Mercenfeld Primary School

Bagshot Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 119937 Inspection date 17/02/2011 Inspector Carol Willett

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Setting address Methodist Church Hall, Jenkins Hall, Bagshot, Surrey, GU19 5BT Telephone number 07810 433958 Email susanmichel@btinternet.com 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

Bagshot Pre-School is a privately owned group established in 1972. It is based in the Bagshot Methodist Church Hall on the A30. Children have use of the large hall and a small room that is used for small group work. There are suitable kitchen and toilet facilities and an enclosed outside play area. Children come from the local community of Bagshot in Surrey. Parking is accessible in side streets nearby. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. It operates Monday to Friday during term times only. Opening times are from 9am to 1pm and children bring their own lunch. A maximum of 26 children may attend at any one time. There are currently 44 children from two to four years of age on roll. Children aged three and four years receive funding for free early education. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. A total of eight members of staff work at the pre-school; of

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Description of the setting

these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications. The pre-school has achieved accreditation status with the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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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 play confidently and develop high levels of independence skills in a welcoming well-resourced environment. Staff are enthusiastic and develop highly positive partnerships with parents and other professionals to ensure children's individual needs are effectively met. The owner and staff are highly committed to continually improve the pre-school through self-evaluation and participating in a quality assurance scheme. The pre-school has a comprehensive range of documentation and policies that meet the requirements of registration and most are readily accessible

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure records are easily accessible and available for inspection; in particular a list of the unique reference numbers of Criminal Record Bureau Disclosures and the date obtained (Documentation) 07/03/2011

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further?

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

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further?

 increase opportunities for children to develop their physical skills to climb and balance This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  maintain the temperature of the hall at all times during free flow play.

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the early years provision

Children stay safe as the preschool has generally good safeguarding procedures. Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment; the security systems in place ensure that unauthorised people are unable to gain access to the areas used by the children. Collection procedures are very effective and visitor's identity is checked and details logged. There are generally effective procedures in place to ensure that staff working with the children are suitable. The owner keeps all confidential record in her home, as the building is used by others and there is no secure storage system. She ensures all staff are vetted appropriately and maintains a record of all staff checks. However, she does not keep the list of the unique reference numbers and dates obtained on site to ensure they are available at all times. The layout of the playroom ensures that children are safely supervised while using the toilet areas. Staff undertake safeguarding training, which is updated

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the early years provision

regularly, and there is a clear and comprehensive policy. This ensures both parents and staff understand the pre-schools role in safeguarding children. Children's safety is further promoted through the use of comprehensive risk assessments and daily checking procedures.

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the early years provision

Staff are very supportive and welcoming. Children's individual needs are fully discussed with parents and a record is kept on any specific needs. Currently, some children attend who have English as an additional language and they are fully included. Staff work closely with the families, seeking help and advice as needed. They encourage parents to share special days and words so all the children benefit and develop a positive awareness of diversity.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents are excellent. Parents are kept them well-informed through daily discussion, newsletters and the parents' notice board. Parents comment that: staff are friendly and approachable; their children enjoy pre-school and make good progress in their development; and they welcome the opportunity to take their children's development records home at the end of each term. Parents enjoy the opportunity to volunteer as a helper, which gives them a valuable insight into their children's time at preschool. The staff develop highly effective partnerships with local schools and early years support services, which helps ensure the staff work as an active part of the community providing a quality and up to date service for the children in their care.

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the early years provision

The pre-school owner and staff team demonstrate a good capacity to evaluate the quality of the provision. They improve practice through completing an effective self-evaluation of the setting and participating in a quality assurance scheme. All staff are involved and contribute their ideas at staff meetings and identify areas for improvement, such as the need to further improve the outdoor play area. Parents are actively encouraged to be part of the evaluation and accreditation processes. The staff are very caring and enthusiastic. They work extremely well as a team and are encouraging and supportive of each other. Staff have a good awareness of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their roles. They ensure the environment is attractive, welcoming and well resourced; children are able to freely select from the wide range of toys and activities provided and choose whether to play inside or out. However, the room

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the early years provision

temperature is not maintained sufficiently to ensure children do not get cold when the door is open to allow the children's free movement.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in their development as staff are friendly and caring and develop good relationships with the children. Staff plan interesting activities based on the observations of the children's progress and the key person system is used effectively to identify the children's next steps in their learning and development. Key persons show they know the children well and their particular interests are used to plan further activities. For example, children's interest in dinosaurs is extended to promote learning into other areas. Children make their own salt dough which they then use to make dinosaur models and fossils. They sieve through the sand to find bones and fossils as they play outside. Children act out stories made up by staff as they nibble their way out of eggs to become giant dinosaurs. Children's development is monitored through their learning journeys, which show they make good progress in the areas of learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy mark making with paint brushes, pencils and crayons and some of the older children can write and recognise their own names. The pre-school has a good range of books, within a comfortable quiet area where they can sit alone or with an adult to enjoy them. Books are used well to support the children's various activities. There is lots of print and labelling, including in other languages, around the room to encourage children's awareness of the written word. Children enjoy solving problems as they make models and complete jigsaws. They enjoy sorting and matching and they play matching games with their friends. Staff make the most of opportunities to encourage the children to count, for example, when they take the register and use cups as snack time. Many of the children demonstrate a good awareness of position, size and shape as they play with the train sets, model with building bricks and make collages.

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and outcomes for children

Children show they feel safe and comfortable in the pre-school. They confidently move around the room and make choices from the wide rage of interesting toys and activities set out prior to their arrival. They confidently speak in front of their friends as they answer the register and request songs to sing. Children behave well and they are well mannered as they ask politely for help to put on aprons or coats. They demonstrate increasing awareness of sharing and turn taking as they spontaneously use the timer as they take turns on the computer. They play well with their friends in small and large groups and say sorry and hug as they bump into each other. The good role modelling provided by the staff helps the children to learn appropriate behaviour. Children develop an awareness of diversity as parents come into pre-school to share their special cultural days and children enjoy outings to eat in a local Chinese restaurant as they have fun using chopsticks.

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children develop a good awareness of healthy lifestyles as they have regular access to fresh air and physical exercise as they can freely choose to play outside with the suitable range of toys provided. They skilfully use wheeled toys and run around in the outside area each day. However, they do not have sufficient opportunities to develop their climbing and balancing skills. Children are given healthy drinks and snacks and encouraged to bring a selection of fruit from home to contribute to the selection provided by staff. Good hygiene practices are routine in the preschool. For example children independently use the toilet and wash their hands at appropriate times. Individual hand towels are used once and then put in a bin and are washed by parents on a rota basis. Children get tissues for their noses and threw them in the bin.

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and outcomes for children

Children feel secure and respond well because they receive very good care and support and respond to the daily routines. Staff and children have a good knowledge of the fire evacuation procedure through regular practise, which ensure they are confident and aware in an emergency. Children competently use technology within the pre-school ably manoeuvring their way round computer programs using the mouse with increasing skill and confidence. This together with the emphasis on developing communication and numeracy skills, and the regular links with the local school ensures that children are developing skills that will support them in the future and aid transition to school. 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 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 2 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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