The Children's Workshop

Childrens Workshop Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 122593 Inspection date 02/02/2011 Inspector Christine Stimson

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Setting address Methodist Church Centre, Manor Road, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9JU Telephone number 0208 979 0692 (am) 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

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

Children's Workshop pre-school was first registered in 1970. It operates from three rooms and one main hall in a church community centre in East Molesey. Two enclosed outdoor play areas are provided. The group serves families from the local community.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 62 children may attend the pre-school at any one time, but only 24 of those may be under three years of age. Children may attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 108 children, aged from two years nine months to four years, on roll. This includes 70 funded children. The children are accommodated in two groups. The setting has experience of caring for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who have English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school opens five days a week during school term time. Sessions are from 9am until 12pm or 9.15am until 1.15pm and 1.15pm until 3.45pm. There is also an option for children to stay for an extra hour for the lunch.

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Description of the setting

There are 21 members of staff who work with the children; of these, 15 have a recognised early years qualification. One member of staff is on a training programme to gain a recognised childcare qualification. Staff attend various training workshops all attend in house training sessions.

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Description of the setting

The setting receives support from an advisor from the local authority. The pre- school are accredited members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children make excellent progress in their learning and development as staff plan exciting activities that stimulate and challenge them. Children are happy and confident within the pre-school as they have built trusting relationships with staff. Inclusive practice is promoted as staff have established excellent relationships with parents, local schools and outside agencies. This ensures the needs of all children are met, along with any additional support needs. However, the setting has not established the same rapport with childminders whose minded children attend the setting. The managers strive for continual improvement, introducing new and exciting ideas for children's activities. The owner makes sure staff, parents and children are involved in her self-evaluation of practice and staff are encouraged to embrace training opportunities. Children are safeguarded because all staff at the setting have a good knowledge of child protection issues and daily risk

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

assessments are conducted on the setting to ensure children play in a safe environment. The setting has met the recommendations made at the last inspection. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 making sure a named practitioner is responsible for behaviour management issues and supported by acquiring skills to provide guidance to other staff  combine the knowledge, skills and expertise of childminders whose minded children attend the setting to improve outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

Children play in a safe environment because fire fighting equipment is installed throughout the building and regular fire frills are conducted to ensure children know how to leave the building quickly and safely. The pre-school has appointed a health and safety officer who undertakes risk assessments on the premises to identify any hazards. Records show the action taken to make sure children play in a safe environment. Staff vetting procedures ensure only suitable people work with children and the staff currently employed are qualified and experienced. They dedicate their time to making sure children are well looked after, challenged and stimulated whilst in their care. The pre-school has policies and procedures in place that are shared with parents in a browsing file kept in the foyer. Staff have a very good understanding of child protection issues and as a result children are safeguarded appropriately. Guidelines, procedures and policies relating to

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the early years provision

safeguarding are accessible to staff and parents in the foyer of the pre-school and a designated person for child protection is appointed. Parents are given a starter pack when they first make enquiries about the setting and this provides them with facts about the setting to help them make an informed choice. All regulatory documentation is in place and used effectively to safeguard children. Children are learning to keep themselves safe. For example, staff have discussions with children about holding parents hands in the car park as they leave to make them aware. They also talk to children about caring for each other and children's behaviour is excellent. However, the pre-school has not appointed a behaviour management coordinator who has had training in this area. Procedures are in place to record accidents and incidents and parents are informed on the day.

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the early years provision

Staff promote children's learning by planning stimulating activities for them as individuals, based on next step notes following observations of children's achievements. Dedicated staff are on hand to support children's learning, offering ideas, suggestions and open questions to make children think. As a result, children are making excellent progress towards the early learning goals. Each child is valued and has an appointed key person who is responsible for keeping children's development records up to date, sharing these with parents. Activities are based on staff observations of each child's interests and achievements; this ensures each child's uniqueness is recognised. The group includes parents and outside agencies in their planning of activities for children, especially those with learning difficulties This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and/or disabilities. The pre-school have yet to establish the same rapport with

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the early years provision

childminders who bring children to the setting.

