Nunnery Wood Primary School

Shaw and Whitley Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 145836 Inspection date 13/09/2011 Inspector Chris Malone

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Setting address The Beeches, Shaw, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 8EW

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Telephone number 01225 702945 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

Shaw and Whitley Pre School opened in 1979. It operates from the village hall in Shaw. The group serves the local villages and the town of Melksham, Wiltshire. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 24 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school opens term-time only on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am until 3pm and on Tuesdays from 9am until 12noon. There are currently 20 children aged from two to under five years on roll. The pre-school currently supports children with special educational needs and /or disabilities. The pre-school employs five members of staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications, with the manager holding a childcare qualification at level four.

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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 feel safe and secure, and those new to the pre-school as well as older children, show confidence and eagerness to attend. Experienced staff, with a well- developed knowledge of each family, provide thoughtful care as well as generally effective learning opportunities based on individual children's interests. All children, therefore, enjoy the many and varied opportunities provided indoors, as well as in the newly created outdoor play area. Partnerships with parents and with other professionals who can help the staff to meet individual children's needs are a key strength. These partnerships are significant in making sure that most children can make good progress in their learning and development. Regular and detailed evaluation enables committed members of staff to make small changes that improve the experiences of their children and families.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further use of the outdoor area so that children's learning experiences across all areas of learning are extended  support staff in understanding how best to extend the thinking of more able children, in order to support their good progress towards the early learning goals. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children, including vetting and suitability of staff, are generally robust, regularly reviewed and understood by staff, so that the environment is safe and supportive. Children are taught how to keep themselves safe, for example through outdoor play on the road layout.

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the early years provision

There is shared staff commitment to offering the best possible quality and to ongoing improvement. Staff now ensure that information from assessment informs their planning for individual children's future learning. Children's needs and interests generally determine daily routines and activities. With several younger children new to the pre-school, adult-led activity is appropriately short and engaging. For example, children enjoy marching around the hall to music while playing musical instruments before settling to individually-chosen activities. The indoor environment is carefully planned and prepared so that children can choose activities and sustain concentration with sensitive adult support. Varied recycled materials are available for children to explore and create individual models. Thought is given to the availability of scissors with younger children present. The relatively new outdoor environment is accessible in all weathers, safe

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the early years provision

and interesting. At present, this is not used as effectively as the indoor space to support children to achieve such good progress outdoors as when inside. Resources, activities and visits reflect the local community and wider cultural diversity.

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the early years provision

There is very strong commitment to working in partnership with others, and staff are highly proactive in seeking the best support for individual children to meet their needs. For example, the staff persevere in communications with partners who also deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage to the children and other support agencies. Highly effective methods are used to help partners understand individual children's needs. Positive links are made with other local settings attended by children, which are appreciated by parents. Staff actively seek and use local authority support to enhance their provision.

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the early years provision

Exemplary relationships with parents and carers lead to very strong parental confidence in communicating with the key person to improve their child's learning and development. Certificates celebrating achievements brought in from home are added to children's learning journeys. Staff members share aspects of training they have attended with parents, for example, in speech and language development. Innovative consultation with parents, both informally and through coffee mornings and parents' evenings, helps parents to contribute to positive changes. Parents feel extremely well informed about their children right from the start; for example, parental anxiety is reduced through telephone calls to the pre-school when children are settling in. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Most children make good progress in their learning and development because staff take care to identify individual needs and interests. There is a strong key person and observation system. Children's learning is captured in engaging scrapbooks, which are shared with parents. Staff constantly evaluate the indoor learning environment and adapt their planning so that children's interests are developed into different areas of learning. For instance, children's fascination with small creatures lead to the use of a magnifying glass to look at spiders, and then to the counting of spots on ladybirds.

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and outcomes for children

Children settle quickly and concentrate confidently on their chosen activities. They have ample time to follow their own interests independently, with staff always on hand for support and conversation. Staff resist the temptation to intervene when children are exploring independently, for example, when pouring sand through different containers or when concentrating on turning the pages of a book correctly. Children use their newly acquired skills well when working by themselves. Well-timed questions are also used to encourage children to think further about their play.

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and outcomes for children

Children, including those new to the pre-school, feel happy, safe and secure. They readily adopt healthy lifestyles, choosing to go outside for fresh air as well as enjoying the large indoor space which enables energetic physical activity. Children make healthy choices of food and drink and talk about this comfortably with each other and with adults.

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and outcomes for children

Staff establish a good knowledge of the children as early as possible. Through the involvement of other services, such as speech and language therapy, children are well supported to make good progress. They are therefore prepared thoroughly for transition into school. Planning for children with additional needs is generally particularly strong. However, more able children are not always fully challenged by the opportunities available. Older children are encouraged to be responsible, for example, carrying boxes of toys when tidying up the hall. Opportunities to extend their learning are sometimes missed, however, so that they may not progress as rapidly as possible in relation to their starting points.

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and outcomes for children

Children are familiar with routines and are keen to help staff with daily tasks. Sensitive support from staff ensures that children behave co-operatively indoors. For example, they share equipment when enjoying hitting dough with rolling pins, and outside when on wheeled toys queuing for 'petrol'. Staff are flexible. When creating pictures of vegetables, children deviate from the original plan and start to create an imaginary scene, which is encouraged by staff and displayed with pride. Achievements are celebrated through recognition and rewards and shared with parents. Children are encouraged to develop an interest in the wider world through both planned and spontaneous learning experiences. 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 1 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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