Little Swans

Little Swans Pre-School Swanton Morley Village Hall, Manns Lane, Swanton Morley, DEREHAM, Norfolk, NR20 4NP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/06/2013 11/09/2008

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early years provision

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

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This provision is good

 Rich, varied and imaginative experiences are planned for children. Staff have a very good knowledge of the areas of learning, and a clear understanding of how children learn.  The very effective key person system ensures that children are extremely well supported. Partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals are strong and as result, children make good progress in their learning and development.  Children are safeguarded well. This is due to robust recruitment and vetting procedures. As a result, staff have a comprehensive understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children in their care.  Children are very happy, interested and motivated to learn. They show high levels of independence and curiosity and develop good relationships with the adults who care for them.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Natural resources are not routinely accessible, to encourage children to investigate and explore using all their senses.  Staff do not always provide opportunities for children to develop their social learning at snack times.

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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 observed children during their play and at snack time.

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Inspection activities

 Discussions were held with a committee representative, the manager, staff and children throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and other supporting documentation from parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners working in the pre-school, the provider's self- evaluation form and a range of other documentation.

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Information about the setting

Little Swans Pre-School was re-registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the Village Hall in the village of Swanton Morley, in Norfolk. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from the main hall and smaller room and there is an area available for outdoor play. The pre-school employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, three staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, and one member of staff holds an early years qualification at level 2.

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Information about the setting

The pre-school opens each weekday from 9am to 3pm during school term times. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 31 children attending who are in the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a small number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 extend the opportunities for children to investigate and explore by offering a range of natural resources

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

 maximise on all opportunities for children to develop their social and self-care skills at snack times by, for example, encouraging staff to sit with the children.

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who attend

Children are happy and settled at the pre-school. They make good progress in their learning and development including children with English as an additional language. Stimulating activities are planned that capture children's interests, and as a result, they are motivated and eager to learn. Staff have a very good knowledge and understanding of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They use this knowledge, together with the information they receive from parents and carers about their children's needs and interests. This enables them to plan a range of interesting and challenging experiences, which promote children's learning in all areas. Children have ample uninterrupted time to play and become involved in their chosen activities. This helps to support a positive attitude to learning. They are motivated and interested in the planned activities and they are able to self-select resources to extend their play and develop their

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who attend

independence. The children are very proud of their 'learning journey' books, which include samples of their work, photographs and observations of their achievements. They enjoy looking at them and showing them to visitors, talking about the activities and events they have shared with their friends and staff at the pre-school. Staff make skilful observations and assessments of the children and these are used to identify and plan for their next steps in their learning. As a result, children are making good progress in all areas of learning and they are supported well in preparation for school.

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who attend

Staff have high expectations for all the children. They listen perceptively to the children, and skilfully question them during activities in order to extend and encourage their language and communication skills. Children develop a good sense of mathematics through play activities and during daily routines. They count and match the plates to the number of children sitting at the table at snack time. Children recognise shape, colour and pattern as they confidently put together jigsaw puzzles. They have access to a good range of books and enjoy looking at them with their friends or with a member of staff. Staff have identified that some children are particularly interested in mini-beasts. They have planned an exciting range of activities around this topic including stories, creative activities, songs and rhymes. Children are willing to share and take turns, for example, when they work together at the computer they use a timer to ensure fairness. They also have access to

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who attend

other technical resources, such as a camera, voice recording books and programmable toys. This enables them to develop a good understanding of information and communication technology. Staff provide a well-resourced and welcoming environment to support children's all-round development and emotional well-being. However, the range available does not routinely include natural or different resources, which children can explore. This means opportunities for them to investigate and play imaginatively are less well promoted.

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who attend

Children are supported to settle really well into the pre-school and relationships are good. Staff encourage children's good behaviour, confidence and self-esteem by praising them and recognising and valuing their achievements. They gain a strong sense of the community in which they live. For example, they have been involved with the building of their new pre-school, which is currently being built as an extension to the village hall. They have been surrounded by cranes, tractors and diggers, which has caused great excitement. Children have been given hard hats so that they are able to watch safely as the roof is lifted onto the building. They also observe other interesting and exciting developments taking place on the site.

