St Josephs Pre School Nursery

St Josephs Preschool Nursery St Joseph's Parish Centre, Hind Hill Street, HEYWOOD, Lancashire, OL10 1AQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/01/2013 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

 The provider and staff form a strong team, who show their passion to improve the provision and practice further to benefit all children.  Children are safeguarded and well protected because clear policies and procedures are in place, which are understood by all staff.  Children are well supported in their next stages of learning because staff build secure bonds with children and families. They support transitions well within the setting and build effective partnerships with schools.  Children develop a positive attitude and are motivated to learn because staff provide activities that match their interests and individual needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Younger children's play is sometimes overly directed by staff. This means that opportunities for children to follow their own interests are not always promoted.  Older children are not always involved in resolving conflicts because staff take control and provide solutions. Consequently, children are not fully supported to develop their understanding of their own and others emotions, and identify their own solutions.

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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 compulsory part 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 took account of the views of parents and carers through discussions.  The inspector conducted a tour of the premises, both inside and outdoor.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and children's care routines and held discussions with the provider, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector gave feedback to the provider, manager and a member of the local authority Early Years Support Team.

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Information about the setting

St Joseph's Preschool Nursery was registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a local community centre on the outskirts of Heywood. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates five days a week from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. They also offer a holiday club during school holidays between the hours of 8am to 4pm. This is closed for two weeks at Christmas. Children are cared for in two separate playrooms and have access to a large hall. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 10 members of staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and four at level 2. The two remaining staff are working towards qualifications. The nursery offers care for children aged from two to five years during term time and two to eight years during school holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 66 children attending, who are all in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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

 improve existing opportunities for younger children to lead their own play; observe and respond to each child's emerging needs and interests; encourage staff interactions to have an appropriate mix of self-talk and open questions as staff play alongside children

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

 develop consistent strategies for dealing with children's conflict; acknowledge, name and describe children's feelings; gather information by observation or by asking questions and involve children in finding a solution; stay nearby to give follow-up support.

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who attend

Staff fully understand that sharing information with parents has a positive impact on children's learning and development. They use information about what children are doing and are interested in at home, in order to provide meaningful experiences for them. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning and development from the outset. Staff provide a broad range of opportunities for parents to share what they know about their children. For example, there are daily discussions and parents can pass notes about achievements, which staff use to talk to children about their home. Staff keep parents informed about children's achievements and progress by daily discussions, six monthly reports and formal parents evenings, which provide opportunities for parents to discuss their child's progress. This means that staff ensure they have a clear picture of each child's interests and abilities, so they can effectively meet individual needs and build

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who attend

Children make good progress in their leaning and development because staff provide an environment, which successfully promotes their learning. Children have space to move around in safety and have access to resources that interest them and high levels of staff support and supervision. Children are free to move around, explore and be independent, in safety. This motivates children to learn and develop their own interests, which prepares them for their future learning. Children have access to a wide range of developmentally appropriate resources and the routine in the nursery allows them to choose what they want to play with and includes adult-led activities.

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who attend

In the caterpillar room, younger children decide where they wish to play and staff position themselves close by to provide support and to interact with them. For example, children spend time on their own, concentrating on their play with the train track, these types of activities develop their understanding of the world. When children join together as a group to sing songs and rhymes, they begin to make relationships with others. Staff choose action rhymes and songs to creatively enhance children's learning. For example, when children sing a nursery rhyme about a tiny turtle, they develop their communication and language skills of listening and attention and experience sound and movement as they clap and sing. When children sing 'Once I caught a fish alive' and when they listen to a story about a caterpillar, they count to 10, this imaginatively supports their counting skills and number recognition.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to develop their communication skills by speaking to them about topics, which they know will interest them. For example, at the play dough table, staff ask children to name shapes and when they select a tree shaped cutter, staff ask children what they had on their Christmas tree. Children respond by saying 'we have lights', demonstrating their developing skills of being able to talk about something that is in the past. However, staff sometimes over direct children's play, asking lots of questions, as a result this limits their ability to follow their own interests and guide their own learning. In the pre-school room, children have a suitable balance of activities and when they gather for story time, staff encourage good behaviour by praising their 'good siting' and 'good listening'. These activities effectively develop skills that children require in readiness for school.

