South Petherwin Pre School

South Petherwin Pre School South Petherwin CPS, South Petherwin, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 7LE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/04/2013 18/11/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

 Children are happy and settle quickly at the pre-school.  Staff encourage children to be independent and to develop good communication skills.  The staff and committee work together well to drive improvements in the pre-school.  Children are supported well in making a smooth transition to school.  Children engage enthusiastically in the activities available because they build on their current interests.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children are not always encouraged to count for a reason during everyday routines and activities.  There are fewer opportunities for children to explore the different uses of technology when playing outdoors.

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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 observed activities in the play room and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager of the provision in the play room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager of the provision and spoke with the children.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from information included in the setting's own parent survey.

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Information about the setting

South Petherwin Pre-school has been registered since 1995. It operates from its own separate building in the grounds of the village school. The premises consist of a large playroom, entrance hall, kitchen, toilets and enclosed outside play area. Children also use the school playing field and playground, and visit the reception class weekly. The setting is managed by a board of trustees and a committee made up of parents and interested others. It is a registered charity.

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Information about the setting

The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and also on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is open during school term time only, between 9am and 3pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and between 9am and 1 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays. There are 26 children on roll, aged between two and four years. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for three- and four-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

There are three members of staff, two of whom hold a relevant qualification at level 3 and one at level 2. The manager has almost completed a qualification at level 4.

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

 extend opportunities for children to count for a reason and use numbers in their everyday routines and activities to extend their mathematical understanding

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

 incorporate more technology resources that children recognise into their outdoor play, such as a camera to enhance their learning experience.

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who attend

Children make good progress in their learning and development because staff plan a wide range of activities that engage the children well. Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and they use effective questioning techniques to encourage children to work things out for themselves. For example, they ask them to think about where the seeds come from that they find on the ground outdoors. Staff have high expectations of the children and the activities provide appropriate challenges to encourage children to make progress in their learning. For example, staff support children in working together to complete a complex floor puzzle.

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who attend

Staff gather a wealth of information from parents before children join the pre-school. This gives them a clear picture of the children's interests and abilities when they start. Staff observe children as they play and evaluate their learning. They use this information effectively to plan what children need to learn next. Attractive and informative records of children's progress are regularly shared with parents; these provide good continuity between children's learning at home and at pre-school. For example, children who are developing good pencil control enjoy practising these skills at home as well as at pre- school. Staff carefully track children's progress, which enables them to quickly identify children who need additional support in some areas of their learning. Effective partnership with parents and a range of other professionals ensures children get the support they need.

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who attend

There is a good focus on developing children's communication skills. Staff and children enjoy lively conversations throughout the sessions and children develop confidence in speaking in group situations. For example, they talk about things they have brought from home and answer other children's questions at 'show and tell' time. Children are able to count and sometimes use numbers in their play. However, staff sometimes miss opportunities to encourage children to count for a reason during their everyday routines and activities. This limits children's understanding of number as part of their mathematical development.

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who attend

Children make good use of the outdoor play spaces. They enjoy painting, exploring features of nature and acting out familiar stories in the well-resourced outdoor play environment. They have opportunities to develop their physical skills in the school playground and hall and when using the challenging adventure trail equipment. There is currently a high proportion of boys attending and many of them regularly choose to play outdoors. Staff ensure that the outdoor activities support children's development in all areas of learning. However, there are limited opportunities for children to explore technological resources should they choose to do this outdoors.

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who attend

Children are enthusiastic and inquisitive learners. They are able to initiate their own play and ask for additional resources to explore their own ideas. This provides a firm foundation for their future learning and development.

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

Children are happy and settle quickly at the pre-school. Parents value the individual settling-in procedures and find the staff team friendly and approachable. Children develop good relationships with their peers and the familiar adults caring for them. For example, they greet each other excitedly when they return to pre-school following a holiday period. Children turn to staff for comfort and reassurance if they need it. They enjoy having a cuddle or sitting on a lap to listen to a story. Particular attention is paid to ensuring that younger and less confident children receive plenty of adult attention to help them settle into pre-school.

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

Children's behaviour is good. They play well together and happily share their resources or take turns when playing games. They are confident and well-motivated. They enjoy talking to staff and each other about what they are doing or about objects they have brought from home. Staff regularly praise and reward the children's achievements and good manners. Children enjoy developing independence and are proud of their achievements. For example, they like to serve themselves at snack time and they offer to display their artwork on the walls.

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

Children regularly choose to play outdoors in the fresh air and are able to select appropriate clothing to keep them warm or dry, depending on the weather. They learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they wait for a member of staff before going outdoors and use the handrail to safely negotiate the steps. Children are active and take regular exercise. For example, they ride wheeled toys in the school playground and exercise to music indoors. Children learn the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Staff consult with them about what they would like to eat and encourage them to make healthy choices. Children learn to respond to feelings of hunger or thirst as they choose when they would like to have a snack or help themselves to a drink of water.

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

There are strong links with the adjacent school. Children are regularly visited by the head teacher and reception class teacher. They enjoy listening to stories or participating in physical activities led by the school staff. They also visit the school. This enables them to become familiar with the environment and staff and supports children in making the transition to school when the time comes. Reception class teachers from other local schools also visit the pre-school. Staff share records of the children's progress with the teachers to help them get to know the children's interests and abilities.

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provision

The manager has been in post for about a year and has instigated many changes. Staff, parents, children and committee members are consulted and their views taken into account. For example, the signing-in procedure has been streamlined and a covered area created outdoors in response to parental feedback. Staff observe and talk to children to find out which activities they enjoy the most. This information is used to plan future activities. The staff team meet regularly to review and evaluate their practice. They are skilled at identifying actions that continually drive improvement and have a positive impact on children's learning and development. For example, they have improved the ways in which they use their observations to plan activities that build on what children already know and can do.

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provision

The manager closely monitors children's progress and uses this information successfully to enhance they ways in which their learning is supported. For example, she noted that children were making less rapid progress in aspects of their literacy development. The staff team felt that this was due to the high proportion of boys choosing to spend much of their time outdoors. Additional resources and activities were made available outdoors, such as painting easels, water and paint brushes to encourage mark-making in the outdoor environment. The manager also monitors staff and meets with them regularly to provide feedback on their practice and to identify any training needs. Staff are enthusiastic about accessing training and guidance that helps them improve their practice. For example, the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) regular meets with other SENCOs and professionals. This helps her develop individual plans for children who need

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provision

additional support in achieving agreed milestones.

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provision

Children are safe and secure at the pre-school. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that staff are appropriately vetted and their suitability to work with children is assessed. Staff and committee members attend training to support them in taking appropriate action in the event of any concerns about the children. Clear policies, procedures and guidance are in place to support them in this.

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provision

There is an effective partnership with parents. They feel well-informed and value the opportunities they have to discuss their children's progress with members of staff. Staff also work closely with other professionals and early years providers to promote continuity in children's learning and progress. For example, when children attend more than one setting, they meet with key members of staff from other settings, share information about children's progress and agree common targets regarding children's 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 102856 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 813231 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 26 Name of provider South Petherwin Pre School Committee Date of previous inspection 18/11/2010 Telephone number 01566 779476

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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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