St Andrew's Pre-School

St Andrews Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 206862 Inspection date 03/02/2011 Inspector Diana Pidgeon

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Setting address St Andrews Community Church, Pentland Road, Dronfield Woodhouse, Derbyshire, S18 8ZQ Telephone number 07814941343 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

St Andrew's Pre-School opened in 1973. It operates from St Andrew's Community Church in Dronfield Woodhouse, Derbyshire and is provided by a voluntary management committee. Children have the use of two interconnecting rooms and a secure outdoor play area. The pre-school is open every weekday during school term times. Morning sessions are from 8.45 am to 11.45am. Afternoon sessions operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1pm until 3.30pm and on Wednesdays from 12.30pm to 3pm. There is an optional lunch club provided so that children may stay all day. The pre-school serves families from within the local community and surrounding areas.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 30 children over two years of age. There are currently 45 children from two years and six months to four years on roll. Staff support a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are learning English as an additional language. The pre-school employs eight members of staff, seven of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and receives support from the local authority.

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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

The pre-school provides a happy, interesting and inclusive environment where all children make good progress in their learning and development. The staff form good relationships with parents and children so that individual needs are clearly understood and met. Children's health and safety is effectively promoted because staff maintain all of the necessary records to protect children and follow the pre- school's policies and procedures. Staff routinely review their practice and make changes in response to parents' comments, training and advice received, which demonstrates a good capacity for ongoing improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 review routines and organisation of the environment to maximise the opportunities for children to follow their own interests and ideas  consider ways to further engage parents in supporting their children's learning at home  embed the new system of observation and assessment. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The pre-school recognises the importance of keeping children safe and constantly reviews the policies and procedures to ensure these are effective. Staff assess potential risks and take appropriate steps to prevent accidents. Safe recruitment practices include checks on the suitability of new staff and unchecked adults are never left alone with children. All adults are clear about their role in safeguarding children from abuse and are confident in implementing their procedures in the event of any concerns. Staff reliably maintain all of the required records which underpin children's safety. They receive up-to-date training, which ensures they have the skills needed to provide for all of the children attending. For example, staff are trained to administer first aid and any specialist medication that individual children require.

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the early years provision

Staff work hard to create a welcoming environment and provide a wealth of interesting play activities for the children based in two rooms and an outdoor area. A key strength is how staff plan the activities to reflect children's individual interests and this results in children quickly finding things they wish to do and sustaining this enthusiasm throughout their time in the setting. Inclusion is at the heart of the pre-school and staff take effective steps to ensure all children have the opportunity to join in and have fun. Adults are fully trained to meet the needs of every child and work closely with parents and other professionals to overcome any barriers and to ensure all children make good progress. Staff work closely with the local school and have clear pathways, which leads to smooth transitions for older children. For example, joint visits to the local woodland with the reception class help children prepare to move on.

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the early years provision

Parents are valued as an important part of the pre-school. Some play an active role as members of the management committee, fund raisers and rota helpers. All parents receive clear information about the pre-school and what is provided for the children. An open door policy enables parents to talk with staff at any time and formal sharing of children's progress takes place at least twice a year. Although there is an opportunity for parents to borrow books from the pre-school, they are not yet fully encouraged to support their children's learning at home.

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the early years provision

The pre-school is well-organised and staff are clearly motivated to do their best for the children. They use reflective practice and self-evaluation to identify what they do well and where improvements can be made. Parents' views are sought and acted upon so that improvements, such as displaying a snack menu, are made. Staff use a variety of ways to assess their practice and work with advisors to address any actions and recommendations made at previous visits. These have improved overall safety and outcomes for children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children are enthusiastic and show great enjoyment in what they do. The environment is planned carefully to allow them to choose from a wide range of activities covering all areas of learning. Children follow their own interests, often with persistence and they have confidence to try new activities for themselves. Older children are keen to demonstrate their skills as they show others how to use the laptop. Children develop their language skills well as they talk to others, play, handle books for their own pleasure and listen to stories. Adults introduce and explain new words and this particularly supports those at an early stage in their communication. Mark making is very popular in all areas and children paint freely, make patterns using water outdoors and write for their own purposes. Children are beginning to think and solve problems, for example, as they choose items and work together to make a den. They use a range of tools and interesting materials

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and outcomes for children

Staff plan for each child based upon their interests and previous achievements. They treat everything that children do as an opportunity to learn and adapt activities to suit children's individual learning needs. They have recently changed the way in which children are observed and assessed to make this a more personalised approach and are still in the process of refining this system to ensure it works effectively in the long term. Staff provide a good balance of free choice and adult-led activity. For example, children take part in short group activities such as playing board games and baking. The outdoor area is used throughout the session, although children are not always free to access this when they wish. This means that children who prefer learning outdoors are not always best supported to do so. However, children who visit the woodland have extensive opportunities to learn outdoors and bring back many ideas to recreate in the pre-school. They build

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and outcomes for children

dens, which encourages problem solving, negotiation and cooperative play. Children balance on fallen logs, check their bird feeders and build houses for hedgehogs, which provide lots for them to talk about.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn how to keep themselves safe. Staff remind children of safety rules and children explain why they should not wear dressing up clothes or carry toys on the climbing frame. They follow good hygiene procedures by washing their hands before eating and make healthy choices at snack time. Staff encourage children to learn about good foods by involving them in baking activities and shopping for their snack. Mealtimes are social occasions and children like to sit and eat with others. Although children have snacks in small groups the times this is available is limited to the mid-session and may not best meet all children's needs, especially those who may be hungry on arrival. Children behave well and have good relationships with the staff and their peers. They enjoy role play and through activities and discussions are learning to appreciate different cultures and lifestyles. Children show respect for one another and through the use of strategies such as

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and outcomes for children

the 'listening teddy' they learn to listen to and value the contributions of others. Such skills prepare them well for their future 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 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 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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