Penrith Pre-School Nursery

Penrith Pre-School Nursery The Old School, Meeting House Lane, PENRITH, Cumbria, CA11 7TR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/06/2013 14/01/2010

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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 are confident and self-assured at the nursery where they explore, investigate, solve problems and help each other, developing their personal, social and emotional skills.  Partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals are strong and effective, benefitting children and families through a consistent approach to care and learning.  Practitioners provide a wide range of interesting and challenging experiences that promote children's learning and development effectively. As a result, children make good progress in relation to their starting points.  Self-evaluation of the nursery is very effective and involves parents, practitioners and children. This ensures continuous improvement in children's learning experiences and in the overall quality of the nursery.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The organisation of routines in the nursery sometimes interrupts children's play and learning. This means that deeper levels of learning for children are not always fully reached.  There is scope to improve the outdoor environment to help further develop children's recognition of words and numbers.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed all the areas where children play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed practitioners working with the children as they took part in child-initiated play and adult-focused activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed policy and practice with the manager, taking her views into consideration.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with practitioners, children, parents and carers, taking their views into account.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a variety of relevant documentation, including policies and procedures, staff records and children's development files.

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Information about the setting

Penrith Pre-School Nursery was registered in 1964 and is on the Early Years Register. It is situated in a former primary school building in the centre of Penrith, Cumbria, and is managed by a voluntary management committee. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three ground floor rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and six at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 8.30am until 4pm and children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 55 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, 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 nursery is a member of the Pre- School Learning Alliance.

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

 provide more opportunities for children to have sustained time to develop their own child-initiated activities and become deeply involved in their activities

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

 enhance the outdoor environment so that it is rich in print and number by introducing more labels and signs.

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who attend

Children are provided with a rich and varied programme of activities that are stimulating, challenging and support children in all the seven areas of learning and development. Practitioners have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and observations on children are assessed precisely, with their next steps incorporated into the planning. Activities are tailored to meet children's individual needs and as a result, they make very good progress in relation to their starting points. The key persons know their children well and high expectations mean that children are suitably challenged to ensure that learning is effective and children are well prepared for their next stage in learning. For example, older children are encouraged to sit together and listen attentively to practitioners and each other, in preparation for moving into school.

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who attend

Children are enthusiastic as they explore the environment, inside and outside. There is a good balance of indoor and outdoor child-initiated and adult-focused activities. Children are active learners and remain focused and absorbed in their play. Practitioners value children's creations by keeping them for children to return to. However, the nursery routine sometimes means play and consequently, deeper levels of learning are interrupted as children are asked to tidy up. Communication and language is supported well as practitioners listen perceptively and skilfully question children as they are invited to make comments while they remember their visit to the police station. Children use miniature figures of police officers and people as they re-create their experience, supporting learning and meeting all children's needs. Outdoors, children are invited to re-create a police station using big wooden blocks. Practitioners are highly proficient in helping children to

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who attend

think and remember what they saw on their visit and children work well together, talking and negotiating with each other, helping to build relationships. They balance and stack the blocks, making a variety of different shaped structures. This activity promotes many skills, particularly the exploration of shape and space and problem solving. Early literacy skills are promoted indoors by an environment that is rich in print with numbers and labels in different languages. This means children who have English as an additional language benefit by learning dual interpretations. However, the outdoor print environment is not as well embedded, meaning letter and number recognition outdoors is not as effectively utilised. Children independently access resources individually and in groups. Indoors, children make towers using smaller bricks and estimate how high they can go, promoting early mathematical skills. Children's physical skills are developed through manipulation of

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who attend

the dough, as they squeeze and squash it, making different shapes. Children work together, as they play matching games, taking turns and supporting each other. Children learn to recognise their own names and sound out the letters during registration time, supporting early literacy skills. They have opportunities to draw and make marks on a large scale when playing outside, which promotes exploration of materials and creativity while developing their hand and eye coordination.

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who attend

Parents are made to feel very welcome in the nursery and are totally involved in their children's learning. Children's key persons have opportunities to discuss children's individual needs on a daily basis. Information regarding children's learning is shared through a home/link diary and parents have opportunities to make comments about their children's learning and activities experienced at home. Parents are very complimentary regarding the nursery and express their delight at how key persons support children in helping them to achieve and develop self-confidence. Children therefore benefit highly from strong links between the nursery and the home as learning is reinforced, meaning they make very good progress throughout their time at the nursery.

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

Relationships between practitioners and children are very strong in the nursery. Practitioners are deployed well and children confidently work independently or alongside their key person. They discuss ideas, share their interests and experiences, take part in specifically planned activities and develop skills in learning their letters and sound recognition. Consequently, children thrive in an environment that supports their emotional well-being, promoting self-confidence and self-awareness. Children know the routine well and happily move between activities and experiences, helping to tidy up and taking responsibility for certain tasks. Children show high levels of independence as table monitors put on their aprons before cleaning the tables for snack. They proudly and independently count the chairs and collect the corresponding number of cups and plates in preparation for snack time.

