Gamlingay Rainbow Pre-School

Gamlingay Rainbow Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 221794 Inspection date 27/06/2011 Inspector Gyatri Rupal

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Setting address The Old Chapel, Green End, Gamlingay, SANDY, Bedfordshire, SG19 3LF Telephone number 01767 652157 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

Gamlingay Rainbow Pre-School is run by a voluntary management committee and is a registered charity. It opened in 1994 and operates from one main room in a church building. It is situated in a residential area of Gamlingay, Bedfordshire. It is open each weekday during term-time only. Morning sessions are from 9am to 11.30am, with an optional lunch club operating from 11.30am to 12.30pm. Afternoon sessions are provided on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12.30pm to 3.00pm. All children have access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area.

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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. A maximum of 25 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. There are currently 27 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 20 children receive funding for early education. Children come from local and neighbouring communities. The pre-school is able to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school employs four members of staff. Of these, one holds a level 4 qualification, two hold a level 3 qualification and one holds a level 2 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 pre-school provides a very stimulating, welcoming and secure environment for children. The quality of learning and development and the well-planned daily routine ensure children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff implement many policies and procedures effectively to promote children's welfare and learning. Effective relationships with parents and other professionals are fostered in order to identify and meet children's individual needs and ensure continuity of care. Staff are dedicated to improving the quality and standard of education and care through continuous self-evaluation.

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further?

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

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further?

 increase the range of information shared with parents in order to establish clear starting points for children's learning.

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the early years provision

The effective implementation of the pre-school policies supports the daily running of the pre-school and helps to ensure that children are offered a safe and secure environment. All staff have attended safeguarding training, and they have a clear This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 understanding of the procedure to follow if there are any child protection concerns. This ensures that children's welfare is safeguarded. Good security procedures are in place to ensure only an authorised person can enter the building. Robust recruitment procedures ensure that staff are suitable to work with children, and this is enhanced through induction and training. A comprehensive risk assessment, supported by effective daily checking procedures, ensures that potential hazards are identified and minimised. For example, the entrance door is kept locked and a safety gate is fixed at the back door. The outside area is made secure by fixing a

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the early years provision

gate with a padlock to ensure children cannot leave the pre-school without an adult's supervision. Effective hygiene procedures are implemented to safeguard children from infections. The provider ensures a qualified first aider is always present in the pre-school so that the children can receive immediate first aid should the need arise. The pre-school has a system in place to keep daily attendance records of staff and children to monitor that the correct staff ratio is implemented at all times.

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the early years provision

Inclusive practice is threaded through everything the children experience. Their awareness and respect of each other's differences is promoted, and they all have equal access to everything on offer. The learning environment is well organised, with easy access to resources that meet the needs of the children attending. There are no children currently attending who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the manager is fully aware of the importance of working closely with outside agencies to support such children's welfare and development. Staff maintain good partnership with parents and carers. This enables them to exchange information and ensures that children are consistently offered good care and support. Effective links with parents, carers and other providers positively promote continuity of care and education for all children. Parents and carers are encouraged to share what they know about their child when they first start at the

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the early years provision

pre-school. They complete information sheets and an 'All about me' booklet to inform them about the child's likes and dislikes. This information helps staff to have a good knowledge of each child's background and needs. However, this information does not yet include information about children's learning and development when they join the setting, which means that clear starting points for learning are not swiftly established.

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the early years provision

Parents are kept well informed about their children's development and are encouraged to be involved with their child's learning. For example, all parents are invited to participate in events, such as a visit to a local farm, a fire station and a support day at the pre-school. Strong relationships have been established with other providers, particularly the local school and childminders, to promote consistency and continuity of children's care and learning. Staff pass on children's learning profiles when children move up to school and encourage the reception teachers to visit the pre-school to meet the children beforehand. The staff team work well together, supporting each other to ensure consistency of care for individual children. They demonstrate a commitment to promoting positive outcomes for children by developing their own knowledge through ongoing training. The effective system of self-evaluation also incorporates input from

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the early years provision

parents, children and other professionals. This ensures all aspects of the provision are monitored and evaluated, thereby supporting ongoing improvements. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children have lots of fun and thoroughly enjoy themselves as they explore and investigate. Keyworkers know their children well because they make regular and useful observations of what children can do. They evaluate them against the six areas of learning to identify children's next steps. Staff make good use of their observations to base activities on children's interests. Therefore, children are actively engaged. Children develop their confidence and self-esteem as they independently choose activities and play resources. Children's sense of belonging is well fostered as they have a good rapport with staff and feel confident enough to explain to staff which activities they would like to do. Their levels of concentration are good as they are allowed to spend time at their own chosen activity. Children feel very proud of their creative work and excitedly share their achievements with their friends and staff. Staff take photographs of the children's work to show how

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and outcomes for children

Children have a lovely time outside, playing with water, riding bikes and drawing on the floor with chalk and paints. Good levels of support from staff and effective use of questioning while children play, encourages children's developing language skills. For example, children sing nursery songs and they are encouraged to share news and experiences with others during circle time. This helps children to develop further their confidence in speaking in a group and developing their language skills. Children practise their writing skills as they use paint, pencils and crayons to write letters and draw pictures. Children demonstrate a developing understanding of numbers and shapes through their daily routines and visual displays. For example, every day children count how many children are present and how many boys and girls are present. They calculate numbers to work out how many cups they need on their table. Theme projects and first-hand experiences, such as

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and outcomes for children

learning the lifecycle of a butterfly and planting and growing fruits and flowers, enhance children's knowledge and understanding of the world. A variety of programmable toys and equipment is available to support children's awareness of technology. Children access a variety of visual aids and activities to help them positively explore and value differences and similarities in the wider world.

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and outcomes for children

Children behave in ways that are safe for themselves and others and develop an understanding of dangers and how to stay safe. They show that they feel safe and are confident to confide in the staff. In addition, they move around safely in the setting, making choices about what to play with. Children make healthy choices about what they eat and drink; they have raisins, bread sticks and cheese for snack. They grow fruit and vegetables outside, learning about where food comes from. Their physical well-being is promoted because they have opportunities to have lots of fun outside, where they play with water, ride bikes and use chalk to draw on the floor. 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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