Kingsley Preschool

Kingsley Preschool Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 650081 Inspection date 20/10/2011 Inspector Clair Stockings

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Setting address 5 Austen Close, Loughton, Essex, IG10 3TX

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Telephone number 0208 508 4353 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 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

Kingsley Preschool was registered in 1993. It operates from two rooms in a community hall in Loughton. A maximum of 26 children in the early years age group may attend at any one time, none of whom may be under two years.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is funded to provide free early education to children aged three and four years. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9am to 12 noon and each afternoon from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, during term time. Currently there are 57 children on roll.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language. A total of five staff work with the children, four of whom hold relevant early years qualifications.

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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

The manager and staff team support children's learning well, and children are making good progress in their development. The individual needs of the children are met by the effective quality of provision offered and the positive working relationships with parents. Some effective partnerships with other agencies are established. The staff team work together well and with enthusiasm in the suitable and inclusive environment. Overall, they have the capacity to evaluate their practice and work towards continuous improvement for the benefit of all children.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure that records are accessible and available for inspection at all times (Documentation). 28/10/2011

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further?

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

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further?

 analyse observations and assessment of individual children's achievements and identified next steps further to inform future planning  extend self-evaluation in order to identify more accurately where systems need improvement to better meet children's individual needs. 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 and well protected in the pre-school as staff demonstrate a good understanding of procedures to protect children in their care. Recruitment and vetting procedures are sound in order to check that staff are suitable to work with young children. However, some documentation, in respect of first aid certificates, was not available at the time of inspection. This is a breach of a requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff are vigilant in carrying out regular risk assessments and daily safety checks to ensure that children are safe in all areas of the pre-school. The environment is well organised, with resources readily accessible to children, allowing them to move safely around the pre-school, play in areas of their choice and make independent decisions.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents and carers are good. The pre-school is committed to involving parents in children's learning and development. For example, parents are provided with purposeful information on display boards inside the pre-school, and written progress reports for each child are prepared. A free flow of shared information means that both parents and staff are kept well informed about the children's achievements, well-being and development. Parents speak warmly of the staff, commenting how caring and approachable they are, which assists in developing strong partnerships. Some effective relationships with other professionals and external agencies involved with the children are established and contribute to supporting children's welfare and learning.

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the early years provision

Staff promote children's understanding of similarities and differences through a broad range of activities, such as festival celebrations. In addition, children have access to a good selection of multicultural play resources that reflect positive images of the wider world. This creates an inclusive environment that encourages children to feel a sense of belonging and promotes their self-esteem. The manager demonstrates an effective commitment to driving and implementing improvement in order to enhance the outcomes for children. There are some systems in place to help the manager and staff team evaluate their practice. The recommendations from the last inspection, for example, in respect of reorganisation of the available space and the daily routine, have been successfully addressed. This helps to promote learning outcomes for children.

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and outcomes for children

The pre-school provides a good start to children's learning and play experiences. The high priority placed on children's welfare and personal development means that they feel secure and settle in quickly. As a result, children make good progress towards the early learning goals and clearly enjoy their time in pre-school. Staff are generally knowledgeable about the Early Years Foundation Stage and use this effectively to support children in their learning. Staff make competent use of observations to identify individual children's next steps in all required areas of learning. However, these observations are not effectively used to inform the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 planning of activities to further enhance all children's learning experiences.

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and outcomes for children

Children are making good progress in their communication, language and literacy development. Staff are skilled at supporting children's communication skills and use small group story and singing sessions on a daily basis to encourage and further promote children's language skills. Children have good access to information and communication technology to support their learning. This contributes effectively in helping children acquire appropriate skills for their future lives. Children's natural curiosity is fostered through exciting practical activities, such as goo mixing. Supported by staff, children delight in exploring its properties, using all of their senses. Children's emotional well-being is very well nurtured by the warm and purposeful interaction of the staff. They clearly apply consistent boundaries so that children develop good knowledge of what is expected and display positive behaviour. Children are very well behaved as they take turns and

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and outcomes for children

share resources, demonstrating respect for each other. They contribute to the welfare of others as they help to tidy away at the end of the session.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. Healthy and nutritious snacks which include fruit and vegetables are provided at snack time. Children have good access to fresh drinking water, which they can help themselves to when they are thirsty. Children benefit from regular fresh air and exercise during outdoor play. They confidently use a range of outdoor equipment to ride, climb, run and balance, developing their large muscles and coordination skills. Children are developing an understanding of the importance of personal hygiene as they are encouraged to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Children learn about safety through regular fire evacuation practice. In addition, children safely use a range of utensils and resources, supported by attentive staff. 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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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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