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

Practitioners support children well in learning about how to manage their own and others behaviour. Clear and consistent guidance is given to all children. Explanations are provided, depending on their age and stage of development, by practitioners who have a good understanding of child development. For example, younger children are motivated to listen for shorter periods by practitioners who sit at their level and use tactics, such as, tapping knees and singing. Children are supported in managing their feelings through resources, such as puppets and books. Practitioners demonstrate good role modelling as they show empathy and understanding towards children and each other. Healthy eating practices are promoted extremely well through clear communication between the nursery, children and families. Parents are informed about how to pack a healthy lunch. Posters on the wall reinforce the messages and children demonstrate their emerging understanding

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

of what is healthy and unhealthy, as they discuss items of food with practitioners at lunch time. Children are provided with many opportunities to develop their large and small physical skills. Outside children build with big blocks, climb on the frames, pedal trikes and trucks up and down the slopes, dig in the garden, make dens and draw and create pictures on a large scale. Children have opportunities to use bigger, more elaborate equipment when they visit other play areas. This also helps them to learn about keeping safe as they practise their growing skills.

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

Children are supported in managing their own risk as they negotiate the outside steps, under the supervision of practitioners. They learn to work well together and to keep each other safe when they are building with the big blocks, and are praised for looking out for each other. Children demonstrate their understanding of why they need to wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating food, for example, they say, 'germs are really tiny and we cannot see them, but we still need to wash them away.' Children are well prepared as they move through the nursery and prepare for school. For example, children can attend parent and toddler group, which is held on the same premises and run by nursery practitioners alongside parents. Children, therefore, become familiar with the environment and practitioners before transferring to the nursery. Highly skilled practitioners, who understand children well, establish strong attachments because they

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

remain with their key children throughout their time at the nursery, meaning internal transitions are seamless. Children moving into school are supported well by practitioners who talk to children and parents about their impending move, prepare them by doing activities that relate to school routines and promote independence and self-help skills. Teachers are invited to the nursery to talk to children, and key persons visit schools with their children, if appropriate and necessary. Consequently, children become comfortable and familiar with other adults and surroundings.

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provision

The manager and practitioners of the nursery have an excellent knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Planning for children shows clearly the next steps needed to support children's individual learning based on accurate observational assessments. These are monitored carefully, between the manager and children's key persons. Consequently, children' make very good progress towards the early learning goals regardless of their age, stage of development and ability. The manager is fully trained in working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She works closely with other professionals to ensure that children receive any extra support, as necessary.

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provision

The nursery is well organised to ensure that children are kept safe and secure. The safeguarding and welfare requirements are rigorously adhered to by committee members and practitioners, who fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Policies and procedures are reviewed regularly, monitored by the management committee and shared with parents, carers and staff, ensuring the safe and efficient management of the nursery. Children are protected from harm and abuse by practitioners who are fully trained in safeguarding and understand the procedures to follow should they have concerns about any children. Completed risk assessments on all areas of the nursery and equipment are reviewed annually, meaning children can play confidently and safely at all times. Managers ensure that recruitment processes are robust to ensure that practitioners working with children are well-qualified and suitably vetted through Disclosure and Barring Service

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provision

checks. Self-evaluation is strong in the nursery because managers and practitioners have a high level of awareness of their strengths and areas to develop. They continually evaluate their practice and make improvements to develop the provision to suit children and families. Ongoing external developments are taking place in the outdoors, with plans for toilets to be incorporated inside the building, in the near future. Children and parents are invited to share their views and opinions of the nursery and amendments are made to the internal environment to meet children's needs and support their achievements over time.

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provision

Practitioners are very well supported by managers in the nursery. Daily contact and regular supervision meetings ensure that discussions regarding children's development and other issues are effectively shared and decisions made to the best possible outcome. Annual appraisals ensure that staff are helped to develop professionally and personally and set objectives mean that professional development is targeted to meet individual needs. Consequently, children benefit through highly qualified and well-trained professionals. Managers have established highly effective partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals, which mean children have consistency in their care and learning. For example, parents receive a wealth of information when their children first start at the nursery. Subsequently, they are invited to attend progress meetings, receive newsletters and further information, which helps them support their children at home. The manager

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provision

has a good understanding of multiagency working to ensure that any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully supported by all those involved in their care and education.

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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 317572 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 872025

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 55 Name of provider Penrith Pre-School Nursery Committee Date of previous inspection 14/01/2010 Telephone number 01768 890272

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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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