Pied Piper Pre-School

Pied Piper Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 220204 Inspection date 16/11/2011 Inspector Jan Healy

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Setting address Portacabin, Earls Barton Junior School, Broad Street, Earls Barton, NORTHAMPTON, NN6 0ND Telephone number 01604 810010 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.

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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

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

Pied Piper Pre-School has been open for over 30 years and is run by a voluntary management committee. It is registered on the Early Years Register. It operates from one main room in a portacabin in the grounds of Earls Barton Junior School, close to Northampton. A maximum of 20 children in the early years age group may attend the pre-school at any one time. It is open during term time only on Mondays to Thursdays from 8.45am until 11.45am and from 12.45pm to 3.45pm. On Fridays the pre-school is open from 8.45am until 11.45am. There are currently 54 children aged from two to four years on roll. The pre-school provides funded early education for children aged three and four years of age. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for those who speak English as an additional language. The setting employs five members of staff, four of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification.

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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 children are making good progress in their learning and development, due to the staff meeting their individual needs. They encourage the children to use their imagination and initiative to develop their own ideas during play. Sufficient opportunities allow the children to aid adults in everyday activities. Strong emphasis is placed on safeguarding to ensure the children's happiness and welfare. Precautionary measures are taken to help the children's understanding of danger. Staff take action to help the children to develop respect for differences in the society in which they live. Partnerships with parents and other providers who deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage help to promote effective care and education. A reasonable method of self-evaluation aids the staff to continually improve.

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further?

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

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further?

 involve all the staff to participate in the method of self-evaluation to help guage an accurate diagnosis of the provisions strengths and weaknesses  encouarge the children to participate in everyday activities, for example, in the preparation of snack.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded and protected, as the staff demonstrate a high level of commitment to promoting their safety. Staffs knowledge of safeguarding is robust and there is a thorough written policy in place, which is shared with both the staff and the parents, so all are fully aware of the procedure that will follow in the event This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 that a concern is witnessed. Staff know the children in their care extremely well so are well placed in recognising a significant change in their behaviour or appearance. Recruitment of staff is effectively managed with relevant checks being made to ensure all are suitable to work with young children.

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the early years provision

Staff work well as a team, with the manager having high expectations. She stimulates the enthusiasm of her staff channeling their efforts to good effect. An ongoing method of self-evaluation is based on appropriate levels of monitoring and analysis, which helps the provision to make continual improvement, although not all the staff are involved in this process. Very good partnership with parents has a positive effect on the children's learning, as they are encouaraged to share what they know about their children and they are involved in their children's learning. Parental skills and knowledge are used to further the children's experiences, as they visit the pre-school and demonstrate their abilities, for example, a firefighter. Parents report their happiness at the progression their children are making with a parent commenting that the pre-school is 'the heart of the community'. Partnerships with other providers who deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage is

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the early years provision

effective, due to the positive relationship they have with the local school, which aids transition.

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the early years provision

Staff actively promote equality of opportunity to help improve children's progression and happiness. There is an efficient range of resources that reflect positive images of diversity, such as books, dressing-up clothes and dolls. Staff aid the children's appreciation of other cultures and beliefs through the celebrating of various festivals, which the children enjoy. They have the benefit of a warm environment where there is lots of fun and laughter. Children are taught not to be wasteful, as they are committed to sustainability. Therefore, they make use of recyclable materials during the creation of their artwork. Recources are suitable, age appropriate and provide the children with fun and excitement.

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and outcomes for children

The children are happy and are content, as the staff are friendly, approachable and share a warm relationship with them. This contributes to the children's feeling of safety and security. Children are learning about danger and about how to keep themselves safe, due to agreed rules, such as not running when indoors. When outdoors, the children demonstrate their understanding about safety, for example, when climbing they remind each other to wait their turn and to go one at a time.

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and outcomes for children

The children are learning to adopt a healthy lifestyle, due to the staff teaching them about the importance of good personal hygiene. Snack consists of healthy items, which is prepared by the staff who take this opportunity of furthering the children's interest in healthy foods by encouraging them to grow beans and cress which they incorporate into their snack. Dietary requirements are respected including the provision for children who have an allergy or food intolerance. A wide range of exercise is taken in the outdoor play area, where the children learn about the effects physical activity has on their body. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The staff have good knowledge about how young children learn, therefore, they encourage a positive attitude to learning. They plan a wide range of interesting activities that promote the children's social skills and language development, which

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and outcomes for children

are based upon thorough and accurate observations that challenge the children's thinking. They have a clear understanding about what they intend the children to learn and differentiate the play to enable all to participate. This results in the children being content as they learn at their own pace. Children are making a positive contribution, as they make choices and decisions about their play, for example, using their own initiative, when making parcels. Therefore, they found large pieces of paper which they folded and wrapped using sticky tape. The staff have a high level of awareness about children's development, so they observed the children, for instance, in finding a way to tear the sticky tape. This they did without interfering too soon resulting in the children wallowing in their achievement and having great fun. Children enjoy exploring media and materials such as texture, shape and models in two and three dimensions. The children are developing their

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and outcomes for children

skills for the future, as they are active and inquisitive learners. Their understanding of the wider world is demonstrated through imaginative play, when they pretend to be characters of their choice. 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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