Hele's School

Horsted Keynes Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number 113536 Inspection date 17/10/2011 Inspector Janet Thouless

p.1

Setting address Horsted Keynes Pre-School, Village Hall, The Green, Horsted Keynes, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 7AP Telephone number 01825 791899 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.

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the setting

Horsted Keynes Pre-School is a committee run setting that opened in 1994. It operates from the village hall in Horsted Keynes, West Sussex. Children have access to a small and large hall and secure enclosed outside area. It is open each weekday from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm term-time only and operates a lunch club for older children in the spring and summer term. Children who attend come from the surrounding rural areas. A maximum of 26 children may attend the setting at any one time. There are currently 18 children aged from two to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are five permanent members of staff; of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications, with one working towards a relevant early years qualification. The setting is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to

p.4

Description of the setting

children aged three and four and receives support from the local authority.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children and their families are warmly welcomed into a friendly child-orientated setting. The established staff team work well together to meet all children's needs and promote their welfare. Children are progressing well in most aspects of their learning and development. The setting has an effective relationship with parents and a good understanding of how to liaise with others involved in the children's well-being. Effective self-evaluation takes place to identify aspects for development. The effective leadership, and positive attitude of all practitioners to change, means they are committed to continuous improvement of the care offered to all children.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 improve children's opportunities to have greater choice in selecting and looking at books independently  provide children with greater access to the computer to develop their skills in using the computer mouse, keyboard and to interact with age-appropriate computer software This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.4

the early years provision

All practitioners have a good understanding of safeguarding and child protection issues. Practitioners are trained to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and have appropriate procedures to follow should concerns be raised and their knowledge is kept up to date through regular training. There are clear systems in place to ensure that all practitioners are suitable to work with children and to ensure that any unvetted persons do not have unsupervised access to children. This helps safeguard children's welfare. Comprehensive policies and procedures are fully implemented to ensure children's safety in the indoor and outdoor areas. Written risk assessments and daily visual checks are conducted to identify and minimise hazards and ensure the environment is safe for children. These robust measures help safeguard children's welfare effectively.

p.5

the early years provision

All the required documentation for the safety and well being of the children is in place and the policies are shared with practitioners and parents. Management and the staff team have a clear vision for the future of the setting and have identified areas for improvement through the use of self-evaluation. This positive approach reflects the setting's commitment to drive and secure improvement. Practitioners are experienced in providing care for children and are committed to ensuring all children are welcomed and included and provide good opportunities for them to learn and develop. A wide range of activities that promote equality and diversity, such as celebrating festivals and cultural traditions, are planned. Practitioners work together to ensure the setting is well organised and operates efficiently on a day- to-day basis. They are clear about their roles and responsibilities and deploy themselves well. Children play in spacious and welcoming halls where resources

p.5

the early years provision

are arranged and presented to their best advantage to promote their all round learning and development.

p.5

the early years provision

Effective relationships are developed between practitioners and parents which ensure good quality information is shared in order to provide continuity of care for all children. Parents are kept fully informed about their children's routines through the use of communication books. Notice boards are displayed in the reception area and small hall which include information such as key persons, the Early Years Foundation Stage policies and much more. Consultation meetings take place with parents giving them the opportunities to come into the setting to discuss their children's progress and to view their development records.

p.5

the early years provision

Children's individual profiles are available for parents to take home to read and share with other family members. Parents report they are happy with the care their children receive and the progress they make. The setting is proactive in establishing links with teachers from local schools to support children's smooth transition from pre-school to primary school. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.5

and outcomes for children

Children have developed caring and affectionate relationships with the staff team and have some firm friendships with other children. Children are happy, confident and settled and receive good levels of care and support with their learning and development. Practitioners are calm, caring and show great affection towards all children, as a result, children show they feel safe and secure here. On arrival children quickly depart from their parents, focus on what is available and choose what to do; for example, some children go straight to the pumpkins and happily select spoons to scoop out seeds in preparation for Halloween. Other children prefer to walk around first, confident to see everything available before making their selection. Practitioners have a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and provide a range of activities based on children's interests and individual levels of attainment. They carry out observations which help them to get

p.6

and outcomes for children

to know children better. They then use these to plan for the next steps in children's learning. A good balance of adult and child initiated activities are included in the planning which ensures a wide range of experiences are included which are of interest to the children.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Younger children thoroughly enjoy completing magnetic puzzles. They become excited when they use a magnetic wand to move around beads to their desired location. They confidently count and name a range of colours as they play with the puzzles. Number games are enjoyed and children understand many mathematical concepts and use appropriate terminology such as more, less and similar. The exploration of different letters and sounds encourages older children's understanding of the alphabet and many identify letters within their names. Children enjoy looking at and sharing books, and puppets are used to enhance story telling. The use of story sacks encourages children to look at books at home with their parents. However, the presentation of books in the large hall does not fully promote children's choices in selecting and looking at books independently. Children happily join in creative play, such as musical movement and select

p.6

and outcomes for children

streamers, bells and tambourines to shake, moving confidently to the sounds of the music. They very much enjoy singing a range of songs accompanied by a parent on piano.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children use their imaginations well in role play and enjoy the cafe, grocery shop and wigwam which allows them to follow their own thoughts and ideas. Creative resources are freely available for children to make their own individual pictures, follow their own thoughts and ideas and experiment with different media, textures and techniques. Children are developing skills for the future as they confidently use programmable resources such as calculators and cameras, however, there are less spontaneous opportunities for children to use the computer independently. They have good opportunities to explore the world around them with trips to the local post office and village recreational areas. While out and about, practitioners remind children how to keep themselves and others safe whilst crossing the road.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Outdoor play is included every day so children can be active and develop good This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 habits for leading a healthy lifestyle. They climb, run and pedal bikes outdoors, enjoy standing up and knocking down skittles and practise their balancing skills on the textured stepping stones. Snacks of fresh fruit or bagels further educate children about healthy living. Children routinely wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating, and practitioners remind them to do so after blowing their noses, developing good personal hygiene habits. Children behave well, showing care and respect for each other and practitioners praise their achievements so they feel good about themselves. Children are also made to feel very special as they celebrate their birthdays at snack time. The safety of the setting enables children to feel and play confidently and so thrive in the rich learning environment.

p.6

and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.8

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.8

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

p.8

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.8

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

p.8

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.9