Great Moor Infant School

Stoke Hill Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 106048 Inspection date 25/01/2012 Inspector Sandra Croker

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Setting address 183a Mincinglake Road, Stoke Hill, Exeter, Devon, EX4 7DS

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Telephone number 01392 426898 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 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

Stoke Hill Pre School registered in 2001. It operates from a classroom on a plot of land next to allotments and a children's playground, within a residential area of Exeter. The pre school has a fully enclosed garden area with lawn, vegetable patch and soft surface area for outside play. Children attend from the surrounding area.

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Description of the setting

Stoke Hill pre school is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 31 children aged three and four years on roll. The pre school provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Stoke Hill pre school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Stoke Hill pre school is open during school terms on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9.15am until 3.20pm. The pre school is open on Tuesday from 9.15am to 11.45am. A lunch club operates each day from 11.45am to 12.45pm. A rising fives group operates on Tuesdays from 1pm to 2.30pm. There are seven staff employed to work with the children; of these, three have early years qualifications at level 2, three have early years qualifications at level 3

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Description of the setting

and one has an early years qualifications at level 4 or above. Stoke Hill pre school receives support from the local authority.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the pre school is a safe, inspiring and welcoming environment where children's self-confidence and natural curiosity is highly effectively encouraged. Staff are deeply committed to meeting the individual needs of all children and their families. Highly productive partnerships with parents and other professionals ensure that all the children make outstanding progress. Children are safeguarded by extensive policies and procedures which are fully embedded into daily routines. Self-evaluation impressively monitors practice and areas are meticulously identified which makes sure future plans for improvement are highly productive.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 enhancing the outside environment to provide even richer and more diverse learning and development opportunities for the children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Excellent priority is given to safeguarding children. All staff have a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding concerns. They have successfully completed safeguarding training and know who to contact should they have concerns about a child. There are robust recruitment and vetting procedures in place. Comprehensive policies and procedures effectively make sure children's safety and well-being are fully supported. Staff routinely confirm the identity of all visitors and have meticulous procedures in place for the safe arrival and collection of children. Detailed risk assessments are completed and cover all aspects of the learning environments. The manager places high emphasis on the support offered to staff through regular highly productive staff appraisals. Staff have very good training opportunities and support in the progression of their professional qualifications. This pre school has a well-qualified, cohesive and successful staff team. Staff's

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the early years provision

highly impressive knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework enables them to complete extensive observations and plan activities tailored to individual children.

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the early years provision

A key strength of the pre school is its highly reflective self-evaluation that clearly analyses procedures and practice. Staff work highly productively together to contribute to the continuous improvement of the pre school. Excellent systems of communication involve staff, children, parents and community partners in on-going assessment and forward planning. An innovative interactive display outside the pre school entrance supports this. Highly inspiring planning by the manager provides staff with opportunities to develop personally and professionally. This is shared on a large board in the pre school office. Overall the environment both indoors and outdoors is inspiring and provides wonderful learning opportunities for all children. However the outside environment does not quite offer the same rich and diverse learning opportunity that is provided inside. Staff are deployed extremely well throughout the sessions to motivate learning and ensure children are safe.

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the early years provision

Children freely access a wide range of high quality resources. They develop an excellent understanding of the wider world through access to a wide range of toys that promote positive images of diversity and meaningful activities that help them learn about other cultures and beliefs.

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the early years provision

Meticulously kept records clearly identify children's stage of development and target next steps in their learning. Extensive records regularly shared with parents and other agencies ensure a consistent approach to children's care, learning and development. The pre school, specialist professionals and families work productively together; supporting children with additional needs. The pre school is proactive in the use of symbols, pictures and text in other languages to highly effectively support these children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit enormously from an exceptionally welcoming and inspiring environment. They enthusiastically enter the pre school where they feel safe and form excellent relationships with staff and other children. There is an energetic, exciting atmosphere, where children flourish and are keen to respond to challenges. They have excellent opportunities to lead their own learning as they freely access a wide range of activities and resources both indoors and outdoors. Staff interact highly effectively as children investigate footprints on sheets of paper outside. They enrich children's experiences of shape, size and pattern as they compare the bottom of their shoes. Children's mathematical skills are developing extremely well through high quality adult support. Children make excellent progress as they count the carriages in their train and excitedly compare its length with friends. They play very creatively as a monster appears under the railway

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and outcomes for children

bridge and they use words and phrases from a well-known story in their play. Children enrich their vocabulary as they enthusiastically suck noodles from their chopsticks. They touch the noodles describing how they look and feel. Children's language is developing exceptionally well. They confidently join in with group discussions. For example a child thinks critically about why you should wear a coat to pre school explaining that it could rain and it keeps her warm when it is cold. A child uses time related words to explain how her mum had mended her coat last night so that she could still wear it to pre school today. Children confidently use talk to organise, sequence and clarify their thinking by creating a timetable for each session using picture cards. A child impressively reads out the activities that are available and children share with each other what they might do.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop an excellent understanding of the wider world through access to dolls, puzzles, role play clothes, books and small world toys. The pre school extensively celebrate traditional festivals throughout the year from other parts of the world. Children investigate exciting foods from other cultures and learn to safely use a range of tools and equipment during these events. These activities develop exciting interactive displays that include positive images of the wider world. Children show an infectious enthusiasm for books. They share books with staff and friends but also choose to read quietly on their own. Staff enrich this experience as they help children choose books from the pre school library to take home to enjoy with their family. Children have extensive use of the pre school computer where they experience activities to develop their understanding of the wider world, language and number skills.

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and outcomes for children

Staff's excellent understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage enables them to make skilful use of all play materials and resources available. Children draw lines and shapes with chalks on large sheets of paper or paving slabs. Staff interact extremely well as children describe the shapes they have used to draw people. Staff challenge children to think about shapes they could use for ears or how lines can change the expression on faces. Staff use their knowledge of each child to make the best use of their individual learning styles to promote development. Staff talk to children about their favourite colours as they experiment, writing each letter of their name in a different colour. Information is evaluated and used positively to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 inform future planning, which clearly differentiates for individuals and groups of children. Each child's learning is meticulously documented in their individual

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and outcomes for children

'learning journey profiles'. These contain both written and photographic information of a child's learning, achievements and records of their own work. These profiles are shared regularly with parents who add information about their child's learning and achievements at home.

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and outcomes for children

Children have abundant opportunity to feely access the outside area. They are developing a very good understanding that exercise, eating and good hygiene, contribute to good health. Children ride wheeled toys energetically outside, they balance across logs and climb and slide. Children explain how they wash hands to get rid of the germs. Children impressively take responsibility for when they wash their hands. They eat healthily at snack time and talk excitedly about what they have brought to pre school for lunch. All children tidy up encouraged highly effectively by sticker reward charts. Children behave extremely well at the pre school. They show an excellent understanding of what standards of behaviour are expected. 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 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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