Pippins Preschool (Cambridgeshire)

Pippins Preschool Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY333805 Inspection date 14/06/2012 Inspector Deborah Hunt

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Setting address Icknield CP School, Lynton Way, Sawston, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3EA Telephone number 01223 833 248 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. 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

Pippins Pre-School was registered at its current location in 2006 and is run by a voluntary management committee. It operates from a mobile building within the grounds of Icknield County Primary School, which is situated in the village of Sawston in Cambridgeshire. Children attend from the local and surrounding areas. There is access to two separate, enclosed outdoor play areas.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 26 children from two years and six months to under five years may attend the pre-school at any one time. It is open each weekday from 9.15am to 1.15pm during term time only. The pre-school offers a lunch club within this session. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 38 children on the roll all of whom are within the early years of age range. The pre-school is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register. It is in receipt of funding for early education places. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school employs seven members of staff who work directly with the children. Of these, three hold a Diploma in Pre-school Practice and two hold a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level 3. One member of staff holds a Nursery Nurse Examination Board (NNEB) qualification. The Pre-school is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance (PLA) and receive support from the local authority. They have completed the Cambridgeshire Quality Assurance framework.

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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

Overall, children make good progress in their learning and development at this welcoming and vibrant pre-school. Inclusive practice enables all children to engage in a wide range of activities although, opportunities to learn about diversity are more limited. Partnership working with parents is good and excellent relationships with other agencies fully support children's individual needs. Safeguarding is given good consideration throughout the pre-school and promotes children's welfare and well-being. Effective leadership and management, and a cohesive staff team leads to the constructive development of the pre-school. The manager has a clear vision and is committed to providing high quality care and education for all children.

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further?

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

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further?

 consolidate the link between children's next steps of learning and the planning of activities so that opportunities to promote individual learning are not potentially missed  develop further planning to ensure that children become aware of, explore This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and question a wider range of ethnicities, religions, cultures and become familiar with their local community.

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the early years provision

Safeguarding is given high priority through the implementation of comprehensive policies and procedures which ensure children's well-being and safety is protected. Staff recognise the signs indicating safeguarding concerns through relevant training and the importance attached to this within the pre-school. Recruitment procedures are clear and the manager and committee ensure they employ proactive staff who are positive role models for children. Stringent checks ensure that only adults suitable to work with children are employed. A positive attitude to continuous professional development, together with induction and annual appraisals further ensures staff remain suitable and committed to their roles. Security at the premises is very good, and staff are alerted to arrivals by a bell. They are vigilant as children enter and leave. Visitors sign in and out and their identity is checked. The system for risk assessment is thorough and ensures that

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the early years provision

the building, resources and activities are safe for children to play and move around in. All required policies, records and documentation are in place for the safe, efficient running of the pre-school and are shared effectively with parents.

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the early years provision

The highly effective deployment of resources and the careful planning of each area offers children a warm, stimulating environment within which they thrive and make good progress in their learning and development. Free-flow play is a feature of the pre-school and the well thought out indoor and outdoor areas encourage children to be active, curious learners. The pre-school provides a language rich environment where clear labelling helps to develop children's communication skills. Staff are sensitive and thoughtful role models, taking time to give children appropriate support as they play and learn. Key working is firmly established, providing children with a secure and consistent approach throughout their time in the pre-school. The enthusiastic, cohesive staff team work effectively together. This ethos is reflected in children's play as they become a 'special helper' for the day. Self-evaluation takes account of the views of staff, children and parents,

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the early years provision

enabling the manager to accurately target improvements to raise children's achievement levels. Parents speak very highly of the pre-school. Comments include "I am very happy with the progress my child has made, they have come on in leaps and bounds".

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the early years provision

Partnership working with parents is good. The informative parent's notice board, regular newsletters and the sending home of children's summative records helps to keep parents informed about their child's progress. As they leave, children are also given a Pippin's memory book to take home providing a permanent record of their time at the pre-school. A warm welcome and informal daily conversations with key workers further support parental involvement in children's learning. The manager maintains a visible presence and is accessible to parents should they have any concerns or issues to discuss. The pre-school have a detailed equality and diversity policy which outlines a commitment towards promoting inclusive practice. Liaison This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 with other providers and agencies is superbly managed ensuring children flourish under challenging circumstances and at transitional times.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress towards the early learning goals at this welcoming pre-school. Enthusiastic, skilled staff deliver well-planned activities through an excellent range of resources which encourage children to play, and become curious, active learners. The spacious learning environment allows children to enjoy a wide range of adult-led and spontaneous activities which are skilfully differentiated to cater for children's varying ages and abilities. Staff respond flexibly to children's interests, and effective key working means children make valuable progress. Each child has a Summative Record containing an "All About Me" booklet, which clearly shows their starting points on entry. Observation, assessment and evaluation are effectively embedded in practice. However, children's next steps are not always consistently transferred into planning which may potentially affect their development. Children concentrate well during the

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and outcomes for children

session showing high levels of enjoyment.

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and outcomes for children

Children demonstrate high levels of confidence and self-esteem. For example, a child perseveres with an apple-cutter at snack time and is praised by staff and children. They become self-reliant as they remove socks and shoes to play in the sand and visit the bathroom independently. A board on which children can display their favourite artwork and other displays containing their work fosters children's sense of belonging. Children self-select resources and extend their play as they confidently request junk modelling, after making Father's Day cards. Children's communication skills develop well as staff continuously interact with them, respond to their views and introduce them to new vocabulary. Numeracy is threaded through everyday activities such as counting the number of children present. Children recognise names on individual coat pegs and on the 'special helper' board. They also link letters to sounds during singing and story time. They follow

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and outcomes for children

instructions and perform simple tasks as they take turns to be measured by the Health Visitor. They enjoy reading in the cosy library area, where signage encourages them to care for books properly. Their manual skills develop well as they use a range of different scissors and mark making equipment.

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and outcomes for children

Children are active learners and enjoy the wonderful outdoor area. They use an inspiring range of resources to develop their physical skills and ability. They negotiate the wobbly bridge, dig in the soil, bounce on space hoppers and crawl through the play tunnel. Children explore mini-beasts and study snails and worms closely. They grow a range of vegetables and soft fruit which they either eat or take home. Consequently, children learn the importance of a healthy diet through planned topics. They have some opportunities to study the wider world, traditional customs and celebrations. However, opportunities to explore their local community are more limited. Children's understanding of safety is promoted well. They wear helmets when riding bikes and dress as fire-fighters during fire drills. Staff promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle outstandingly well. Snacks are nutritious and staff work exceptionally well with parents to ensure that packed lunches are nutritious

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and do not contain foods that trigger allergic reactions. Children routinely wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet and are guided by helpful posters above the sinks. Nappy changing is hygienically and sensitively handled. Children behave extremely well. They show consideration and care as they help each other at snack time and demonstrate concern when a child feels unwell. These activities lay secure foundations to support children's future economic well- being. 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 2 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 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 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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