Park Town Pre- School

Park Town Pre-School Parktown Community Centre, Bailey Street, Luton, Beds, LU1 3DU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/03/2013 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 make very good progress in their learning and development because staff understand how they learn through play. Children take part in a wide range of stimulating and challenging activities based on their interests and linked to the seven areas of learning.  Children have developed strong friendships with each other and the staff. This is promoted through good links with home. All children show high levels of independence, which are supported by routines that are managed well.  The leadership and management are strong. The welfare requirements are met to a good level. Children are cared for in a safe environment. Risk to children is minimised through effective risk assessments, good teaching and vigilant staff.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The resources for imaginative play, both indoors and outside, do not fully support and extend the children's rich and imaginative learning and play ideas.  The use of photographs of the resources and displays of the daily routines are not fully developed to enable all children to make sharply focused decisions about their play and personal care routines.

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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 talked to the children, watched them play both inside and out of doors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to staff about the children's care, development and the daily routines.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the manager about the day-to-day management of the pre- school.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and their response to a recent questionnaire.

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Information about the setting

Park Town Pre-school was registered again in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is operated by the Pre-school Learning Alliance, who now manage the setting. There has been a pre-school on the site for many years. The pre-school operates from a spacious hall at the back of the community centre. They have sole use of the room while in operation. There is an integral kitchen, easy access to cloakrooms and a secure area for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The pre-school opens term time on Monday to Friday mornings from 9am to 12 noon, they operate afternoon sessions from 12.30pm until 3.30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Children attend for a variety of sessions, there are currently 31 children on roll. The setting supports children, who have English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 3 and above. The manager has Early Years Professional (EYP) status.

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

 improve the resources to provide challenge to extend and promote children's imaginative play

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

 establish a selection of photographs to show children the activities available to them and a time line of the daily routine, so that they can be more fully involved in all aspects of the pre-school session.

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who attend

The pre-school provides a rich and interesting environment for children to play and learn. Staff plan a broad educational programme based on the children's interests. The key person monitors the children's achievements and developing skills closely using 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage'. The observations in the children's learning journeys reflect on their achievements. These are used alongside an assessment of their developing skills to form the basis for the planning. The three step process with the Individual Child Progress Checker monitors the children over three terms. This highlights any gaps in children's learning and ensures that all areas of learning are covered effectively.

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who attend

The ''All about me' form is completed by staff as the children settle at the pre-school and as they start to talk about their likes and dislikes. Staff know about the children's starting points. They talk to parents and the children on home visits before they start at the pre- school. This enables them to identify the children's interests and support their learning. This ensures that they acquire the skills, which they need at pre-school and are ready for the next stages in their learning, such as going to school.

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who attend

Children are keen and active learners, they have free access to the resources set around the hall. The large floor play space provides children with an excellent range of animals and dinosaurs. There are different areas to explore with textures and space to extend their play. Children enjoy reinacting some of their own home experiences in the imaginative play area. Planning shows that the area can be adapted to represent hairdressers and an office, so children's understanding of the wider world is extended through play. However, the area does not always provide a rich and stimulating space for children to share personal experiences from home, such as cooking and playing with the dolls using cots and buggies.

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who attend

Children enjoy the well-managed story session. They anticipate the story and join in the well-known phrases that build the story line. Their language and physical skills are supported with actions as children enjoy swishing and swashing as they go on a bear hunt. Children's love of books is further enhanced with a visit to the library. Parents are invited to join them. Children are encouraged to take books home with the introduction of a book bag project. Therefore, their language and understanding are supported to a good level.

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who attend

Children's knowledge of the wider world and nature is developed with interesting topics. Newly hatched chicks are bought into the pre-school. Children can hold and touch the little chicks. Craft activities build on this experience, children access a varied selection of art materials to make very bright and individual chicks and pictures representing their own ideas and experiences. The theme is to be extended with the chicks visiting again when they are bigger and later in the year a hen will be bought into the pre-school, so children can begin to understand how they grow and change. Opportunities to begin to take care of animals and their environment are being developed.

