Bus Stop Pre-School

Bus Stop Pre-School 2 The Bungalows, Polesdon Lacey Estate, Great Bookham, RH5 6BD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/09/2012 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 There is a warm, friendly atmosphere, characterised by busy, well occupied and happy children who enjoy the time they spend at this welcoming early years setting.  Children are interested, active learners who benefit from an appealing and stimulating learning environment and the effective support they receive from skilful and enthusiastic practitioners.  Practitioners establish strong partnerships with parents and engage them fully in their children's learning. They are actively encouraged to share their knowledge about their children's interests and learning at home, for example by completing home observation sheets.  The programme for understanding the world is varied and offers children very good opportunities to learn about nature and wildlife, and to explore different environments in the community.  Unhurried and relaxed forest school experiences bring a magical dimension to all aspects of children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Practitioners do not consider moving interesting activities and resources they have set up indoors to the outdoor play area, which is where children choose to play. Consequently these are ignored.  Use of labelling in the setting in languages other than English is minimal, and there are no dual language books. This means that opportunities for children to learn about other scripts and share in one another's similarities and differences are missed.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the inside and outside learning environment and accompanied children and practitioners on a forest walk.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with the registered provider, manager and other practitioners.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, reviewed other records relating to day-care activities and the provider's development plans, and sampled some policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Bus Stop Pre-School is a privately owned, small family-run group, which was originally set up in 2006. It registered in 2012, when it moved to new premises on the Polesden Lacey Estate in Great Bookham in Surrey. Bus Stop Pre-School operates from a single-storey bungalow, with access to a fully enclosed garden. Children also regularly explore woodland areas within the Polesden Lacey grounds. Children come from the local community and surrounding areas.

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Information about the setting

Bus Stop Pre-School is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from 8am to 5.30pm during school term time, and for seven weeks during the school holidays. Children may stay all day or for either a morning or afternoon session. There are currently 34 children on roll from 10 months to four years of age, all within the early years age range. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language

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Information about the setting

A total of six staff work with the children, of whom two hold honours degrees in Early Years, one holds a foundation degree in Early Years and another staff member holds a relevant National Vocational Qualification at level 3.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 provide dual language books and read them with all children, to raise awareness of different scripts. Try to match dual language books to languages spoken by families in the setting.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 maximise learning experiences for all children by providing interesting activities and resources both indoors and outside to reflect each child's preferred learning style.

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who attend

Children make very good progress in their learning and development and acquire the skills they need to support future learning. This is because the educational programmes offer them a wide variety of activities and experiences that reflect all areas of learning. Practitioners are skilled and have a secure knowledge of how to promote children's learning. They identify children's starting points and make effective use of observational assessment to identify and plan for the next steps in children's learning. Parents are included in and consulted about their children's learning. They are encouraged to view their child's learning journey record and to attend termly meetings with their child's key person to discuss achievements and agree the next steps in their learning. Practitioners are aware of the need to complete progress checks on children aged between two and three years and the information they should share with parents.

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who attend

Children's communication and language skills are developing very well because practitioners spend time chatting with them and asking open-ended questions. These encourage children to think critically and express their views. They introduce new vocabulary such as 'moisture' and 'sap' when they are explaining how the flower presses will dry leaves. They draw children's attention to the 'leaf canopy' as they walk through an avenue of trees. Well-told story sessions engage children's attention because they incorporate the use of props and become interactive. Children are encouraged to make the sound of wind and to create the 'pitter-patter' of rain by drumming their fingers on the page of the book. Children have access to an interesting range of books. These include both fiction and non-fiction items and some photographic books that practitioners have created. Children register themselves on arrival, they find their named place mat at snack

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who attend

time and have access to their name cards in the writing area. All of these routines help children recognise their written names and gain understanding that print carries meaning.

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who attend

Children are developing a secure awareness of number. Some discuss how old they are now and how old they will be on their birthday. Practitioners encourage children to count how many snail shells they have found and how many they will have if they add one more. They display numerals in purposeful contexts, such as attaching number cards to the pictorial menu so children initially select the appropriate number of items. Bicycles and scooters in the garden are numbered and have correspondingly numbered 'parking bays.'

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who attend

Children learn about different celebrations and events throughout the year, and they participate in various community events. Resources reflect positive images of diversity. However, labelling in languages other than English is minimal, and there are no dual language books to help children learn about other scripts. The pre-school welcomes children who speak English as an additional language and this omission also means that opportunities for children to share in one another's similarities and differences are missed.

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who attend

Unhurried and relaxed forest school experiences add a magical dimension to children's learning. They are included in the preparations for this as they help decide what they need to take with them and talk through their reasoning. Children decide they do not need to take hot chocolate because it is not a cold day but that they should take hand-gel in case they sneeze or cough. Practitioners use photographs of different objects to aid these discussions. Everyone, children and practitioners alike, relish the time they spend outdoors, even in the pouring rain because it means puddles to splash in. One child, on recognising the route they are going to take, happily announces, 'I love this way.' Practitioners respond to children's natural curiosity by answering their questions and showing interest as they stop to look at something that arouses their interest. For instance, a child pauses with a look of wonder on his face as a gap in the trees suddenly

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who attend

reveals a view of the hills in the distance lined with trees. The discovery of snail shells on some logs enthuses everyone and they all search busily for more. They notice the different colours and sizes and describe them. The provision of magnifying glasses allows them to look at the shells more closely.

