Tarvin Pre-School & Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 305356 Inspection date 28/02/2007 Inspector Ron Goldsmith

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Setting address Heath Drive, Tarvin, Chester, CH3 8LS

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E-mail

Registered person Tarvin Pre-School Nursery Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Out of School care

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E-mail

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be freely reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided the source and date of publication are stated.

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage.

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The provider must give a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must give a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Day Care and Childminding (inspection) (England) Regulations 2005 No 2300 Regulations 5 and 6).

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Tarvin Pre School opened in 1967. The provision is situated in a mobile unit in the grounds of Tarvin CP School, in a village location. It has the use of two rooms with associated facilities and there is an enclosed area for outdoor play. The provision offers full day care for children aged from two to five years and in addition it is registered to provide care for children before school and during holidays. It is registered to provide care for up to 24 children under five years. There are currently 48 children on roll from two years to four years, and of these 36 children are receiving nursery funding. The playgroup supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting opens five days a week during term time. The hours of opening are 09.00 until 11.45 and 12.50 until 15.30. In addition there is a lunch club between the hours of 11.45 until 12.45. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are 10 members of staff, nine of whom have early years qualifications and one of whom is working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from Cheshire Sure Start Partnership.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a good range of energetic and physical activities. They move around the environment, confidently and with good control. They show a very good awareness of space, themselves and others, manoeuvring around obstacles skilfully. They enjoy vigorous and energetic play in the fresh air and learn to move in a variety of ways as they practise catching, throwing and kicking balls. Children are learning to listen to their bodies and are able to rest and be active according to their needs. They understand that exercise is good for their developing bodies and move in a variety of ways to music, they say 'it makes our muscles strong'. They enjoy an activity in which they rest by lying calmly and quietly on the carpet whilst listening to soothing music.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children understand the importance of personal hygiene and staying healthy through daily routines. They consistently wash their hands before eating and after visiting the toilet or after messy play. They understand the importance of hygiene, saying 'it's to stop the germs going into my tummy'. Staff gently reinforce this by encouraging younger children to wash their hands when necessary. All documentation is in place and is up to date. Staff hold current first aid certificates and are able to deal with day to day accidents promptly and confidently.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's benefit from a healthy diet. Healthy eating is promoted through the availability of fresh fruit and snacks. They enjoy cheese, crackers, fruit and milk or water. Children are also learning about healthy foods during discussions with staff about the benefits of healthy choices. Staff work in partnership with parents by recording relevant information in home diaries. Children are able to access water freely and when they need to because it is placed within their reach.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play in a safe and secure environment. The main entrance is kept locked and visitors are closely monitored. Sufficient space is provided for children to have freedom of movement, with designated areas for rest and relaxation. The environment is warm and welcoming, with children's artwork displayed and colourful posters on the wall. A good range of safe and suitable toys are provided and stored in low level containers to encourage the children's independence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff conduct good safety measures to help protect children from harm. Risk assessments are carried out by staff on the premises and equipment. Written health and safety procedures are followed. Staff practise the fire evacuation procedure with children, helping them to understand what to do in an emergency. Good staffing ratios are maintained at all times including when children are taken on outings. Children learn about safety as staff remind them to use their 'walking legs' and through the organisation of activities and interesting events. For example, they enjoy visits from figures such as the community police officer, helping children to become aware of people who help us.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are further protected from harm as staff have a good understanding of child protection issues. There is a designated staff member responsible for coordinating child protection, and staff follow written policies and procedures that comply with legislation.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children take part in a good range of activities throughout the session. Younger children are gaining confidence as they build relationships with each other and the staff. They are becoming more confident communicators as they initiate conversations, use songs and rhymes and join in discussions at circle time. They independently choose from a wide range and balance of activities that promotes decision making skills. Staff support the young children well. They adapt activities to make them manageable for them and offer them extra support. Staff ensure young children have plenty of opportunity to talk about their experiences, helping them to feel a sense of belonging and to develop their language skills. Children are able to make connections in their learning as they freely explore sand, water and different textures. They represent their ideas and feelings in a variety of ways through the use of a wide range of creative materials, such as paint, dough, cake mix and other

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

materials. Some staff have attended 'Birth to three matters' training and therefore not all opportunities to extend learning experiences for younger children are fully developed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff are positive, calm and conscientious. They have a secure understanding and knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Staff use good resources for planning to ensure it comprehensively covers the six learning areas and relates directly to the stepping stones. Assessments and the activities provided link directly to the Foundation Stage. Planning includes differentiation in activities for the older more able children. As a result, children are always appropriately challenged. Children experience a balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities. Staff support the children well in child-initiated play. They maximise opportunities to promote children’s learning by asking good open-ended questions and teaching the children new concepts and vocabulary. Observations of the children are transferred onto individual assessment records giving an overview of the children’s achievements and progress. However, the dates for all assessments

