Little Gem's Pre-School Basildon

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 02/03/2005 Inspector Name Julie Ann Birkett

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Out of School Day Care, Sessional Day Care Setting Name The Best Builder (TBB) Setting Address Fairhouse Infant School Long Riding Basildon Essex

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of The Best Builder (TBB) 1028673

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Best Builder (TBB) Address 125 Dengayne Basildon Essex SS14 1QL

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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

The Best Builder Pre-School and Out of School scheme opened in 2004 and is committee run. The after school club and pre-school operate from a demountable building in the grounds of Fairhouse Infant School and the breakfast club operates in the dining area within the school. It is situated in the Barstaple area of Basildon. A maximum of 20 children may attend the pre-school and a maximum of 22 children may attend the out of school schemes at any one time The pre-school is open each weekday from 09:00 until 11:30 and from 12:15 to 14:50. the breakfast club runs from 08:00 to 08:50 and the after school club from 15:00 to 17:30. Both the pre-school and out of school schemes operate during term time only. Children have scheduled access to the school grounds and hall.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 75 children from 3 to 12 years on roll. Of these 30 receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local catchment area. The pre-school currently supports a small number of children who have special educational needs. The pre-school and out of school schemes employ 12 staff. Five of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff is working towards a qualification.

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How good is the Day Care?

The Best Builder Pre-School and Out of School scheme provides satisfactory daycare. There is a good balance of qualified and experienced staff and an ongoing commitment to training. Good staff ratios enables quality time for individual or small groups of children. The operational plan provides clear aims and objectives for the smooth running of the groups. Organisation of the pre-school is good and allows time for the children to remain uninterrupted at their play and learning. The breakfast

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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 and after school clubs are arranged so that children can choose their activities and relax with friends before and after a busy day at school. The premises are attractively decorated and provide a comfortable environment. There is an appropriate range of toys and equipment for the pre-school children but the range available for school age children is limited. Documentation is generally in order, although the recording of children's attendance in the breakfast club does not show the hours of children's attendance. Systems, policies and procedures to ensure the security, safety and wellbeing of all children are in place and are reviewed regularly. However, the written policy for children with special needs lacks some detail.

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How good is the Day Care?

Staff plan and provide a range of activities. Children have choice and can select toys and equipment for themselves. They are busy, productive and enjoy their play and learning. All staff are actively involved with the children and all work together in good humour. The children build good relationships with staff and each other. Children respond positively to the staff's caring and consistent management and their behaviour is good. Parents are provided with information about the groups and are regularly updated. Daily communication between staff and parents is open and friendly. The pre-school offers key worker feedback sessions to ensure parents are involved with their child's learning. There are good links with the primary school.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This is the first inspection since registration and is therefore not applicable.

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What is being done well?

• There are good staff ratios in excess of the standard requirements. This enables staff to have the time to work with children individually or in small groups. Children are well supported both in their own initiated play or more adult directed work and as a consequence are motivated, interested and are learning effectively. • Staff are warm and caring and very welcoming to the children and they build good relationships with the children. Children settle very quickly and are secure and happy. • The partnership with parents is good. Staff are welcoming and supportive to parents. Daily verbal feedback enables staff and parents to share information about the children. The pre-school provides regular key worker meetings where parents can view their children's attainment records and discuss issues and their children's next steps. • The liaison between the playgroup and the local primary school is good. These systems help both children and parents make a smoother transition

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• registration system in the breakfast club • special needs policy •• resources in the out of school club

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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 2 Improve the registration system in the breakfast club to ensure that it shows the hours of children's attendance. 5 Continue to develop the range of toys, equipment and resources for school age children so that these are appropriate for the age and ability of the children attending. 10 Develop the written policy for children with special needs to reflect working practices to ensure that all parents are aware of what these are.

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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?

The provision for pre-school education at The Best Builder is good. Children make very good progress in Personal, Emotional and Social development and generally good progress towards the early learning goals in the other five areas. The quality of teaching is good. Staff have a solid understanding of the Foundation Stage. They use long and short term plans to deliver a range of experiences to consolidate and develop the children's skills and learning. Planning is generally effective and overall a balanced curriculum stimulates the children interest and enjoyment. However, daily opportunities for explorative and investigative play can be limited and has an impact on several areas of the children's learning. Staff having a clear understanding of what children are expected to learn and how this can be achieved through both planned and spontaneous events. They make regular observations and record the children's progress, although these records are

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How effective is the nursery education?

not clearly linked to the stepping stones of learning. Sessions are organised to enable children to have time to enjoy both their own independent play and productive adult led activities. Staff get to know the children well and are adaptable to meet the wide range of children's abilities. Staff are actively involved with the children and are interested in what they say and do. Staff and children develop warm relationships and enjoy their time together. Leadership and management is generally good. The committee, manager and staff have regular meetings. Staff discuss pre-school issues daily. All staff contribute to the curriculum planning and take responsibility for particular aspects. The staff are a strong team and work well together. Partnership with parents is generally good. Home and setting links are formed initially by parents completing an information sheet about their child. The prospectus and displays inform parents about the Foundation Stage. Parents contribute to

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What is being done well?

