Meadowgate Academy

Hurley Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 144055 Inspection date 01/02/2012 Inspector Justine George

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Setting address Hurley House, Kempsford Road, Kennington, London, SE11 4PB Telephone number 0207-582-1838 Email hurleypre-school@fsmail.net 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

Hurley Pre-school is a registered charity and is managed by a committee which is made up mainly of parent/carers. The pre-school operates from purpose built premises arranged over three floors in a block of flats, situated in a residential estate. The premises comprises of open plan play rooms, children's toilets and wash facilities, a kitchen, sensory and soft play area, staff facilities and an outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. It is registered for up to 36 children per session, from two years to the end of the early years age group; of these, not more than 12 may be under three years at any one time. There are currently 49 children aged from two to five years on roll. The pre-school receives funding to provide nursery education for children aged three to five years. The pre-school supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children attend on a full-time or sessional basis. There are five full-time staff and five part-time staff. Staff hold a range of early years qualifications including Early Years Professional Status and level 2 and 3 childcare qualifications.

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Description of the setting

The group is open five days per week for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm. Full day care is available from 8am to 5pm, depending on the needs of families.

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Description of the setting

Hurley Pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership pre- school teacher and inclusion information officer.

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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 keen to enter the pre-school and the environment is very enabling. They have a great range of resources to explore and most areas of learning promote the different aspects well. Children make good use of the facilities in the community and enjoy interesting outings. Children are making good progress in relation to their starting points and their needs are well met. In the main, children are confident and their behaviour is suitably managed. The pre-school demonstrates the capacity to drive improvement well.

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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  develop further role-play areas to build on number and literacy awareness as they are used at home and in everyday life. For example, make signs, price labels and posters to spark and extend children's interests  have agreed procedures outlining how to respond to children's behaviour to ensure it managed effectively and consistently and in a manner appropriate for the children's stage of development and individual needs.

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the early years provision

Children's safety and well-being are well promoted throughout the pre-school. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures helps to ensure the suitability of adults caring for children. This is because the required checks are carried out and appraisals support leaders in monitoring ongoing staff suitability. Leadership and management are strong. This is demonstrated through staff's good understanding of most policies to ensure the safe and effective running of the pre-school. Staff are clear of the procedures for safeguarding child protection issues. There is good literature to refer to in the event of any concerns. This helps to ensure that vulnerable children are well cared for. The premises are safe and secure and children are vigilantly supervised throughout the day. In the event of an accident, children are well protected, as staff have attended first aid training.

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the early years provision

The staff team work well together and show commitment and enthusiasm in promoting good outcomes for children. They are well deployed and this ensures that children are well supported throughout the day. The deployment of toys and resources are also effective. This makes for a very enabling environment for children, effectively promoting equality and diversity. The environment reflects the diverse community in which we live, as there are many photos and good opportunities for children to explore the local and wider community. In addition, there are strong partnerships with parents. There is a good range of information displayed around the setting about all aspects of the pre-school. For example, policies and procedures are displayed. As a result, parents are fully aware of the pre-school's responsibilities in relation to caring for children. In addition, they are aware of the activities children are involved in. This is because staff share planning

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the early years provision

and facilities to show photos provide a good insight into the day. Parents have high praise for the friendly staff team and feel they can talk about any issue confidently. They feel children have made good progress and note that their children are not keen to leave when it is time to go home!

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the early years provision

Staff show a positive approach towards driving improvement. The committee is formed of parents and there are regular meetings to discuss how to sustain the service. This has lead to longer opening hours to accommodate the needs of parents, for example, those in further education. In addition, staff reflect on practice and seek ways to make further improvement. This is achieved through working in partnership with other professionals and practitioners. As a result, good practice ideas are shared and staff are keen to try out new initiatives to drive improvement. The setting has developed excellent links with different services in the community. As a result, they partake in many initiatives, for example, 'Every Child A Talker'. This has further developed staff's knowledge of how to support This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children's communication and language development.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy and achieve and develop good skills for the future. Most children separate positively from their parents and are keen to explore. The pre-school is open plan and children choose what they would like to play with, developing their own ideas. Staff regularly observe children and plan for their needs. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning and development. Children enjoy construction, where they make a helicopter, making connections as they join pieces together. Children explore technology, using the computer independently. They operate simple programmes using the mouse and keyboard, and develop concepts, such as matching patterns. Children are well supported in developing their spoken language and communication. This is because staff engage well in children's play, listening and extending children's thoughts and ideas. For example, staff prevent children's frustrations during construction play by asking questions, to

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and outcomes for children

gain an understanding of their ideas. Around the setting, there are examples of children's early writing attempts and there are good activities to further support this. However, role play opportunities to further extend numeracy and literacy in everyday real life is not fully explored. For example, the home area does not yet make full use of everyday objects such as clocks, or recipe books. Staff plan mini topics to further stimulate children's interests. For example, staff plan different activities around different songs or events. This has lead to making meringue sheep following on from the nursery rhyme. In addition, children went to Chinatown as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

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and outcomes for children

Children feel safe and most staff are sensitive to their needs. In the event of children being unsettled, staff are close by to offer cuddles and support. In the main, children are well behaved and are encouraged to think about the needs of others. For those who need extra support, strategies are implemented, but this is not consistently applied by all staff. Staff talk about the unwanted behaviour, rather than how they would like to see children behave. In addition, on some occasions, staff are not fully sensitive to the needs and age of some children. As a result, this leads to uncertainty for children. Children learn about safety through daily practices and using equipment safely. For example, children safely use hammers and explore the woodwork bench. They also use wheeled toys in the garden and negotiate space to avoid obstacles.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health is well promoted. They learn good hygiene habits, as they wash their hands at appropriate times. Tissues are left within their reach so that they blow their nose. Children are encouraged to cover their mouths if coughing, and they dispose of tissues in the bin. This helps to minimise the spread of infection. Children's nutritional health is well promoted. Staff are aware of any dietary needs and alternatives are provided. Children enjoy healthy snacks and meals which reflect the different food groups. Children are beginning to develop independence at meal times as they get their cutlery and some pour their own drinks. Children have good opportunities for fresh air and exercise and the lovely garden is very This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 inviting, encouraging children to explore. They lift logs to find bugs, sort out pebbles in the beach area and develop confidence in their bodies, using the

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and outcomes for children

climbing equipment. As a result, children are developing a positive attitude towards active lifestyles. 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 3 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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