Chuckles Pre-School

Chuckles Pre-School Keldholme Lane Community Centre, Gillamoor Court, ALVASTON, Derby, Derbyshire, DE24 0RU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/04/2013 24/01/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children make attachments and relationships with the staff because of the good settling-in process at the pre-school. As a result, they settle quickly into the pre- school's routine.  Staff have effective partnerships with parents and others, which contribues to children's individual care, learning and development.  Staff promote physical development effectively. As a result, children are handling equipment efficiently and gaining good control and coordination of their bodies.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff do not consistently expand children's communication and language skills. As a result, children do not always express themselves effectively, talk about their experiences or explain fully what they are doing.  Children's play is interrupted to go outside and have registration. As a result, they are not given sufficient time to pursue their learning or return to their previous activities to complete them to their satisfaction.  Staff do not always make use of opportunities to broaden children's use and understanding of mathematical language during daily routines and activities, for example, through talking about counting, recognising numerals and understanding shapes.

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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 held discussions with the owner and deputy manager and spoke to the staff, children and parents.  The inspector observed free play, focused activities, outside play and mealtimes.  The inspector held a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, learning journey records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with the children, the documentation and the pre-school's policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

Chuckles Pre-School Playgroup opened in 1986 and is on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The pre-school is a privately owned provision and operates from Keldholme Lane Community Centre, in Alvaston, in Derbyshire. The pre-school runs from Monday to Friday during school terms from 9am to 3pm and offers morning and afternoon sessions and lunch provision. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 23 children on roll, all in the early years age range. This includes, children with English as an additional language. Children attend a variety of sessions. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of nursery education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are, including the owner, four childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least National Vocational Qualification Level 2.

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must:

 ensure the educational programme has sufficient depth and breadth across all areas of learning and provide challenging experiences that meet the needs of all children, particularly in the areas of communication and language and mathematical development.

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

 review children's registration and outdoor play times, to ensure children's play is not always interrupted and enables them to pursue and revisit activities to complete them to their satisfaction.

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who attend

Children enjoy their play and learning time at the pre-school because they are welcomed by caring staff and offered a range of fun and exciting activities. Overall, staff have a sound understanding of children's learning and development needs, enabling the children to make satisfactory progress. They gather relevant information from the parents about their children's likes and capabilities, which helps to ensure staff can meet children's individual needs and quickly help them to settle into the pre-school. Furthermore, the information, along with the key person's initial assessments, forms the children's starting points. Staff continue to observe the children while they play and use this information to identify the children's next steps and inform future planning. The pre-school has adequate procedures in place to complete the progress check at age two and share the findings with parents. Parents have regular opportunities to review their children's progress, either at

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who attend

drop off and collection times and also at parent's evenings.

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who attend

Staff adapt their interactions to support children who speak English as an additional language. They use dual language books, display pictures and words in children's home languages to further contribute to their inclusion and ongoing progress.

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who attend

The educational programme and resources provided enable children to access a suitable range of activities and experiences across the seven areas of learning. Children are, developing, generally, well in the pre-school and gaining useful skills for their eventual move to school. Staff foster children's communication and language skills suitably. However, they do not always take every opportunity to talk to children in-depth about what they are doing, or to extend their learning, through purposeful conversation. Furthermore, staff do not always introduce new vocabulary or ask open-ended questions, to enable children to fully express themselves, talk about their experiences and explain about what they are doing efficiently. Children love stories, they sit attentively and listen well and can contribute to the story and predict the ending as staff positively encourage this. They enjoy sitting in the attractive cosy book area. Here, they sit with their friends

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who attend

and look at books independently, turning the pages carefully and discussing the pictures and understanding that print carries meaning. Children sing nursery rhymes and have great fun with action rhymes. These activities, along with learning to write their names, help children to develop their literacy skills appropriately.

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who attend

Teaching in the pre-school is developmentally appropriate; the children are active and really enjoy their learning. They are engaged and show curiosity. However, the children's play is interrupted when they have to stop to have registration and later to go outside and tidy away the toys they have been playing with. As a result, the children are not given sufficient time to pursue their learning without interruption, to complete or return to their activities to their satisfaction.

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who attend

Children enjoy role play that involves using the home corner area and resources. There is excitement and interest here, and this encourages children to use their imagination well. For example, children pretend to make cups of tea and go 'shopping'. They sit at the play table and enjoy playing 'mommies and daddies'. To further children's learning in expressive arts and design, they have many opportunities to show their creativity and develop their senses. For example, they create sticking pictures using a selection of materials, such as, feathers, cellophane, shiny and tissue paper. They thoroughly enjoy this activity and are proud of their creations as they show them to a visitor, showing their building confidence. Children have opportunities to learn about mathematical skills in planned activities, such as sorting objects by size and colour and filling and emptying containers of sand. Children sing popular number songs to help to learn about increasing

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who attend

and decreasing numbers. However, staff do not always broaden children's use and understanding of mathematical language during daily routines and activities effectively to reinforce and promote this area of learning. Physical development is a strength of the pre-school. Children handle a variety of tools to enhance their learning, such as, chunky chalks, scissors and threading toys. They demonstrate their skills of climbing, riding sit-and-ride toys and scooters as they negotiate each other and obstacles outside. To further this area of learning, staff encourage children to throw and catch balls and roll hoops. Children thoroughly enjoy being outside and staff promote their learning about the natural world appropriately. They plant seeds and have opportunities to dig and explore fir cones and shells. To develop their understanding of the world the children have walks around the community, where they visit the library,

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who attend

shop and parks. This also helps them to learn about the wider community.

