Easton Community Children's Centre

Easton Community Children's Centre Russell Town Avenue, Bristol, BS5 9JF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/09/2012 12/08/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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

 A broad and balanced range of experiences closely meet the developmental and learning needs of children; staff plan the activities well and assessment processes effectively identify the impact on learning and children's next in development.  Inclusion is at the heart of all the setting does and children including those with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language make good progress from their starting points. Partnerships with parents are strong and wider partnerships enable work well in the support of individual children and their families.  Children are happy, actively involved in their own learning and settled. Key workers in each room form good relationships with children and as a result children form secure attachments.  The learning environment both indoors and outside is made stimulating, rooms are well resourced and welcoming. Children have easy access to self-chosen activities increasing

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This provision is good

their independence and readiness for school.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The majority of practice is based on high quality teaching however, very best practice has yet to be fully shared with all staff and this affects the consistency of interactions that maximise children's learning experiences.

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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

 Two inspectors carried out the inspection.  All rooms were visited and inspectors observed children and staff in each room.

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Information about the setting

Easton Community Children's Centre is a registered charity managed by trustees who are parents and childcare professionals. It registered in 1985 and relocated to the current purpose-built premises in 1999, situated on a shared site with the City Academy School in Easton, Bristol. Children have access to secure enclosed outdoor play areas leading from the four playrooms. The setting is open each weekday for 50 weeks of the year from 8am until 6pm. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 180 children aged from birth to the end of the early years age range on roll. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for whom English is an additional language. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The director is supported by 18 members of staff who

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Information about the setting

work directly with the children. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least Level 3 and one has Early Years Professional Status. The setting has links with a children's centre.

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

 Improve systems for sharing effective practice to enable greater consistency in the interactions by all staff

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who attend

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery because they are well-supported by a skilled and knowledgeable staff team. Babies and young children explore a wide range of sensory toys and follow activities that encourage their curiosity and prompt exploration of their environment. In free-flow activities outside, children thoroughly enjoy a well-planned learning environment that comprehensively covers each area of the curriculum. A group of children come together to draw. They practice their mark making skills, and go on to find the first letter of their name from magnetic letters of the alphabet. A child spontaneously counts the pencils and a member of staff helps them to do so correctly. Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of how to develop and extend children's learning. Consequently, children have good levels of challenge and each child makes good progress. For example, a member of staff effectively encourages children to develop their

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who attend

communication and language skills through warm interactions, open-ended questions and by listening to what children have to say. They sound out letter sounds, and listen and respond with enthusiasm. The majority of practitioners effectively motivate children to be inquisitive and eager to learn through play and exploration, such as when they follow a spider released to the wild. Children develop their own ideas engaging in imaginative play and use language to recreate roles and experiences in play situations. Children happily go to find additional resources, developing their confidence and independence as they do so. All children are generally working comfortably within the typical range of development expected for their age.

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who attend

An effective key person system establishes secure relationships with parents, identifies children's starting points and provides children with a strong sense of attachment and belonging. Parents contribute fully to children's learning and development. Detailed information about children's progress is routinely shared and parents make regularly comment in their child's learning profile. A comprehensive and consistent system of observational assessment in each room means all children are progressing well towards the early learning goals. Staff have a secure knowledge of how children learn, and planning is effective in following children's interests. This enables planning to closely match children abilities and to provide a wealth of well- targeted activities to take children to their next steps in development and to prepare them for school. Room leaders and qualified staff provide high quality interactions with children.

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who attend

However, sometimes for short periods of time when they are not present to mentor, opportunities are missed to challenge and fully maximise children's learning.

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

Flexible settling-in arrangements enable babies and young children to quickly adjust to a new environment and to form secure attachments with their key persons. Skilful staff provide lots of physical contact, warm interactions and reassurance. They know babies routines well, closely meet their physical and personal care needs so that children stay happy, content and comfortable. Staff are deployed very well in general. A buddy key person system provides a second familiar person to a child when their key person is not present. However, cover at lunch times does not always fully support children.

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

Children at all levels form good relationships with adults and other children. Children learn to share and to take turns. Staff provide good role models. For example, a child wants to ride a trike and prevents another child from continuing to ride it. The member of staff skilfully intervenes to provide simple explanation about taking turns, being kind and to offer a problem solving approach. The children hug and happily go about their play. Children make good progress in their physical development with easy access to the outside area for much of the day. They set themselves small physical challenges such as jumping into the sand pit and enjoy being active as they engage in well-resourced activities in the garden. Babies have good opportunities to be mobile and now have additional walkers to practices these skills. Children in each room have easy to access water bottles or cups and this promotes their independence. Mealtimes are sociable

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

occasions with healthy and nutritious snacks and meals. Discussions encourage children to widen their tastes and to think about healthy options.

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

Practitioners work hard to enable children whose starting points may be below others of their age to catch up or to meet expected levels of attainment. For example, staff are experienced in using a range of strategies to support those who learn English as an additional language. This includes picture cards, dual language books and posters, and a precise on-going assessment of a child's communication and language skills backed by a clear plan of support. As a result, all children make good progress. Staff place high value on the uniqueness of each child, their families, homes languages and individual abilities.

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

A particular strength of the setting is the transition arrangements for children moving between rooms. Key persons discuss with parents children's readiness for transfer and children are well prepared through introductory sessions.

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provision

Leaders and managers hold a secure overview of the provision and are effective in understanding and meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

Clear safeguarding procedures and secure staff induction procedures enable them to have a secure awareness of how to protect children if they have a concern. Policies, procedures, and other documentation successfully promote children's welfare. Risk assessments successfully minimise potential risks to children so that they are cared for in a safe and secure environment free from risks. All staff have been suitably vetted. Children become aware of safety issues such as through carrying out regular fire evacuation procedures.

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provision

The unit manager, room leaders and senior staff are well-qualified and have a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements. Educational programmes are monitored through the review of planning documentation and learning profiles as well as through regular line management supervision. This results in a clear line of responsibility for the delivery of the educational programmes. Mentoring of staff by room leaders is highly effective in general, however, for short periods, such as mealtimes, they are not present. Consequently, the levels of high quality interaction are a little variable; and do not maximise children's learning. In part, this is due to the organisation of staff and adult: child ratios.

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provision

The partnerships with parents and multi-disciplinary practitioners involved in providing care and support for children are well-established. Reflective practice takes place at each level of the nursery. Staff are newly more fully involved in this process. Thorough evaluation, using a number of processes, such as a quality improvement framework, staff appraisal and supervision; result in a good understanding of the priorities for improvement. Parents are encouraged to comment through surveys. Children and parents are also able to contribute through comments in the learning profile and through discussion with the key person.

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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 106942 Local authority Bristol City Inspection number 882450

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 75 Number of children on roll 200 Name of provider Easton Community Childrens Centre Limited Date of previous inspection 12/08/2009 Telephone number 0117 939 2550

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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