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who attend

Children can use the good quality resources to develop their own play. The dough is a popular activity that is extended by the children as they add plates and cutlery from the imaginative home play corner. Sticks and feathers from the craft table are added to make all sorts of imaginary creatures and birthday cakes. Staff support children's language well, they ask about what they have done and what they need to do. Open-ended questions provide challenge and enable children to solve problems, such as trying to make a ball of dough stand up on thin sticks. Children become absorbed as they try different options with excellent support from the member of staff sitting nearby. She extends their counting and problem solving skills as she talks to them about how many, how long and what do you think will happen next. The outside play area is well resourced and provides children with space, toys and games that develop and extend their physical skills. Children become involved in the toys that

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who attend

represent a building site. They take great delight in putting on the hard hats, moving and lifting large bricks from a wheel barrow into a cement mixer. Children use the whole area to extend their game. They enjoy being outside as many do not have use of a garden at home. The resources and planned activities reflect their interests and support all areas of learning.

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

Arrangements to help children settle at the pre-school and build secure emotional attachments are very effective. The home visits by the key person enables the pre-school to find out about the children's individual needs, which provides them with the background information to build on their previous experiences. Children with English as an additional language and those, who need additional support are beginning to understand the routines and toys that are available to them as staff know them well and can give appropriate help. Children's understanding of these important aspects of their day would be greatly improved with a photographic display of the toys in storage, so that children could make more choices about their play. A time-line display of the routines, such as snack and cloakroom time, would support their independence. This would also help them in making sense of what is expected of them and to make connections with the

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

experience, they regularly take part in. Parents would benefit as they further support children at home in understanding the opportunities that are provided at the pre-school.

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

Children learn about a healthy lifestyle through good everyday routines. The free-flow snack time works very well. A member of staff supports children's language as she asks them what they would like to eat, she helps them to spread butter and toppings. Their independence is promoted as they can wash their hands in a small mobile sink with running water in the hall. Children are fascinated when the tap does not work properly and help staff to twist it back on and try to fix the problem. The outside play area provides space for free and planned play opportunities based on the children's interests and the areas of learning. Free-flow is offered whenever possible, depending on staff deployment. When children ask to go outside, staff adapt the routines to follow their interests. Children enjoy going outside. They are very skilled in putting their coats on, they find their hats and ask for help with their gloves. Outside play is offered in all weathers. Children clearly

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

thrive and take great pleasure in accessing the appropriately resourced outside play area.

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

Children are aware of the simple rules that are in place to keep them safe. They talk about the 'golden rules' and explain what happens when children are not kind and do not share. Children stop what they are doing and put their hands up when staff use a tambourine to ask them to listen. All children take part in 'tidy up time' and take great delight in helping to put toys away. Most of the children realise this means it is time for a story and sit waiting patiently on the mat. Children have many varied social and practical experiences that provide them with the skills to move onto school with confidence.

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provision

The well-qualified and experienced staff work closely together as a very effective team. They are committed to providing good quality learning and play experiences for all children. Effective recruitment and supervision ensure that staff are suitable and well supported in their roles and responsibilities. A good overview of the curriculum and regular staff meetings enable key persons to be involved in planning for each child's individual learning needs. All children thrive at the pre-school as appropriate support is given to them and families, so that any gaps in learning are identified and are starting to be closed.

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provision

There is a comprehensive safeguarding procedure in place to monitor and manage any concerns about children. This is based on the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidance. All staff understand the routines that are in place, such as a robust password system at collection time, to keep children safe. The hall and outside play areas are managed well as effective risk assessments are in place to ensure the children's safety at all times.

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provision

Effective partnerships with parents are well established and are beginning to make an impact on the children's learning. Parents' views are sought with a questionnaire. They are keen to share their views to improve the pre-school service. Parents spoken to at the time of the inspection said their children loved the pre-school and they appreciated the staff and the activities provided, they felt involved in their children's learning. They felt valued as they are involved in outings, such as to the library and look forward to activities planned for the summer. Home link books ensure that staff have regular contact with parents, this supports families in feeling involved in their children's care and learning.

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provision

The leadership and staff at the pre-school drive to consistently improve practice and provide the best opportunities for all children and their families. Self-evaluation and reflective practice is embedded in all aspects of planning and day to day routines. The staff team have a very good understanding of aspects of their practice that work well and areas for development are outlined in the evaluation document. The pre-school are developing links with the local schools to enable them to support children as they move on to new settings. They have exceptionally good links with the local children's centre as the community building is one of the satellite hubs.

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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 EY453921 Local authority Luton Inspection number 886799

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 3 - 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 31 Name of provider Pre-School Learning Alliance Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01525715248

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Type of provision

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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