Thurston Childcare

Thurston Pre-School Cavendish Hall, Church Road, Thurston, BURY ST. EDMUNDS, Suffolk, IP31 3RU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/09/2012 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

 Staff have a good knowledge of individual children and through observations are developing a clear picture on new children and their individual interests.  Staff work well with parents to identify children's likes, dislikes and interests and there is a strong emphasis on two way communication to ensure that children are fully supported.  Planning is effective to ensure the range of activities and resources offer a balance across the seven areas of learning.  Children are developing good self-care skills; they can manage their own toileting needs, wash their hands, choose when they want to eat a snack, select their own cups/plates and pour their own drinks.  High staff ratios ensure that children are supervised at all times; the large hall allows for wide range of activities to be set out within children's reach, allowing them to make choices in what they play with.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff are not yet secure in undertaking the progress check at age two, to highlight areas where children are progressing well and to identify any areas of concern.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the main play area and the garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the manager and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journeys, the pre-school's documentation for the self-evaluation, policies and procedures and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views of several parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Thurston Pre-school registered 2012. The pre-school is managed by a voluntary committee made up of parents of children who attend the pre-school. It operates from a large community room within Cavendish Hall in the village of Thurston in Suffolk. The building has ramps leading to the main entrance doors and there are accessible toilets available. A secure enclosed outdoor area is used for outdoor activities. The pre-school is open each weekday morning from 8.50am to 11.50am, with an additional afternoon session on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 12.20pm to 3.20pm. A lunch club is also available on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 11.50am to 12.20pm. The pre-school operates during school term times only. The pre-school is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register. There are currently 37 children in the early years age range on roll. Children live in the local area and attend for a variety of sessions. The pre-

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Information about the setting

school is in receipt of nursery funding for early education. The staff currently support a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and have strategies in place to support children who are learning English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

There are six members of staff, including the manager that work regularly with the children. There are also nine staff that cover for staff sickness/holidays, four of whom hold early years qualifications.

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

 develop staff's knowledge in reviewing each child's development to inform the progress check at age two.

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who attend

Staff gather useful information from parents when children first start at the pre-school, to help in establishing children's starting points and to identify their interests. Through this, and careful observations and assessment of children, staff plan and provide a range of activities that take into account children's individual stages of development and their interests. There is a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities provided at all sessions. Each child has a 'learning journey' that is used effectively to record observations, identify the next steps in their learning and to inform the continuous provision that is planned for, and provided, each week. Staff use a tracker monitoring sheet to ensure that all seven areas of learning are covered and that children have a balanced curriculum. However, although training is planned, staff are not yet fully confident in carrying out the recently introduced progress check at age two.

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who attend

Children's language development is fostered through group activities and they take part in adult-led 'speaking and listening' activities, such as sound lotto. Children are encouraged to listen to the sound and it is repeated for them to listen again if they need to. Children are asked to identify the sound and staff stop the CD player to ensure that they have sufficient time to put their thoughts into words. Older children provide help and support to younger children, through pointing out the animal if younger children cannot link the sound to the animal on their card. This shows that children are developing their understanding on how to care for others.

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who attend

Children are supported to understand that letters have meaning, as they find their name card on arrival to self-register. There are words and labels around the pre-school to help support their interest in literacy and staff read stories that children have chosen. Use of the mathematics area and counting how many children are present, helps children to develop their understanding of number. In addition they compare groups, shape and size, when completing puzzles.

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

Children benefit from a wide range of activities and resources, which are set out on the floor and on low tables in the main play area. This encourages children's independence and allows them to make choices. They are learning respect for their environment, as they are encouraged to help tidy away resources at the end of the session. Children have free access to the outside play area, where they explore their environment, blow bubbles and dig in the sand and the designated garden area. They ride balance bikes and push wheelbarrows filled with dirt, which supports their physical skills and helps to promote their health through exercising in fun ways. There is a well-established key person system that helps staff to get to know their individual children well, so that they can plan activities that meet their interests and provide appropriate challenges to meet the next steps in their learning across all the seven areas.

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

Staff complete a daily checklist on all areas used by children to ensure that the premises are secure and that there are no accessible hazards. The golden rules are discussed with children so that they can learn expected codes of behaviour. Staff are good role models, as they provide examples of good manners to children during their play and at snack time. Children learn about other cultures and beliefs through undertaking a range of activities on world celebrations. They have access to a range of resources that also helps to promote their understanding of peoples' differences. Children are provided with a range of healthy food to promote their health and parents are encouraged to include healthy options in children's packed lunches. Children develop their creativity as they dip marbles into paint and observe the patterns they make when rolled across paper. Children access tools to help support their dexterity as they cut, roll and manipulate play dough.

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provision

The committee fully support staff in their training and continued professional development. For example, staff are booked on training to develop their knowledge and understanding on how to complete the newly introduced progress check on two-year-old children, who have started this term. The committee and all staff work well together to evaluate and identify areas for improvement. The staff are committed to providing good quality care and learning for children, through attending training to extend their knowledge. The staff have weekly meetings to discuss planning and meeting children's individual learning needs. Staff are given time each week to write up observations on children's learning to support their on-going progress. Parents' views are sought through questionnaires and they can join the committee in order to help with evaluating the setting's strengths and identifying areas for development. The staff have received support

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provision

from the local authority and are developing a clear action plan to set targets to measure their impact on outcomes for children.

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provision

The safeguarding and welfare requirements are fully understood by all staff and there are effective procedures in place to safeguard children and promote their welfare. All staff have a good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and have undertaken training to ensure that they are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and know how to report any concerns. There are regular parents evenings, so parents can come in to view their child's learning journey records and talk to staff about their progress. Parents are asked for feedback to help the pre-school in making continued improvements to their practice to benefit children. The pre-school has developed clear procedures to exchange information with other settings that children attend. Teachers from the local primary schools come in to meet the children who have regular visits to the school that they will attend. Staff exchange information with children's key person at the settings to ensure

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provision

that they are working towards the same goals.

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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 EY442936 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 782666

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 37 Name of provider Thurston Pre-School Limited Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07743 134 734

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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. 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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