St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 19/11/2003 Inspector Name Sara Bailey

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Dunster Pre School Setting Address c/o Dunster First School St. Georges Street, Dunster Minehead Somerset TA24 6RX

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Dunster Pre School

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Dunster Pre School Address c/o Dunster First School St. Georges Street Dunster Minehead Somerset TA24 6RX

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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

Dunster Pre-School opened in 1982. It operates from a portakabin consisting of one room with adjoining toilet facilities and a fully enclosed outside play area, on the grounds of Dunster First School, Dunster, Somerset. It serves the local area. There are currently 33 children from two and a half years of age to five years on roll. This includes 11 funded 3 year olds and currently no funded 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports children with special needs but no children attend who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9am until 11.45am Monday to Friday and 1pm until 3.30pm Tuesdays to Thursdays. One full time and four part time staff work with the children. Two have early years qualifications to NVQ level 3, one member of staff is currently working towards NVQ 3. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare

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How good is the Day Care?

Dunster Pre-School provides good quality care for children. The group are very well organised with a committed and dedicated team of staff who work well together to meet the children's individual children's needs. The premises are bright, cheerful and inviting to children and parents with beautiful displays. The room is well laid out to give children easy access to some fantastic resources all beautifully presented, stimulating and exciting in clear storage boxes for them to self select. Documentation that is in place is orderly and well presented but some gaps. The children are safe and well cared for. Equal opportunities is well promoted with good resources and activities to reflect different cultures, gender and disability. Children with special needs are well supported. Staff's knowledge of child protection

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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 is satisfactory but are keen to improve their understanding and have been waiting for training. Children enjoy a café system for food and drink but do not have access to drinking water at all times and they would benefit from greater opportunities for independence at snack time. The range of activities is excellent with lovely interaction and support from the staff which is appropriate to the children's individual stage of development. Children are praised and encouraged resulting in a happy and positive environment. Partnership with parents is positive although they lack parental involvement on a daily basis which would improve the opportunities to share knowledge about their children's progress. Staff do interact informally at the end of each session and give

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How good is the Day Care?

good information to parents through notice boards and newsletters.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection, eight actions were raised, all of which have either been addressed or in the process of, at no fault of their own. The registered person agreed to improve daily attendance registers, record significant incidents, maintain confidentiality with records and obtain parental consent for emergency medical treatment. All these documentation issues are now in place. The staff agreed to improve their knowledge of child protection issues. They have read the ACPC but have been waiting for training since last inspection and are not receiving training until May 2004. It was agreed to develop an operational plan, support has been sought from the EYDCP but they have not used the guidance to help them know what needs to be included and therefore requires further development. It was agreed to conduct a risk assessment of the premises, a basic daily check is completed and recorded but staff have plans to further develop as through use they

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What is being done well?

• Children's individual needs are clearly met through good staff ratios, keyworker system and a stimulating range of toys and activities to help them progress in all areas of learning. • Staff interact well with the children, extending their language development and introducing new vocabulary in all aspects of learning and the daily routine. • Play areas inside and out are well presented with fantastic resources all of which are in excellent condition and are stored attractively to appeal to children. They have easy access to all toys and equipment. • Children's behaviour is managed well. Staff are caring and provide clear,

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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 consistent messages with much praise and encouragement which results in happy, confident children.

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What needs to be improved?

• the further development of the operational plan • the opportunities for children to become independent at snack time and hand washing • the facilities for changing nappies • the accessibility of drinking water and information to parents of foods provided at snack time • the policies need updating to include allegations against staff in child protection statement, reference to code of practice 2002 in special needs policy.

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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 develop the operational plan further to include staff deployment, activities provided and continuing training needs of staff will be met

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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?

Dunster Pre School offers acceptable provision and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Very good progress is being made in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development. Generally good progress is being made in personal, social and emotional and creative development. Teaching is generally good. Staff work hard to create a bright, welcoming environment for the children with exciting resources to aid their learning. Staff are well deployed and constantly interacting with the children to extend their play. Effective behaviour management strategies are consistently applied and children's behaviour is good. Staff regularly record observations made on children but these are not yet linked to the stepping stones to fully inform future planning. Leadership and management is generally good. The staff work well as a team and

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How effective is the nursery education?

are committed in making changes to improve the provision. They are proactive in seeking advice and are keen to involve all staff when planning the curriculum. More support is needed for untrained staff to ensure they have a good understanding of the early learning goals. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are given good quality information about the setting initially and this is regularly updated with newsletters. Parents are informed through these about current themes, songs and stories which the children will be learning so parents can support them further at home. Good information is obtained from parents initially when their child starts but information sharing then becomes verbal and does not explain to parents how their child is progressing towards the early learning goals.

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What is being done well?

• Children's communication language and literacy is very good. Children are confident to interact with adults and children and respond with enjoyment to stories, songs and rhymes. • Children's mathematical development is very good. They use positional language and numbers confidently in their play, have a good understanding of more or less and can recreate simple patterns. • Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. Children are confident to explore and investigate resources both inside and out and are able to make choices when building structures. • Children's physical development is very good. Children are given daily opportunities to practise their skills and are very confident at using both large and small equipment.

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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?

• opportunities to encourage children's independence at snack time. • more regular opportunities to encourage children's imagination in art and design. • children's assessments need to be linked to the stepping stones and to future planning. • use of assessments to inform parents of their child's progress towards the early learning goals.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Dunster Pre School has made very good progress since the last inspection. Children are sufficiently challenged by the resources provided and encouraged to extend these into their everyday play. Most staff are confident in using open-ended questions to increase children's learning.

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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 sit quietly at story time and persevere at chosen activities. They are confident to express their own views and will happily wait their turn. Children behave well and are sensitive to each other. Independence is encouraged except at snack time when children are not involved in the preparation. Children have good awareness of the effective links with the school and church services within the local community.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children listen and join in enthusiastically to stories and rhymes. They are keen to participate and are able to retell familiar stories. Children use puppets in their play to explore real and imagined experiences and are very confident at explaining their feelings about events in their own life. Children are keen to access books independently and read a story. They use writing in their play and to label their own work.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use and recognise numbers up to ten in their play. They have a very good understanding of more or less and how to make things the same. They are confident when discussing shape, pattern, size and quantity. Children use positional language and sequence resources by size. They can make and recreate simple patterns.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident and eager to explore and investigate objects and living things both inside and outside the provision. They are confident to experiment with resources to build their own designs and competent at using the computer. Children can identify features where they live and in the natural world and have a good awareness of religious events in their own lives and in other cultures.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently both inside and out. They travel around, over, under and through balancing and climbing equipment with increasing control and coordination. They show good awareness of the space around them and are learning about good hygiene through daily routines. Both large and small equipment is used competently and children show good hand-eye coordination.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore media and materials both natural and man-made. They can recognise and name colours in their play. Music is much enjoyed by the children and they are encouraged to dance and move rhythmically with imagination. Children use their imagination when re enacting stories and enjoying role play but have limited opportunities to freely express themselves in art.

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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

• develop the opportunities to encourage children's independence at snack time and their imagination in art and design; • develop children's assessments to show how children are progressing towards the early learning goals via the stepping stones and share these with parents.

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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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