Woolton Hill Preschool

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 02/03/2004 Inspector Name Sheena Bankier

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Woolton Hill Pre-School Setting Address The Church Hall Woolton Hill Newbury Berkshire RG20 9UL

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Woolton Hill Pre-School 1029646

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Woolton Hill Pre-School Address The Church Hall Woolton Hill Newbury Berkshire RG20 9TA

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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

Woolton Hill Pre-school opened in 1983. It operates form the Church Hall in the village, next to the local Infant School. The group has access to kitchen, toilets and a small enclosed outdoor area. The group serves a wide area. The pre-school currently has 38 children on role. This includes 23 funded three and four year olds. Children attend a variety of sessions a week. Children with special needs and English as an additional language are supported within the group. The pre-school opens five days a week during term time, offering morning sessions from 09.00 to 12.00 and a lunch club and afternoon session on Monday and Wednesday's to 15.00. Older children may stay for all day sessions on these days. Four staff work with the children. Three have Early Years qualifications. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and staff attend regular training through this. A committee, which includes parents, runs

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Information about the setting

the pre-school. The pre-school liaises closely with the village infant school.

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How good is the Day Care?

Woolton Hill Pre-School provides satisfactory care for children. Three members of staff hold early years qualifications and all four staff attend regular training and hold current first aid certificates. Staff provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere to parents and children. The environment is set out well, with areas for quiet and active play. Safety is satisfactory, staff are aware of maintaining safe premises for the children. At times, there is not close supervision of children in all areas indoors, due to staff deployment. Promotion of good health and hygiene through routines, are encouraged, so children can be independent in caring for their own needs. Children have access at to drinks at all times and a set social snack time is included within the routine. Snacks provided lack variety. Staff understand and accommodate children's individual needs and requirements well, through regular discussion with

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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 parents and observations. Children with special needs are included well within the group, staff work closely with parents and other parties to meet their needs. Staff adequately understand child protection procedures. Children enjoy a good range of toys and planned activities. They use the local community and environment effectively, in helping children learn and understand about their surroundings. Staff interact well with children, supporting their development through play and activities. Toys and activities are set out and children access these on a free-play basis. A range of resources is in place, which reflect positive images of society. Staff provide frequent praise to children which encourages good behaviour, confidence and self esteem. Staff have established

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How good is the Day Care?

some positive boundaries with the children, although they do not always implement these consistently. Relationships with parents are good. Parents can be involved with the pre-school through the parent rota. Most paperwork is in place although some lacks the necessary detail.

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What is being done well?

• The pre-school provides a wide range of activities and resources, through which children enjoy and learn. Staff provide good interaction and help support learning through the activities and play opportunities. • Parents have access to good information about the setting through information on notice boards and newsletters. Good relationships are in place between staff and parents, with regular exchanges of information. • There is a good range of furniture, toys and equipment in place, which provides a range of activities and resources that are stimulating and challenging to children and meet their needs.

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What needs to be improved?

• documentation: information to be added to complaints procedure and contact information for staff and registered person to be kept as required by regulation; consent to be obtained from parents to seek emergency medical advice or treatment for children; lost children procedures to be devised • behaviour; staff to implement consistent and appropriate boundaries and guidelines for children • safety; deployment of staff to be appropriate to ensure close supervision of children in all areas of the hall.

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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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The Registered Person must take the following actions by the date shown

Std Action Date 14 Documentation: add staff and registered persons addresses to other contact details as required by regulation; add Ofsted contact details to complaints procedure; devise procedures for lost children; obtain written consent from parents to seek emergency medical advice or treatment for children. 04/05/2004

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 6 Ensure the deployment of staff is effective to ensure that children are closely supervised in all areas 11 Provide children with clear guidelines and boundaries and ensure staff apply and implement these consistently

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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?

