Denbigh School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 06/07/2004 Inspector Name Jenny Scarlett

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name LITTLE LAMBS PRE-SCHOOL Setting Address CHURCH OF GOOD SHEPHERD WINKLEBURY CENTRE,WINKLEBURY WAY BASINGSTOKE HAMPSHIRE RG23 8BU

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Little Lambs Pre-school

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Little Lambs Pre-school Address Church of the Good Shepherd Winklebury Centre Basingstoke Hampshire RG23 8BU

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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

Little Lambs opened in 2000. It operates from the Church Of Good Shepherd in the town of Basingstoke. The pre-school have access to three rooms and a large fully enclosed out door area. The pre-school serves a wide geographical area. There are currently 13 children on role. This includes 7 funded 3-year-olds and three funded 4-year-olds. Children attend a variety of sessions a week. The pre-school supports children with special needs. There are no children attending who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:15 to 11:45. Three staff members are employed to work with the children. All have Early Years qualifications to NVQ level 3. One staff member is currently working towards furthering the Early Years qualification. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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How good is the Day Care?

Little Lambs Pre-School offers good quality care for children. Staff develop good relationships with the children and parents. The staff team are committed to updating their childcare skills and knowledge with regular training. The supervisor provides good support to the staff and demonstartes a sound knowledge of the requirements for registration and the National Standards for Sessional Day Care. All documentation is in place although some lack detail. Staff give high priority to ensuring the safety of the children and consistently carry out procedures detailed in the policies. However the health and safety procedures are not regularly reviewed. The setting has a set of procedures for protecting children which are detailed and fully understood. Staff promote good standards of hygiene and the children are encouraged to become independent in their personal care. Staff offer a good range of healthy snacks and foster the children's

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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 independence appropriately. Children develop confidence and are secure in their environment. The staff ensure the children have access to a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities with a well planned curriculum to promote and enhance the children's play and learning, both indoors and outdoors. Staff are caring and sensitive to the children's needs and children's behaviour is well managed. The staff have good relationships with parents. The parents support the pre-school and liaise with staff daily. Children's progress records are clearly recorded and shared with parents. Parents receive good quality information relating to the setting, its policies and curriculum.

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What is being done well?

• The pre-school provides an effective play and learning environment for the children indoors and out. Staff plan first hand experiences that enable children to make choices as they develop their skills, knowledge and understanding. They support the children's care learning and play well with a good range of activities that take place indoors and out. • The environment is safe and secure and space is used appropriately to promote the children's development. • Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Relevant induction procedures, and opportunities to receive further training, help staff develop their skills in organising provision that meets the children's needs. • Parents receive good quality information relating to the setting, its curriculum and procedures. The handbook available for parents is friendly and informative. Staff clearly display details of activities and events for all parents

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What is being done well?

to ensure they they have a good insight into the pre-school. Staff use the lap top effectively providing parents with up to date pictures and photos of the most recent activities thus providing an accurate picture of the activities their children are involved in. • Children receive good opportunities to eat healthily at snack time. Parents and children are involved in the planning of snack time. Children bring a selection of fruits and vegetables each session for all the children to share. This provides a healthy and nutritious diet for children’s well being as well as providing new experiences to taste different foods. • Staff are vigilant of the children's safety. They demonstrate an awareness of children's developing abilities which helps to ensure appropriate safety measures are in place.

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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?

• procedures for behaviour and complaints • review the healthy and safety and risk assessment procedures.

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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 11 Further develop the procedures for behaviour to include training and support available to staff. 12 Further develop the complaints procedure to include details of the regulatory body.

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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?

