Cygnets Pre-School and Breakfast Club

Cygnets Pre-School and Breakfast Club Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY430323 Inspection date 06/02/2012 Inspector Kelly Eyre

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Setting address Hampton Children's Centre, Hargate Way, HAMPTON HARGATE, PE7 8BZ Telephone number 01733892858 Email karen.hornsby@family-action.org.uk 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

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

Cygnets Pre-School is run by Family Action and was originally registered in 2001, moving to its current premises in 2011. It operates from a purpose-built area within the Hampton Children's Centre in Hampton Hargate, Peterborough. The setting serves the local area and is part of a Children's Centre. It is accessible to all children and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Description of the setting

The setting opens each weekday during school term times. Sessions are on Monday to Thursday from 8.45am until 11.45am and from 12.15pm to 3.15pm. On Friday, sessions are from 8.45am to 11.45am. Children are able to attend for a variety of sessions. A maximum of 50 children may attend the setting at any one time. There are currently 115 children on roll who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The setting also offers care to children aged over five years. It is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The setting provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The setting employs 13 members of child care staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at Level 2 and four at Level 3 or above. The setting 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 good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The manager and staff continuously evaluate their work and are developing effective written procedures to support this area. This means that they can develop action plans and implement improvements, thereby maintaining a service which is responsive to children's needs. Staff work well with parents, carers and other professionals, enabling them to gain a thorough understanding of each child's needs. They are therefore able to ensure that these are consistently met and children are offered appropriate support so that they are meaningfully included. Staff are caring and committed to their work, maintaining a flexible approach to the planning of activities and resources and thus ensuring that children's needs and interests are always well considered and accommodated.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop a culture of reflective practice, self-evaluation and informed discussion to identify the setting's strengths and priorities for development that will improve the quality of provision for all children  develop further opportunities for children to recognise the importance of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 keeping healthy and those things which contribute to this.

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is consistently promoted because staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities relating to safeguarding children, attending relevant training in order to refresh their knowledge. This is supported by a written procedure, enabling staff to identify children at risk and take relevant action. Stringent checks are carried out to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Appropriate risk assessments and daily safety checks ensure that children's safety is promoted. Good daily practice and ongoing explanations enable children to gain a clear knowledge of safety issues. For example, during snack time children talk about the safe use of knives.

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the early years provision

Managers and staff work well together and have a clear vision for the development of the setting. Their ongoing review of their work enables them to build a realistic overview of their strengths and weaknesses and to prioritise changes that improve the outcomes for children. For example, recent improvements include changes to the planning procedures to ensure that children's individual development is promoted. However, the self-evaluation process is not fully utilised to inform the overall review of daily practice and to evaluate the impact of changes made. Resources are used well to promote children's learning and development. For example, children enjoy local walks and use the children's centre kitchen for cooking activities.

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the early years provision

Staff have a clear understanding of the importance of anti-discriminatory practice. The setting's policies and procedures are reviewed regularly to ensure that these reflect the needs of children and their families, thus supporting staff in promoting an inclusive environment. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that they have a thorough understanding of each child's background and needs, taking account of this information when planning activities. Good relationships with parents and carers mean that they are kept well informed of their child's progress and activities, for example, through regular consultation events, daily discussions and the use of newsletters. The setting also works well with other professionals. For example, they have procedures in place to exchange information with childminders and other pre-schools and nurseries, thereby ensuring that children's care is consistent and their learning and development is promoted.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in their learning and development because staff have a clear understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They have developed thorough procedures for assessing children, actively using this information to inform activity planning and ensure that children are offered appropriate group and individual activities that promote their development. Children's safety is prioritised and their behaviour shows that they feel safe. For example, they move confidently This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 around the play rooms and outdoor area, making independent choices about their activities and resources. They therefore take an active role in their learning and are developing positive attitudes to this.

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and outcomes for children

Accessible resources ensure that children can make independent choices about their play and thus explore and experiment. For example, children choose a construction set and sit together to build, discussing what they are making and proudly showing off their completed models. The attention to activity planning means that children's learning is gently reinforced. For example, after reading a popular story, children follow the theme by accessing a range of materials to try to construct their own houses. Staff keep the planning as flexible as possible so that they can respond to children's interests and requests. For example, when children ask to walk up a nearby hill staff accommodate this, encouraging children to recognise familiar landmarks, to sing associated songs as they walk up and down the hill and providing opportunities for children to make a written record of their adventure on their return to the setting.

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and outcomes for children

Children are gaining a thorough understanding of appropriate behaviour as staff explain to children the implications of their behaviour and encourage them to share and work together. The good procedures for working with parents, carers and other professionals mean that children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who use English as an additional language are offered appropriate support to enable them to participate meaningfully. This is further supported through the use of resources, such as a visual timetable.

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and outcomes for children

Children are offered appropriate opportunities to learn about other cultures and ways of life in a meaningful way. For example, children are offered opportunities to share their beliefs and cultures with parents coming into the setting to support this and to lead activities and discussions. Children's understanding of the relevance of healthy lifestyles is adequately promoted. For example, they wash their hands before snack time and use a range of resources that promote physical development. However, their wider understanding of this area is not fully promoted on a regular basis.

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and outcomes for children

Good staff interaction means that children are encouraged to solve simple problems and begin to think critically, thus developing skills for use in future life. For example, children make play dough and then count the number of children at the table so they know how many pieces to divide it in to. Thoughtful daily procedures mean that children's personal development is promoted. For example, they enjoy the daily opportunity to work in small groups; they discuss recent events, listening carefully to each other and taking turns to join in the conversation. 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 3 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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