Sherburn Hungate Primary School

St Michaels Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 145821 Inspection date 07/03/2011 Inspector Karen Prager

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Setting address Village Hall, Whaddon Lane, Hilperton, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 7RN Telephone number 01225 769765 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. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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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

St Michaels Pre School opened in 1982. It operates from Hilperton Village Hall, Trowbridge, Wiltshire. A maximum of 24 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Monday to Wednesday. Thursday sessions are from 9.30am to 11.30am and 12 noon to 2.30pm and Friday from 9.15am to 11.45am and 12.15pm to 2.45pm. The Thursday session are for two to three year olds and the remainder of the sessions are for three and four year olds. The pre-school is open term time only.

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Description of the setting

There are 55 children on the register aged from three to four years, of whom 49 are in receipt of the nursery education grant. There are also 14 children aged two years who attend the two-year-olds session. The pre-school supports a small number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and none who have English as a second language.

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Description of the setting

There are 10 staff employed. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a qualification.

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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

St Michaels Pre School presents a good and inclusive learning environment providing well for the needs of its children. The children are happy, independent, motivated to learn and make very good progress. Relationships are excellent resulting in very high levels of good behaviour. This results in a safe environment where the children's learning journeys are supported and promoted by the provision of a full range of activities and effective adult support for individual learners. Required documents are in place and mostly available for inspection as required. The staff are fully committed to providing the best for the children in their care and keen to develop best practice, showing a good capacity to improve.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure records used to assess the suitability of adults contain required details, are easily accessible and available for inspection (Suitable People) 07/04/2011

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further?

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

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further?

 put in place clear plans for future improvements to ensure that outcomes for This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children continue to improve.

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the early years provision

The staff are focused on helping all children to make good progress in their learning and development, and in promoting their welfare. Staff show a high regard for promoting children's safety. Effective practices are in place to ensure that the environment is safe and supportive. Arrangements for safeguarding children are generally robust and regularly reviewed, so children are cared for by people cleared as suitable to do so. However, records to demonstrate the suitability of all adults are not kept available for inspection nor do they contain all required detail.

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the early years provision

The pre-school environment is calm and conducive to learning. Furniture, equipment and resources are easily accessible to children and of a high quality. Staff take great care to arrange the resources to be inviting and inclusive for children and their families. The environment is arranged to offer rich, varied and imaginative experiences that meet the needs of all children well. A small group of children visit the pre-school allotment on a daily basis and benefit from a developing range of activities. The provision outdoors is less well developed. This means that children who learn better when outside are not so well catered for, although they still make good progress overall.

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the early years provision

Staff are well qualified and deployed effectively within good adult to child ratios to ensure children receive a good level of support throughout the session. Staff are clear about their role within the setting and moral is high. It is clear that the staff enjoy their work and take pride in improving the outcomes for children. Whille these are consistently good, however, none are of an exceptionally high quality, showing that work remains to be done on driving improvement. Regular external training is attended. Information is cascaded down to all staff periodically at staff meetings. The pre-school leader communicates high expectations to staff and has established a strong culture of reflective practice. Parents' and children's views about the pre-school are valued. Many steps have been taken to develop the quality of the provision and appropriate action has been taken to address the recommendations raised in the previous report. The staff demonstrate that actions

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the early years provision

taken to improve provision are well chosen and systems are in place to take forward any areas identified for improvement.

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the early years provision

The pre-school has developed positive relationships with parents. A notice board with essential information is located at the entrance to the pre-school and a website gives parents immediate access to useful information if required. A regular newsletter is distributed which ensures that parents remain up to date with the care their children receive and the service provided. Parents and carers speak highly of the pre-school. Information sharing is actively encouraged and parents' views are welcomed. Parents are encouraged to share information about their child's welfare and learning. Staff value the input of other professionals and share expertise to ensure outcomes for children are positive. The pre-school has also developed effective channels of communication with other early years settings that This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the children attend and information is shared to build cohesion in education and

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the early years provision

welfare, in order to meet children's needs.

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and outcomes for children

Staff working with the children have a good knowledge of the welfare, learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Children are observed and assessed on an ongoing basis and their progress clearly tracked. This information is used by staff when planning the week's activities so that children's development is supported by appropriate activities to support children's next steps. Key staff build individual and informative 'Learning Journals' which are available to parents at any time.

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and outcomes for children

Children settle quickly at the start of the session and know what is expected of them. Children develop into confident, inquisitive learners as they freely move around their environment and make choices about what they would like to play with. The large village hall is set out invitingly at the start of the day. Children settle straight into a short group time when their say hello to each other before their free play session. Through the regular use of signs, children come to understand that they can communicate with people who find it difficult to hear. Children select from the activities set out ready and additional resources in storage units. Children choose to sit together at a table and concentrate as they make marks on whiteboards, copying over letters. Staff organise a range of role play situations which are regularly changed providing children with the opportunity to develop their creativity and practice skills for life. Children are encouraged to draw

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and outcomes for children

a design before selecting some wood and are supported in safely using hand tools to cut the wood and hammer nails. They further bring their design to life when they select from a collection of assorted materials and use glue and sticky tape to join these to their craft work. The finished articles are proudly taken home.

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and outcomes for children

The structured routines ensure that children understand how to be safe outside, help staff, and develop independence. The children visit the pre-school allotment in small groups on a daily basis. They participate in broad range of activities which encompass all six areas of learning. They know how to behave as they walk together. They plant vegetables, tend them throughout the season and harvest them to eat within the session. This gives children the valuable first hand opportunity to care for plants, handle vegetables and prepare them to eat. The daily snack times and regular cooking activities lead children to develop good hygiene procedures and they demonstrate that they know to wash their hands with soap and then dry them with a paper towel. Children enjoy seasonal activities such as pancake making. They help mix the batter, and count how many pancakes they are making to share with their friends. Snack time offers a good chance to eat

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and outcomes for children

the pancakes and experience the sharpness of lemons with the sweeter sugar and apples. Staff sit with the children at snack times and prompt discussion about healthy eating. Children know to line up after their snack and get their coats on ready for outside play. The car park area is well supervised while children play with the balls and children know not to run after balls when they roll under cars or This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 towards the road. The play well on their own and with their peers, rolling, throwing and kicking a range of different balls. The range of activities for children to play with outside is varied over time, and selected by a child each day, but is restricted on a daily basis. For example, on the day of the inspection, children only had access to balls during the outdoor play session. Nevertheless, children were seen to play well on their own and with their peers, enjoying rolling, throwing and

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and outcomes for children

kicking a range of different balls. 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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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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