Springfield Primary School

Bideford Baptist Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 106298 Inspection date 15/11/2011 Inspector Samantha Powis

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Setting address Bideford Baptist Centre, Mill Street, Bideford, Devon, EX39 2JR Telephone number (01237) 471893 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

Bideford Baptist Pre-school is a voluntary group run by a committee of parents. It opened in 1981 and operates from the Baptist Church Centre, situated in the middle of Bideford in North Devon. Children use three areas within the centre with access to toilet facilities. There is a secure area for outdoor play. The pre-school is open during school term times on each weekday morning from 9am to 12 noon. On Monday and Wednesday the staff operate an afternoon session from 1pm to 4pm. They also offer a lunch club from 12 noon to 1pm. Children come from a wide catchment area in Bideford.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. They may care for up to 26 children from two years to under eight years. There are currently 74 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school employs 12 members of staff, who hold an appropriate range of qualifications.

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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 generally settle well into the pre-school environment due to the personal welcome they receive from familiar staff. Overall, space is used appropriately to support children's needs, though outdoor play is not very exciting. Children participate in a suitable range of activities, which keep them busy but not always sufficiently challenged. Overall, children's health and welfare is supported appropriately, though some staff lack a full understanding of safeguarding procedures. Staff seek advice to make some improvements but they have not established a secure system of self-evaluation. Therefore, they demonstrate a satisfactory capacity to maintain improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve staff knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures so that they are all aware of how to promote children's welfare  improve systems for observing and reflecting on children's play; build on this by planning and resourcing a challenging environment and providing a range of activities that support and extend all areas of learning  increase access to outdoor space, to offer children more opportunities for This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 doing things in different ways and on different scales and helping all aspects of their development  introduce a more effective system of self-evaluation, to help identify and prioritise areas for future improvement.

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the early years provision

Staff supervise children well as they play, helping to keep them safe. Adequate procedures are in place to carry out risk assessments within the pre-school and for outings. Staff have an adequate awareness of safeguarding procedures. A basic written policy is in place, though this is not always shared fully when new staff or students start at the setting. Staff follow generally effective practices to support children's health. They offer children healthy drinks and snacks throughout the session. Staff provide parents with ideas for healthy lunch box contents, which encourages children to enjoy options that are good for them. There are satisfactory procedures in place for establishing staff suitability through checks and references. Staff generally use documentation effectively to support children's welfare. Records, such as the register and visitor book include detailed information. The staff work well together supported by a committee of parents who are

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the early years provision

developing their understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Staff work hard to transform the church rooms they use into a welcoming play space. Children can access a suitable range of toys and equipment to keep them busy. Some accessible drawer units and storage boxes support children in making choices about what they want to play with. However, staff do not make the best use of the outdoor area to support children's development. This area is only made available for children to enjoy at certain times of the day. Parents benefit from daily discussions with their child's key person and receive invites to see their child's development folders. This helps staff and parents to exchange information to help meet individual children's care and learning needs. Parents state they are happy with the service provided by the pre-school and feel confident to share information with the friendly staff. The staff establish some links

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the early years provision

with other settings children attend to help promote continuity of care and learning. They take a positive approach to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work with parents and other agencies to support families appropriately. Staff are keen to increase their own knowledge and skills through attending regular training. They demonstrate a satisfactory ability to maintain continuous improvement. They welcome advice and support from other professionals to help them identify areas for improvement. They have made some improvements since their last inspection, which have had a positive impact on children's health and their awareness of the wider world. However, they have not implemented a fully effective system of self-evaluation, to help identify and prioritise all areas for future improvement. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children throughout the pre-school are generally happy and settled. They are becoming increasingly confident, as they feel secure in the care of the familiar staff and within daily routines. They participate in a range of activities, which help them make satisfactory progress in their learning and development. Staff have an awareness of children's interests and preferences and make some basic written observations. However, they have not established a fully effective system to monitor children's progress and development. They do not use their knowledge of the children effectively to plan activities that will consistently challenge and support children in taking the next step. Children generally play well together since staff use some suitable strategies. For example, staff encourage children to take turns when they use the computer by using an egg timer to ensure fairness. However, children's behaviour sometimes

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and outcomes for children

deteriorates as they are insufficiently challenged by the range and type of activities on offer. They are becoming increasingly independent, pouring their own drinks at snack time and finding their own coat when they play outside. As children are welcomed into the pre-school, they find their own name card and place it on the board. This helps them to recognize letters that are familiar to them and also gives them a sense of belonging. Children use language to communicate their needs and they listen to other children's contributions during small group activities. There are limited resources provided to encourage children to engage in mark making or use writing for a purpose. Children have access to an adequate selection of books, which they sometimes choose to look at by themselves. Children have some opportunities to think about number and count. They use the pattern cubes and check the number of blocks they use to build a tower. These activities contribute

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and outcomes for children

to developing suitable skills for future learning. Children are learning about their own community. They enjoy local outings and take part in celebrations in the church. They have access to some books, toys and resources that offer positive images of diversity. They sometimes learn about festivals such as Divali and harvest helping them to develop an interest in the wider world. Children notice the natural world around them, for example collecting signs of autumn with their parents to bring into the pre-school to share. A tray of leaves, fir cones and conkers is available for the children to examine. However, staff do not provide resources such as magnifying glasses and reference books to capture their interest and extend their natural curiosity. Children enjoy using the outdoor areas for physical play and sometimes use climbing equipment when indoors. However, the outdoor area is only available for a short session, limiting

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and outcomes for children

their freedom to explore and their ability to do things in different ways and on different scales than when indoors. Children learn positive procedures regarding personal hygiene. They know to wash their hands at certain times during the day and enjoy the healthy snacks they are offered. Children learn about safety within the pre-school as they take part in practising the emergency evacuation procedure. They receive reminders about safe ways of using the climbing equipment, helping to keep themselves safe. 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 3 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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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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