Beacon Hill Nursery School

Beacon Hill Nursery School The Old School Hall, Churt Road, HINDHEAD, Surrey, GU26 6NL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/04/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children are motivated, interested learners who enjoy themselves and have fun at this small, friendly nursery school.  Staff interact with children in a positive way; they encourage lots of language development and promote children's developing mathematics skills well.  Children have very good opportunities to develop their physical skills through well delivered physical education sessions, which take place at the local school. This arrangement also enables children to become familiar with the school environment.  Staff take care over the presentation of the indoor learning environment, creating an inviting play space with lots for children to do and look at.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Resources to fully support all areas of children's learning outdoors are not always readily available for them to use.  Systems for sharing the next steps in children's learning with parents are not fully developed.

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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 and the interaction of children and staff in the indoor and outdoor learning environments and accompanied children to the local school for a physical education lesson.  The inspector had discussions with the manager and staff and spoke with children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of staff suitability and qualifications and sampled other documentation, including children's assessment records and the nursery school's improvement plan.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Beacon Hill Nursery School registered in 2012 and is a privately owned setting. It is part of the Butterflies Nursery School Limited organisation. It operates from The Old School Hall in Beacon Hill near Churt in Surrey. Children have access to a large hall and adjoining classroom. There is an enclosed outside play area. Children attend from the local and surrounding areas. The nursery school opens Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm during school terms.

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Information about the setting

The nursery school is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 31 children on roll who are three and four years of age. The nursery school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. It welcomes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak or hear English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

A team of six members of staff, including the manager, work with the children. The manager holds a foundation degree in early years and education and all other staff hold recognised early years qualifications to Level 3. One member of staff holds qualified teacher status.

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

 develop further the learning potential of the outside play area by making sure children can independently make use of writing materials, books and other items, such as magnifiers

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

 develop further the systems for sharing the next steps in children's learning with parents.

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who attend

Children make good progress as they explore different resources and take part in a variety of activities. They are supported by key persons who have a good understanding of their role and responsibility and know the children well. However, the nursery school's systems do not include clear procedures for sharing information about children's next steps with their parents.

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who attend

Staff interact with children in a positive way. They engage them in conversation and encourage them to listen to one another, which promotes their communication and language skills effectively. The manager invites children to recall how they have spent their morning and her sense of fun as she asks silly questions appeals to children's sense of humour. Children investigate different ways of using their voices as they whisper quietly and shout loudly. They have a repertoire of songs and rhymes and join in with singing sessions with great enthusiasm. Many children are familiar with the initial sound of their names and they listen carefully when a member of staff uses these as a way of inviting children to go and play after circle time.

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who attend

Children use a variety of collage materials to create pictures and competently use tools such as glue sticks and scissors. They enjoy helping to make up the paints. Staff support children as they experiment with colour mixing by making suggestions and engaging them in discussions about different shades. Children are keen to touch the egg that is inside an old bird's nest that a member of staff has brought in for them to explore. Discussions about how this feels enables children to express their views and allows relevant vocabulary to be introduced. All of these experiences encourage children to express their ideas through free creativity and investigate different media and materials.

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who attend

The provision of some frogspawn attracts the curiosity of several children and they look at this intently, noting that some of the eggs have become separated. They know that the frogspawn will turn into tadpoles and that these will eventually become frogs. Children are able to look at books which detail the life cycle of a frog in pictures to help them consolidate their understanding. These experiences provide children with some good opportunities to explore the natural world.

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who attend

Children learn about mathematics in meaningful, practical ways. This is because staff seize upon every opportunity to encourage children to count and think about numbers, both during group activities and as part of their play. They ask how many children are present and use their fingers to help children work out solutions to simple problems, such as whether there are more boys or girls. Children are encouraged to identify the numerals displayed on number labels and to then jump or hop the corresponding number of times. Some children go on to try and copy the numeral.

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who attend

Garden play is very popular and most children choose to play outdoors. This offers good opportunities for children to be physically active as they run around and play on the climbing apparatus. Children clamber over the wooden boat and investigate different ways of using the slide. They use large wooden blocks and planks, which they move around safely to create their own structures. Some children play cooperatively together in the play house, which, in their imagination becomes a caf and then an ice cream shop. Others investigate the sand and water. Staff facilitate children's play well when they are outside. There are long term plans in place to further develop the learning potential of the garden. However, staff do not consider what else they can do in the interim to make the garden a more exciting learning environment and provide children with a broader range of experiences. There are no materials to develop children's early writing skills other than

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who attend

those that staff bring out to support a directed activity. Children cannot help themselves to resources such as books or scientific resources such as magnifying glasses.