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

are not always accurately recorded. Parents receive both verbal and written reports based on the assessments.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's individual developmental check lists clearly linked to the stepping stones are completed and staff use this information to ensure that children are challenged appropriately. Staff support, encourage and challenge children's learning and thinking using good questioning techniques and good intervention. Staff are very good at reinforcing the children's listening skills, encouraging them to listen at circle and story time and use resources effectively. This helps them to meet the needs of all the children who attend.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show a sense of belonging as they greet each other and staff as they arrive. They have good opportunities to develop their communication and language skills. On arrival children take part in a self-registration scheme that involves them recognising their own names and putting it on the wall. This helps them learn that print carries meaning. They are actively involved in play throughout the sessions. Children listen attentively and help to complete the weather chart. In doing so they are expanding their vocabulary. They record their observations of the weather and learn that there are different reasons for writing and an appreciation of how seasons, months and days change. Children listen well to stories in whole groups and throughout the morning. Children are independent and enthusiastic as they choose their own activities and resources. They freely move from one area of the setting to another, to access their chosen equipment such as the home corner, construction

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

area or drawing and painting. Children are confident and relate well to each other.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children mix ingredients to make a cake, developing their counting skills as they count spoonfuls of flour or water. They are learning new skills and making connections with other experiences as they confidently knead the dough and press raisins into the finished cake mix to create the eyes for a mouse cake. Children use the computer skilfully, correctly matching numbers. They have many opportunities to enjoy vigorous indoor and outdoor play. Children develop their understanding of shapes and designing skills by building with construction kits. They are imaginative, confidently stating they are building a space rocket, which will be big. Children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is promoted through events such as visiting the community centre to enjoy a grandparent's coffee morning or in events such as celebrating Diwali or Chinese New Year. They are learning about colours, shape and texture as they create pictures using paint, glue, glitter and string.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. Children learn social skills well. Staff act as good role models and set a good example through behaving courteously. They encourage children to say please and thank you, which some children without prompting. Children help to tidy away toys or after the baking activity by wiping table tops to make a contribution to the cleanliness and safety of their environment. Staff understand children's emotional development well as they comfort any children who are upset when parents leave.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children gain confidence in their capabilities through celebrating their achievements and are praised for being considerate towards others. This fosters their self-esteem. The staff help children to value similarities and differences in views, through tasting different foods and discussing likes and dislikes. They learn that people celebrate significant events in different ways through participating in the festivals of Christmas and Chinese New Year.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are equally included in activities as staff plan to ensure that children who come on different days cover the same curriculum. Staff exchange information verbally with parents on a daily basis to ensure that children's needs are met. Systems are in place for identifying children with learning difficulties and for assessing the needs of children with disabilities. Staff work well with parents of children who have English as a second language so that they settle in well and make progress. Parents are given good written information in a booklet about how the pre- school operates and there are notices prominently displayed by the door for parents to see as they enter.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. They are very happy with the provision and find the staff approachable and welcoming. Staff provide them with good quality information about the setting and its provision through newsletters, display boards and the information booklet that includes information on the curriculum. Parents are involved in the running of the pre-school through the committee and volunteering at sessions. Parents are well informed about their children’s achievements and progress through open days, informal discussions, children’s work-books, diaries and written reports.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Leadership and management is good. Staff are very good role models and set a professional tone. They have regular team meetings that include planning activities and reviewing assessment profiles. The staff receive regular support visits from Sure Start and attend a variety of training sessions. Staff training is linked to appraisals and professional development in order to meet identified needs and support improvements within the setting.

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Organisation

Organisation is good, resulting in positive outcomes for children. Staff have a good understanding of the National Standards and the Foundation Stage and an effective understanding of 'Birth to three matters' framework. Time is well managed and a good balance of indoor and outdoor play is used to extend learning and development for all the children. Procedures to ensure staff are appropriately checked are robust and ensure that children are well protected. Group sizes, a key-worker system and staff deployment contribute to children’s good health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to take an active part in the setting. Effective policies and procedures are in place and support staff in working very successfully in partnership with parents and carers.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection staff were required to ensure that all fire escapes were kept clear and assessment records were used to inform future planning, so that the needs of children could be met. Fire escape routes are all kept clear, improving safety for children. Assessment records effectively inform future planning, enabling the needs of children to be met. This underpins the safety and learning of children in the playgroup.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection, the provision agreed to provide a wider range of resources to reflect positive images of disability and gender. They were also required to further develop the short term plans and link them to children's assessments sheets. Resources reflect positive images of disability and gender. The provision concentrates on medium term planning to deliver high scope methods and these plans are able to link any adaptations needed to the children's assessment sheets, ensuring that the staff have a comprehensive overview of the children.

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Complaints about the childcare provision

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaint record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

 Continue to develop the implementation of 'Birth to three matters' curriculum to ensure that opportunities for the youngest children are maximised

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

The quality and standards of nursery education

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

 accurately date and record assessments to ensure the next steps for all individual children's learning can be provided for.

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

procedures set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted’s role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2473) which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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