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

The staff team is well-established and focuses strongly on developing children's sense of well-being. Staff do this by following children's interests. They move to the activities that are attracting children's attention. For example, when adults explore sand with children, they sit on the floor with them and follow their lead. Children, generally, appear confident and happy in the pre-school. New starters settle quickly into the pre-school due to the effective settling-in systems, resulting in children separating from their main carer with ease. Children play cooperatively with their friends and staff take a consistent approach in their expectations for children's behaviour, so children quickly learn what is acceptable. They use positive behaviour management strategies and children's self-esteem is enhanced as they receive praise for good behaviour, effort and achievement.

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

Staff support children's emerging understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle that involves physical exercise and a healthy diet. Nutritious snacks, which include fruit and vegetables, are provided and their dietary requirements are met. Children are learning about the need for good hygiene practices as they routinely wash hands before touching food and after visiting the toilet. They are given time and encouraged to complete a self- chosen task, such as trying to put on their own coat before going outdoors. As a result, children achieve independence in hygiene and managing their personal care. Children benefit from regular fresh air and exercise during outdoor play. Staff thread safety through daily routines to raise children's understanding, such as, learning that sand must be used with care, to take care with simple tools and follow rules when going outside. Children learn about safety through regular fire evacuation practice.

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

The appropriate key person system and procedures for working with parents help to ensure that all children are secure and can build good relationships with staff and each other. Staff support children appropriately, encouraging them to explore and express their ideas. This helps develop children's skills and positive attitudes to future learning and prepares them for the transition to school. This is also supported through visits to the school and associated role play, for example, dressing-up in school uniforms. This helps the children with a smooth transition to school. The pre-school is reasonably well- equipped with accessible resources that promote children's ability to make their own choices of what to play with.

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provision

The management team has a generally good understanding of their roles and responsibilities, with regard to the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are well-safeguarded because the pre-school prioritises safety. The owner ensures that staff are appropriately qualified and the relevant checks carried out to ensure they are suitable to work with children. All staff are aware of the procedures for dealing with child protection concerns, they have a sound understanding of safeguarding issues and know how to protect children in the event of a concern. Any risks to children are managed appropriately, enabling the children to move around their environment freely and safely, accessing resources as they choose. Policies and procedures and other documentation suitably promote children's health, safety and welfare. Staff collect any necessary medical information to ensure children can

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provision

be well-cared for. Accidents and incidents are monitored periodically to identify any possible areas for concern. Risk assessments and daily checks are used to effectively minimise risks to children.

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provision

Children are provided with an inclusive environment and learn about valuing each other's differences and the setting promotes equality and diversity. Processes to help children and families with English as an additional language are effective and families are well- supported by the setting. For example, where a parent is unable to converse in English, letters containing important information about events and other news of the pre-school are sent home for other family members to read and translate.

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provision

Monitoring and evaluating procedures for the pre-school are in place. For example, children's development is audited every three months and reports made to highlight any developmental delay. Staff's work is monitored by the manager to ensure appropriate next steps for children's learning are being planned and the manager completes a self- evaluation. The self-evaluation is used at regular team meetings to ensure all staff have the opportunity to comment and make suggestions for development. Questionnaires are used to seek parents' views and staff talk to children to find out what they would like to do in the pre-school. The improvement in the pre-school is adequate. Staff have identified areas for improvement and have completed all the previous recommendations from the last inspection. The owner has recently introduced ongoing staff supervision and appraisals, in order to provide support and training and to identify areas for staff

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provision

development to help improve the learning and care for all children.

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provision

The management team have established strong partnerships with parents. Parents can share what they know about their child and become involved in their child's learning. There are home communication and welcome books available for the parents to see. On their child's entry to the pre-school they are provided with the opportunity to see all the pre-school's policies and procedures that cover all relevant legislation. Parents can review detailed noticeboards to gain further information about the pre-school and the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. To aid all children, good links have been established with outside agencies, such as the local authority and other agencies. The partnership with external agencies is suitable and the manager works with these agencies to meet the needs of individual children when required.

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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 206128 Local authority Derby, City of Inspection number 909758

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 23 Name of provider Diane Rowley Date of previous inspection 24/01/2011 Telephone number 01332 756918

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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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