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who attend

Children show lots of interest in the pre-school's new rabbits. They will be involved in their care, allowing them to learn about living creatures at close hand. Children freely access the computer. Some demonstrate good skills while practitioners provide support for those children who are less confident users. Children explore different materials and use them to construct train tracks using straight and curved pieces. They create necklaces by threading conkers onto pieces of string. Children determine how long the string needs to be, and they are helped to make holes in the conkers with the aid of a corkscrew.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The pre-school has only been operating in its current location for a few weeks, but most children are already very comfortable and at ease in their new surroundings. This is because they enjoy secure, trusting relationships with their carers, who treat them with affection and value them as individuals. Practitioners take special notice of their key children. They act in their best interests; for instance making a decision to ask a parent to come back early to help support a new starter. The key person system is effective. Each child is supported by a practitioner who is responsible for assessing their progress, planning for the next steps in their learning and liaising with their parents. Each key person has put together a box of items that illustrate who they are. This innovative idea is an interesting way to help children and their families get to know them.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The registered owner, manager and staff team have created an inviting and stimulating environment in a short time. This meets the needs of the children who attend. They choose where they play and help themselves to a very good range of easily accessible resources. These reflect all areas of learning and include lots of natural materials. This reflects the pre-school's forest school ethos. Children are especially drawn to the outdoors and spend most of their time in the garden. Some day-to-day routines are evolving as practitioners test out the best way of organising them. Overall, the provision for children's learning indoors is of high quality; however, staff do not always recognise that some children prefer to learn outside so have not yet reflected this same high quality in all the outdoor areas to maximise all children's learning experiences. Children behave well and respond positively to the high expectations and effective role-

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

modelling displayed by practitioners. They encourage use of good manners and explain that they cannot hear if children call out. Children receive lots of praise, which fosters their self-esteem and helps them feel proud of themselves. Practitioners promote a 'can do' attitude by supporting children to become independent. Children pour their own drinks and are encouraged to try and put their wellington boots and coats on.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children develop positive attitudes to healthy and active lifestyles. They enjoy a variety of different fruits at snack time and show understanding of when and why they need to wash their hands. 'Cleaning stations' at child-height in each room encourage children to help themselves to tissues and dispose of them appropriately afterwards. Children play on bikes and scooters in the garden and they build stamina on their walks in the woods and the grounds of Polesden Lacey. They walk sensibly when they go out and remember to hold their partner's hand until they are told they can walk by themselves. Children learn about safety and how to manage risk in real-life, meaningful situations. They learn how to use knives with care as they help prepare the fruit for snack and they practise crossing roads when they go out for walks. Practitioners test children's recall of rules, such as what they need to do if they encounter a dog. Children confidently announce that they need to stand

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provision

Leadership and management are strong. Leaders have a clear understanding of their responsibilities. Consequently, the pre-school successfully fulfils the requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Monitoring and self-evaluation takes place on an ongoing basis. The pre-school has been working towards the local authority's quality improvement scheme, although this has put on hold whilst leaders concentrate on the move to the new premises. Nevertheless, they have continued to identify areas for improvement, and there are some exciting plans in place. These relate specifically to enriching the garden area and are likely to significantly enhance the educational programmes for understanding the world and for expressive arts and design. All required documentation is in place and is well organised. Comprehensive policies and procedures contribute to the efficient management of the setting.

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provision

The premises are secure and careful consideration is given to promoting children's safety, whilst still allowing them to take risks and explore. Robust procedures are in place to ensure the suitability of adults working with children. Leaders and practitioners have a secure understanding of child protection issues and the action they must if they have any concerns about a child's welfare or any adult working at the setting. All of these measures help safeguard children.

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provision

As a whole, the staff team is very well qualified with three individuals having achieved degrees. Practitioners take advantage of different training opportunities to develop their knowledge, which in turn improves outcomes for children. The registered provider has qualified as a forest school leader, and the manager has commenced training to become an Early Years Professional. Practitioners work together well.

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provision

Parents are very complimentary about the pre-school and the practitioners supporting their children. They feel included in their learning and especially value the opportunities children have to be outdoors. Comments made include:

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provision

'it's an amazing setting, the outside space is great and everyone is so happy' 'It's so caring and I feel very comfortable leaving my child' 'It's brilliant - staff are really keen and interested in the children and they're flexible.'

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provision

There are excellent systems in place to keep parents and carers well informed and involve them in pre-school life. They receive weekly emails and each child has a communication book that both practitioners and parents contribute to. The pre-school has a helpful website which offers a wealth of information and the 'wow' board is a useful tool to gather parents' views on an ongoing basis. Parents are invited to attend special events, such as a workshop about forest schools.

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provision

Practitioners establish strong links with the other childcare settings that some children attend and they have systems in place to work closely with other professionals or agencies supporting children. This promotes a consistent approach to children's care, learning and development and any extended support. The pre-school has also established good arrangements for supporting children's transition to school as practitioners take them to visit before they start. This helps prepare them for the next stage in their learning.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY445410 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 787688

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 34 Name of provider Catherine Rose Rice Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01372452660

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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