Bayford Pre SchoolOfsted inspection, 26 Apr 2012

Bayford Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number EY431022 Inspection date 26/04/2012 Inspector Jo Rowley

p.1

Setting address Bayford Village Hall, Ashendene Road, Bayford, HERTFORD, SG13 8PX Telephone number 01992511474 Email bayfordpreschool@hotmail.co.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.

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the setting

Bayford Pre-School registered in 2012 and is run by a management committee. It operates from the village hall in the village of Bayford, Hertfordshire. The pre- school serves the local community and surrounding areas and has strong links with the local primary school. The pre-school is accessible to all children and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

p.4

Description of the setting

The pre-school opens on Monday from 9am until 12pm and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am until 3pm, during school term time with various sessions offered. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register and a maximum of 20 children may attend at any one time. There are currently 35 children on roll who are within the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early education for two, three and four-year-olds and supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

p.4

Description of the setting

The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications, four of which are to level 3 and above and the leader has gained Early Years Professional Status. The pre-school receives support from the local authority.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Planning for the Early Years Foundation Stage is well organised to ensure that all areas of learning are promoted. Effective safeguarding procedures are in place and staff ensure that they have an accurate knowledge of each child's individual needs to ensure that every child is included. Overall, children have access to a good range of resources which help them to enjoy their time at pre-school and receive experiences that promote their progress. Partnerships with parents, carers and other agencies are established and these relationships help to promote continuity of care and learning, for the children and families attending. Well-focused self- evaluation procedures are in place. This results in a staff team who are highly committed and driven to make continuous improvements and consistently promote outcomes for children.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 extend opportunities, with particular reference to resources and day-to-day activities, to ensure that children develop an appreciation of culture and diversity  increase opportunities for children to make independent choices about their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 play and encourage time for them to finish each activity.

p.4

the early years provision

Safeguarding policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that children are well protected. Three of the six members of staff have completed designated safeguarding training whilst most other staff have completed basic training in order to fully protect children in their care. All staff takes responsibility to ensure that only vetted persons have access to children and the leader adheres to robust recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that all staff working with children are suitable to do so and that they hold the required clearances. For example, induction is provided for new staff with regular support promoted in the form of one-to-one meetings and appraisals. Comprehensive risk assessments are completed to ensure that hazards are minimised within the setting and further risk assessments are carried out before outings take place, further protecting children's safety.

p.5

the early years provision

Self-evaluation procedures are good. For example, the leader ensures that all staff have opportunities to share their ideas of the setting's strengths and areas of improvement through, for example, regular staff meetings. Parents are equally involved in the evaluation of the setting through discussion, regular meetings and questionnaires and children's views are also captured through verbal evaluation at the end of each session. The manager and her staff team are extremely passionate about their roles and highly committed to providing children with high levels of care. Staff are well deployed within the pre-school and the environment contributes to children's learning with resources mostly used well to achieve the planned goals for learning and development. However, children do not always have opportunities to make independent choices about their play and on occasions they are not given time to finish what they are doing before the next activity is

p.5

the early years provision

Partnerships with parents and carers are good and parents speak highly of the staff. For example, parents like the warm welcome they receive from staff and find the staff approachable and kind. Effective methods of communication such as newsletters and emails help promote consistency between staff and parents and therefore, outcomes for children are promoted. The pre-school promotes equal opportunities and staff demonstrate a good awareness of each child's individual learning styles ensuring that each child is able to achieve. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in all the activities offered and join in with the other children on equal terms. Staff have good relationships with other agencies and settings because they acknowledge and understand the importance of this interaction. They work closely with the special educational needs co-ordinator and staff at the local children's centre to support individual

p.5

the early years provision

children and build effective links on a regular basis to promote outcomes for children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.5

and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in all areas of their learning. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how the framework links together to meet the needs of the children attending. Learning journeys and observations are in place for all children and these highlight the development they are making, along with photographs and achievable next steps. Staff plan activities and opportunities together as a team, taking into consideration the children's interests and ideas. An example of this is the current dinosaur theme which started from a group of children talking about a dinosaur on the bottom of a child's shoe. Children show an enthusiastic interest in books and reading as, for example, they regularly sit with a member of staff and listen to a story or independently access books to look at with their friends. Independent access to mark making resources is promoted, along with access to children's individual name cards which are used

p.6

and outcomes for children

freely, promoting their writing skills. Children demonstrate good concentration skills and develop their knowledge and understanding of the world as they dig in the mud for dinosaur bones which they have made from salt dough. Together with staff they talk about what they find, use brushes to brush away the mud and learn about how the bones fit together in line with their current dinosaur theme. Planned activities promote children's confidence as they are eager to explore and are active in their own learning. Children are provided with appropriate challenges to ensure that all children are equally included.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children independently explore technology and use resources such as magnifying glasses as they develop their skills for the future. All children's physical development is promoted as they have regular access to an outside area where they use a range of resources such as bikes, trikes and a climbing frame. During bad weather children's physical development is equally promoted because larger resources are brought into the setting for children to use. Opportunities for children to be creative are planned as they explore different materials and textures during art and craft activities and staff encourage children to join in with all activities, whilst offering them sensitive support, where needed. Children demonstrate that they feel secure in their surroundings, for example they stand up confidently, in front of their friends, to sing nursery rhymes or talk about things they have been doing outside of pre-school. However, children are not developing

p.6

and outcomes for children

a full understanding of culture and diversity because resources and day-to-day activities do not incorporate the wider world and community, although this is an area that staff are working to improve. Children are developing a good understanding of appropriate behaviour because they are given clear explanations by staff who set examples of appropriate behaviour for children to observe. Children have some ownership of their health and hygiene and follow daily routines such as hand washing. They each have an individual placemat which they use to put their snack and drink, from home, on and this ensures that even the youngest child can independently access theirs. Children's independence is promoted as, for example, they serve their own snack and try to put their own coats and shoes on for outside play, further promoting these skills. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.6

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.7

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

p.7

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.7

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

p.7

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7