St. Peter's Pre-School, Stafford

St. Peter's Pre-School, Stafford Rising Brook High School, Rising Brook, STAFFORD, ST17 9DH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/04/2013 08/10/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children benefit from a varied and stimulating range of experiences that are provided by staff, who have a secure knowledge of how children learn and how they can support them. As a result, children are highly motivated eager learners, who make good progress in their learning and development.  Partnerships with parents are effective and contribute to children's individual needs being effectively identified and met. They are also effective in promoting continuity in children's learning at home and in the setting.  Children's transitions within the setting and from home are very well supported. This contributes to children developing a secure sense of well-being, in order for them to be effective learners.  Robust safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented effectively and ensure children's safety and welfare is protected and promoted at all times.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not capture all opportunities to support children's interest in listening, understanding and speaking a range of languages.

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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 three rooms within the setting and the two the outdoor play areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager, chairperson of the management committee and staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a joint observation of a children's activity with the manager.  The inspector interacted with children during the inspection.  The inspector spoke to five parents during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation and spoke to staff with designated key person roles and responsibilities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the staff, the self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

St. Peter's Pre-School, Stafford was registered in 2004 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is run by a management committee. It operates in three playrooms in a self-contained unit within Stafford Sports College. Each room caters for a different age group. All children have shared access to two secure outdoor areas; one a hard surface for wheeled toys, the other a grassy area.

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Information about the setting

The setting employs 16 members of staff, all with childcare qualifications that vary from level 3 to 6. It is open from Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm, all year round and provides a playscheme for children under eight years of age during the school holidays.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 70 children on roll within the early years age range. The setting provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. The children come mainly from the local area but a few attend from further afield. The setting currently supports children for whom English is an additional language.

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

 ignite children's interest in listening, understanding and speaking a range of languages by sharing rhymes, books and greeting, using languages other than English.

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who attend

Children are well prepared for school and their next steps in learning because staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of how to promote the learning and development of young children. For example, staff have a good understanding and place a high value on the critical role parents have to play in their child's learning. Therefore, they use a number of successful strategies to engage all parents to take part in their children's learning in the setting and at home. This helps children to make good progress in their learning and development.

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who attend

Parents are effectively supported to be involved in their children's learning through the good range of information displayed around the setting. This provides photographic and written guidance about how children learn and how parents can support learning. For example, information is displayed about the action songs and simple sign language gestures that children are learning. There is a website and regular newsletters that contains specific information about activities to do at home. Resources, such as the book library and 'home bears' provide a further link between learning in the setting and home. This good practice is supporting parents to enhance children's home learning environment. This is an important element in supporting children's future success in learning at school.

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who attend

Parents are effectively involved in identifying their children's achievements and next steps in learning from the onset. 'Special Star' achievement boards are displayed in each room and contain observations of children's progress that parents have made at home. Children's next steps in learning and plans to achieve these are displayed in each room. This means that all staff and parents are able to contribute to supporting children's progress. Staff also offer home visits to provide more targeted support, if needed. Parents are kept well informed about their children's progress through termly formal evening meetings and daily opportunities to speak with their child's key person. This approach helps to ensure an accurate assessment process, which ensures that the early recognition of any possible special educational needs and/or disabilities children may have. It also ensures that children have the focused support they need to make good progress in their

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who attend

learning. It is particularly effective for children with English as an additional language because it ensures that they have focused English language support, which helps them to reach a good standard of English in preparation for school.

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who attend

The good quality of teaching in the setting supports and extends all areas of learning. Children take part in a wide variety of interesting and challenging experiences that are planned around their individual interests. This results in children becoming confident and self-assured, eager and motivated learners. For example, staff effectively extend and support learning for children under two years, particularly when they begin to show a natural interest and curiosity in the things, which they see. An array of resources stimulates children's senses in and outdoors. This includes balloons, cut grass and straw, fresh herbs, fresh fruit and vegetables, bubbles and water. Staff are skilful, attentive and fully focused on encouraging children to discover new experiences and new ways of doing things. For example, a member of staff tunes into a child's non-verbal gestures to join them in playing with a balloon. The member of staff sensitively mirrors the child's actions

