St Lukes Pre-School

St Lukes Pre-School Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY315656 Inspection date 03/05/2011 Inspector Mr Rasmik Parmar

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Setting address St Lukes Parish Centre, Swinton Park Road, Salford, Manchester, M6 7WR Telephone number 0161 950 2930 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

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 Lukes Pre-School Playgroup is privately owned and was registered in 2005. It operates from a church hall in a residential area of Salford and serves the local community. Children are cared for in the main hall and an additional room. There is an enclosed area to the rear of the building for outdoor play. The setting is open Monday 11.45am to 3pm, Tuesday 9am to 3pm, Wednesday 9am to 12.30pm, and Thursday and Friday 9am to 3pm, during term time only.

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Description of the setting

The setting is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 32 children may attend the setting at any one time. Of these, none may be under two years old. There are currently 61 children on roll. The setting currently supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with additional needs.

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Description of the setting

There are six members on the staff team. The manager and the deputy have the Level 4 in early years and are working towards the Level 5. Three members have the Level 3 and one has the Level 2 in early years.

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Description of the setting

The setting is affiliated to a local children's centre and receives support from the local authority.

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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 are happy, settled and supported well by the staff, who have a clear awareness of each child's individual needs. Staff show a clear commitment to promoting inclusion. Successful partnerships with parents and others agencies result in very positive outcomes for children. Effective systems for self-evaluation and reflective practice result in a service that is responsive to the needs of all of its users as part of maintaining continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further children's assessment records.

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the early years provision

Children play in a safe, secure environment where staff are caring, attentive and effective in maintaining a relaxed atmosphere where children happily play and learn. Children are confident, with good self-esteem, and are able to ask for help when they need it. Good procedures are in place for recruitment, induction, appraisal and training for staff. The commitment of the manager and her staff to attend training ensures that children are cared for by a knowledgeable staff team. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 There are clear policies and procedures in place to protect children from harm. All staff have undergone the required checks to ensure they are suitable to work with children. The safeguarding policy is understood by all staff and all are aware of their role in safeguarding children. Risk assessments and accident records are regularly reviewed to ensure the environment and activities, both indoors and

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the early years provision

outdoors, remain safe for children. Staff undertake checks on a daily basis to ensure the premises are suitable for children. Most staff hold current first aid qualifications and all the required information and consents have been provided by parents.

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the early years provision

All children benefit from this fully inclusive environment, with equal opportunities to make good progress in their learning and development. Children are encouraged to develop a strong sense of community because all staff have a genuine caring approach and help children celebrate their differences and similarities to ensure they feel valued and have a sense of belonging.

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the early years provision

Successful partnership with parents is underpinned by open communication and is maintained through a variety of methods. These include questionnaires for parents to complete so that their opinions about the setting can be taken into consideration. They attend parents evenings twice a year where they are informed about their child's learning and development. A member of staff also explains to parents the Early Years Foundation Stage so that they are familiar with the framework within which staff are operating. Parents comment positively on how well staff know their children, which contributes to a trusting relationship.

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the early years provision

Transition arrangements with the local schools involve teachers who visit the setting to find out background information on children prior to starting school. Also, children have visited their new schools and met their teachers. Children attending the setting are also cared for by other providers, such as nurseries and childminders. Staff ensure that they liaise with key persons from the nursery in order to ensure consistency in children's learning and development. Childminders have the opportunity to attend parents evening information sessions where they are able to share children's assessment records with staff. Staff liaise successfully with specialist outside agencies, such as speech and language therapists, in order to support children with additional needs.

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the early years provision

The setting receives a good level of support from local authority agencies, such as the children's centre. Educational consultants support the setting and staff act promptly on identifying points for action to enhance the service. Staff monitor their practice and are confident in identifying areas for improvement to build on their strengths as part of maintaining continuous improvement. There is a strong ambition within the staff team to develop better outcomes for children by constantly improving staff knowledge and improving their qualifications. Also, improvements made to the outdoor play areas greatly enhance children's learning opportunities, resulting in very positive outcomes. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

A good process is in place to ensure children are effectively progressing towards the early learning goals. Key persons are responsible for maintaining assessment records for small groups of children. Information obtained from parents is used as a starting point in the child's learning journey. Staff maintain assessment records for children and the continuously evolving system currently does not allow for the descriptive observations to be evaluated in order to identify the next step in learning. However, staff are able to move children further in their learning and development because they know children very well through close interaction with them.

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and outcomes for children

Children are enthusiastic, inquisitive learners who are eager to attend the setting and explore the wonderful opportunities offered to them. They are confident individuals who develop their independence skills, making choices throughout the setting, both indoors and outdoors. They show good concentration and perseverance in tasks and activities because they engage their attention and imagination. Children develop very good relationships with each other and adults, who help them to feel secure and settled within the child-centred environment.

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and outcomes for children

Children are gaining confidence and independence throughout the daily routines of the setting. They make choices from the good resources available at low level. Children are forming positive relationships with others, taking turns and sharing toys. They enjoy listening to stories read by staff and are keen to recall earlier activities and events, which they discuss confidently with staff. There are good opportunities for children to develop their mark making skills and they are making sound progress in forming recognisable letters. Children's numeric skills are developing well as they use numbers for counting during their daily routines. Children explore different textures as they investigate treasure baskets or play with sand and play dough.

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and outcomes for children

The setting uses various opportunities to enable children to begin to understand the world around them. Children follow the 'little red train' which recently visited Europe and they learned about the local customs, flags, costumes and foods. Children celebrated the World Cup and made cakes and learned about the different countries of the world. Children have grown flowers in the wooden boxes in the outdoor area, dug the ground for worms and observed preserved insects using a magnifying glass.

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and outcomes for children

Children have many opportunities to learn about a healthy lifestyle by taking part in daily physical activities in the large outdoor play area. They are beginning to understand the importance of exercise and the effect it has on their bodies. Children learn to wear appropriate clothing as they play outdoors when it is raining or snowing. They have a good understanding about the importance of personal hygiene routines, enjoying being independent using the soap and paper towels before eating and after using the toilet. Children play in a very safe environment because risk assessments have been carried out and any hazards have been identified. They show a secure understanding about keeping themselves safe while This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 using outdoor resources, such as sit-and-ride bikes, safely. Children learn about nutrition as their parents provide a healthy packed lunch and the setting provides

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and outcomes for children

them with independent access to drinking water and healthy snacks. 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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