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

Management and staff make it a priority to ensure that children are settled and happy during their time at the nursery. There is a key person system in place, so that children can build a bond with one person initially. This helps them to feel secure and enhances their emotional well-being. Parents also complete a questionnaire, which helps staff to find out what each child likes and their routines. They use this information to provide care, which is tailored to each individual child to enable them to settle into nursery life. This promotes a smooth transition from home into the nursery.

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

Staff use care routines to promote children's self-care skills and independence, young children are involved when they find their bag and help to move the changing mat. Older children take responsibility for small tasks, such as sweeping up the sand, which promotes their self-confidence and feeling of belonging. During snack time, children help to prepare food by spreading cheese and butter on crackers, which promotes their self-help skills. Staff have a positive attitude to behaviour management, they have clear and developmental appropriate expectations of children. Children are praised for being kind and sharing, they play alongside each other and together well. When conflict occurs, staff intervene and either distract or provide solutions for children. However, as staff are quick to step in to deal with minor conflicts, older children are not always given the opportunity to consider the views and feelings of others, think about how they would feel and find

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

Staff teach children about keeping healthy and the benefit of fresh air and exercise is promoted. Children have daily access to the outdoor play area, with freedom to move around safely. In the event of adverse weather conditions, staff ensure that children's need to be physically active is met by using the hall. Children learn to follow good hygiene procedures through hand washing. Staff ensure that the environment promotes their independence by providing platforms, so children can reach the sinks and taps. Children follow good hygiene procedures and show their understanding when they say that they are washing their hands because it is snack time.

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

Staff have a very good knowledge and understanding of the importance of providing support for children in their transition to school. They have developed links with local schools and take children on trips to see nativity plays and for dinner. This effectively helps children to become used to the new environment and feel safe and secure.

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provision

The leader, who previously worked within the nursery before taking over responsibility, has made a number of improvements to the environment to benefit children. For example, she has made improvements to the outdoor area, providing a decked area and re-surfaced an area to make it safe for children. She is currently building up the range of resources available for children. She has also made changes to the staff team and recently employed a new manager. There has been a changeover of rooms, so that pre-school children have access to continuous outdoor provision and younger children are closer to the bathroom, which effectively promotes their developing physical needs and self-care. The whole team demonstrate that they are fully committed to improving the provision for the benefit of children and their families. Parents say that they have seen significant changes since the leader took over the nursery.

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provision

The leader and manager of the provision fully understand their responsibilities in relation to meeting the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They have implemented staff supervision and monitoring meetings and carry out weekly management meetings to review the educational programmes that are offered. They have also recently changed the system, which they use to plan and monitor children's progress to reduce the burden on staff. While this is still effective it frees staff up to spend more time working directly with the children to ensure that the educational programmes help all of them to reach and exceed the expected levels of development.

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provision

There are comprehensive policies and procedures in place in relation to safeguarding children. Staff are well informed of their responsibilities. They have a good understanding of the possible signs of abuse and there are detailed procedures in place to manage any concerns they may have about children in their care. This effectively promotes children's welfare. Staff carry out comprehensive risk assessments of the premises, both inside and outdoor, to ensure that children can move around freely and in safety.

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provision

There is a positive attitude to working in partnership with other professionals. The nursery work closely with the local authority to secure improvements. For example, they have agreed priority areas for improvement, such as simplified planning and monitoring children's communication development. Links have also been created with other early years providers to share staff to provide cover for absences and provide continuity of care for children. Staff are skilled at identifying when children need more help and involve parents, other agencies and professionals to meet these identified needs. Parent says that they feel supported by staff, who have made a big difference to their children's lives.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY443075 Local authority Rochdale Inspection number 808341

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 66 Name of provider The Partnership of St Joseph's Playgroup Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01706621463

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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: 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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