Pied Piper Pre-School

Pied Piper Pre School Methodist Church Hall, Chapel Street, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 4QL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/03/2013 01/12/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 A passionate team of staff create a fully inclusive environment where children are respected and valued as individuals. All staff are highly skilled and sensitive in helping children form secure emotional attachments, and provide a strong base for their developing independence and exploration.  Children play a dynamic role in their learning and show curiosity, imagination and concentration.  Excellent focus is given to learning both in the indoor and outdoor environments and the effective organisation of resources ensure children's success and enjoyment.  Partnership working between parents, providers and other agencies is a major strength and given the utmost priority, ensuring children are safeguarded and their needs met.  Opportunities for high-quality professional supervision ensure that staff continue to inspire and challenge children to do their very best at any activity they undertake.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled 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 made several short and long observations of activities in all areas of the pre-school.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the manager and several members of staff, including the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and Chairperson.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journeys, a sample of planning documentation, a selection of children's records and the pre-schools policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of recruitment, suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.

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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

Pied Piper Pre-School opened in 1986. It operates from the Methodist Church close to Thatcham town centre in West Berkshire. The pre-school has the use of the main hall attached to the church and has easy access to both the hall and toilet facilities. The pre- school opens four days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9am until 12pm and 12.30pm until 3.30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays and Thursdays. The pre- school is open on a Friday from 9am until 12pm. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register, and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four. There are currently 48 children aged from two and a half to five years on roll. Children attending the pre-school come from the local community and surrounding areas and attend a variety of sessions. The pre-school currently supports a number of children with specific learning difficulties or disabilities. The pre-school employs six staff including an admin assistant and dance teacher. Four staff hold a recognised early years childcare qualifications to level 3, with the manager qualified to level 4. The pre-school receives support from the local authority and in 2013 gained the West Berkshire Early Years Quality Award. The pre-school follows the 'Every Child a Talker' (ECAT) programme.

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

 encourage children to develop positive relationships with community members, such as fire fighters, health professionals and other emergency workers.

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who attend

Children make outstanding progress in all areas of learning and development. They benefit from the support of experienced and enthusiastic staff who effectively organise a variety of imaginative activities, which promote exploration and motivation. Regular observations show what children have achieved and help to clearly identify children's next steps in their learning. The skill of staff in assessing children's individual needs through observation and listening, as well as linking practice to theory, enables staff to build on children's ideas. Parents receive regular updates about their children's progress through detailed reports and meetings, and receive ideas on how to extend this at home. This means that they are fully involved in setting individual targets and sharing in future learning and milestones which their children achieve in the pre-school. Children's learning is effective, varied and

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who attend

progressive because staff plan inspiring activities, which ensures that children are active in their learning. Children are busy and occupied in an exciting challenging environment. They receive inspirational support, which staff enhance by staff scaffolding children's learning and skilfully developing sustained shared thinking.

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who attend

From a very early age, children develop a love of books as they sit with adults and enjoy the pictures and stories. Staff take time to listen to children's conversations and ideas with interest and sensitivity. Staff enhance learning by asking well-targeted questions to tease out understanding and then stand back and record the impact of the intervention. Children initiate the majority of activities. Adult-led activities help everyone to develop new skills. For example, children put pictures and photographs into the correct sequence to retell a familiar story or to make up new stories. They often recreate these with costumes and props from the role play area. Children demonstrate excellent pre-writing and concentration skills as they write for a variety of purposes. Many of the pre-school children are able to write recognisable letters and are able to write their names. Children have access to a wide range of equipment that extends their knowledge of information and

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who attend

The pre-school supports a number of children with additional speech, language and communication needs. They successfully implement 'Every Child a Talker' within the pre- school and this is having an outstanding impact on learning. Activities and resources such as story sacks, chatterboxes and rhyme time has been instrumental in helping 'narrow the gap' for those children who find communication difficult. A 'Bookstart' scheme has successfully engaged parents and carers in building on this work at home. Children take home the pre-school bear and then share information with their friends about the activities he has enjoyed at their at their homes. These innovative opportunities give children a wide range of experiences across all areas of learning and have an outstanding impact on their confidence and personal development.

