Morris Minors Pre-School

Morris Minors Pre-School TS Renown, Sea Cadet HQ, Watford Road, Croxley Green, RICKMANSWORTH, Hertfordshire, WD3 3DG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/07/2013 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

 Teaching is strong as all practitioners have a secure knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They plan appropriate activities and carefully monitor children's development. Therefore, they can ensure that all children are supported well and make good progress.  The key person system is used well, promoting good partnerships with parents and aiding practitioners in getting to know each child. This helps children to feel secure and settled and supports them in developing a positive attitude to their play and learning.  Children respond positively to the sensitive, well-timed interaction from practitioners. This promotes the development of their communication and social skills, aiding them in interacting and in forming appropriate relationships.  The setting's work with children who have special educational needs is of particular note. Children are well supported in taking a meaningful part in activities and daily

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This provision is good

routines, thus enhancing their enjoyment and promoting their learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children are not always able to independently access an extended range of resources outside. This means that their learning in this area is not extended to the optimum.  Partnership working with other providers is not fully developed to include the consistent sharing of detailed information to further inform activity planning.

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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 activities in the main room and in the outside area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the setting owner/manager and the deputy manager, and carried out a joint observation with the owner/manager.  The inspector talked to the children present.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners working within the setting, the provider's self- evaluation form and a range of other documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Morris Minors Pre-school has been in operation since 1998 and was re-registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register. It is situated in the Sea Cadets unit in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, and is managed by a private provider. The setting serves the local and neighbouring area and is accessible to all children. It operates from one main room and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The setting employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 2 and nine hold qualifications at level 3 or above, including one staff member with Early Years Professional Status.

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Information about the setting

The setting opens Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am to 12.15pm and from 1pm to 3.30pm, with the option of a lunch club from 12.15pm to 1pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 75 children attending who are in the early years age group. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of 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 children's access to resources in the outdoor area, enabling them to make further choices that enhance their learning and promote their all-round development

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

 develop further the arrangements for information and partnership working with other people who care for the children, with particular regard to childminders.

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who attend

Teaching techniques are strong because practitioners have a thorough understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children make good progress and are consistently offered effective support because practitioners take care to get to know each child as an individual. This contributes to children feeling happy and secure and being eager to play and learn. Children are supported well in developing the skills they need in order to learn effectively and to achieve. Practitioners' genuine enthusiasm for their work creates a positive atmosphere to which children respond by showing a real interest in activities. For example, children sit together for a group story. They start off indoors and act out the different parts of the story. The practitioner then leads the children outside as the story progresses. The children become completely engrossed and join in with some of the familiar phrases and words. They are so captivated by this story that many of them

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who attend

continue to discuss it while eating their lunch.

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who attend

Good procedures to gather a range of initial information from parents mean that children's starting points are assessed well. This information is used to inform the planning and to help monitor children's progress. The setting's good communication procedures mean that parents have opportunities to share daily news and updates about their children and regularly view their child's assessment files. The setting also supports parents well in extending their child's learning at home. For example, children and parents have weekly opportunities to choose a book to take home and read together.

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who attend

Practitioners observe children as they play, carefully assessing this information and using it to ensure that children's current interests and next developmental steps are included in the planning. This means that children are offered activities that capture their attention and promote their development in all areas of learning. Practitioners evaluate the activity planning to ensure that children are offered balanced opportunities to play independently and to participate in structured activities. This means that children take an active part in their learning and are well prepared for school. Children are offered a wide variety of opportunities that promote their physical development. For example, they use ride-on toys and large play equipment and concentrate as they learn to walk along balance bars. Children are offered a creative variety of opportunities to learn about different ways of life. For example, they talk about their holiday destinations, locating these on maps and in

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who attend

reference books and go on to discuss the climate, wildlife and traditions of those countries.

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who attend

The good use of space and resources and thoughtful staff interaction mean that children extend their play, develop their interests and learn to work in partnership. For example, children arrange the chairs to make a train and decide they are 'going to the seaside'. When they note that one of the children particularly likes buses, they change the train to a bus and sing a related action rhyme. They pretend to stop for traffic lights and a practitioner encourages them to talk about road safety. The scenario is then extended as the practitioner states 'we're here at the seaside'. The children pretend to play on the beach and gather further role play equipment so that they can have a picnic together. They then decide that the train is an aeroplane and carefully count the number of children on board. A practitioner extends their vocabulary as they talk about 'pilots' and 'taxi rides along the runway'.