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who attend

Parents are actively involved in their children's learning and development. They contribute to the initial assessments of children's starting points on entry and they are kept very well- informed about their progress. For example, the staff and parents work together on the progress check at age two and this has been very effective in highlighting any gaps in the children's learning and development. When staff identify that children need additional support, they work with parents and other professionals to make sure each child's individual needs are met. Parents are encouraged to continue their children's learning at home. Staff have devised a parents' information booklet, which suggests ideas and activities for them to share with their children. Regular newsletters and notice boards inform parents of the activities the children are involved in at the pre-school. This enables them to consolidate and continue their learning at home.

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

The staff team are friendly and approachable, which means parents are confident to leave their children in their care. The successful implementation of the key person system helps children form secure attachments and promotes their well-being and independence. The children settle easily as staff work with parents to ensure they have a good knowledge and understanding of their interests and routines. Individual strategies are in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have developed good links with relevant professionals, such as speech therapists. This enables them to seek support and advice if required to ensure all children are supported in making good progress in relation to their starting points. Staff are positive role models for the children. They calmly and sensitively reinforce appropriate boundaries within the pre-school that ensure children are safe and well cared for. As a result, children behave very well and care

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

for themselves and each other and learn to keep themselves safe. Children are encouraged to be polite and staff model good manners by ensuring they use 'please' and 'thank you' when offered food and drinks at snack time.

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

Children have daily opportunities to access physical exercise and fresh air in the area surrounding the hall. This helps them to develop their physical skills and supports their good health and well-being. They are gaining an understanding of risk through activities that encourage them to explore their environment. For example, they use the large field around the hall and also walk into the village to visit the local park, church and post office. Children are made aware of how to keep themselves safe when going for walks and crossing the road. Staff encourage children to develop a good understanding of healthy eating by offering a selection of healthy and nutritious foods at snack time. However, they do not always sit with the children when they eat their snacks to encourage and develop their social skills. Children can freely access fresh drinking water throughout the day, developing their independence and an awareness of how to manage their own personal

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

Staff at the pre-school provide very good support for children to prepare them for their next stage in their learning. For example, photographs of the school children may attend have been made into books, to enable the children to familiarise themselves with the teachers and premises. The staff have established strong links with the local school and children visit the reception class so that they can begin to build attachments before they start. They also encourage parents to share their children's transition report and learning journey book with the teacher to ensure continuity of care and education for the children when they start school.

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provision

The committee, manager and staff have worked hard to review and implement the revisions in the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are well supported by the local authority early years and childcare adviser who regularly visits to observe practice and provide support to the staff team. As a result, staff have developed a good understanding of how they can fulfil their responsibilities. This enables them to meet all the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. There are effective systems in place for self-evaluation. This helps the manager to plan effectively to move the pre-school forward and improve the quality of care and education. Staff are encouraged to be involved through regular staff meetings and supervision. An action plan is in place to ensure continuous improvement, which includes parents and children's views.

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provision

The manager and staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements. All policies are kept up to date and reflect the changes in legislation. Children are safeguarded well as staff ensure they have a good knowledge of safeguarding procedures by attending regular training. The robust recruitment and vetting procedures, alongside effective induction systems, help to reassure parents and carers of staffs' suitability and skills. Regular fire evacuation drills enable children to learn how to protect themselves in the event of an emergency. All visitors are required to show identification, and sign in and out of the visitor's book. This ensures there is an accurate record of everyone visiting the pre-school.

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provision

Staff are keen, motivated and work well together. Their performance and professional development is well supported through an initial induction programme, followed by regular supervision meetings and yearly appraisals. Staff regularly observe, assess and monitor each child's progress. Consequently, this identifies children who may need extra support in their learning. The manager and staff know the children and their families well, which enables them to support them in making good progress in their learning.

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provision

The pre-school has a very good partnership with parents and regularly shares information about their children's learning and development. Information regarding the pre-school's policies and procedures and programme of activities is shared with parents in a variety of ways. This includes a detailed prospectus, noticeboard and daily discussions. This ensures that they are fully involved with their children's learning. Parents and carers speak highly of the pre-school and the commitment of the staff in meeting their children's needs. They appreciate the way staff support new children into the pre-school and also how they are helped to support their children in the home environment. There is an open-door policy and parents are welcome to speak to the manager or staff and look at their children's learning journey books at any time. Parents are invited to contribute to children's summary assessments regularly. This develops the very good partnership between the

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provision

pre-school and home that promotes children's all-round learning and development. The manager and staff are proactive in developing relationships with other early years settings and local schools. This ensures consistency and continuity of care and learning for all children.

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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 EY293252 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 820106

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 31 Name of provider Little Swans Date of previous inspection 11/09/2008 Telephone number 01362 637166

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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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