Angels & Acorns

Little Angels Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY409917 Inspection date 12/05/2011 Inspector Hilary McKenning

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Setting address North End House, North End Road, Stalybridge, Cheshire, SK15 3AZ Telephone number 0161 637 2717 Email cg.littleangels@tiscali.co.uk 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

Little Angels Pre-school was registered in 2010 and is run by a limited company. The pre-school operates from of a converted building in the Stalybridge area of Cheshire. Children have access to a main play room, a sensory room and a dining area. There is an enclosed outside play area for outdoor play. The preschool is open each weekday from 7.45am until 5.45pm for 51 weeks of the year, closing only at Christmas time. The pre-school also offers holiday care for reception class children during the school holidays.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 40 children may attend the pre-school at any one time and there are 30 children on roll. There are 12 members of staff, 10 working with the children. Most hold an early years 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

Children's sense of belonging is expertly fostered though the warm, welcoming surroundings, where they feel very secure and confident to initiate their own play. Observations are routinely completed with all children and show they are making good progress in their learning in a supportive and stimulating environment. The staff have a very effective partnership with parents and take time to develop a good understanding of children's individual needs to promote inclusive practice successfully. Staff work closely with other agencies to encourage and promote children's welfare, learning and development. All of the required documentation is in place and maintained appropriately. The provider recognises the value of continuous improvement and is developing a system to evaluate and monitor the service, identifying areas for future development.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the system to monitor and evaluate the service offered  develop further the links with other providers and parents, involving them in children's learning and development

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the early years provision

The provider has an effective understanding of their role in safeguarding children and there are clear processes to follow should there be any concerns they may have about a child. There is a comprehensive selection of policies and procedures, which are regularly shared with parents. This contributes to the successful This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 operation of the service and promotes the welfare of the children. All of the required records and documentation is in place and stored securely. There is a robust vetting process in place to ensure all adults in contact with children are suitable to do so. Children are safe within the environment and security systems are good as comprehensive risk assessments are completed for both the indoor and outdoor play areas. They also include all outings the children take part in.

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the early years provision

Safe and suitable toys and resources that stimulate and challenge children are easily accessed and organised effectively to provide an appealing and stimulating environment. The staff are deployed well in the setting ensuring children receive the support they need to aid their overall welfare and development. The staff support equality and diversity well and there is a wide variety of resources available to help the children learn to value the individuality of people and their lifestyles. The provider aspires for quality, which is evident from the commitment to attend further training events to ensure continuous improvement. They are developing a system to evaluate and monitor the service to identify further targets for improvement.

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the early years provision

There is a positive relationship between staff, children and their parents. Detailed daily diaries are shared and reflect the activities the children have taken part in. Parents are invited to contribute towards their child's learning and share observations of their child's achievements at home. The majority of parents actively become involved in such processes and the provider is seeking ways to engage with all. Communication with parents is good and includes information shared through the notice board, newsletters, policies and procedures. Parents are asked to express their views through the parents' forum and questionnaires. Parents praise the setting highly and appreciate the open, trusting and friendly relationship that has been established. Therefore, children's welfare is successfully met ensuring they are safe and secure and are at the heart of all that happens within the setting.

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the early years provision

The provider has a clear and good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and is using observations of children's achievements to assess their starting points and inform planning for the next steps in their development. They are beginning to develop links with other providers although they are not yet fully established to ensure the continuity of children's learning and development. There is a positive partnership with other agencies, such as speech therapy services, to ensure appropriate support for all children.

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and outcomes for children

Staff share a clear understanding of how children learn and develop. They plan an inviting and suitably challenging range of learning experiences to promote children's development and match their individual needs. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning. Children's behaviour is effectively managed and positive encouragement means they behave well and show kindness and consideration towards each other. There are suitable methods in place to deal with This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 unacceptable behaviour, such as distraction and the use of the three card system.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health is promoted well as positive actions are taken in reducing possible risks and encouraging healthy eating. For example, a high priority is given to ensuring children understand about good personal hygiene, that parents are fully aware of the procedures should their child be ill and by taking very positive steps to keep the premises and resources clean. Meals are freshly prepared from fresh wholesome ingredients according to the dietary requirements of the children. Appropriately sized serving dishes are provided allowing children to successfully serve themselves at mealtimes, which encourages their independence and promotes choice.

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and outcomes for children

Children excitedly access opportunities for physical play through daily activities that help them to develop confidence and move their bodies in various ways. For example, they enthusiastically take part in dancing to music and actions to songs. They learn about direction, position and following instructions, which also build up language skills, as they participate in the 'footy tots' session. Good practices are evident and help children learn about what is dangerous and how to keep themselves safe. They learn about fire safety as they take part in the fire drills.

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and outcomes for children

All activities are age-appropriate and the wide range of toys and resources give the children lots of enjoyment and pleasure, and enable them to enjoy their learning. Children make a positive contribution by becoming involved in all areas of play. They learn about the wider world and its diversity through good examples, and are beginning to appreciate multi-cultural society. For example, they take part in various festivals and celebrations. There is a wide variety of resources to help them understand and learn about other cultures and how their actions can affect others. Children's awareness of their local environment is actively promoted as they regularly visit places within the locality, such as the travel agents.

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and outcomes for children

Children skilfully negotiate the outdoor play area as they follow each other around the painted roadway in the large sit-in cars. They patiently wait as one car begins to reverse as it reaches the playroom door. Children readily enjoy a variety of activities and experiences as they gather together the necessary equipment they need as they decide to wash the sit-in cars after driving through the compost. Children's future economic well-being is fostered through a positive relationship with staff. Children use programmable toys with ease and have the opportunity make patterns in the sensory room with the torches. They inquisitively point out the tadpoles they have and the flowers they have planted. 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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