Little Acorns Pre-School

The Little Acorns Pre-School And Oaks Afterschool Club Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY417226 Inspection date 22/11/2011 Inspector Frank Kelly

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Setting address Kennington Primary School, Kennington Road, Fulwood, PRESTON, PR2 8ER Telephone number 01772717881 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

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

The Little Acorns Pre-school and Oaks Afterschool Club was originally registered in 1998 and changed its registration status in 2010 to management by a voluntary committee with charity status. It operates from a modular unit with its own enclosed outdoor play area, set in the grounds of Kennington Primary School, which is situated in Fulwood, Preston. A classroom in the school is also available. A maximum of 20 children from the age of two may attend the pre-school and maximum of 32 children aged under eight years may attend the after school and holiday provision at any one time. The pre-school sessions run each weekday from 8.30am until 3pm. After school sessions run from 3pm until 5.30pm each weekday and from 8.30am until 5.30pm during school holidays when there is the demand.

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Description of the setting

The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of 32 children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than 20 may be in the early years age range. There are currently 52 children on roll, of whom 35 are in the early years age group. The setting is also registered to offer care to children aged over eight and is registered by Ofsted on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register. It setting provides funded places for the provision of early education for three- and four- year-olds and is also part of the pilot scheme for the funded provision for some two-year- olds. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The setting currently employs seven staff to work with the children, all of whom hold early years qualifications. One member of staff has a full early years degree and another holds an early years foundation degree. The setting receives support from the local authority and is working towards the Lancashire Quality Assurance accreditation.

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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 cared for in a safe and vibrantly organised, enabling and welcoming environment within which each child is supported well to make good progress in their learning and development. The excellent engagement of parents and the first-class partnership working with other services and providers ensure that children's unique needs are known and attended to very well. Self-evaluation is strong and the manager and staff communicate with enthusiasm and commitment their ambition and drive to secure future development. Policies and procedures are well written and the management is in the process of reviewing the record keeping systems to ensure that all required information is in place for each child.

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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  extend the ways that rhymes, books and stories from many cultures are shared, sometimes using languages other than English, in particular to reflect the langages of the children present who are learning English as an additional language  refine the planning and assessment systems for children's next steps in learning, and consider how the activities planned can incorporate ways for the children to problem solve or introduce learning in a different area of learning.

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the early years provision

Safeguarding procedures have recently been reviewed and staff have attended training so that they confidently demonstrate that they are fully conversant with the procedures to follow and how to report any concerns about the protection of children they may have. Recruitment procedures follow the recommended guidance to ensure the suitability of adults caring for the children. The careful management of the premises means that children are kept safe and secure. Full risk assessment is completed annually by the committee, with staff undertaking daily checks and spontaneous assessments as potential risks are identified. The equipment throughout the setting is of good quality and closely monitored to ensure that it is safe and suitable for the children to use. Fire detection and electrical equipment is serviced annually and the school staff undertake the system checks for the fire detection equipment. Regular fire drills are practised with

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the early years provision

sufficient frequency to help the children gain a sense of what to do in an emergency.

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the early years provision

The manager is committed to improving all aspects of the quality of the provision for children. Self-assessment is well informed as the setting seeks and engages the views of the local authority, parents and staff to help formulate the direction and improvement programme. Training and funding initiatives, such as those linked to how boys learn and the outdoor environment, are enthusiastically sought to enhance the broad range of resources and activities available to the children. The setting is extremely well organised in the way the resources are presented to the children. The lively and very child-centred presentation makes this an exciting place for children to enter and is conducive to their learning as the environment is rich in print, numerals and lots of interesting equipment to feel, touch and explore. Resources that reflect the diversity of the children who attend and those of the wider society are displayed throughout setting. Bilingual staff, welcome signs and

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the early years provision

information notices in a variety of languages and scripts create an inclusive and welcoming environment.

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the early years provision

This inclusive approach is a key to the excellent engagement of parents. Daily discussions, a digital photograph frame and a weekend diary are just some of the ways that parents are kept up to date. Notice boards with regulatory and general information about how the setting operates are displayed. The setting is clearly able to demonstrate its dynamic approach to partnership and how it is superbly working with other providers, services and agencies to support children with This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 special educational needs and/or disabilities. A close programme of engaging with the host school is being undertaken. Regular visits from the staff in the reception class are held to build the children's confidence through the year so they have a smoother transition into the start of their full-time education.

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and outcomes for children

There is a happy feel to this setting which is demonstrated by the relaxed manner of the children. Their sense of feeling safe is shown by their ability to express their own needs and wishes, such as choosing not to join in the dancing activity or calling to their key worker to hurry to join them at the lunch table. Outdoors, they show a keen sense of keeping themselves and others safe. They ask for a towel to wipe up water on the climbing station or indicate to their friends who are stood in the way on the road track. Staff's harmonious working presents the children with very good role models and is fostering an atmosphere of tranquility within the setting. Consequently, the children, in most instances, respond well to the ground rules, such as waiting in turn to use the climbing station and sharing toys and resources with their friends. Children are gaining a sense of their own and other people's beliefs and lifestyles as staff ensure that the celebrations which are

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and outcomes for children

special to each child are acknowledged and celebrated. However, staff have not considered how they could enhance this further by singing a wider range of songs and jingles that incorporate the variety of languages of the children who attend.

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and outcomes for children

The vibrant organisation of the setting and range of resources available to the children significantly enhance their learning and independent exploration so that they experience all six areas of learning. In addition, staff plan a range of interesting adult-led activities which are linked to seasonal events and there is a developing system for planning children's next steps for learning, which is led by the regular observations undertaken by staff. For example, staff know the children enjoy construction play or creative activities and plan to provide similar activities with different resources. However, staff are not always considering how they could include ways for children to problem solve or introduce other aspects of learning, such as numbers for counting, into this planning. That said, the staff use regular routines very well to enhance the children's learning, for example, self-registration when children arrive and talking about the weather and the days of the week

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and outcomes for children

during circle time. Children eagerly share their thoughts about it being cloudy and they make the connection that 'T' is for Tuesday.

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and outcomes for children

Lots of physical activity takes place including dancing to music and singing action rhymes. The children follow good hygiene routines and they are developing some understanding about germs and how these can affect their health. Staff provide a range of healthy snacks and have grown seasonal foods, such as radishes, with the children to help them broaden their experiences and establish healthy eating habits. Snacks provide a wide variety of foods including familiar and more exotic fruits and other foods, including chapattis and breadsticks. The use of technology is confidently undertaken by the children as they use the computer independently and explore the outdoor area with a hand-held metal detector. Lots of opportunities to paint, use writing materials and explore textures are promoting This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the children's handwriting skills. Children enjoy counting and they beam with pride

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and outcomes for children

when praised for their skills. The children are eager to demonstrate their colour recognition skills. The pleasant and accepting atmosphere created by the staff is clearly benefiting the children who attend and helping them to foster positive dispositions towards their future learning. 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 1 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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