Rainford CofE Junior School

Littlebourne Ladybirds Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 127346 Inspection date 08/02/2012 Inspector Bryan Meyer

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Setting address Littlebourne C of E Primary School, Church Road, Littlebourne, Canterbury, Kent, CT3 1XS Telephone number 01227 722955 or 832143 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.

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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

Littlebourne Ladybirds Pre-School is managed by a committee. It opened in 1996 and operates from a portable building in the grounds of Littlebourne Primary School, in the village of Littlebourne, near Canterbury, Kent. There is a secure enclosed outdoor play area. Children have access to the school hall, playground, playing field, and woodland walk. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register. It is open each weekday from 9.00am to 3.00pm, term time only. A maximum of 30 children may attend at any one time. There are currently 42 children aged from two to five years on roll. The setting receives funding for the provision of free nursery education for children aged three and four. The group supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Children predominantly come from the local area. The setting employs seven members of staff. All hold appropriate

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Description of the setting

early years qualifications. One member of staff has a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 4; five have level 3 and one level 2. The centre receives support from an Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership advisory teacher.

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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

In this exceptional and inclusive setting children's well-being is given high priority, and as a result they feel contented and safe. From the moment the children arrive in the morning until it is time to go home they engage in an exciting captivating range of adult-led and child-initiated activities. These high quality experiences enable children to make rapid progress and become independent in their learning. Robust self-evaluation procedures identify clear areas for improvement, including the outside provision. Since its previous inspection, the pre-school has developed first-rate systems for planning and assessment that are shared with families to help their children at home. Its capacity to improve it outstanding.

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further?

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

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further?

 review the content of activities provided to promote children's play and learning outside so they are not always interrupted by the weather. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Exceptional staff training means policies and procedures to safeguard children are outstanding. The vetting of all adults and volunteers is thorough and documentation is secure. Induction procedures for parents and carers make them fully aware of all aspects of safeguarding and child protection. Parents and carers are totally confident in the rigorous care and support offered to their children. Risk assessments are carried out meticulously and health and safety records, fire drills and minor accidents, are recorded carefully. Children are allocated to key workers who are involved in ensuring their welfare, safety, learning and development needs are met fully. The strong focus on safety ensures children too have in-depth awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Excellent leadership, management, and commitment to delivering the very best for all the children are key to the outstanding outcomes. Equality and diversity are central to its work. Staff make

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the early years provision

specific provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for those who speak English as an additional language. Exciting activities, sometimes on a one-to one basis, are designed to ensure that they can play a full part in all that the setting has to offer. Dual language books and celebrations of different cultures enable other children to learn about the wider world. Very effective relationships with external agencies, including the host school, contribute to the setting's professional and robust provision for these children. Staff morale is extremely high because of their significant active involvement in decision-making and their enthusiasm to drive further improvements. Excellent training keeps them fully informed about the most up-to-date early years practice that meets children's wide ranging needs. Staff are highly reflective about the effectiveness of the setting to ensure that it continues to grow and develop, and adapt to the

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the early years provision

community that it serves. Since its previous inspection, systems for tracking children's progress, planning and assessment are shared very effectively with families to help their children at home. Consequently activities offer important challenges to children, especially those who are more able, to do their best. Currently staff are rightly considering the best ways to increase the opportunities for high quality activities for children to learn and play outside in inclement weather all year round. Bright, attractive and wide ranging resources stimulate children's curiosity and promote learning and their investigational skills with considerable success. All staff are skilled in working with children of this age. They are gifted in their abilities to ask the right questions, knowing when to stand back and when to intervene. The setting enjoys very strong relationships with its parents and carers, which are evident in both their comments and their written

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the early years provision

views. Parents and carers praise the setting highly because of the way it involves them closely in supporting their children's learning and development, as well as the attention it gives to their welfare. As one parent or carer commented, 'This is not the nearest pre-school group to me but it is the best and I am delighted with what they do for my child.' This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

As children enter the setting enthusiastically they are greeted by their key worker who engages them quickly in a range of captivating activities. These include building, sorting, writing, reading, dressing- up, painting, sequencing stories, role- play, sand and water play. There is an excellent balance between independent learning where children often use their imagination and adult-led play. Staff work well together to offer many challenges to children in their social and academic development. As a result children's progress across all the areas of learning is outstanding. Children's behaviour is exemplary as they respond really well to the high expectations of staff. The setting is harmonious, as children from widely differing backgrounds play happily together. They are confident, and can explain how to stay safe and importantly what they would do if they did not feel safe. Children form trusting relationships with their key worker and all the other adults

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and outcomes for children

in the setting and know they always have someone to go to if they are concerned. Children have considerable understanding of healthy lifestyles and keep active for much of their time in the setting. Snack times are fun, social occasions where they enjoy talking about what they have been doing. Good manners and hygiene routines, such as hand-washing are emphasised. At snack time they make choices about what to eat and drink and this helps to develop their independence. During the year children cultivate, harvest, prepare and eat their own fruit and vegetables. The outdoor space provides very good opportunities to promote children's physical development and a chance to take turns and share. During the inspection all the children were very keen to play outside in the snow even though temperatures were below zero. Some children decided to build an obstacle course and challenged others to make their way around it safely. Such spontaneous activities

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and outcomes for children

enhance children's understanding of risks and problem solving. At other times of the year well-planned activities are interrupted when it rains hindering opportunities to extend children's play and learning outside. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world, creativity, social development and skills in literacy and numeracy are developed through imaginative role-play situations. For example, children playing in the 'restaurant' took on different roles, waiter, waitress, chef or customer. They used magazines containing recipes from France to 'prepare' exotic dishes. Customers chose the dishes they wished to eat from the menu, and the waiters recorded them, taking them to the chefs to prepare. Once the meals had been eaten, the customers were duly presented with the bill. Such activities motivate children to want to learn and enhance their confidence and self esteem. Staff plan carefully and monitor activities to ensure that children enjoy a

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and outcomes for children

wide range of memorable experiences. They plan with children's particular interests in mind so they can follow their interests in all areas of learning. Parents and carers work very closely with staff to ensure this is the case, especially where a child has a disability, special educational needs or is new to speaking English. Staff observe children while they are learning and note the important steps they make in their development. These are recorded in detail so that parents and carers can see the rapid progress their children are making in comparison to children of a similar age group. Staff use these observations to amend the programme and offer increased challenge to the children. These factors contribute significantly to the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 skills children need for their future education. 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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