The daily routine works well and the staff and committee work together to develop the operational plan. All areas of documentation are in place. Staff provide a warm, light and attractive environment for the children, with colourful displays on show. Staff use the available space well and they use furniture and equipment which is clean, safe and appropriate for the age range of children. Staff maintain a safe environment for the children, acting to address hazards which they identify. They are careful to monitor the arrival and collection of the children and

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How good is the Day Care?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 note the exact hours of attendance in new registration documents, particularly relevant with the variety of sessions children attend. Staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and they know how to address concerns. Staff keep the pre-school environment clean and they advise parents of health issues. Routines for hand-washing are sometimes lax. Staff provide regular nutritious snacks and drinks for the children, noting special dietary needs. The children have a busy and happy time at pre-school. They choose from a good range of activities, which cover all aspects of their development, and they are eager to involve themselves in what is going on. Staff are welcoming to all the children and their families and they ensure that the resources, posters and activities present the

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How good is the Day Care?

children with positive images of different backgrounds and cultures. Staff provide good support to children with special needs and they manage children's behaviour well. The partnership with parents is good. Staff take into account parental wishes and opinions about the setting and they share a wide range of helpful information with families.

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What is being done well?

• Staff support the needs of individual children well and work to include all children in the range of activities on offer, including those who may have special needs. The positive attitude of the staff helps children to learn to respect others, for example, when they see, and talk about, letters from a different culture on display. • Staff make good choices when selecting new furniture and equipment for the pre-school. An example is the new storage units, which display items at child-height enabling the children to select items for themselves and to learn about caring for their pre-school environment. • The children enjoy sociable snack times together. Staff make the experience a pleasant one by sharing conversations with the children and by using colourful tableware and place mats the children decorate. • Staff and committee members work well together to review the pre-school policy documents, ensuring they are up-to-date and relevant to the group.

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What needs to be improved?

• the hygiene routines before meal times to ensure staff remind children to wash their hands.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 7 Ensure good hygiene practices are consistently in place regarding hand washing.

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by the time of the next 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; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Stonesfield Pre-School provides high quality nursery education overall which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff plan the educational curriculum well and take into account the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Staff attend training and respond to professional advice to develop their skills in providing good quality nursery education. Staff regularly record the children's achievements and they use this information to identify the next areas to focus on for each child. Staff support children with special educational needs effectively and they take into account the needs of children for whom English is an additional language. The staff understand the needs of the younger children within the group and they encourage them to think and respond to what is happening at pre-school. Staff use a good mix of short group times and free play to help the children settle into the group and they

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How effective is the nursery education?

manage children's behaviour appropriately. Staff provide the children with a good range of play opportunities in all six areas of learning, though they do not often bring children's attention to the shapes and sounds of letters. The leadership and management are very good. Staff working with the children organise the sessions well and adapt routines as they find the best ways to manage the day. The committee provides very good support and some members take on specific roles, for example, to develop the outdoor area. The committee and the staff together have a clear focus and positive attitude to developing and improving the group. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents can access information about the curriculum and staff encourage them to share in their children's learning through the helper's rota. Staff send home information about the current theme to each family so that they are aware of what is happening in

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How effective is the nursery education?

pre-school. Staff are welcoming and friendly.

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What is being done well?

• The staff and the committee work very well together to develop and improve the pre-school. They make the best use of the strengths of individuals, for example, using the skills and knowledge of the out-of-school care leader to help support staff who are training. The pre-school also develops strong links with the local primary school to ease the children's transition to school. • Staff plan the outdoor area well to extend children's learning beyond a space for physical play. Children enjoy imaginative play in a playhouse, which echoes the theme of the term, and they explore creative play with chalks, paintbrushes and water. • The children receive good support to their personal, social and emotional

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 development in the pre-school. Many of those attending are three-year-olds and staff help them to separate from their carers and become confident with being part of a group. • Children enjoy the freedom of the new writing area where they can select materials for themselves. They are confident in deciding what they wish to draw and develop their own ideas. • The children have good access to technology to support their learning. Staff organise a quiet area of the pre-school where the computer is available on a daily basis. Children are familiar with a suitable range of software and they use a sand timer to take turns with this popular activity.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to become familiar with the shapes and sounds of letters.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Staff were required to plan activities to take into account individual children's needs and to be aware of how to support children with special educational needs. The staff do now plan activities which match the particular needs of the children. They access training to ensure that a member of the team knows the procedures to support children with special needs. The quality of teaching is now very good and supports children's learning effectively. Staff were also required to strengthen the programme for knowledge and understanding of the world. The children now have good opportunities to progress in this area of learning. They have good access to technology and they explore natural materials. They observe changes and patterns in living things. Lastly, staff were asked to establish a more effective partnership with parents and carers. This aspect of the pre-school is now very good and the partnership supports

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What has improved since the last inspection?

children's progress. Staff make a range of good quality information available to parents and they take on board the views of the families attending the pre-school. A recent request to know more about the children's progress has resulted in a planned open evening for parents.

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What has improved 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; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are progressing well in this area and are learning and adapting to be part of a group. They play happily alongside others and are starting to form friendships, for example, when they go to play outside. Children are keen to involve themselves in what is happening. They behave appropriately and have to think about what they are doing if they act unkindly. Children show independence, managing their lunch boxes and coats. They are developing a sense of community in their village life.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children engage in many conversations with staff and their peers. The adults encourage them to describe what they are experiencing and the children respond well. Children share stories and songs, sitting quietly to listen to others. They select books themselves and use information books to look at pictures. Children use activities to develop their confidence and control with early writing. They learn some letter sounds though there are missed opportunities to develop this aspect of learning.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to count and recognise numerals. They eagerly participate in counting activities as they clap and say numbers together and they are familiar with number stories and songs. Children are learning simple calculations, as they count down the number of buns left in the baker's shop or count on spaces in a board game. They are also familiar with patterns as they make collages of ladybirds with symmetrical spots. Children sort similar objects and use language relating to size.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children explore natural materials and they use their senses to feel smooth pebbles under water. They are curious about what they see, asking why snowmen do not wear trousers or shells do not pass through a sieve. Children learn about growing, as they water their cress seeds. They learn about seasonal changes and celebrate festivals from their own and other cultures. They are confident at using technology and they use materials to design things, for example, insects made from sticks and paper.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Over their time at pre-school the children access a good range of equipment to support their physical skills. When weather permits they use climbing and balancing equipment in the enclosed outdoor area. They learn to steer and control bicycles and pushchairs. They are developing a good awareness of their own needs, for warmth and refreshments. The children are progressing well with manipulative skills and they use a range of resources with control and growing confidence.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use their creative ideas as they experiment with colour and texture. They have the freedom to express themselves and know where to find materials, for example, to cut, draw and stick. Their imaginative play extends to the outdoor play area too, where they can access more resources and share role play with their friends. The children know many songs with actions and they are learning to distinguish loud and soft sounds. They select instruments to freely explore sound for themselves.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • the opportunities for children to become familiar with the shapes and sounds of letters.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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