BRANCH

The BRANCH (St Philips Project) Eaton Valley Primary School, Dagger Lane, WEST BROMWICH, West Midlands, B71 4BU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/06/2013 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

 The key person system supports good engagement with all parents and carers and ensures that they are kept well informed about the setting and about all aspects of their children's achievements and progress.  Children demonstrate they are happy and form close relationships with the staff and their peers. They are provided with warm, loving relationships, which promote their emotional well-being and enables them to settle well into the setting.  Children make good progress in relation to their starting points and capabilities. The staff provide a range of activities and resources that supports children's current and ever changing interests.  Partnerships with parents and other providers ensure smooth transitions between the setting and school.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not yet always fully support children's initiated play times by ensuring they have informed choices about what resources are available to them as well as what is on display.  Staff do not always promote children's growing awareness of the effects of exercise on their body during times of physical play.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the main play areas.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and members of the childcare staff.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation; risk assessments, policies, staff suitability, children's learning journal documents and the attendance registers.

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Information about the setting

The BRANCH (St Philips Project) was registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated within Eaton Valley Primary School in the West Bromwich area of the West Midlands. The setting serves children who attend the school. It operates from the community room and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The setting employs three members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 2. The setting opens Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 3.15pm until 6pm, term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 16 children attending, four of whom are in the early years age group.

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

 enhance children's self-initiated learning further by extending their informed choice through the use of a range of strategies, such as a pictorial catalogue of the resources on offer, as well as the resources they can see directly

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

 promote health awareness further by talking with children about exercise, its effects on their bodies and the positive contribution it can make to their health.

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who attend

Staff provide a good range of activities that stimulate children's learning and enjoyment. They have a good knowledge base of the seven areas of learning, which enables them to effectively observe, assess and monitor the children's progress. This supports children to make effective progress in their learning and development. As a result, children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff talk to the parents about how they can support children's learning further at home. They share two-way information with the parents to ensure consistency and continuity for all children on roll. Parents have free access to the children's learning journal documents, which keeps them fully informed about their child's care and learning at all times. Parents are included in the identification of their child's starting points on entry and are fully encouraged to be involved in their child's learning at home. Children's communication skills are well developed because their

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who attend

key person and other staff within the setting, spend time talking to them, asking open questions and encouraging them to think about and comment on what they are doing. This helps the children to achieve expected levels of development. Children can express their thoughts and opinions and confidently seek support as they wish.

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who attend

Children's physical skills are developing well because they have ample space to run around in the fresh air and to be exuberant when they spend time in the school playground. They also enjoy playing physical games indoors with their peers. For instance, they like to sit on the floor and take turns to pass the large ball quickly or slowly to one another. They also like to move with control and have fun as they laugh and giggle during the game of statues. Here, they run and stop, stand still and jump about, showing high levels of excitement. During such times, staff join in with the children, being positive role models, so that children continue to be motivated during their chosen play. Children's listening and attention skills are also supported very well during such times. This supports children's school readiness. Staff praise the children's efforts as they try to win games, show their physical abilities and demonstrate fairness and consideration of others. Children like to

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who attend

experiment with a range of different activities. This includes face painting and make-up activities, where the children can show their creative side. Children's interest in information and communication technology is fostered as they play appropriate games on a variety of consoles.

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who attend

Staff provide a good balance between child-initiated and adult-guided activities. Children make choices about the activities they would like to do each day when asked by staff. The staff also lay out a range of activities and equipment prior to the children arriving. However, during such times, the staff do not always ensure that children know about the full range of resources, toys and equipment that is available alongside those they can see on display. This may, at times, lessen children's very good range of informed choices.

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

Children feel secure because the key person system is effective in helping them to feel confident and happy in their surroundings. Children's needs are well met as all relevant information is obtained from parents to support their well-being. They show that they feel safe in their environment as they laugh and giggle with their peers and the staff caring for them. Staff provide plenty of time for children to be with one another and their key person as well as with other members of staff. This ensures that children develop strong attachments with other children and the adults that care for them. Children enjoy the company of their peers as they negotiate the rules of familiar games or seek support from the staff around them when needed. This demonstrates that children are building positive relationships and have a good sense of belonging to the setting. Children's sense of belonging is further promoted because the staff display their drawings and their

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

Children's skills in self-help are fully promoted because they take turns in laying tables, pouring drinks and handing out the food. They show good levels of consideration as they say 'please' and 'thank you' to one another during such times. Children demonstrate that they have a good awareness of the importance of hygiene as they independently wash their hands after visiting the toilet and before they eat. Staff ensure children are fully encouraged to be involved in physical activity because they make this fun. However, the staff, sometimes, do not promote children's awareness of the positive contribution such physical exercise can make to their health and well-being,for example, by talking to them about the effects of physical exercise on their bodies. This means that this area of learning is not always promoted as effectively as possible.

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

Children's self-esteem is raised consistently because the staff praise them for their positive behaviour and cooperation in activities, particularly as older, more able children show kindness and help and support the younger children. Children's transitions are managed well by the staff. There is a good liaison between the children's key person and staff in the reception class, which ensures that children's needs are identified and met. Staff support children's transitions between the setting and school through encouraging their independence throughout the session. The staffing arrangements are fully effective and ensure close supervision of children, so that they are kept safe while they learn about taking risks. Children learn about personal safety as they discuss road safety with the staff and as they practise the fire evacuation procedures of the setting.

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provision

Those in charge clearly understand their responsibilities in meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and there is an obvious drive for increasing the quality of practice. Children are safeguarded because there are rigorous risk assessments in place to ensure that all areas and equipment are checked each day. This ensures children's safety and well-being at all times. Staff are fully informed about the child protection procedures to be followed in line with current policies. Rigorous recruitment and induction procedures ensure that all adults working with children are suitable to do so. All staff receive supervision monitoring sessions to identify where support is needed to improve their performance. This then benefits all children on roll. There are regular management and staff meetings held to discuss and review practice.

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provision

The management and staff teams work coherently with one another and they have familiarised themselves with the learning and development requirements of the revised framework. This ensures that they can accurately assess the educational programme, including the planning for children's progress. This further ensures that there are no gaps in children's learning and development. Parents contribute to the initial assessment of children's development and have access to their child's learning journey documents, which ensure they are fully informed about their child's achievements and progress over time. Parents are provided with information, both verbally and in writing, about their child's experiences in the setting. They comment on the warm relationships between their child and their child's key person. Parents have free access to the policies and procedures of the setting at all times. Partnership working with other agencies ensures that children's needs

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provision

are fully identified and met. The self-evaluation systems in place have high levels of positive impact on the provision as a whole. The improvement plan in place ensures changes benefit all children on roll.

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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 EY452496 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 897004

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 16 Name of provider St. Philip's Project Committee Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 0121 5533075

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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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