St. Joseph's Pre-School (Bishop's Stortford) Limited

St Joseph's Pre-School St. Josephs Catholic Primary School, Great Hadham Road, BISHOP'S STORTFORD, Hertfordshire, CM23 2NL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/05/2013 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

 Children are happy, settled and build secure friendships and relationships with staff and peers. As a result, their overall well-being is promoted.  Children behave well. Their self-esteem and confidence are promoted through consistent praise and encouragement, by staff promoting their personal, social and emotional development.  Children's safety and overall well-being is encouraged because the co-managers use effective recruitment, induction and performance management systems to support staff in improving their knowledge, understanding and practice. Consequently, the safeguarding and welfare requirements are met.  Children use the stimulating and well-resourced inside and outside areas and they take part in a range of experiences, which support their development through play.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for children with English as an additional language to converse through non-verbal communications, such as photographic timelines, are not consistent to promote their rapidly developing language skills.  There is scope to further develop the very good relationships with other primary schools in the community, to consistently enhance the transition to school for all children.

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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 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 spoke with the co-managers, staff, parents and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of policies, procedures and photographic learning journals of children joining in with different activities.  The inspector observed activities in the inside and outside areas of the pre-school.

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Information about the setting

St Joseph's Pre-school was registered in 1981 and registered again, because of a change in company name in 2012. The pre-school is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a portable cabin within the grounds of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in the residential area of Bishops Stortford and is privately managed by two co-owners. The pre-school serves the local area and surrounding villages and is accessible to all children. The pre-school operates from one main play room and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play via steps or a ramp.

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Information about the setting

The pre-school opens Monday to Friday term time only and sessions are from 9am until 3.15pm, with children attending for a variety of sessions. There are 56 children on roll and the setting provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above and one of the managers has a level 4 qualification.

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

 develop further opportunities for children with English as an additional language to consistently converse through non-verbal communications, such as photographic timelines

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

 develop relationships with other primary schools in the community so that children's transitions to school are further enhanced.

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who attend

Children are developing well across all areas of learning and the educational programmes for the prime and specific areas of learning are planned for. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They use guidance, such as, Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage, when observing children and assessing the progress they make. Activities are organised around weekly themes with children's individual interests and next steps fully incorporated. As a result, children are engaged in their learning, they have fun and they demonstrate good concentration skills. An example of this is when children show an interest in some aspects of nature while playing outside. The staff follow the children's lead and, although, currently looking at a seaside theme extend the children's interests in nature. They provide a range of natural materials including wood and some small life like bugs and

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who attend

creatures. Children use magnifying glasses to look closely at the bugs and are encouraged by staff to talk about the different ways in which they move. Subsequently, children learn across all areas of learning and their individual needs are well supported, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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who attend

Staff use opportunities, such as, story time, to encourage children's speech and language. They consistently repeat words in the stories they read and ask children challenging questions after the story to encourage their thinking, while giving further opportunities to speak and listen to others. Children with English as an additional language make progress and are well supported with a range of dual books, which they can access independently. Staff speak clearly and slowly with children to ensure that they begin to understand the English language. However, there is scope to improve opportunities for children to converse with staff and become familiar with the pre-school routines through photographic timelines or flash cards. Older children are helped in their letter formation and writing and staff are very encouraging with this. For example, children writing their names back to front are praised for their efforts and supported effectively in learning to write these the

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who attend

correct way. Consequently, children's self-confidence is promoted.

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who attend

Staff motivate children in their learning and are enthusiastic in their role. For example, as children take part in daily physical exercise, staff eagerly join in with them, moving around the room and singing to the taped music. Children thrive on this as they smile, sing and move their bodies while improving their good physical development. During free flow opportunities children choose to use a range of resources inside and outside. They have a variety of bikes and trikes, along with climbing apparatus outside. As a result, children can negotiate space effectively, adjusting their speed or direction to avoid obstacles.

