St Patrick's Catholic Primary Academy

Happy Hours Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 148659 Inspection date 25/01/2011 Inspector Susan May

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Setting address Polehampton County Infant School,, Hermitage Drive,Twyford, Reading, RG10 9HS Telephone number 01189349088 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.

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as 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

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

Happy Hours Pre-School was established in 1968 and has been at its present location since 1983. It operates from a building in the grounds of Polehampton Infant School, Twyford, Berkshire. The pre-school has its own enclosed outdoor area and access to the school's facilities. The pre-school serves families from the local community and is managed by a committee.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered for 24 children, with 43 children currently on roll. The pre-school is in receipt of early education funding and is currently supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language. It opens from 8.45am to 11.45am and 12.15pm to 3.15pm with a lunch club between 11.45am and 12.15pm, Monday to Friday term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There is currently seven staff employed of whom four hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 make good progress as staff recognise and accommodate the uniqueness of every child. Secure, trusting relationships are established that help children develop confidence, so they mostly behave well and feel a strong sense of belonging within the setting. The pre-school has good links with other childcare practitioners and continues to build on the good communication links with parents. Policies and procedures are reviewed regularly with most adhered to rigorously. The manager and staff demonstrate commitment to improving practice. Most recommendations from the last inspection have been implemented and had a positive impact on the outcomes for children. As a result, overall staff demonstrate a good capacity to maintain continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop methods of reviewing and evaluating activities to help inform future planning for individuals and groups of children  improve further the systems of behaviour management so all staff take a consistent approach to managing children's behaviour.

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the early years provision

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding children with policies and procedures clearly understood. All staff have the appropriate clearances, visitors procedures are in place and any person not suitably vetted is never left unsupervised with the children. Comprehensive written risk assessments are in This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 place and staff carry out visual daily checks to ensure the premises is always safe and the setting is secure.

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the early years provision

Children play in a warm and welcoming environment which is used well to promote children's learning and development. Staff provide a wide range of age-appropriate resources from which children self select. Staff are aware of their individual roles and responsibilities and deploy themselves effectively to ensure all children receive good levels of individual care and attention. Self-evaluation systems are developing well and take into account the views of staff, parents, carers and other interested parties. Staff are focused on helping children make good progress by clearly outlining aims for future progress, demonstrating their commitment to driving improvement. For example, they have identified that by extending the six areas of learning outdoors, children will be provided with a wider range of opportunities to progress their learning. Systems to record children's abilities and achievements include observations and information from parents to enable staff to form a basis

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the early years provision

for identifying children's next steps. Staff know the children well and the child's key person highlights each child's next steps during planning sessions to provide appropriate activities. However, staff have not yet put consistent systems in place to review and evaluate activity outcomes, in order to help inform future planning.

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the early years provision

All required policies and procedures are in place, are reviewed regularly and shared with parents. Systems to share relevant information with other early year's settings children may attend are in place. Robust links with other childcare practitioners and health professionals help ensure that all children receive opportunities to reach their full potential according to their needs. Knowledge about the children is shared with all staff to ensure that children's individual education plans are implemented effectively to support children. Children move seamlessly through the provision and into school as the setting has good links with school staff. Annual reviews ensure that the needs of the pre-school and staff's training needs are met, for example, local authority training is regularly completed by staff, and regular staff meetings provide opportunities for sharing information. Parents express confidence in staff

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the early years provision

and highly praise the care and learning experiences the children receive. They state that they feel well informed of pre-school practice and events as they have access to a notice board and receive information about the setting from a variety of sources, verbally from staff and through newsletters, website and e-mails.

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and outcomes for children

Children are confident, eager to learn and mostly provided with opportunities to help them make good progress in their learning and development. Children's learning and development folders are accessible to parents, discussed at parents evening and contributions from parents encouraged. Parents are encouraged to speak to staff at anytime to discuss their child's progress. Children develop secure relationships with staff and each other, as they invite adults into their games and play alongside each other well. Children sit well when required, such as at circle time, and show thought for each other as they put on coats taking care not to push each other. However, not all staff take a consistent approach to promoting the children's understanding of safety issues by providing age appropriate This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 explanations about the consequences of their actions.

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and outcomes for children

Children's independence is encouraged as they choose what they wish to play with, select their drinks when they are thirsty and access the bathroom freely. Children have opportunities to mark make as they use pens, paper, chalks and a blackboard, paint and brushes both indoors and outdoors to practise their emerging writing skills. Children's enjoyment of books is fostered as they choose from a wide range of books and sit in the comfortable book area to look at them. Children begin to recognise that the written word has meaning as there is clear labelling around the pre-school, while phonic card games help children to sound out the initial of their and others names at activity time. Staff help develop children's language skills as they ask open-ended questions and repeat words and sentences back to children to help them develop their vocabulary and thought processes. Children develop their mathematical understanding as they enjoy

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and outcomes for children

counting songs, use sand timers and complete simple computer games to help them recognise number, shape, size and volume. Vocabulary is extended through the use of mathematical terms in everyday play, for example, as children work together to build a road track, they talk about fitting the long, short and curved pieces together. Children have access to malleable materials, puzzles and use tools such as the computer mouse to promote control and coordination. A further range of equipment outdoors allows them to ride, scoot and climb to develop their physical skills. Children begin to make sense of the world around them as they enjoy role play and have access to everyday technology, for example, they use mobile phones to talk to their families and independently access and use the computer. Examples of children's work throughout the provision demonstrate the opportunities children have to use a range of media to explore their imagination

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and outcomes for children

Inclusion is threaded through all of the settings practices as toys and resources promote positive images and posters are displayed in several languages. A range of festivals and events that are important to the children and their families are celebrated. Children for whom English is an additional language, are helped to communicate as staff find out some key words in the home language, use sign, gesture and photos of everyday objects to help children participate in the pre- school day. Children find out about the natural world as they grow plants in the garden, have a digging area and play outdoors daily. Children begin to find out about the local community as they build links with the infant school in which the pre-school is sited. Staff are knowledgeable about the Early Learning Goals and steps towards them, demonstrating that they have a clear understanding that children learn through play and of the importance in providing a positive

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and outcomes for children

environment to help children progress. 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 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 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 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 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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