Windmill Pre-School at Vaynor

Windmill Pre-School at Vaynor Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY302852 Inspection date 17/12/2010 Inspector Fiona M Robinson

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Setting address Vaynor First School, Tennyson Road, Redditch, Worcestershire, B97 5BL Telephone number 07759 350 156 Email Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Windmill Pre-school at Vaynor is one of three settings run by the same owner and was first registered in 2005. It operates from a self-contained building within the grounds of Vaynor First School, Redditch. There is ramped disability access to the pre-school. The pre-school has access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area and has the use of the school hall, playground and field. The pre-school cares for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 32 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. There are currently 66 children in the early years age range on roll. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for early years education. Older children from five years up to eight years may also attend the before and after school sessions. It is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, all year round. Children from the local area attend for a variety of the sessions on offer.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school employs nine staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. One holds a National Vocational Qualification at level 4, one a level 3 and a National Nursery Examination Board qualification, three hold level 3 and four members of staff are at level 2. One is working towards a Foundation degree. The pre-school also receives the support of a mentor teacher from the local authority. The pre-school is registered with Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children respond well to the care and support they are given and are fully included in a wide range of interesting activities and experiences. Partnerships with parents and carers and the host school are excellent and information is shared very effectively with them. Children enjoy coming to the bright, stimulating child- centred environment and have access to a largely good range of resources. The manager and staff have a clear idea of their strengths and areas for improvement, such as widening the range and use of technology to support children's learning. Staff are enthusiastic to build on their good work and have a strong commitment to improving the pre-school further.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 develop problem solving and sensory experiences in the outdoor area  develop further the range and use of technology to support children's learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Staff have an excellent knowledge of safeguarding and child protection procedures. Comprehensive policies and procedures are fully implemented to ensure children are kept safe and secure and staff are aware of their roles. Staff are very knowledgeable about children in their care and are deployed very effectively to ensure children's safety in the indoor and outdoor environments. Risk assessments are carried out daily to keep children safe. There are robust systems in place for parents to follow when collecting their children. Fire evacuation procedures are practised regularly, so that staff and children are familiar with the routine. There are rigorous recruitment and vetting procedures in place, to ensure the suitability of adults working with the children. Children use a range of equipment that is safe and suitable for their age and are supervised effectively at all times.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents and carers are outstanding. They say that staff are very friendly, approachable and helpful and are very focused on the children's needs and learning experiences. The key person system is working well and parents are kept fully informed of their children's achievement and progress. They attend termly meetings with staff and receive written reports on their children's progress. They also receive regular information of special events and the learning framework through discussions, comprehensive newsletters and the parents' notice board. Parents are very supportive of fundraising activities such as the Christmas Fayre and know that staff are very approachable. The partnership with the host school is outstanding and information is shared very effectively to ensure children experience a smooth transition into full-time education. The pre-school also benefits from the use of its outdoor environment. There are excellent links with

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the early years provision

outside agencies and extra care and sensitivity is shown towards children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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the early years provision

The pre-school is well-led and managed. Staff work well together as a team and meet regularly to share planning and assessment information. They identify what works well and outline areas for improvement, such as widening the range of resources in technology to include an interactive whiteboard during sessions, as currently children do not have access to this. Children are also not fully involved in using a range of information and communication technology resources independently in their play. The outdoor area is being developed by staff to provide more opportunities for problem solving and sensory experiences, as the children are not able to experience a full range of activities outdoors. Good progress has been made in addressing the recommendations of the previous inspection. In particular, resources have been improved in the physical area of learning and children experience a good range of opportunities to develop their

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the early years provision

physical skills. Children are fully included in activities and staff actively promote equality and diversity. Resources are used imaginatively and effectively to meet the needs of the children. Parents support their children's learning well through festivals such as Diwali and Christmas and staff value the input of parents and children in their celebrations. There are good self-evaluation systems in place and the views of parents and carers are taken into consideration when identifying areas for improvement. Staff regularly access training opportunities to enrich their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 qualifications and experiences and are enthusiastic about driving improvements throughout the pre-school.

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit from well-planned indoor and outdoor play, and achieve well. Topics, such as 'People Who Help Us' and 'Winter Wonderland', enrich their experiences. Staff value the children's views and include these in the planning. They evaluate these assessments carefully to plan the next steps in learning for each child.

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and outcomes for children

Children relate well to each other and quickly settle at chosen activities. They are well-behaved because staff are very good role models with high expectations. They cooperate well with one another and share their resources sensibly. They show pride and pleasure at receiving stars for being kind and helpful and achieving well. They also sit sensibly and listen carefully at story times. Children develop an excellent understanding of being healthy. Their health is promoted very effectively through physical activities. They develop very good control and coordination of their movements as they balance on outdoor apparatus and balance beams. They move expressively and imaginatively during music and movement sessions and control their movements well during yoga lessons. They also know it is important to make healthy choices at snack time and to eat fruit and vegetables each day. They enjoy making fruit kebabs, fruit salads and smoothies and grow their own

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and outcomes for children

vegetables, such as potatoes, peas, cabbage and tomatoes and use tools safely as they prepare vegetable hotpots and soups. They enjoy tasting foods from around the world at their multicultural snack bar. Children learn to keep safe through topics such as road safety and by learning how to protect themselves from the sun in summer. They benefit from talks on safety from fire officers and community police officers and use equipment safely as they cut out materials for collages and build models. This ensures that the children have a good awareness of how to act and stay safe.

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and outcomes for children

Children are keen to come to the pre-school and achieve well. Most of the children can count up to ten and beyond and confidently identify shapes. They enjoy listening to stories about Father Christmas. Communication, language and literacy skills are developed well through work on letters and sounds and phonics. Most can write their own names and they enjoy mark-making activities, such as writing letters to Father Christmas. They enjoy singing 'Five Jolly Snowmen' to consolidate their counting skills. Their creative skills are developed well as they make decorations for their Christmas tree and reindeer and snowmen for their Christmas collage. They carefully draw pictures of themselves for their art gallery and Rangoli patterns as part of their Diwali celebrations. Festivals enrich the children's experiences and parents bring in resources and food to show children how Christmas is celebrated in other countries, such as Poland. Children independently

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and outcomes for children

use the computer to complete simple programmes; however they have limited opportunities to explore technology resources. They enjoy going on nature walks to a local pond and are keen to learn about the life cycles of frogs and butterflies. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Parents are very supportive of special events, such as the Christmas Nativity. Overall, children are well-prepared for their next stage in learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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