Mount Pleasant Primary School

ABC Pre-School Group Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 103780 Inspection date 26/09/2011 Inspector Sara Garrity

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Setting address ABC Playgroup, 13-14 Mercury Close, Rochester, Kent, ME1 3AT Telephone number 01634 817454 01634 848856 Email jane@abcproject.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

ABC Pre-school opened in 1995 and is in a residential area of Borstal, Rochester. It operates from two converted ground floor flats. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register for a total of 23 children. Children attend for a variety of sessions and the pre-school serves the local and surrounding areas. There are currently 29 children on roll aged from two to four years. The pre-school is funded to provide free early education to children aged three and four years. It supports children who are learning English as an additional language. It is open Monday to Friday from 9.15am to 12.15pm for 38 weeks of the year. It also offers an afternoon session on Mondays from 1pm to 4pm. The pre-school has a project manager and employs nine members of staff. Of these, two hold foundation degrees and six hold a relevant National Vocational Qualification at level 2 or 3. Other staff in the pre-

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Description of the setting

school are working towards a childcare qualification.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children make satisfactory progress in their learning although there are some weaknesses in staff's use of planning, interactions and resources. Staff sufficiently support all children, including those who are learning English as an additional language. Activities and resources which appeal to boys are readily available outdoors but more limited inside. Children are safe and staff promote their welfare appropriately although there are some weaknesses in related documentation. Staff have strong relationships with parents and have some partnerships in place with other professionals within the community. The pre-school demonstrates a satisfactory ability to maintain continuous improvement and staff have addressed all recommendations given at the last inspection.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure that the record of risk assessment identifies aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, the name of the person who conducted it, date of review and any action taken following a review or incident (Suitable premises, environment and equipment). 10/10/2011

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop the quality of staff interactions to further support and extend children's learning  review the use of space to provide scope for free movement and well-spread out activities  develop the indoor learning environment to more accurately reflect the individual needs and interests of all children, including boys.

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the early years provision

Appropriate policies are in place and help to keep children safe. Senior staff attend safeguarding training and share their knowledge with the rest of the team. As a result, staff understand safeguarding procedures and are able to help protect children if necessary. The pre-school maintains an appropriate record of the background checks of staff. However, the record of risk assessments does not contain all the required detail which is a breach of a specific legal requirement. In practice staff do carry out sufficient safety checks to help keep children safe so the impact on children is minimal. Staff undertake both written and photographic observations of children which they use appropriately to assess development and inform planning. However, they do not always take sufficient account of children's interests when planning activities. As a result, there are few activities indoors which appeal to boys although these

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the early years provision

are available outside. Staff appropriately support children who are learning English as an additional language. For example, they develop good partnerships with parents, use words in children's home languages and learn the correct pronunciation of their names. The pre-school provides an appropriate range of resources and activities to reflect different areas of learning. Children enjoy their play and learning, especially outside where activities appeal to them all. Indoors staff set out activities on table tops and the floor to encourage children to explore. However, some resources are not easily accessible and the organisation of these does not always allow enough space for children to play and learn effectively. Staff have strong links in place with parents to support all children. Information about the pre-school is readily available, such as activity plans and details of children's key persons. Staff encourage parents to play an active role in the pre-

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the early years provision

school. For example, they invite parents on visits to the zoo and provide meetings with key persons to discuss children's progress. Staff work especially closely with parents of children who have English as an additional language and this has a positive impact on supporting communication skills. Staff liaise with the local community involvement officer and other local organisations to help support children's welfare. All staff contribute to reflecting on their practice. They use this information to identify some areas for development to improve outcomes for children. They attend training courses as part of their commitment to professional development. They have appropriately met all recommendations from the last inspection, such as developing partnerships with parents and providing appropriate nappy changing facilities. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy a sufficiently varied range of play activities to support their progress. They develop their imaginations in the role play area and enjoy interacting with friends at a 'tea party'. They explore hidden treasures in the sand tray, which are buried waiting to be found. They develop coordination skills while using the computer with appropriate support from staff. For example, they move the computer mouse around to place the arrow on different coloured buckets. They develop literacy skills by exploring both factual and story books. Staff read with children individually as well as in large groups which helps them to take interest in stories and to learn that print carries meaning. Children also take home library books which staff change regularly to maintain children's interest. This support helps children to develop some skills for the future. However, staff do not always reflect children's individual interests in the learning environment. In

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and outcomes for children

particular, there are fewer activities indoors to appeal to boys. This limits their engagement in some activities and they do not always concentrate well. Some staff extend children's learning by asking open ended questions to encourage them to predict what will happen. Other staff are less skilled in using effective interactions and therefore do not always successfully extend children's thinking. Children are happy to attend the pre-school and the clear daily structure helps them to feel settled and secure. Their behaviour is appropriate for their stages of development and they develop a sufficiently positive approach to learning. As part of the pre-school's commitment to engaging in the wider community, staff invite the mobile library to visit the children as well as the community police officer and local firefighters. This helps children to learn about the wider world and to develop confidence in different situations.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop skills for independence during the popular breakfast session. For example, they use knives to spread jam and cut crumpets in half. Water is available throughout the day in named cups which children can reach easily. Fruit is available at breakfast and snack times to promote healthy eating. Children learn about good hygiene procedures as they wash their hands before eating and after carrying out activities. They enjoy practising physical skills outdoors, using tricycles and scooters. They explore movement, such as balancing and sliding, through the use of large climbing equipment. They also enjoy outings in the local environment, such as visiting the local marina and following woodland walks. Children show that they are developing a sense of feeling safe through their interactions with adults and friends. For example, in the outside play area they are developing confidence to walk on stilts and look for spiders. They receive routine reminders from staff to

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and outcomes for children

help them learn how to use equipment safely and become aware of potential risks in the outside environment. 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 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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