St Francis Pre-School

St Francis Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY424194 Inspection date 08/02/2012 Inspector S Campbell

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Setting address Yardley Children's Centre, Yardley Primary School, Hawkwood Crescent, LONDON, E4 7PH Telephone number 02085293252 Email lynnebarker@gmail.com 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

St Francis Pre-School opened in 1962 and is managed by a committee. St Francis Pre-School re-registered in 2011, as a result of moving to Yardley Children's Centre. The Children's Centre is located within the grounds of Yardley Primary School in Chingford, in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. There is a main play area and all children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 26 children from two years to the end of the early years age group may attend the setting at any one time. There are currently 66 children on roll and children attend a variety of sessions. The setting is currently in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children three and four-years-old. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

The setting is open each weekday from 8.30am to 11.30am and 12.30pm to 3.30pm during term time. A lunch time session is provided from 11.30am to 12.30pm Monday to Friday. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school employs eight members of staff. All staff, including management hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 and 4. Three staff are working towards a higher childcare qualification. The setting receives support from the local authority and the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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

Practitioners provide a warm and welcoming environment which allows children to have a strong sense of belonging. Detailed information is obtained about all children's individual needs and backgrounds. This is to ensure that no child is disadvantaged while in their care. Overall, processes used for self-evaluation promotes good outcomes for children and demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement. Overall, practitioners have developed a good flow of two-way communication with both parents and external agencies, to effectively support children's care, learning and development.

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further?

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

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further?

 further develop systems to link the indoor and outdoor environments to support all aspects of children's development  improve the two way flow of information with parents, to promote a shared understanding of children's individual needs and involve parents in practical ways to support their child's development This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop a culture of self-evaluation to effectively identify strengths and priorities for development, that will further improve the quality of the provision for all children.

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is effectively safeguarded. This is because practitioners have a strong knowledge and understanding of child protection issues and procedures. Children's welfare is further promoted because required documentation for the safe and efficient management of the setting is well maintained and readily available for inspection. Children are cared for by a staff team who are suitably qualified and vetted, which further promotes their welfare. Management actively encourage practitioners to undertake relevant training, which promotes good outcomes for all children.

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the early years provision

Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment. Regular risk assessments of areas used by children are undertaken to effectively promote their welfare. Practitioners are vigilant about children's safety. This is because additional security measures have been taken to ensure children are not able to leave the setting unsupervised, for example a door alarm system. There are some processes in place for self-evaluation. This means that practitioners are able to identify some strengths and areas for further development, for example the undertaking of the 'certificate minimum standard' assurance. However, processes have yet to be fully developed to further promote good outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

Practitioners have developed strong relationships with parents and others. From the outset they work closely with parents and external agencies to ensure all children's individual needs are known and met. Although parents are encouraged to view children's developmental records at their leisure, they are not fully included in children's ongoing assessments. Practitioners work closely with agencies to ensure specific programmes of work are carried out with children who have special educational needs. They regularly work with children on a one-to-one basis to effectively support their learning and development. Practitioners also obtain additional resources to aid communication with children, for example Makaton symbols. This effectively promotes inclusion.

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the early years provision

Through topics, toys and discussion children are developing a good understanding of similarities, differences and the wider community in which they live in. Children benefit from taking part in Chinese New Year celebrations. Their learning is further extended by making fans and concertina dragons. Children have access to a broad range of resources to support their learning and development. Resources are readily available, which means that children are able to make choices about what they would like to play with. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Practitioners have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and as a result, children are making good progress in all areas of learning. Children are happy and well settled in their environment. Children leave their parents with ease and they immediately engage in activities on their arrival. This demonstrates that trusting and strong relationships are built. Through everyday routines, children's independent skills are consistently encouraged. They take pleasure in choosing what songs they would like to sing during group sessions. Children are confident learners and more able children assertively request to sing songs to their friends and others, for example the dinosaur song. Practitioners provide good opportunities for children make marks using a varied range of resources, for example white boards, free-hand drawing and painting. More able children are beginning to form recognisable letters and are attempting and/or are able to write

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit from playing with a wide range of construction toys, enabling them to make creations. Subsequently, they inform practitioners that they have made a racing car. Children enjoy using the computer and navigate around cooking programmes with increasing control. This effectively promotes children's skills in using everyday technology to support their learning. Children enjoy a broad range of practical activities and use free-play to promote an understanding of numbers, simple subtraction and problem solving skills. For example, singing number songs like 'five little geese'. Children are able to respond in a variety of ways and explore various sounds when taking part in music and action songs during group play. They enjoy playing with an assortment of musical instruments, for example tambourine, accordion, shakers and bells. This also effectively promotes children's creative and physical skills. Children's good health is further

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and outcomes for children

promoted through regularly taking part in outdoor play. However, planning for outdoor experiences have yet to be fully developed to effectively support children's learning. There are good opportunities on offer for children to act out real life situations to promote their imaginative skills. They enjoy dressing up in a Dalmatian, spider and a bee outfit. While playing in the home corner, children take pleasure in offering adults slices of pretend pizza.

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and outcomes for children

Practitioners plan a varied range of indoor experiences to support and extend children's learning. They undertake regular focused activities to support and challenge individual children, which effectively promote inclusion. Practitioners carry out regular observations. They identify what children can do and the next steps. This enables practitioners to effectively track children's progress towards the early learning goals. Children are cared for in a clean and well maintained setting. Through good support, children are developing an understanding of good personal hygiene to reduce the spread of cross-infection, for example washing hands at appropriate times. Children are very well behaved and benefit from consistent praise and encouragement which makes them feel good about themselves. Through well planned topics children are beginning to think about the importance of being healthy, keeping warm, exercise and safety. Children's well-being is

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and outcomes for children

further promoted because they receive healthy and nutritious snacks. Practitioners This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 are fully informed of children's dietary requirements to ensure they receive the correct foods. Children are developing a good understanding about keeping themselves safe. This is because they regularly practise fire evacuation procedures. 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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