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who attend

Practitioners' good knowledge of each child and their sensitive interaction support children in developing their language and communication skills. For example, practitioners engage children in discussing family members and recent events. During these discussions, they encourage children to wait for their turn and to listen to what others are saying. The setting's work with children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is a key strength. Key persons work closely with parents and other professionals so that they fully understand the child's needs and can provide highly effective ongoing support for both the child and their family. The setting's Special Educational Needs Coordinator attends further training and supports all practitioners in their work. All display a passion and enthusiasm and work hard to ensure that children are meaningfully included in activities and daily routines. The result of this is that the children make very good progress in relation to their

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who attend

starting points and are better prepared for starting school and for actively participating in everyday life.

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

A practical and well-implemented key person system supports good partnership working with parents. This helps to ensure that children's needs are fully understood and they are offered support that is meaningful and appropriate to them. Children are therefore, secure and form good relationships with practitioners. The key person for each child monitors their progress and ensures that they are happy and settled. Children's independence is promoted and they are encouraged to explore and express their views and preferences. This supports them in developing a positive approach to learning and prepares them well for the move to school. This is further supported by the setting's thoughtful procedures. For example, practitioners make books that illustrate each school in the area. Children thoroughly enjoy looking at these and following the puppet characters on their journey around the school, thus becoming familiar with their new teachers and the environment.

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

The setting's indoor areas are well organised and easily accessible, ensuring that children can make choices and extend their play. However, resources are not always as easily accessible in the outdoor area. This means that children are not able to make as many independent choices and extend their play and learning to the maximum.

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

New children quickly settle because key persons work with parents to find out about their needs and interests, ensuring that these are reflected in the planning. The settling-in process is also assisted as practitioners organise a play session for new parents and children to attend. This enables them to meet their key person and become familiar with the building and resources before they formally start. Children's transitions within the setting are supported well. They play in mixed age groups but also have opportunities to interact in specific age groups and so form friendships with children of their own age. Children, therefore, learn from each other and develop social skills that support their future interactions.

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

Children gain a good understanding of appropriate behaviour as practitioners offer them simple explanations and encourage them to consider the effect their behaviour has on others. Practical daily procedures also support children in learning to share and negotiate. For example, children fetch sand timers to help them organise fair turn-taking with specific pieces of equipment. Children are supported well in developing their self-care skills. For example, they learn to put on their own aprons before participating in messy play activities. They are offered good opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. For example, they gain an understanding of the effects of exercise as they talk about how this makes their muscles develop. They become aware of oral hygiene as they use large model teeth and toothbrushes and learn how to clean their teeth effectively. Good daily practice and ongoing explanations help children develop a practical understanding of how to keep

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

themselves safe. For example, they understand why they need to wear a safety helmet when using the bicycles and ride-on toys.

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provision

The owner/manager and senior practitioners work well with all practitioners. This helps to ensure that all have a good understanding of their responsibilities and can support each other in promoting the efficient running of the setting. Practitioners are supported well in all areas of their work. For example, they are encouraged to attend training and to gain further qualifications, enabling them to develop their professional practice. Regular team meetings and the ongoing review of policies enable the manager and practitioners to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They can therefore, check that their daily practice promotes children's health, welfare and development.

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provision

There are practical procedures in place that support the owner/manager and senior practitioners in monitoring the activity planning and the progress of each child. This enables them to ensure that all children are offered a wide range of activities that support their good progression towards the early learning goals. Practitioners are experienced in working in partnership with other professionals in order to support children and their families. There are clear procedures for sharing information with others caring for the children. For example, practitioners pass on some assessment information to other pre- schools and nurseries. However, these procedures are not used to the optimum to share detailed information, particularly with childminders, in order to fully update children's progress and thereby plan further activities. Good partnerships with parents mean that they are kept well informed of their child's progress and activities. For example, they have

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provision

regular opportunities to meet with their child's key person to discuss children's progress and their next steps.

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provision

The setting actively seeks feedback from parents and children and includes this in the ongoing evaluation of their work. This gives them a representative and through overview of their strengths and areas for improvement. The owner/manager and senior practitioners use this information to develop action plans that lead to improvements in the provision for children. For example, recent changes include more structured staff meetings. These now give practitioners the opportunity to discuss activity planning in more detail and therefore, ensure that each child's development is well considered. Children's welfare is promoted well because there are thorough safeguarding arrangements in place. All practitioners have attended training in this area and are clearly aware of the process to follow should they have any concerns about a child. Robust checking procedures ensure that all practitioners, volunteers and students are suitable to

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provision

work with children. Thorough risk assessments mean that hazards are minimised or removed. This means that children play safely and have a positive childcare experience that forms a good foundation for their future learning.

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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 EY457460 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 904058 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 75 Name of provider Morris Minors Preschool Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07770 397 456

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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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