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who attend

Good relationships with parents enable staff to settle children in to pre-school effectively. Parents are asked to share everything they can with staff who recently introduced new systems to expand the information received. This means that staff are very knowledgeable about each child's starting points. Parents are encouraged to use the 'open door' policy of the pre-school to ensure that they are fully aware of their children's achievements and progress. Staff effectively monitor and evaluate observations, assessments and planning to ensure that children are working comfortably within the typical range of development expected for their ages. This means that children make good progress, overall, and this supports their readiness for school.

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

Children's behaviour is good and they are encouraged to share and take turns with their friends. Staff consistently praise children and appropriate behaviour is promoted as children are encouraged to work things out for themselves in some situations. For example, when two children both want to put on the same dressing up hat a member of staff asks them what they think they could do. Children reply with 'take turns' and continue happily. Children are forming good friendships with their peers and they are overheard talking of visiting each other's houses after pre-school. Furthermore, children kindly ask others to sit next to them as they prepare for a story. Effective bonds and attachments with staff are in place with young children demonstrating a feeling of security within the setting. For example, they enjoy a spontaneous cuddle while building the train track with a member of staff.

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

The key person system is effective in ensuring that staff know their children well and this supports relationships between staff and parents. Children settle with ease at the pre- school and are happy because staff take the required time to get to know them and their families. Most children go from the pre-school to the linked primary school so are aware of school procedures and how it operates before moving on. The staff share school book bags and photographs of the rooms, which children will use as they prepare for school. Furthermore, during outside play children can speak with school age children over the small fence that divides pre-school from primary school. However, there is scope to develop transitions to other schools in the community to ensure that all children are as prepared for their transition as those attending the linked school.

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

Children are encouraged to make independent choices about their play and they have fun creating their own games with a range of imaginative resources in the home corner. For example, some children pretend they are at the hairdressers, while others eat at a restaurant. Children take some responsibility for risk assessing as they learn about keeping safe. They talk with staff about dangers and risks as they use various resources and equipment, such as the sand, and how this can be dangerous if thrown. As a result, children's understanding of safety is promoted and they develop an awareness of risks. Children are given regular opportunities for fresh air and exercise as they use the well- equipped outside area, accessing fresh drinking water while outside or when they come in. They learn about being healthy and enjoy a selection of fresh, nutritious snacks, such as fruit, vegetables and dips on a daily basis. Children learn about self-care routines as they

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

get ready for outside play and use the bathroom independently. In addition to this they are encouraged with using tissues independently.

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provision

Staff have regular team and one-to-one meetings with the co-owners to ensure that they can discuss their role, responsibilities and professional development. They have effective systems in place to monitor and evaluate the learning and development requirements. As a result, children's needs are met through staff observations, assessments and relevant planning to ensure that children's next steps are promoted. Consequently, this means that gaps are closed and interventions determined. The well-established staff team work well together ensuring that the safeguarding and welfare requirements are met and children are protected. The two co-owners provide robust recruitment, vetting and induction procedures to ensure that staff working with children are suitable to do so. This means that staff have the relevant Disclosure Barring Service check clearances, appropriate experience and suitable qualifications to protect children's overall well-being. Staff have

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provision

completed additional training to further develop their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding children and there are designated staff to deal with any concerns that arise.

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provision

The staff team work together to monitor and self-evaluate the pre-school and action development plans are created to secure continuous improvement throughout the setting. One example of this is the restructuring of children's individual learning journeys. These photographic journeys have been reviewed and updated to provide more quality information for parents to see where children are developing and parental comments in these are actively invited. As a result, self-evaluation clearly identifies areas for improvement.

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provision

Relationships with other providers delivering the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are, mostly, good. Daily communication is promoted with childminder's and all pre-schools in the area get together to share good practice and promote consistency. In addition to this staff work closely with other agencies, such as the local authority development workers and special educational needs coordinators, to effectively support families.

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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 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 EY457400 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 895726 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 56 Name of provider St Joseph's Pre-School (Bishop's Stortford) Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07720 948441

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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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