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

Children make strong and trusting relationships with their key person. Pre-start home visits establish who the child's key person will be. This helps staff to ensure that children and their families benefit from a successful settling-in period that is tailored to their needs. The pre-school provides a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a highly stimulating learning environment. Brightly decorated walls with lots of children's work and photographs displayed give them a strong sense of belonging. The staff make excellent use of all resources, indoor and outdoor space to provide a motivating and challenging environment for the children. Visual timetables are well utilised in the pre-school. They are an effective way of communicating the routine of the day to younger children or those who are new to the group. For example, children remind their friends that register time is about to start as they note that the sand has fallen through the sand timer.

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

Staff are excellent role models, demonstrating team work and positive behaviour, such as, good manners and sharing. They promote children's self-esteem and offer praise and encouragement at all times. Behaviour is very good and staff support children through clear and concise behaviour management strategies. Children are confident, increasingly independent and very helpful. The youngest children take pride in given tasks, such as, tidying up at the end of a session. They learn the importance of following simple hygiene routines, and they know that it is important not to spread germs. Staff provide clear messages to children on healthy eating and advocate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. They encourage children to walk to pre-school and topic work helps children to learn about the benefits of a healthy diet. Staff promote children's experiences of their local community by regularly visiting the local places of interest such as nearby parks or

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

animals farms. Regular visits from a local dance teacher, helps children develop their balance and co-ordination. The pre-school has plans to introduce further visitors from the community, as part of their plans to encourage children's understanding of safety. For example, a local police officer.

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

Children confidently use a range of resources to develop their physical skills, as they climb, jump and adeptly negotiate bikes and cars around and over obstacles. Children participate in singing and music sessions with energy and enthusiasm, where they wiggle and wave colourful hand held ribbons in time to the music. There are opportunities to investigate mark making and sensory experiences and children become totally immersed in chosen activities. For example, a group of children experiment with skipping ropes, engaging in skipping activities with staff or constructing a rope and pulley device which they then adapt into a swing. Staff actively encourage children to talk about their experiences of keeping safe throughout the day and include them in managing daily risk as they help staff to complete daily checks. The rich and varied opportunities allow children to understand about safely assessing risks and about how to keep themselves healthy. Older

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

children have weekly physical education sessions. This encourages children's independent self-care skills, providing a sound base for children's future transitions to school.

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provision

Leadership is inspirational. All staff have an excellent understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and are both professional and highly motivated. They work well together as a team with designated roles and responsibilities, which effectively supports the day-to-day organisation of the provision. Their energy and enthusiasm has a positive impact on children's learning and development and results in an exceptionally high standard of learning. An excellent system for self-evaluation and reflection ensures that all staff reflect on their practice as a team to identify achievements and areas to be developed. Targets set are realistic and achievable and support the continuous improvement of the setting.

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provision

Effective systems are in place to monitor the educational programmes. The whole team is extremely effective in meeting the needs of all children and staff are skilful in taking steps to reduce differences in children's achievements. Weekly staff supervision and team meetings help staff in their tracking of children's progress, reviewing their welfare, and monitoring learning and development. The staff's motivation to access regular training, that is relevant and purposely implemented, illustrates their commitment to continuous improvement in the setting. The pursuit of ambitious targets combined with their drive to maintain the highest levels of achievement for all children; supports the pre-schools outstanding capacity for on-going improvement.

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provision

Staff have excellent awareness of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children. Security arrangements are robust. Records, policies and procedures are comprehensive, accurately recorded and effectively maintained. A robust and rigorous recruitment procedure means that only appropriately vetted adults work with children. Committee members notify Ofsted of changes or significant events, in line with requirements and play an active role in supporting the staff to achieve their vision. All staff have attended child protection training through the local authority and the manager has completed an advanced level of training. This up to date training ensures that staff have excellent knowledge and understanding of their roles, both individually and as a team.

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provision

A highly positive relationship with all parents, carers and other professionals contributes to improvements in children's achievements, well-being and development. Staff have an excellent understanding and demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting children with additional needs or challenging personal circumstances. There are highly effective and established partnerships with outside professionals and collaborative working with external agencies is exemplary. These valuable relationships help to ensure that children receive highly targeted support. Staff have established strong links with local primary schools, local children's centres and nursery schools in the area. This facilitates children's effective transition from pre-school to a school environment in order to give children the best possible start in their future 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 action. 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 511121 Local authority West Berkshire (Newbury) Inspection number 846875 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 42 Name of provider Pied Piper Pre School Date of previous inspection 01/12/2008 Telephone number 01635 873814

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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