• The programme for shape recognition is very good. Children learn to recognise, sort, match and name both 2D and some 3D shapes for example, when playing small group games or through hands on experiences such as junk modelling. • Staff interaction with the children is purposeful. They talk and listen to the children attentively. They ask meaningful questions, which encourages the children to listen, think, predict and suggest ideas. Children contribute eagerly to conversations, drawing on their own experiences and knowledge to reflect on and discuss topics and issues which, ultimately, reinforces their

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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 learning. • Staff take time to foster children's enjoyment of books. Stories are read by staff with animation, which encourages children to join in with remembered phrases, finish rhyming strings and predict the outcome. Children are frequent participants and helpers in stories for example, The Three Little Pigs where children actively learn about consequences of actions and the importance of being kind and helpful. • Staff provide daily opportunities for children to develop their independence skills. Children learn to fasten their own coats, wash hands and make their own sandwiches at snack time. They are able to access much of the equipment and resources by themselves so they can be independent in their play. Staff continue to promote the children's ability to regulate their own

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What is being done well?

behaviour by giving them clear guidance on how to solve problems for example, resolving disputes with their peers through language rather than actions.

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What needs to be improved?

• children's progress records • opportunities to use simple technology equipment and for exploratory and investigative play.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This is the first inspection since registration.

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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 enjoy both self chosen and adult directed activities and concentrate well for long periods of time. They develop good self esteem and take pride in their accomplishments for example a daffodil card made for the head teacher. They share and take turns and play co-operatively. Their independence is fostered through many daily activities. They are aware of their own needs and feelings and show concern for others. They learn about the wider world through themed work and everyday exchanges.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children listen and respond to stories with great enjoyment. They learn that books can be used to find information for example, different sorts of homes. They talk enthusiastically about real and imagined events as they play. They are introduced to letter sounds and link these to the written letter when playing games. Children recognise their own names and those of friends. They write for different purposes in the role play areas. They are introduced to some new vocabulary during their play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children learn to recognise, order and name numerals. They use puzzles and games to match numbers. They count the number of children in the line and can reliably say what comes after a given number. They begin to solve number problems when they work out how many more or less they need. They record their findings in charts. They learn about shape when they use mosaic pieces to make a picture or when using construction toys. They have some planned opportunities to investigate measurement.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children comment on change and develop a sense of time when they talk about the weather and growing up. They learn about the local community through topic work. They design and build with construction toys. They investigate materials when making play dough or using recycled materials. They use play technology such as a keyboard and phone in the travel agents. However there is a limited range of ICT equipment, exploratory and investigative resources available to the children on a regular basis.

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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: Generally Good Children learn about healthy eating and exercise through everyday and planned experiences. They develop a sense of space when they choose somewhere to sit on the carpet or playing dead lions. They demonstrate good hand eye coordination when using paintbrushes, pencils, threading beads and rolling balls to friends. They have opportunities to use a range of equipment and play action and movement games to develop their larger physical skills during scheduled times in the school playground or hall.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore colour, shape and form through free and guided art and craft activities. They use their senses when food tasting, cooking and using textured materials and fabrics. They join in with singing sessions and remember a range of songs, rhymes and ring games. They have some planned opportunities to use instruments, listen and move to music. They use puppets to act out stories. They show good imaginative skills as they play with the small world toys and when dressing up as animals.

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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 good quality overall. Children are making generally 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: THE KEY ISSUES

• Review the recording system for children' s progress to ensure that they are more clearly linked to the stepping stones of learning. Clear links will enable all staff to see quickly what the child already knows so that future curriculum planning builds on this across all aspects of their learning and helps the children take the next steps. • Provide more frequent opportunities for children to use simple technology, exploratory and investigative equipment and resources to develop their skills and knowledge. This is particularly relevant to the more able children to ensure they are continually challenged to develop their understanding further.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

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: THE KEY ISSUES

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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