Redbourn Pre-School

Redbourn Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY287400 Inspection date 18/05/2011 Inspector Jo Rowley

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Setting address Methodist Church Hall, North Common, Redbourn, AL3 7BU

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Telephone number 07814 634808 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

Redbourn pre-school registered in 1987 and is run by a voluntary group of parents. It operates from the Methodist church hall in the village of Redbourn, Hertfordshire. The pre-school serves the local and surrounding areas and has links with the local primary school. The pre-school is accessible to all children and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school opens on a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during school term time, from 9.15am until 12.15pm with an optional lunch club until 1pm each day. Children can attend for a variety of sessions with a maximum of 20 children able to attend the pre-school at any one time. There are currently 29 children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage age group. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register and provides funded early education for three and four year olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school employs five members of child care staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications to level two or above. The pre-school 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

Staff create a warm and welcoming environment where children feel happy and settled. Effective safeguarding procedures are in place and staff demonstrate a good knowledge of each child's interests, and needs, enabling them to promote an inclusive environment. Planning for the Early Years Foundation Stage is good with activities covering all areas of learning. Staff organise a wide range of interesting resources, to ensure that children receive experiences that promote good progress overall. Partnerships with parents, carers, other settings are well established and these help to promote continuity of care and learning for the children attending. Effective steps are taken by staff to evaluate the pre-school's strengths and areas for improvement with all staff working together on the setting's formal self- evaluation tool. Parental feedback from questionnaires and day to day discussions are also taken into account, therefore, the pre-school is responsive to the needs of

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further?

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

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further?

 promote further challenge for more able children with particular reference to mark making. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is well promoted as the setting has robust safeguarding procedures in place. For example, staff have completed additional safeguarding training to ensure that they are fully up-to-date and aware of their role and responsibilities in working together to protect children. In addition to this the committee carry out stringent checks to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Risk assessments are completed along with daily checks of the setting to ensure that hazards to children are minimised. All outings that children take part in are also risk assessed, further promoting their safety. Children gain a good understanding of safety issues through ongoing explanations from staff, for example, as children carry a chair to the carpet for circle time they are gently reminded about how to carry their chair safely and then praised for doing so. The daily implementation of the setting's policies and procedures further supports

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the early years provision

children's safety and well-being and all required safeguarding documentation is in place to support children's safety and well-being.

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the early years provision

The committee, leader and staff team work well together and they demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm for their work. The leader is supported by the committee of parents and she supports the team of staff effectively. All staff are encouraged to complete further training and improve their practice through regular meetings and appraisals. This helps to promote an environment where staff develop positive attitudes to learning. Resources are used well to promote children's learning and development and children themselves have regular opportunities to make choices about their play. Good use is made of the outdoor play area to ensure that children are offered an extended range of opportunities whilst enabling them to enjoy regular fresh air.

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the early years provision

All staff have a good understanding of anti-discriminatory practice. This enables them to review their policies and practice to ensure that the service they provide is inclusive to all children and their families. They work closely with parents and carers to ensure that they understand each child's background and needs, and consider this information sensitively when they are planning activities and play opportunities. Parents receive good information about their child's progress and their time spent at the setting, for example, through newsletters, daily discussions with staff and regular parent consultation sessions offered. The setting also works well with others to ensure the continuity of children's care and promote their development. For example, they work closely with the local primary school so that they can help prepare children for this transition and they share information with local childminder's enabling them to work together, therefore, benefiting each

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in all areas of learning because staff have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 implement clear procedures for assessing children and utilise this information to inform activity planning, ensuring that children are offered activities that promote their development. The effective use of the key person system means that staff know the children well and can therefore provide appropriate support whenever needed. They confidently encourage children to explore and develop their own play, intervening appropriately to extend children's knowledge and understanding. This enables children to take an active role in their learning and develop positive attitudes to this. Children's Learning Journeys are well used, incorporate the activities children have taken part in and identify the next steps in their learning

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and outcomes for children

which are used to inform future planning. Therefore, children's individual learning needs are met. Children feel valued and their play is enhanced as their ideas are listened to and they are able to choose new resources with staff supporting them to ensure that there is a balanced range of child-initiated and adult-led activities. For example, as children play in the role-play area they decide to use the chairs they are sitting on to create their own train. They gather more chairs and together they sit and decide where to go as one child says 'let's go to the zoo'. As a member of staff joins in with their journey they talk about the different animals they might see there.

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and outcomes for children

Children's enjoyment is further enhanced as staff develop their knowledge and understanding through play. An example of this is as children enjoy the 'transport' theme. Children are encouraged to bring things from home and share these with their friends at circle time. One child brings in a helicopter and after the children listen to how the helicopter works they are asked about other types of transport they can think of. Very quickly children name many different types of transport and this is then extended further to an art and craft activity where children create their own submarines. Children have many opportunities to learn about the uses of information and communication technology, therefore gaining valuable skills for the future. For example, they use battery operated toys and a laptop and have great fun taking pictures of each other using a digital camera. Children's overall development is promoted as they demonstrate that they feel settled, having clearly

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and outcomes for children

built secure relationships with staff, and friendships with each other. The children enjoy taking turns in looking after the pre-school's 'Ollie Owl'. They get to take him home and clearly like sharing what Ollie did at their house with their friends the next day. Children develop a good understanding of appropriate behaviour because they are offered clear explanations by staff. They learn about sharing, cooperation and negotiation as, for example, they work out turn-taking when using bikes and cars outside and help with tasks such as tidying up.

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and outcomes for children

Children are developing a good understanding of the wider world around them as they participate in a range of activities and play experiences to support this, such as when they celebrate festivals including Diwali, and Chinese New Year as well as others throughout the calendar year.

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and outcomes for children

Children's emotional development is highly encouraged as staff promote children's self-confidence and self-esteem. An example of this is through 'the reward tree'. Children are given a leaf which they place on to the tree for different reasons such as good tidying up, sharing, being kind to each other or for painting a lovely picture. The good procedures for working with parents and other professionals mean that children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or those This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 who speak English as an additional language are offered appropriate and continued support to enable them to participate and make good progress. Staff incorporate children's individual interests into the planning, capturing their interests, extending their knowledge and providing them with opportunities to develop early skills. For example, they participate in songs and rhymes to help

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and outcomes for children

them identify letters and enjoy mark making as part of their play. However, there is limited challenge seen for more able children with particular reference to their early writing skills. Children are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles and their understanding of the relevance of healthy eating is promoted through snack time. Children's independence is well-promoted as they choose their own bowl and cup, serve their own snack and pour their own drinks. Conversation during snack helps children to understand how healthy food and water is good for their bodies. 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 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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