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the early years provision

The pre-school is extremely well equipped with a wide range of good quality, attractive resources that are accessible to children. Focus areas are planned and resources are put out to support children's learning in these areas. For example, children are learning about Space and dressing up clothes consists of astronaut suits. Garages are converted into space stations and play figures wearing space suits are being played with by children who use string tied to them and float them up and down the lift shaft of the converted toy garage stating they are floating in space. Recycled materials are used to make rockets and moon surfaces and work on the walls show children have explored the planets and space as part of their art and craft activities.

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the early years provision

The owner encourages staff to strive for improvement in their own careers and use knowledge gained from attending courses to improve outcomes for children. Parents, children and staff are all involved in the owner's self-evaluation of practice. For example, parents are given questionnaires requesting comments about the pre-school. One question asks parents to identify what they think their children like doing at pre-school and after completing this to ask their children the same question. This helps staff to evaluate practice. Since the last inspection the group have improved the way they record children's next steps and now makes sure this information is used when planning individual activities for children. They have improved their medication records to make sure all children have written consent from parents before administering medication to children and by keeping a clear record of what has been given.

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and outcomes for children

Children really enjoy their time at the pre-school. They enter the vibrant setting eager to participate in activities and make no fuss when parents leave to go. Children are encouraged to bring in favourite items from home to be shown at circle time. With the help of skilled staff children talk about their items to the group, before being told to place it in their drawer for safe keeping. This boosts children's self-esteem. Each child is provided with an exciting, stimulating learning environment where they make excellent progress as activities are planned for them as individuals and as a group. For example children are making kites. A member of staff encourages children to choose material in whatever colour they want and draw round the sticks which are the base of the kite. They use scissors whilst talking about triangles and flying kites in the outside area. Children decorate their kites as they please and left handed scissors are provided for children who need

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and outcomes for children

them to make this activity achievable. Written observations are made as children play and these help the key person to plan for each child's next step of development. As a result, children receive a unique experience whilst attending the nursery. Children join together for circle time to sings songs, listen to stories or discuss topics. Children are currently exploring Chinese New Year and a room has been transformed into a Chinese restaurant. Children have wonderful resources to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 support this and make up plates of toy food that consist of prawns , battered shrimps, sesame sauce and other Chinese food items. Children use chopsticks to pick up the food and have menus and Chinese story books all around them to complete the illusion. Children use clip boards and paper to record customers food items and add up how much things cost. For example, a child offered a member of

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and outcomes for children

staff some food in a Chinese bowl. She asked how much it was, he said £2.50. She asked him to write it down. She said the numbers separately to help him and the child proceeded to write 2.50. He was given a teacher's reward sticker for his efforts and this boosted his confidence.

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and outcomes for children

Children make a positive contribution to the nursery as they are well behaved and love to help staff clear up the toys before moving onto other activities. Children have opportunities to use technology as they play on toy and real computers and activate CD players to listen to music and stories. Children free flow into two extremely well equipped outside play areas. Here they play hopscotch using large dice to recognise numbers, build dens using wooden stakes, make structures from large plastic building bricks whilst wearing hard hats and bright yellow jackets. Musical instruments are available to children, along with a planting area and lots of play equipment to help develop children's gross motor skills. Children are learning to pedal and scoot using the pre-schools equipment and activities like magnetic fishing using a rod and numbered wooden fish fitted with magnets helps children to recognise and say numbers.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn about healthy eating as they experience snacks that are healthy and nutritious. Independent skills are encouraged as children help themselves to snacks and pour their own drinks. Prior to this they choose their own names from a board and as they do on entering the pre-school. Children have access to water throughout sessions to prevent them from becoming dehydrated. Children follow routines of hand washing before meals, after coming in from the outside area and after using the toilet. This helps them learn about good hygiene practice. Children are encouraged to blow their own noses and dispose of the tissues in a bin.

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and outcomes for children

Children are safe and feel safe in the setting. They play in a very secure premises both indoors and outside. They learn about road safety and learning spatial awareness using bikes, tricycles, scooters and stop and go signs. Children take part in safety topics about water, fire, roads, sun and firework safety. Themed role play areas give children opportunities to learn about safety and parents who are in jobs keeping people safe like firemen and police officers come in to the pre-school to talk about this with the children. Circle times enable children to voice their knowledge of safety with staff asking open questions to make children think. The pre-school is an excellent setting for children to make progress in their learning journey. 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 1 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 1

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Stage

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

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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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