Ark Conway Primary Academy

Penge Community Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 137331 Inspection date 02/07/2012 Inspector Elizabeth Mackey

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Setting address Anerley Methodist Church, Oakfield Road, London, SE20 8QA Telephone number 020 8289 6771 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

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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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

Penge Community Pre-School has been operating since approximately 1975. It is run by a voluntary management committee and operates from two rooms in a church hall. The premises has disabled access. There is a secure outdoor area accessed from the main room. The pre-school is situated in a residential area in Penge within the London Borough of Bromley. A maximum of 32 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9.15am to 12.15pm and 1pm to 4pm, during term time only.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The pre-school is registered to provide care for up to 32 children aged from two to under eight years old. There are currently 75 children in the early years age range on roll. The pre-school is part of a government pilot scheme for free early education for two year olds. The pre- school provides free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The pre-school accepts children from two and a half years old. The pre-school currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school employs five members of staff, all hold appropriate early years qualifications. Additional volunteer helpers and students also work in the pre- school.

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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 are extremely settled and they make good progress towards the early learning goals. Overall, staff provide a stimulating environment to promote the diverse needs of the children, and assessment arrangements are robust. Partnership with parents and other agencies is excellent. In the main, policies are up to date and clearly underpin the pre-school's procedures. Plans for future progression highlight a very good capacity for sustainability and demonstrate the nursery's strong capability to maintain continuous improvement and, therefore, enhance outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 update the safeguarding children policy in line with Local Safeguarding Children's Board (LSCB) guidance and procedures This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  improve the outdoor area to create a stimulating environment that offers a range of activities which will encourage children's interest and curiosity.

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the early years provision

The staff team effectively safeguard children's welfare. All staff attend safeguarding training and are confident in their knowledge of current policy and procedures. However, the pre-school's policy is not up to date in line with Local Safeguarding Children's Board (LSCB) guidance and procedures. There is limited impact on children as staff have the LSCB guidance to hand and are knowledgeable about the correct action to take in the event of any safeguarding issues. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure appropriately qualified and vetted staff care for children. Overall, established policies underpin the pre-school's procedures and these are available to parents. Staff carry out thorough risk assessments and preventative measures to minimise potential risks to children are robust. In addition to the annual risk assessment, staff complete a daily check and they are vigilant in their efforts to minimise risks in the

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the early years provision

The established staff team work very well together, creating a harmonious, welcoming, and inclusive environment. This results in the children confidently showing a sense of belonging. All staff hold relevant childcare qualifications and most staff have a current paediatric first aid qualification. The pre-school's Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and other staff have experience and relevant training in supporting children who have additional needs. The team organise the space and equipment well to create a welcoming learning environment, which is visually stimulating and offers sufficient challenge. There is a free flow system in operation and children can move independently to the outdoor area. The outdoor area offers a good range of activities, however it is not as stimulating as the indoor environment and offers children less interest and challenge. Children self-select from a wide range of good quality resources and materials, and share their

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the early years provision

suggestions for the planning of activities. Staff demonstrate effective skills in communicating with the children and asking pertinent questions to promote their leaning.

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the early years provision

The pre-school has good methods of inclusive practice. They make best use of their resources and activities to raise children's awareness of differences in others. The staff team work closely with the local early years department and a recent focus on inclusion has greatly enhanced the environment and practice. Information about children's home language is on display and staff are proactive in identifying how they can effectively reflect these in the setting. Staff know the children really well and monitor their progress closely. They respond to all emerging development matters promptly. Staff's engagement with parents is excellent. There are fully embedded systems in place for communication. This promotes consistent and productive partnerships. The team are proactive in working together with others and as a result there excellent partnerships with schools and other agencies linked to the children and their families. The staff team work transparently and encourage

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the early years provision

parents into the setting on a rota basis. One parent said 'this is an excellent This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 opportunity and it gave me the opportunity to see how my child is in the setting and how staff respond to the children'. Development records are informative and up to date. They reflect the consistent sharing of information with parents and their joint focus on working towards the next steps in the children's development. Self-evaluation, led by the management team, enable all staff to contribute so that all are working towards the same aims for ongoing development. Parents are extremely pleased with the care and education their children receive and praise the pre-school highly. Parent's comment that they are 'very pleased with the good progress their child has made at the pre-school'.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop a good understanding of keeping themselves safe as they discuss the safety rules when they prepare to leave the building. Children say 'we must not run', and 'you must hold hands'. Children are introduced to visitors to the session and staff explain why they are there, confirming they are not strangers. Children also routinely practise fire drills and they follow the clear boundaries that are in place for their safety. Children, independently follow good personal hygiene routines and wash their hands before eating. They show a good understanding of healthy eating and bring in healthy lunchboxes. They also choose healthy snacks from the wide range available and help themselves to drinks when thirsty. Children clean their teeth after lunch and they learn about the importance of having good dental hygiene. Children have good opportunities to engage in a wide range of physical activities. They develop a secure understanding about the importance of

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and outcomes for children

regular exercise as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Children are involved with interesting outdoor activities, for example, they plant and nurture vegetables and flowers.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very happy and secure, because their key person meets their individual needs very well. Children demonstrate they feel extremely safe in their established relationships with their key person and other members of staff. It is a very positive enabling environment and there is a good sense of fun. Children show highly impressive autonomy. They respond exceptionally well to staff and show good negotiation skills when playing together. Children behave in a responsible manner, showing a significant awareness of responsibility. For example, they are mindful of each other and careful when standing practising on the stage for the end of term concert. Children access plenty of activities across the areas of learning. They enjoy exploring malleable materials, for example dough, where they practise their finer movements. They enjoy the workshop approach to crafts and develop their confidence making their own creations.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy the opportunities a free flow system offers, including initiating their own play and developing games. For example, when using the dressing up clothes and accessories they engage in lively play, which promotes their communication and social interaction. Children engage in a wide range of activities and experiences that inform them about the wider world. They recently celebrated This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Chinese New Year where they learnt about the meaning of the festival, tasted authentic Chinese food, and danced with ribbons. Children delight in listening to stories and can take books home to share with their parents. The library includes dual language books, which help to support children who speak English as an additional language. Children have access to a good range of programmable resources and opportunities for exploration and investigation. Using large

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and outcomes for children

magnifying glasses they look for bugs and then use it to explore other things including print. Children proudly say, I can write my own name and then proceed to do so. Children are confident active learners and they are developing good skills for the future. 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 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 2 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 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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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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