Little Lambs Pre-school provision is acceptable and of good quality. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Effective teaching helps the children make very good progress in physical and creative development. The quality of teaching is generally good with some missed opportunities to challenge the children through practical activities. Staff manage the children well and have good relationships with them. They plan a variety of practical activities and understand what the children learn from them. Staff engage the children in some stimulating well planned and spontaneous activities and consolidate the children's learning through questioning and revisiting topics to enhance their learning. The indoor play space is not fully exploited to encourage the children to access all areas. Planning of the curriculum is effective and covers the early learning goals and the stepping stones. Observations and assessments kept of the children are fully

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How effective is the nursery education?

recorded and provide a clear informative picture of the children's progress. There are effective systems in place to provide good support for children with special needs. Leadership and management of the pre-school is generally good. Staff have access to guidance, support and relevant training from appropriate sources. The supervisor takes responsibility for planning the curriculum and involves the staff in contributing to this work. The supervisor regularly reviews the working practises and the paperwork demonstrating how the setting adapts to change. However there is not yet an effective cohesive system for evaluating questionaires and working practises. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents and carers receive detailed information about the education provision through brochures, newsletters and displays. Staff provide regular time for discussions, sharing records of the children's progress and providing a two way flow of information, knowledge and expertise.

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What is being done well?

• Parents are kept very well informed of their child's progress and of the educational provision in the pre-school. There is an extensive range of information and photographs displayed for parents to show how children approach, become confident and achieve in their learning. The handbook available for parents is friendly and informative. Activities and events are clearly displayed for all parents and provides a good insight in to the pre-school. The laptop is used effectively providing parents with up to date pictures and photos of the most recent activities thus providing an accurate picture of the activities in which their children are involved. • Children benefit from effective teaching to develop their exploration skills. They confidently explore textures, sounds and rhyme through some well planned and spontaneous activities. They are encouraged to explore and experiment with the available resources to take the lead in their play and

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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 activities. • Children's physical skills are promoted effectively through a stimulating range of indoor and outdoor activities.

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What needs to be improved?

• the attention given to increasing children's awareness of the different purposes of writing and to develop their interest in books • staff's knowledge of how to use everyday activities to help children develop their understanding of comparing numbers, through practical problem solving • opportunities to develop the children's independence at snack time • opportunities for children to experience outings within the community.

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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: Generally Good Children's confidence and self esteem are built by staff who are sensitive to their needs and know them well. They are encouraged to become independent and to persist at specific tasks such as building with the Happy Land set. Children are taught to share and take turns and co-operate with each other. They choose activities and select resources however there are missed opportunities to develop their independence skills for example in helping to pass the plates and food at snack time.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident with staff and each other and engage easily in conversations. They enjoy listening to group stories. However children do not access the book area independently or with staff. Children recognise their own names when self registering and look for their names at snack time. Some children are beginning to recognise letters and write them correctly formed. However activities such as role-play are not exploited to include opportunities to write for different purposes

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children show confidence in counting and count up to and beyond 10. There are good opportunities to develop children's recognition of shape colour and size through practical activities such as building with bricks and comparing the weights of buckets of sand. The potential to develop children's awareness of early subtraction and addition is not sufficiently exploited in practical activities such as counting and comparing the number of children at snack and group times.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Planned activities aid children to notice changes such as mixing food colouring with water and exploring bugs and insects. They build and construct with large and small bricks and play dough to extend their skills. Children talk about personal events in their own lives and are becoming aware of other cultures and traditions. There are good opportunities to develop the children's curiosity in the outdoor area.However opportunities for outings within the community are not fully exploited.

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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 Children are set good challenges to develop their physical skills. They balance on planks, use the parachute and catch and throw balls. Staff are on hand to give support and encourage new skills such as landing in a hoop safely. Children are taught to handle and control small objects such as pegs to hang their paintings to dry and handling paint brushes and pencils. There are good spontaneous opportunities to allow the children to run and explore in the large garden and hide in the trees.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children respond to new experiences and explore a variety of media and materials. Children express their ideas freely through a good range of activities including role play. Children draw on their own experiences and imagination as they pretend to be animals in Noah's Ark. They join in singing enthusiastically and use their voices to distinguish between sounds. The outdoor play promotes good imagination as children are given good support to develop their ideas making swimming pools.

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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

• increase children's awareness of the different purposes of writing and to develop their interest in books • increase staff's knowledge of how to use everyday activities to help children develop their understanding of comparing numbers, through practical problem solving • make greater use of promoting children's independence in activities such as snack time.

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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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