Woolton Hill Pre-school is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of the teaching is generally good. Staff are overall confident in their knowledge of the stepping stones and early learning goals. They provide good support and interaction to children, which help them to learn effectively. They give good support to children with special educational needs and to children who speak English as an additional language. All staff are involved in planning the curriculum, which links to the early learning goals and stepping stones. They could expand evaluation of the curriculum to include the effects on children's learning. Staff make regular observations of all children and keep examples of work. Development records clearly link to children's individual progress towards the early learning goals. Staff give regular praise to all children, although at times they are slow to act on

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How effective is the nursery education?

unacceptable behaviour and established boundaries are not always reinforced. Children therefore do not have consistent expectations of behaviour. Leadership and management is generally good. The committee supports the manager and staff well, with regular communication and contact. The group is aware of areas in which it needs to build upon. There is identification of staff training and they have opportunities to attend regular training. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents have access to information about the pre-school and of their duties and responsibilities as parent helpers through notice boards and newsletters. Parents are able to take an active role in their children's education through the rota system and provision of items or information for topics. Staff are available to speak to parents at the beginning and end of each session. At present, there is no formal access to children's development

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How effective is the nursery education?

records and parents do not contribute to these.

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What is being done well?

• The broad range of activities offered to support children's learning and understanding through planned and spontaneous activities and observations with children. • Support given to children with special needs or who have English as an additional language and the provision of individual attention to help develop skills and knowledge. • The good relationships established between children, staff and parents, help children to be confident in the setting. • Children learn about their local environment and the wider world through planned topics, outings and visitors from the community. They have good opportunities to explore and investigate a range of materials and objects.

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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?

• behaviour; to continue developing and implementing appropriate behaviour strategies; provide, and reinforce consistent boundaries for children to learn and understand behaviour expectations • evaluation of curriculum: to extend this to reflect the outcome and effects on the children's learning • partnership with parents; to provide a system where parents are given access to their child's development file and are able to contribute to it.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The pre-school has made generally good progress towards the key issues of the last inspection, although some areas still require more development. Formal and informal activities take place to develop number recognition and recording, which include counting, adding and subtraction in practical activities. Planning is appropriate and draws on individual children's next steps of learning and links to the early learning goals and stepping stones. Parents are not asking to access their child's development records although the group have informed parents that they can on request. Staff have attended some training to help manage behaviour and more staff are allocated to large group activities. However the implementation of behaviour expectations by staff is still developing.

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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 appear happy and confident in the setting and show enthusiasm and enjoyment in the toys and activities. Staff and children have established good relationships. Older children are kind and caring towards younger children. Children can find it difficult to concentrate during large group activities and this sometimes leads to disruptive behaviour.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident to speak in large and small groups and individually with each other and staff. Children learn and connect initial letter sounds with words through formal and informal activities with staff. Children have good support through structured activity to form letters correctly in small groups. There could be extension of opportunities for children to practise their emergent writing.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Practical activities support children's mathematical understanding such as pattern making, counting and sorting. Children have opportunities in small groups to formally learn and recognise written numbers and to write them. The more able children can count confidently to 10 and beyond. Children have good opportunities through practical activities to learn positional language, size, quantity and shape.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have opportunities to use their senses through planned activities and spontaneous observations. Children are able to design and make in various forms including using construction resources and art and craft. Good use is made of the local environment and community to help children learn and gain knowledge. They cover a range of topics, which reflect cultures and beliefs.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children make generally good progress in the area of physical development. Children have good opportunities to use small tools and equipment with varied materials such as sand, dough and drawing materials. There is a range of physical activities in and out of doors, with and without the use of equipment. Children learn about themselves through topics and discussion. Children appear active and the timing of the large physical activity at the end of the session could be more flexible.

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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 make generally good progress in the area of creative development. Children have access to a good range of creative materials to explore colour, texture and shape in two and three-dimensional. Role play is enjoyed by the children, who use their imagination well. Children have good opportunities to respond to a range of experiences and are confident in expressing their thoughts and ideas. The extension of the use of music and instruments could especially help children to feel calm.

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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 evaluation of the activities and curriculum to include the effects and outcome on the children's learning • develop systems to ensure parents have access to their child's development records and are able to make contributions to it.

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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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