Little Badgers Pre School

Little Badgers Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY410461 Inspection date 12/07/2011 Inspector Carol-Anne Shaw

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Setting address Badger Hill Primary School, Crossways, YORK, YO10 5JF

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Telephone number 01904410213 Email littlebadgers@yahoo.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. 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

Little Badgers opened in 2011 and is managed by a voluntary committee made up of parents and associate members. It operates from a room within the Badger Hill primary school, situated in the Badger Hill area of York. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area and have access under supervision, to the surrounding playground and field. Sessions run Wednesday to Friday from 9am to 12pm and on Tuesday they are open 9 am to 3.30 pm, school term times only. Children come from the local area and attend a variety of these sessions.

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Description of the setting

The provision is registered on the Early Years Register and a maximum of 16 children over two years and under five years may attend the setting at any one time. There are currently 21 children in the early years age range on roll. There are strategies in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who have English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school has three members of staff, including the manager, who work directly with the children. All members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications to level 3, the manager has a level 4 qualification. The setting provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds.

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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 welfare and learning is promoted well overall by the caring staff team, who provide an enabling, child-friendly environment in which children play and learn. The children are safeguarded by an effective range of policies, procedures and records. Ongoing training is accessed to progress the professional development of the staff team. They have a comprehensive understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage to enable them to support children's individual needs. Ongoing continuous improvement supports the good outcomes for children. The self-evaluation is an effective tool but has not yet been clearly linked to robust and challenging criteria The good partnerships in place help to provide continuity of care for all children.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the quality improvement processes as the basis of ongoing internal review  expand the activities and resources to support children's understanding of diversity. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded through the staff team's good knowledge of child protection legislation. There are effective recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work in the pre-school, relevant background checks are undertaken and all staff ensure that any unvetted person is never left alone with children. Children are protected from harm through effective risk assessments identifying potential dangers on the premises and outings. Their safety is enhanced by visitors being carefully screened and being asked to sign in and out using the visitors' book. Staffing levels exceed the minimum requirements to ensure that children's safety and welfare is promoted at all times. Registers are maintained for children and staff to ensure that everyone can be safely accounted for at all times. Close partnership with the school also supports the children's safety.

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the early years provision

The manager and the staff team promote children's welfare and help them to make good progress in their learning and development. The pre-school is inclusive and has a special educational needs coordinator, who has established good links with external agencies to ensure that any children with special educational needs or disabilities receives the required support. The staff team work well to involve parents, carers and others in each child's progress by exchanging comprehensive information supporting children's learning and development. Partnerships with other providers delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage are supported to ensure progression in children's learning. Staff promote children's developing awareness and understanding of people's differences by providing opportunities for them to explore and celebrate their own and other cultures and beliefs. However, there are limited resources available for children to freely access to support their

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the early years provision

understanding of diversity. Staff ensure children are supported to be involved in the local and wider community.

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the early years provision

Confidentially stored written records, promote children's welfare in line with requirements. The staff complete paediatric first aid training to enable them to care appropriately for children in the event of any accidents or illnesses. All of the staff team hold recognised early years qualifications; they remain committed to further development in their knowledge by attending additional training to ensure further improvements to the children's learning environment. The pre-school operates from a classroom in the school allowing children to freely access the outside play area. Staff deployment responds to the flow and movement of children between indoor and outdoor spaces. Confident children move around the premises, spending part of each session in varied activities supporting their learning and development. Effective deployment of resources linked to the different areas of learning, enables children to choose from what is available,

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the early years provision

however, some of these are cleared away for snack time.

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the early years provision

Self-evaluation is identifying the setting's strengths and area for further development to enable the manager and staff to support continuous improvements for the benefit of children. However, the overall outline has not yet been formalised against robust and challenging criteria. The free access to the outdoor play space has been improved. Consequently, those in charge of the setting are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 able to demonstrate how they have made ongoing improvements to the provision to support children's learning and safety since registration.

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the early years provision

The partnership with parents is effective, the systems in place ensure that they are well informed about the pre-school. They receive an informative welcome pack prior to their children being received into the setting. The staff help parents and carers to support their children's learning, through completing and sharing the comprehensive learning journal, and discussing children's learning and targeted next steps. Parents express how well the staff team support their children's learning and development and how the children enjoy attending the group. There are close links with the primary school, assisting children's transition into full-time education.

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and outcomes for children

The staff team continue to progress their knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals through attending ongoing training. This enables them to plan and deliver interesting and challenging activities based on the six areas of learning. Children are confident, happy and enjoy their time playing in a safe and secure environment with staff and their peers. They make good progress towards their early learning goals, in all areas, where a continuous approach to observations and assessments enable them to inform the planning for individual children's possible next steps of learning. The observations are systematic in covering all areas of learning equally and completed to a high standard.

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and outcomes for children

The enabling environment provides children with wide ranging, worthwhile activities to support and help them to make sense of the world around them. For example, they can confidently describe the weather and different methods of transport they have used. The interaction with staff and daily routines help children to be secure and confident when moving around the setting. Everyday activities and clear boundaries enable them to feel safe, for example, they know not to run indoors and how to use the equipment in a safe way. The activities are organised so all children can participate at their level of understanding ensuring the setting is fully inclusive. Children's behaviour is good; they discuss the golden rules at circle time and support the younger children to follow them. Children engage in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities to help their understanding of keeping healthy with the physical activities contributing to their health. At snack

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and outcomes for children

time the children are encouraged to try different healthy options of fruit and drink milk or water; however, the staff pour the children's drinks, missing an opportunity to support their growing independence.

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and outcomes for children

Staff are effective in supporting children to make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development and effectively progressing children's understanding in problem solving, reasoning and numeracy. Children are able to work independently as well as co-operating with each other. They behave well, demonstrating kindness towards others, taking turns and sharing resources. Throughout their time in the pre-school, there are many worthwhile mathematical activities enable them to explore numbers and shapes. They are developing their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 communication and literacy skills by talking about their ideas, joining in role play activities at the travel agents, sharing books and enjoying mark making. The children link language with pictures and effective systems are in place to develop their awareness of language and writing for a purpose. They have limited

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and outcomes for children

opportunities to explore other languages, to help them to become more aware of children's differing home backgrounds.

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and outcomes for children

There is ample space for small groups of children to work independently at a level appropriate to their age and ability. For example, they enjoy a counting game outside at their level of understanding. The outdoor area enables them to undertake activities in different ways and on different scale than when indoors. 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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