Beeley Wood First and Middle School

Treetops Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 127728 Inspection date 22/05/2012 Inspector Shanti Flynn

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Setting address Castle Community School, Mill Road, Deal, Kent, CT14 9BD

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Telephone number 01304 380073 Email hello@treetops-preschool.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. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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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

Treetops Pre-School is owned and run by a committee and opened in 1988. It operates from a single storey building in the grounds of Castle Community College in Deal, Kent. Children have access to a secure outdoor play area. The pre-school opens five days a week from 9.00am to 12.15pm, during school term time only. It is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 18 children aged from two years. Currently there are 25 children on roll. The pre-school provides funded free early education for three and four-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are learning English as an additional language. There are four staff working with the children, all hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this pre-school. They enjoy a wide range of activities and experiences, which help them to make good progress in their learning and development. Staff work well as a team to identify and meet individual children's needs. Overall, effective partnerships with parents and other professionals promote the continuity of children's care and learning. Consistent self-evaluation by the staff ensures that priorities for development are identified and acted on. Consequently, the pre-school shows a good capacity to maintain continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop children's learning journeys to further promote partnerships with parents.

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the early years provision

Robust policies and procedures consistently promote children's welfare. All staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities relating to safeguarding children. They attend regular training and know what to do and who to contact if they have any concerns about a child in their care. The committee carry out suitability checks on all staff as part of an effective recruitment and induction process. Children play in a safe and secure environment. Staff are well deployed so that children are supervised at all times. Thorough risk assessments and regular daily checks help identify hazards and minimise the risks to children. A video entry system enables staff to clearly identify any visitors to the setting. Only This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 parents or nominated persons are allowed to collect children at the end of each session.

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the early years provision

Staff are knowledgeable about the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They use this to support children well. They observe the children and plan effective activities and resources to help children make good progress in their learning and development. Children learn to become independent learners. They are able to readily access resources which are clearly labelled and stored at their height.

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the early years provision

Staff build strong relationships with parents and carers as they get to know the children very well. Parents particularly value the welcoming atmosphere and comment on how eager their children are to come to pre-school. Staff share information about children's progress and achievements with parents informally at the end of each session. However, parents have limited opportunities to contribute to their children's learning and development records.

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the early years provision

Staff promote an inclusive environment and welcome all children to the pre-school. They have clear strategies in place to care for children with any additional needs. They work closely with parents, carers and other agencies to identify and support individual children's needs. Parents are invited into the pre-school to share their different cultures and traditions with children. Consequently, children learn about differences and celebrate the diverse society in which they live. The setting also works well with other providers who deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. For example, they have procedures in place to exchange information with childminders and other nurseries. This helps to promote the continuity of children's care and learning.

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the early years provision

The small staff team work well together to support the supervisor. They all share the same vision and are committed to promoting the best possible outcomes for children. They meet regularly to reflect on their practice and identify priorities for the development of the pre-school. Staff seek the views of parents and children through questionnaires and discussions, and use this information to evaluate and monitor their provision.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very happy and settled in this pre-school because they know the routine well. They come in eagerly, independently finding their name cards, and putting them on the registration board. They are encouraged to become active and independent learners. They choose what they want to play with from an exciting range of resources and activities. Children are confident communicators and they readily initiate conversations with adults and their peers. They seek out their friends and enjoy developing their imaginative skills as they dress up as their favourite superheroes. They have daily opportunities to share and enjoy books, rhymes and songs in the pre-school. They learn to link letters and sounds and particularly enjoy discovering that the new letters that they learn are in their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 names. Children competently recognise and use number throughout the session.

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and outcomes for children

For example, they discuss how old they are when playing with the number puzzles and discuss the ages of their siblings, correctly pointing to the right numbers. All children enjoy learning simple sign language and phrases in other languages. Children's awareness of diversity is developing as they access relevant resources and participate in discussions and activities. They learn about nature through growing their own fruit and flowers. Children particularly enjoy learning about the life cycle of a butterfly. They excitedly show their parents how their butterflies are growing. All these activities help them develop good skills for the future.

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and outcomes for children

Children show an exceptional understanding of the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle. They routinely wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating to 'wash the germs away'. They learn that exercise is good for them and enjoy daily opportunities to play outside 'to get fresh air'. They particularly enjoy developing their physical skills, playing with the balls and balancing on the tyres. Children enjoy healthy snacks from a wide variety of fruit on offer. They make their own sandwiches, independently using knives to spread their choice of filling.

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and outcomes for children

Supportive staff help children to develop a sense of how to stay safe within the setting. For example, staff gently remind children not to run indoors and point out the poster that reminds them to walk. They discuss the reasons why with children so that they understand the consequences of their actions. They practise the fire drill regularly and children are confident about the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency.

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and outcomes for children

Children's behaviour is exemplary and they show a very strong sense of security and belonging within the setting. They are extremely kind to each other and show genuine concern for each other's well-being. For example, a child tells an adult that another child has fallen over and rushes over to make sure he has not hurt himself. Children happily share their resources and invite their friends to join in with their games. They also show an excellent awareness of responsibility in the pre-school. They readily help to tidy up and take pride in helping the staff. Staff regularly praise the children and acknowledge their achievements. This helps children to develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem. 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 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 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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