West End Pre-School

West End Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 507860 Inspection date 09/02/2011 Inspector Loraine Wardlaw

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Setting address Hilldene Centre Annexe, High Street, West End Soton, Southampton, Hampshire, SO30 3DU Telephone number 023 80466764 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

West End Pre-School registered in 1979. It is a committee run pre-school and operates from privately owned premises in West End, Southampton, Hampshire. Children have access to two enclosed outdoor play areas. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9.15 am to 12.15 pm Monday to Friday, term time only. On a Monday, Tuesday Thursday and Friday it is open in the afternoon from 12.45 pm to 3.45 pm. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register for a maximum of 24 children aged two to five years. However, it is the settings policy to take children from 2 years 9 months of age. There are currently 49 children on roll. The setting provides funded early education places for three and four- year- old children. The pre-school has a few children with special educational needs and /or disabilities. There are 10 members of staff who work with the children, part- time, seven of whom are qualified in early years to level 2 and above.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, children are happy and enjoy their learning at this pre-school with staff who warmly welcome each and every one of them. At present, because the setting is in the process of refurbishment, there is due emphasis on ensuring children are safe, content and feel secure in their familiar surroundings. Educational systems which promote best Early Years Foundation Stage practice are being developed. A key strength of the provision is the good support children receive who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and the strong partnership with parents. The setting regularly evaluates and prioritises as necessary and has a satisfactory 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 a rich and enabling environment for children with emphasis on a well- resourced and attractive role play and book area  develop more adult-led activities to support and extend specific areas of children's learning, for individual and small groups of children  monitor and develop staff practice to ensure there is consistency amongst the staff team in promoting all areas of learning during purposeful interactions with particular emphasis on promoting children's language for thinking and the respecting of resources. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

There are effective safeguarding procedures in place to help protect children. All practitioners hold a clear Criminal Records Bureau check, and only staff, not volunteers or parent helpers, can undertake children's personal hygiene routines. Staff demonstrate suitable confidence in their roles and responsibilities with regards to recording and reporting any child protection concerns. Satisfactory input helps children to learn about keeping safe. Daily checks and risk assessments are carried out on all areas of the pre-school used by children and children are supervised well to ensure identified risks are minimised. Adult to child ratios are high and staff meet children's personal care needs and routines well. There is much focus on child-initiated activities. Although there are adult-led activities for children identified as having special educational needs, overall, adult-led activities to complement the educational programme for all children, are not planned

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the early years provision

regularly. This impacts on children's rate of progress towards all of the early learning goals.

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the early years provision

The long established team at the pre-school have worked hard to ensure that during the building work children can safely access a suitable range of child- initiated activities. They have organised the rooms satisfactorily; currently, learning areas are not presented in a rich, effective and inviting way for the children. For example, the role play area and the book areas have limited resources and are basic. This is a development area to be addressed shortly. There is a strong emphasis on children choosing to play indoors or outdoors, which works well. The staff team reflect and evaluate the practice that takes place at the pre-school and are striving to improve better outcomes for children, by the extension of more useable space. Future ambitions and vision for the pre-school is promoted by knowledgeable practitioners. The emphasis is on offering a quality learning and development experience for children. The system to monitor staff practice has

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the early years provision

taken less of a priority during the upheaval of refurbishment.

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the early years provision

Parents talk very positively, supportively and knowingly about the setting. A strong emphasis is placed on developing successful partnerships with parents, with a good two way flow of information. Parents can view their child's learning journey every term and can comment on their children's progress. Partnerships with others such as portage workers and speech therapists are well established. Overall, staff promote equality and diversity satisfactorily. They understand how best to support children learning English as an additional language and have resources which promote positive images of all people in society. The setting plans to address children's next learning steps more successfully, by introducing key group times within the continuous curriculum. Children identified with learning difficulties are well supported by the special educational needs coordinators who are understanding and compassionate. Children are given good one to one support;

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the early years provision

staff use some Makaton and special resources to support children's physical development. 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 happy at their pre-school, going about their self-chosen activities contently. They make choices about indoor or outdoor play and are motivated to play and learn. For example, some staff encourage children to find their coats in the large pile on the table and to independently put it on when they announce they wish to play outside. The children then enjoy digging in the mud garden; some use the child size gardening tools to dig up carrots they find growing in tubs, others dig up spring bulbs that are growing. The quality of the practitioners interactions to extend children's knowledge and learning is variable across the staff team. Some adults talk purposefully about the reasons why it is best not to dig up spring bulbs, and encourage children to talk about the size of the carrots, while other practitioners are not purposeful when interacting with children during their play and routines, asking closed questions. In the role play and construction area

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and outcomes for children

children get out many resources and leave them on the floor when they have finished playing, which results in some children walking over them. Staff do not consistently encourage children to look after and respect the resources on offer. Children are learning good physical skills; they balance precariously on the crates placed outdoors and skillfully pedal the two wheeled bikes with stabilizers around the lines of the outdoor playground. They have opportunities to use ICT equipment and demonstrate their good number and computer skills at the personal computer, using the available software resources which promote learning well. Children spontaneously take turns at the computer using the sand timer as an indicator to swap over. However, because of the high noise level in the pre-school not all children can hear the computer instructions. Some adults encourage mathematical development when they interact with

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and outcomes for children

children. Boys are encouraged to problem solve when they spontaneously make up their own game outside on the climbing apparatus; it is about five men in a flying saucer. At the end of the morning they sing songs in a large group, using their fingers when they sing five naughty monkeys jumping on the bed. The staff team are in the process of changing their planning to be more child-led, in line with Early Years Foundation Stage good practice. For example, when children showed an interest in playing pirates an adult-led activity was planned which involved children making a treasure map. However, adult-led or more focused activities, which consistently build on children's next learning steps to the early learning goals are not consistently and successfully planned and implemented. This is despite the staff knowing their key children's capabilities well. Learning journeys record children's developmental progress, but are not available to view during inspection.

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and outcomes for children

There are good systems in place to ensure that all staff are aware of children who have special dietary requirements or allergies. Children enjoy a healthy snack mid- morning of cereal, dried fruit and fresh fruit. They gain lots of opportunities to play outside in the fresh air. Staff undertake personal hygiene routines, such as nappy changing, with care and attention, minimising cross infection as much as possible. Although staff talk to children about safety matters such as going down the slope when accessing whole group outdoor play, it is not a consistent and integral part of staff teaching and learning strategies. Children learn about the diverse world they live in through incidental opportunities such as talking about an object they This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 brought in to show, at register time. It was a present from another country. 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 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 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 3

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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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