Bowerhill Pre-School

Bowerhill Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY416627 Inspection date 17/02/2011 Inspector Beverley Blackburn

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Setting address Bowerhill Cp School, Halifax Road, MELKSHAM, Wiltshire, SN12 6YH Telephone number 01225 700964 Email admin@bowerhill.wilts.sch.uk 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

Bowerhill Preschool opened in 1983 and has recently relocated to Bowerhill County Primary, Melksham; it operates from one room within the school. Children have access to an enclosed outside play area. The preschool is in a residential area of Bowerhill. It opens Monday to Thursday from 9am to 3pm and Friday from 9am to 12pm.

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Description of the setting

The preschool in registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 20 children from two to five years of age may attend the preschool at any one time. The preschool can take children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Currently there are 41 children on roll, of these, 26 are funded. There are four members of staff, some of whom have an early years qualification to level three.

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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 enjoy their time at the pre-school. Staff and parents work together to meet each child's needs. Children seem to be making good progress in their learning; however, no written observations or profiles on the children's progress was available for the inspector. Staff need to be more consistent in helping children to develop their personal hygiene and develop clear strategies to manage challenging behaviour. Overall, the pre-school has good capacity to further develop the care and learning offered to the children.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop observation, assessments and planning in order to effectively move children towards the next steps in their learning  develop a structured approach for vulnerable children and those with particular behavioural or communication difficulties to help them achieve successful Personal , Social and Emotional development  improve how children's personal hygiene is promoted

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the early years provision

The pre-school environment is safe and secure due to an effective risk assessment process. The staff ensure all areas of the premises accessible to the children are checked daily. There is also monthly premises check from the premises committee. This ensures both the indoor and outdoor space available for the children is suitable for them to move around and play safely. Effective procedures are in place This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 for identifying any child at risk of harm and liaising with the appropriate child agencies. The staff have a good knowledge of the procedure to follow if they have any concerns. There is a system in place to ensure the required checks for adults working directly with children are carried out. Children are always appropriately supervised; as a result the arrangements for safeguarding children are effective.

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the early years provision

The pre-school has a good commitment to ensuring all information that underpins effective management is shared with the parents. The required policies and procedures are in place but some require updating. Through discussion, staff indicate that children's progress is monitored, to ensure they all move forward from their starting points. However, on the day of the inspection there was no written evidence of any observations and assessments on the children or the progress they are making. Staff support every child to make certain their individual needs are met and that no child is disadvantaged. They identify a child's need for additional support and share information with parents and ,where possible, inter- agency teams to ensure that each child gets the support they need. Activities are planned to ensure all children are included and receive an interesting and enjoyable experience across all six areas of learning and development.

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the early years provision

A range of toys and play resources such as posters, books and dressing-up clothes help children learn the value of diversity, to understand and embrace different cultures and religions and get a better understanding of the wider world. All children are encouraged to enjoy the full range of play opportunities. The pre- school self-evaluation procedure is effective in raising the standard. They have started to build a good relationship with the local school that will enable effective sharing of information, in order to promote the continuity of children's learning and development and a smooth transition into school.

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the early years provision

The staff have a good relationship with the parents. There are clear and accessible channels for parents and carers to communicate with the setting, which staff actively encourage parents to pursue. Daily discussions, newsletters and learning journeys ensure parents are closely involved in their child's pre-school experiences. From discussions with parents and feedback from their questionnaires, they are very happy with the care and education their children are receiving.

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and outcomes for children

Children have fun while at the provision; for example, they play group singing games that encourage them to work well as a team. They have a developing awareness of their own needs and are learning to dress and undress independently for outdoor play. They interlock jigsaws, helping to extend their hand and eye co- ordination. They are learning to use scissors with increasing confidence. The staff encourage the children to express their creative freedom during messy play. They paint pictures of their choice and make collages using various items, such as leaves, material and shells. The children are learning to make marks on paper whilst others are beginning to form letters. The children enjoy taking part in role- play, pretending to be characters of their choice. Models are made from play This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 dough, which the children manipulate into shapes of their choice. They are

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and outcomes for children

learning to develop their skills for the future with the use of the computer and programmable toys.

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and outcomes for children

Children have good opportunities to develop physical skills through a range of outdoor activities. Children enjoy playing in the garden where they explore and have fun making mud pies, filling and emptying containers and making sandcastles with wet sand. Some children count well, both with help and independently. They are beginning to understand the concepts of number, for example, confidently showing four fingers. From discussion, staff are able to explain how to use their knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage to plan activities, make observations on children's progress and record in the summary profile. Unfortunately, on the day of the inspection no observations on the children were available as staff had taken them home to update. Children's learning Journals were available, however, these are not used to identify any gaps in individual learning needs or to plan the next steps towards learning and development.

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and outcomes for children

Children's independence is supported. They are able to confidently choose their activities, successfully building their confidence and self-esteem. Resources are arranged so that they are easily accessible. In most cases, children behave reasonably well. They appear happy and contented, enjoying the company of the staff and at times requesting that they join in their play. However, at times the noise level was unacceptable and children's safety was compromised; some children were running around the room unaware of the consequences of their action, of possibility hurting themselves and others. Age-appropriate methods are used such as distraction, a calm approach, praise and encouragement; however, clear strategies are required to manage challenging behaviour. Children's healthy lifestyles are supported well. Children benefit from regular outdoor activities, in the enclosed play area using a variety of equipment. They have good opportunity to

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and outcomes for children

develop and practise their coordination skills, such as riding bikes or kicking balls. Children enjoy healthy snacks, such as fruit and vegetables. Children who stay for lunch bring a packed lunch and sit together, making a sociable occasion. Any dietary needs are known and supported, due to clear information gathered from parents regarding allergies or other requirements. Children are helped to manage their personal hygiene by washing their hands regularly, this helps to reduce the risk of cross-infection. However, there are occasions when children's personal hygiene is not appropriately promoted, such as cleaning their faces and runny noses. Children learn to keep themselves safe through regular practice of the evacuation procedure. Staff are aware of their responsibility in promoting a safe environment and helping children understand how to keep themselves safe. 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 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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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