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

Staff organise the indoor learning environment well. They put a lot of effort into making sure everything is ready for the children's arrival and that it is inviting and child centred. Children's artwork is displayed attractively, much of it at low level so it can be easily seen and enjoyed. This places value on children's efforts and adds to their sense of belonging. Children see lots of words in the form of labels and posters, helping them understand that print carries meaning. Staff arrange resources so children can help themselves independently and make their own decisions about what they do. They have also created 'interest books' illustrated with photographs and examples of children's artwork. These are left accessible for children to look at so they can revisit previous activities they have taken part in. The spacious garden provides ample room for children to run around. In addition to exploring the available apparatus, they can also ask for additional items that are stored

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

in the shed. However, the garden lacks the appeal and learning potential of the indoor learning environment.

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

Staff implement good practice to promote good hygiene and promote children's emotional and physical well-being. All staff are very kind and caring and they establish good relationships with children, which helps children to feel safe and secure. This is demonstrated by the way children arrive happily and separate easily from their parents. Children approach staff to express their needs and wishes and invite them to join in with their play. Staff willingly do this. Staff engage children in discussions about the expectations for behaviour, sometimes using photographs as a visual prompt. For instance, they discuss the need for playing nicely and helping each other as this will mean everyone is happy. Staff intervene to remind children about the need to take turns and they thank them for their good sharing.

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

Children understand the need to wash their hands before eating. They enjoy a selection of fruit at snack time and are encouraged to serve themselves and pour their own drinks. This encourages children to be independent and develop their self-help skills. Snack time and lunch time sessions are sociable occasions as staff sit with children and chat.

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

Garden play enables children to be physically active and spend time in the fresh air. In addition, staff take children to the local school for weekly physical education lessons. These sessions are delivered really well and provide children with very good opportunities to develop their skills. Children investigate how to make different shapes using their bodies, such as crouching into a ball and making a bridge shape. They climb, balance, crawl and jump as they make their way around an obstacle course. Some children investigate how to do forwards or sideways rolls.

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

There are effective measures in place to support children when they first start at the nursery school. Parents are asked to complete an 'all about me' form about their children, which contributes to continuity of care and helps staff meet children's individual needs. Children attend settling-in visits. In many cases, children start their nursery school experience by attending The Gables, which is another setting owned by Beacon Hill nursery school. In these instances, child visit in the company of their key person and staff are able to share information about children's progress.

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

The nursery school's focus on helping children understand the need to share, take turns and listen and giving them the confidence to be independent are all useful skills for when children move on to school. Most children will transfer to the local school where they have their weekly physical education lessons. This means that they are already becoming familiar with the school environment. There are good links with the school because children also visit to attend assemblies and reception teachers visit the nursery school to read to the children.

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provision

The nursery school is becoming well established under new ownership and practice is continually evolving. The manager has a very clear understanding of her role and responsibility to fulfil the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is an effective leader who is, with the support of the providers and the staff team, driving improvement. The manager values her staff, regarding them as the biggest strength of the nursery school. A number of changes have been implemented, which benefit children, such as the introduction of a free-flow approach to outdoor play. Changes have also been made at the suggestion of parents. These include extending opening hours on a Friday and strengthening links with other early years settings that children attend. Improvement plans have been devised and are receiving attention. These outline what staff wish to achieve and why. There are good systems in place to support the continuous professional

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provision

development of the staff team. This is being achieved through the development of training plans. These reflect both the interests of staff and identified needs. The nursery school maintains all required documentation appropriately.

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provision

Management and staff are fully aware of their responsibility to safeguard the children who attend the nursery school. They have a good understanding of the action they must take if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. The premises are secure and staff control access. Good use of safety features help to promote children's safety. Appropriate procedures for the recruitment and vetting of new staff and assessing their ongoing suitability have been devised.

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provision

Parents are complimentary about the nursery school and the staff caring for their children. Comments include 'staff are fantastic and they all know my child well' and 'my child is perfectly happy, they come home smiling.' Parents are aware of who their child's key person is and know that they can look at their children's learning records. The nursery school operates an open door policy. Staff establish good relationships with parents and spend time talking to them about their children and what they are doing to support future learning. However, some parents spoken to as part of the inspection indicated that they are unaware of what staff have identified as the next steps in their children's learning.

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provision

Staff work in close partnership with professionals and agencies in the local community and advisors from the local authority. This helps them meet the individual needs of children who are receiving additional support. Effective links are also being established with other early years settings that children attend. These arrangements bring benefits to children because they promote continuity of care, learning and any extended support and mean that adults are working together to help children achieve their full potential.

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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 EY453882 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 886979 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 3 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 31 Name of provider Butterflies Nursery School Ltd Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07866482803

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Setting details

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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