Branston Pre-School Centre

Branston Pre-School Centre (The Village Hall) Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 218101 Inspection date 22/06/2011 Inspector Mary Henderson

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Setting address The Village Hall, Clays Lane, Branston, Burton on Trent, DE14 3ES Telephone number 07974 818144 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

Branston Pre-school Centre opened in 1968. It operates from the village hall in Branston, Staffordshire. The pre-school serves the local and further communities. Children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered by Ofsted to care for a maximum of 32 children from three to under five years old. They are registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Children come from the local areas. There are currently 56 children on roll in the early years age range. The pre-school is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 9am to 12.15pm and Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from 1pm to 3pm. They are open term time only.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who have English as an addition language. They employ six members of staff, all of whom hold suitable early years qualifications. 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

The staff develop strong relationships with parents and their children. Most relationships with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage are developing well. Most systems to make good use of the indoor and outdoor areas, equipment and resources are implemented. Systems regarding information sought to ensure children are fully safeguarded are not fully effective. The self-evaluation procedures are effective.

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further?

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

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further?

 seek information from parents and carers regarding who has legal contact with the child and who has parental responsibility (Safeguarding and welfare) 07/07/2011

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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 be physically active and exuberant  develop effective communication methods between settings to ensure that children's needs are met and there is continuity in their learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The positive relationships between the staff and the parents and their children ensure children's needs are identified and met. Relationships with all other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage are not yet fully effective with regard to two way communication about each child's learning and progression. This may possibly compromise children's care, learning and development.

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the early years provision

The risk assessments identify possible risk to children in the indoor and outdoor areas and all outings involving the children. The children are safeguarded because the staff have a good understanding of the policies and procedures to be followed. However, the staff have not yet sought information from parents regarding who has legal contact with the child and who has parental responsibility. This possibly compromises children's safety and well being. All adults are suitably checked and vetted.

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the early years provision

The staff have a strong understanding of how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The self-evaluation systems in place are good. They include input from the children and their parents, staff and management. Generally, the staff provide good opportunities for children to develop across all areas of their learning and development. They make good use of the resources, equipment and space to meet children's needs with regard to their current and ever changing interests.

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the early years provision

Information sharing with parents is good. The parents have free access to their child's learning and development profiles which provides information about their child's individual ongoing progression. The policies and procedures are accessible to all parents.

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and outcomes for children

Children observe, find out about and identify features in the place they live and the natural world. They enjoy a good range of outings to places of interest, including a local farm where they handle rabbits and baby ducks and talk about the lamas, sheep and geese and their habitats. Also at the farm the children visit the reptile house where they talk with the guide about the various parts of the world the animals come from. The children also enjoy visiting a garden centre where they look at various plants and bushes and look at the different kinds of fish in the aquarium. Other places of interest that build on children's interests and learning include the local supermarket. Here they look at the various food counters including fish and vegetables and talk to the staff about healthy eating under close supervision of their key workers. As the children visit the library, they listen to stories and choose books to take back to the setting. Children enjoy local walks in

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and outcomes for children

the neighbourhood, such as the washlands where they visit the swans and geese and talk about the changing seasons, other wildlife and plants they see. They also take their magnifying glasses on outings to seek out various mini beasts. The This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children carry this learning forward as they seek out ladybirds and other insects in their outdoor play area. To extend children's learning about the world around them, the staff invite visitors to the setting. This includes the staff and the children who bring in their pets for the children to talk about which includes hamsters and a tortoise. Children are encouraged to talk about how to handle the animals with care. Other visitors to the setting include a dance academy company who encourage children to listen and dance to a variety of music.

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and outcomes for children

The children are beginning to recognise the importance of being healthy and those things which contribute to this. They help themselves to healthy fruit and drinks of water or milk during the morning session when they are themselves ready to eat and drink. Children know and independently wash their hands before eating, after outdoor play and after visiting the toilet.

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and outcomes for children

During outdoor play, the children make free choices to ride on bikes and little cars, throw and catch balls or walk about in the fresh air. However, opportunities for children to climb and balance and be exuberant are more limited, thereby, at times, possibly compromising this part of their development. Children like to dig for mini beasts in the grass, plant sunflowers and lettuce and talk to the staff about healthy eating as they play. The staff follow children's lead joining in when appropriate and at times standing back as children role play, fixing the wheels on their peers trikes. The staff make the most of spontaneous opportunities as the children play outdoors. For example, they encourage older more able children to write their names on their plant pots and support younger less able children by encouraging them to copy their names. As children play with the chalks in the outdoor areas, the staff encourage them to draw around one another and the staff

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and outcomes for children

and recognise the difference between big and small shadows in the sun.

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and outcomes for children

Children show they feel safe in their environment as they seek comfort and praise from their key workers. The staff praise children's efforts to achieve and use open ended questions to encourage their language, thinking and social skills. Children's learning about feeling and staying safe is enhanced as they receive visitors to the setting. This includes the fire and police officers who come along to talk to them about crossing the road. The children's learning about keeping themselves safe is further fostered as the lollipop lady visits the children to talk about road safety. Both she and the staff encourage the children to role play road safety and talk about how they can keep themselves safe while out and about. The children also learn about road safety on outings as they cross the road under close supervision of their key workers. Children practise the fire evacuation procedures of the setting.

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and outcomes for children

The children are beginning to explore the uses of everyday information communication technology. They like to explore the computer programmes to extend their problem solving skills as they explore numbers, shape, taking away and adding one more. They use the mouse and key board competently, listening and following the voice instructions. This further supports their small muscle movement as they use the various keys and control the mouse. Children's development regarding small muscle movement is further extended as they use tools, such as, paint, brushes, small hammer and nails under supervision and mark making equipment, such as, pencils, crayons and glue and stick resources. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The children enjoy their creative play. As they play in the imaginary construction area they measure real cycle tyres with the tape, use crates to stand and sit on

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and outcomes for children

and sit in large cardboard boxes with their peers. They also like to glue and stick tissues and scraps of paper to make their own creations and fold paper to make aeroplanes which they fly around the room excitedly and laugh and giggle at their findings. The children sustain attentive listening during registration and circle time. They enjoy sitting with their peers and the staff to look at books and know the stories well. Children independently make choices about what they want to do as they choose activities from the choosing trolley and look at the photographs of the resources available to them in the resources photograph file.

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and outcomes for children

Children understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs that need to be treated with respect and they form strong relationships with the adults and their peers. They show a high regard for one another as they hand various tools around the table, sharing and turn taking with the resources and supporting less able children around them. Children explore various cultures and beliefs of those around them and the wider world through arts and crafts, discussions and story time. They explore festivals around the calendar year through food tasting and circle time. Children also play with a broad range of resources that reflect diversity, including books, small world people and dolls. The resources also reflect positive images of disabled people. 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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