Mount Tamar School

Plaistow Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 113649 Inspection date 10/10/2011 Inspector Loraine Wardlaw

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Setting address Winterton Hall, Plaistow, Billingshurst, West Sussex, RH14 0PX Telephone number 01403 871329 Email Type of setting Childcare - Non-Domestic 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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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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

Plaistow Pre-school opened in 1966 and is managed by a voluntary parents committee. It operates from one room in the village hall in Plaistow, West Sussex. A maximum of 24 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre- school is open during term time, each day. On a Monday and Thursday it is open from 9.00am to 1.00pm which includes an optional lunch club. On a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday it is open from 9.00am to 3.00pm. Children may attend for the whole day or for sessions. All children share access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

Plaistow Pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register and the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register for 24 children aged from two to under five years of age. There are currently 26 on roll. The pre-school provides early education funding for three and four-year-olds. Children come from the village and surrounding areas. The pre-school employs seven members of staff. Of these, six have early years qualifications ranging from National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level 3 to NVQ at level 2.

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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 are warmly welcomed by caring and understanding staff into a safe and secure environment. Overall, most children's learning needs are addressed successfully to ensure they are developing personal qualities and skills for the future. Children are well motivated and build good relationships with the adults, particularly with the lead practitioner. Strong links are forged with parents, the school and local community; there are clear and open lines of communication. Evaluation and continuous improvement is an integral part of the staff practice, which ensures that outcomes for children are positive.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the planning of adult-led activities to ensure they derive from and include the next learning steps of specific groups of children  develop the indoor environment by making it more rich and enabling with clearly defined play and learning areas. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Overall, there are sound safeguarding procedures in place to protect children. The implementation of a suitable recruitment and vetting procedure means that all staff at the pre-school hold a clear Criminal Records Bureau check. They undertake an induction to ensure they are aware of the group's health and safety matters. All staff are familiar with daily procedures and safety checks, which keep children safe and secure. They have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities about reporting child protection concerns. However, the provider has failed to notify Ofsted of a change to the people who are managing the provision. It is a legal requirement to do so. On this occasion, Ofsted does not intend to take further action.

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the early years provision

The staff at the setting are developing an enabling learning environment for children, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage good practice. Good investment has taken place in the outdoor play space with covered learning areas. These include creative and experimental play areas alongside children's physical play activities and gardening area. Overall, there is a generally good choice of play activities for the children to self-select. However, indoors there are not clearly defined, rich learning areas to evoke rapid progress towards the early learning goals. During the latter part of the morning the choice of activities diminish as staff put some away in the store room and do not replace them. Staff deploy themselves well to support children's learning effectively both indoors and out. As a team they regularly evaluate their practice and have completed an accurate online Ofsted self-evaluation form. The lead practitioner and staff are self aware

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the early years provision

and strive to continually improve practice. They organise in service training sessions and share knowledge and new ideas. For example, they learn more about how to teach sounds and letters and promote outdoor play after attending an external workshop.

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the early years provision

Parents talk positively of the warm and good relationship they have with the lead practitioner who knows the children and their families extremely well. The key person system is in the process of being changed to make sure all staff are allocated key children. Staff are being mentored by the lead practitioner to ensure they fully understand their role and responsibility which involves liaising with parents about children's developmental progress and next learning steps. Parents particularly like the fun and purposeful way staff interact with children. They talk of the developmental progress their children have made whilst attending the group. Parents have good opportunities to share their views of the setting through a comment and suggestion book and a 'post start' questionnaire about children's individual needs. Records of development are regularly shared with parents.

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the early years provision

Overall, the staff team have a good understanding about how best to promote equality and diversity. They look at the specific needs of each individual child and ensure all children have an equal chance at activities. The lead practitioner demonstrates a good knowledge about how best to meet the learning needs of children identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Plans are devised and implemented to support those children with additional needs and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 disabilities working with other professionals as necessary. There is also strong liaison with the local school and local community which shows good partnership working. For example, at Christmas children post letters into the homes of senior members of the village inviting them to their nativity.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled at the pre-school; they enter confidently and many have good levels of self-esteem, talking to visitors spontaneously about their self- chosen activities. Children form friendships, happily naming others in the group and are developing good collaborative and negotiating skills. This is becoming evident at the computer area where children understand the concept of the passing of time through a sand timer. It also helps them to take turns. They very much enjoy the touch screen approach to the many learning programmes they can access. Older children are becoming adept and knowledgeable when using the fun programmes on the computer. For example, they spend extended periods at the computer making a train track, using their fingers to touch and drag the pieces into place. They then press the appropriate button to make the train go when it is complete. They problem solve, whilst critically thinking about the different shape

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and outcomes for children

pieces and how they all fit together and what to do next to achieve the desired result. Children are well motivated in their child initiated play and often help themselves to art and craft activities with a specific idea in mind such as making a birthday card for their dad or cutting out pictures with scissors for a Christmas toy list. Staff are consistently on hand to support and extend as necessary and interact purposefully building on children's knowledge and skills. For example they help children to sound out phonetically the letters of their name before encouraging the children who are able, to write their name. Adult-led activities take place in small groups such as singing the five fat sausages song, using a visual aid for children to see practically each sausage being taken away. Children are eager to take part; they show their skills by singing confidently and are actively involved, swiftly

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and outcomes for children

working out simple number problems. Other adult-led activities are planned as an extension to children's ideas and thoughts. For example, children decided they needed a bus and so as a group they have undertaken a creative project designing and building and painting with recyclable materials, a bus. Children's next learning steps are identified and incorporated into the play curriculum. However, they are not systematically included in the adult-led activities to ensure all groups of children, particularly the two-year-old's learning is successfully promoted in all areas. Records which document children's capabilities and next learning steps are not wholly reflective of the key person's knowledge of individual children.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn about their own and the wider community through planned special events, topics and festivals. For example, they collect food for harvest festival and deliver it to the homes of people in their local village. Together they make a scrap book of the Royal wedding which includes beautiful, individual art work. Children are kept safe whilst out walking because staff ensure they wear high visibility jackets and they hold a rope to keep them safely together on the pavement. Children feel safe and secure and behave in a safe and non-challenging way. This This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 is because staff ensure children develop a good sense of self-worth through effective positive encouragement and regular praise during play. Some children understand the boundaries within the pre-school. For example, when a two-year- old brings their tricycle inside the children tell them they have to go out and inform

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and outcomes for children

the lead practitioner. There is effective emphasis on children playing in the fresh air and in all weathers through the free-flow use of the outdoors. Children demonstrate their good physical skills on tricycles and are encouraged to use small equipment to develop ball skills by staff. Mid-morning children are able to access the snack table where they enjoy a drink and eat healthy snacks. Healthy eating activities are planned such as making a fruit smoothie and the growing of onions, leeks and tomatoes outdoors to be made into soup. This ensures children are developing an awareness of where good, nutritional food comes from. Children understand the importance of hand-washing before they eat their packed lunch and after using the toilet to keep themselves healthy. 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 3 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: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 ensure Ofsted are notified of changes of circumstance as soon as they can (no later 14 days after the change occurs) (Providing information to Ofsted) 04/11/2011

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the compulsory part of the Childcare Register (Providing information to Ofsted) 04/11/2011

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