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who attend

and adds further actions to challenge the child to move in different ways. This helps to develop physical skills and increases the child's energy and fascination, which successfully maintains their focus on the activity. The member of staff supports the child's confidence with encouraging words and body language. This encourages the child to continue in their attempts to copy her actions. This helps children to learn through trial and error. It also encourages children to try new activities and to begin to judge risks for themselves. For example, after a number of attempts, the child goes into a tunnel to push the balloon through to the member of staff. The member of staff also supports the child's communication skills throughout the activity by mimicking the sounds and words the child makes. This encourages the child to continue to make sounds and say words. She also introduces new words in context, such as 'push' and 'kick', which helps the child to

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who attend

develop their understanding of the meaning of words and encourages them to repeat them, which helps to build their vocabulary.

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who attend

This good quality of teaching is firmly embedded and continues throughout the setting. For example, staff effectively extend and support learning for children aged two to three years. They capture lots of opportunities to encourage and support children to develop their physical skills and make choices. For example, staff are attentive and focused on helping children to choose their activity. Children play inside and outdoors using an array of open-ended natural resources. These include shredded paper, sand, soil and water with containers to fill and tools to scoop. As a result, children explore and experiment combining the resources in any variety of ways they wish. Staff also show children how to achieve specific tasks by showing them how to use specific tools. For example, staff show children how to twirl a stick, so that the spider magnet hangs freely. This helps children to persist and enjoy meeting new challenges, which also helps them to solve simple

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who attend

problems. It is also effective in supporting children to develop confidence and minimise any feelings of frustration.

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who attend

The focus for children to make decisions and follow their own interest is extended for children aged three years and above. For example, children sit in a large group to discuss and make plans for the morning activity. During this time, they are effectively supported to develop good listening skills and a growing ability to express their thoughts and ideas. This supports children to sustain their thinking and helps them to begin to think critically. Children are also effectively supported to sustain their interest over time, which helps them to make connections between their experiences. For example, children use cameras and a video recorder to capture images from the morning's event, which are used for displays. This also supports children's understanding of technology.

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who attend

Children's learning is enhanced by the fun and playful approach of staff. For example, children have fun and extend their understanding that print carries meaning as they use chalk to draw arrows on the floor outdoors, to provide clues for the egg hunt. Staff make good use of children's particular interests to further support this area of learning, by making dinosaur footprints on the ground. This fun approach inspires children to make lots of their own marks on a larger scale. It also captures their interest in size, measure and number. Children's literacy skills are further supported as they become familiar with and recognise their name in print, for example, on their pictures and during self- registration. Staff ensure print in the environment also reflects a variety of scripts other than English, so that children can see symbols and marks with which they may be familiar with. Children also hear a range of spoken language, for example, staff use some familiar

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who attend

words in the home languages of children, who attend the setting. However, opportunities are not provided for children to hear languages other than English when they sing songs and rhymes and listen to stories, in order to support them to recognise the skill needed to speak more than one language.

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

All staff have a secure understanding of how important it is that children develop a secure sense of well-being. They ensure that children receive the support, which they need to make smooth transitions. For example, initial settling-in experiences are tailored to meet all children's individual needs, in partnership with parents. This may include extending sessions, where needed, to ensure that children become confident and familiar with their key person. Children under two years enjoy a particularly smooth transition to their next room because they share an outdoor play space with this room. This means that they are already familiar with staff and children. Parents are included in this process. They have time to meet and exchange information with their new key person and spend time in their child's new room. Visits and transition forms are exchanged with local schools, which promote continuity and cohesion in children's learning and care when they move onto

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

school. These approaches contribute to ensuring that children develop a secure sense of belonging and well-being.

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

Staff have a secure understanding of how to create a highly flexible and stimulating environment. A wide variety of easily accessible resources ignite children's interest to initiate their own play and follow their own interest in all areas of learning, inside and outdoors. This effectively supports children's independence. Staff fully understand how important it is for children to become active indoors and they plan a variety of stimulating and challenging range of activities to support this. Large equipment is set out in the playrooms on a daily basis, including climbing frames and climbing boxes. Children aged three years and above take part in yoga sessions once a week and a dance class once a fortnight. Children aged two to three years take part in a weekly exercise programme, which is delivered by an ex Olympian. These activities help children to become active, develop control over their bodies and help to develop a positive attitude to exercise.

