Arbourthorne Nursery and Infant School

Horfield Welly Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 106985 Inspection date 09/02/2011 Inspector Tim Butcher

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Setting address Horfield Parish Church Hall, Wellington Hill, Horfield, Bristol, Avon, BS7 8ST Telephone number 078371 33925 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

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

Horfield Welly Pre-school operates from the hall of the parish church in Bristol. It serves families in the local community which includes Horfield, Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze. It is managed by a voluntary committee which includes parents of children attending. The group opens four mornings each week from Tuesdays to Fridays, during term time. Sessions are from 9.15am to 1pm and take place in the main hall and a smaller room to the rear of the building. Children also have access to an enclosed outdoor area. There are currently 41 children on roll in the early years age range, of whom 37 receive funding for nursery education. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There are a team of six staff and five staff each day work with the children. One member of staff holds a teaching qualification. One member of staff holds a level 4 qualification and two hold level 2

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Description of the setting

qualifications. Three staff are working towards level 3 qualifications. Parents on a duty rota offer additional support at each session. The setting is registered to care for a maximum of 32 children under eight years and of these 32 may be aged two to under five years.

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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 thoroughly enjoy their time at the pre-school they make at least good progress in every aspect of their learning. Children considerably benefit from the high quality interactions with the committed staff team. Excellent relationships with parents and carers ensure the individual needs of children are very closely met. Those in charge have very good organisation skills and all staff are highly motivated. The processes of evaluation are rigorous and rapid and continuous improvement has been made in many areas such as when children take thier play outside.

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further?

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

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further?

 consolidate the use of assessment processes to identify, to track and to build on children's interests and skills development  develop further the systems to encourage parental involvement in sharing information about their child's interests and the progress that children make, for example, through the further use of the learning dairies to record parents comments This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

All staff have a comprehensive awareness of safeguarding issues because all staff have undertaken regular training on safeguarding and place a very strong importance on promoting the safety of children. Comprehensive policies and procedures are robustly implemented so that the safety of children is ensured. For example, minor potential hazards to children are clearly identified and dealt with swiftly. Recruitment and vetting procedures are robustly undertaken and records are well organised. Children display an excellent understanding of what standards of behaviour are expected and recognise how to keep each other safe.

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the early years provision

Parents and carers are kept very well informed about all aspects of their own children's day, achievement, wellbeing and development; and this ensures an excellent continuity of care for children. Parents report very positively indeed about all aspects of the care provided, in particular the friendliness of all the staff and the excellent communication with the key workers. They report that children make good progress and thoroughly enjoy the wide range of activities both inside and outside that are on offer. Information about the plans for the day and week are displayed for parents. The setting involves parents at every level and has gone to good lengths to support their involvement such as with the home learning kits. They intend to facilitate their participation and the sharing of information further through invitations to make comments more regularly in the learning diaries. The setting is highly committed to working in partnership with other settings and takes

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the early years provision

a lead role in establishing effective working relationships such as through visits to other pre-schools to forge an exchange of information to further promote children's continuity of care and development. Adults have a good knowledge of each child's background and needs. They make the most of diversity to help children understand the society that they live in, such as through the visits of parents to share their traditions and celebrations. They are often highly effective in taking steps to ensure that all children are well-integrated and in closing the identified gaps in children's achievements for the majority of children. They work effectively with other professionals involved in the support of individual children.

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the early years provision

The environment is conducive to learning and is safe. Equipment and resources are of high quality and extremely well managed. The planning and provision of resources is closely linked to the interests of children and this makes an exciting environment for children both indoors and outside. Staff are well deployed to support children's learning and are proactive in providing additional resources in response to children's play. What children find of interest is closely monitored each day so that future resources can then be creatively presented to capture their interests, continue their enjoyment and take their learning further. The provider is taking well considered steps to ensure resources are fully sustainable. For example, children know about recycling and go to find the big sack for recycling of paper.

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the early years provision

Self-evaluation is rigorous and provides an accurate diagnosis of the strengths and weaknesses of the setting. Actions taken by the setting are well targeted to bring about sustained improvement to the early years provision, such as shown through This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the significant improvements to the outside area. Other actions have yet to completely filter through to fully impact on the outcomes for children. Relatively new documentation to record children's achievements have been developed and these now form part of a highly effective planning system overall. Some of the recording that tracks children's next steps in development requires further consolidation to be of a consistent high quality. The manager and all the staff are skilled, highly committed and work very well together and are very focussed on improving the outcomes for all children.

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and outcomes for children

All children have good opportunities to enjoy and achieve. A strength of the setting is the comprehensive observation, assessment and planning processes that involves all staff. However a delay in the recording of some information makes the assessment process less responsive when tracking children's progress. All staff have a good understanding of child development and how children learn. They all have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and this promotes children's learning, social and physical well-being. All children, including those learning English as an additional language, make good progress towards the early learning goals in most areas of learning.

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and outcomes for children

All children show an extremely strong sense of security and belonging with in the setting. This is shown through their excellent relationships with the staff and with each other. They settle extremely well on arrival and have a very good understanding of the routines of the setting. For example they readily quieten when staff hold up their hands for children to give attention. They are very cooperative and know what is expected of them. Children show an excellent awareness of responsibility such as at 'tidy up time'. They help clear away toys; carry heavier objects together, before finding a space to sit as a whole group.

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and outcomes for children

They work very well independently because the activities on offer capture their interests and imaginations. They show high levels of confidence and self-esteem, given their starting points because the staff are very sensitive to their needs and know children well. Those children who are less confident are sensitively encouraged to express themselves such as in a creative activity where each child is given the opportunity and space to talk. Children have very good negotiation and cooperation skills because they are highly valued, treated with respect and consistently encouraged to think of others. Staff provide excellent role-models for children.

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and outcomes for children

Children show a mature response to taking responsibility for their own and others' safety such as when outside and are well versed in 'walking feet and listening ears' that promote their safety and well being. There is an excellent balance of free-play and adult-led activities. Children exercise choice from a wide range of activities that are well organised and creatively presented to be of interest to them. Children have well presented adult-led small group activities where they learn specific information and their skills development is enhanced. These activities are often left This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 out for children to freely access in a less structured way so that they can explore in their own way and at their own pace. For example, children continue to have great fun as they see how fast and far their toy cars will travel down a slope. Earlier they

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and outcomes for children

took turns to measure the distance with the guttering at varying heights. They are aware of each others safety and know to take turns to see how far their cars and trucks will travel.

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and outcomes for children

Children's progress in communicating, literacy and skills relating to information and communication technology is developing well. Children play well together and independently. They have good opportunities to write and make marks through out their play, for example, when outside they write up in chalk the scores of the car chute competition. In the small group activity themed around riding in a bus, they spontaneously use the resources made easily available to them to draw the shape of the steering wheel of the bus. They are active and inquisitive learners for example two girls have great fun using two programmable toys. They set themselves challenges to steer the trucks around obstacles. They concentrate well to develop their hand-to-eye coordination skills. As a result children are well equipped with the skills they need to secure future learning. Most children show a good awareness about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. They adopt good

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and outcomes for children

personal hygiene routines. Children have good opportunities to take their play outside as the quality of the planning for outside matches the high quality of that for the inside. They are able to be active ,such as, when using the sit-on equipment to practice their steering and pedalling skills. Inside they have great fun listening and following instructions such as when they follow action rhymes or lie on their backs and kick their feet in the air. 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 2

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Stage

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