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

The two well-equipped outdoor areas provide sheltered areas, so that children can enjoy fresh air and outdoor play during all weather conditions. Both areas provide opportunities for children to learn about nature, develop a sense of adventure and ability to work on a larger scale than indoors. Children play imaginatively and creatively, exploring and experimenting with a variety of natural and re-cycled materials. These include water, sand, shells, stones, plastic crates and tyres. Children also have good opportunities to develop their physical skills using a wide variety of outdoor toys, such as wheeled toys and balls. During these types of activities, children are supported to develop their undertaking of how to keep themselves and other safe. As a result, children demonstrate a good understanding, relative to their age. For example, a pre-school child reminds another child that the trampoline cannot be used because the netting is not around it.

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

Throughout the setting, children receive good levels of support to manage their feelings and behaviour. All children are supported well to consider others and to take turns and share. As children become more able, they enjoy taking responsibility for small tasks. Effective partnership working with parents and between staff ensures continuity and consistency of boundaries for children, who respond well to these. As a result, children in all areas enjoy harmonious environments, which help to support their sense of well-being. Younger children demonstrate their sense of security and well-being as they show familiarity with daily routines and take an active role in rituals before settling down to sleep after lunch. Children aged two to three years display very good self-help skills as they take off their slippers and clothes ready for their sleep.

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

Staff work in partnership with parents to support children care needs. Information and guidance relating to care issues, such as toilet training tips, sleeping tips and first aid is made available to parents on a one to one basis and through the setting's website. Staff work effectively with parents and medical professionals where necessary to ensure children's dietary needs are effectively met. Children's good health is effectively supported through a variety of healthy snacks and meals. Healthy eating themes and growing activities further support children's awareness of healthy eating.

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provision

Since the last inspection, the manager, management committee and all staff have been effective in driving and maintaining high standards of care and learning. This team effort is based on a good, secure understanding of the areas of learning and how children learn. It has been supported by an ongoing professional training programme, which has included staff undertaking training to degree level. This has led to a good focus on ensuring that there is a good overview of the curriculum through monitoring of educational programmes. This ensures that all children receive the support they need to make good progress in their learning and development. The training programme has also included all staff undertaking training to update and refresh their knowledge of areas, such as the importance of being a key person. This has supported their practice in relation to supporting children's well-being. Staff have also attended training in relation to the

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provision

importance of following children's interest. This is reflected in staff's practice and helps to extend children's learning.

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provision

Safeguarding procedures are robust, ensuring that children are kept safe and protected from harm and neglect. For example, recruitment and vetting procedures are rigorously implemented, ensuring that all adults working in the setting are closely monitored and assessed for suitability. All staff receive ongoing training and have a good knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures. The setting also works as part of a multi- agency team, working together with parents and other professional agencies. This ensures that families receive early intervention and support if needed. Children are further safeguarded through high levels of supervision and a culture of assessing and minimising risks during all activities. Robust steps are taken to ensure that intruders are prevented from entering the premises. This ensures that children enjoy a safe and secure environment.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are very positive and make rich contributions to children's learning and care. Discussions with parents demonstrate how welcome and involved they feel. They report that they particularly appreciate the guidance and advice staff provide. Partnerships with other settings also make rich contributions to children's learning. For example, to celebrate the London Olympics 2012, the setting formed a partnership with several nurseries in the community to create a replica Olympics sport's event.

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provision

Self-evaluation is robust and includes views of all of the staff, parents, children and management committee. This results in well-targeted action plans that support children's achievements over time. For example, action plans have resulted in a 'support worker' being identified to provide targeted support for children, who are learning English as an additional language. They have also resulted in meetings between new key persons and parents, which has enhanced the smooth transition for children moving between rooms.

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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 EY276506 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 911914

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 70 Name of provider St. Peters Pre-School (Stafford) Ltd Date of previous inspection 08/10/2008 Telephone number 01785 240641

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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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