Little Oaks Pre-School

Little Oaks Pre-School Adeyfield Community Centre, Queens Square, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4EW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/07/2013 18/11/2009

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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 make good progress in their learning and development because staff get to know their key children very well. This enables them to make accurate assessments and plan effectively for children's next steps.  Children develop a strong sense of belonging because they are cared for in a warm, welcoming and stimulating environment, which enables them to become independent and active learners.  Children arrive very happy and settle with ease because of the strong bonds and attachments developed between them and staff.  Strong leadership empowers staff to work very well as a team so that they consistently provide good quality care for all children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities to extend children's mathematical and critical thinking skills through daily routine and free play are inconsistent. This means that they are not making very good progress in all areas of learning.

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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 talked to the children and observed them in their play both in and outdoors.  The inspector held discussions with some members of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and carried out a joint observation with her.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of the group's policies and procedures, children's personal records and their learning journals.  The inspector spoke to some parents.

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Information about the setting

Little Oaks Pre-School was registered in 2009 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The pre-school operates from the Adeyfield Community Centre, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. The group uses a large hall and has access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

The pre-school employs seven members of staff, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to level 3. One member of staff is working towards a Foundation Stage degree and two are working towards a level 3 and 2. The setting is open each weekday from 9.00am to 3.30pm term time only. The pre-school offers children two sessions, morning and afternoon, per day and some children stay all day. They also have the option of staying for extended lunch times.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 57 children attending who are in the Early Years Foundation age group. The group provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school is also registered to provide care for children over the age of five years. It supports a 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 and challenge children's mathematical and critical thinking skills by using everyday routines and free-play opportunities.

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who attend

Children make good progress in their learning and development. This is due to most staff having a secure knowledge and understanding of how children learn. Assessments effectively highlight children's next steps. This enables all staff to plan a broad range of interesting activities and then tailor them to meet the needs of each individual child. Children of all abilities are given ample opportunity to ensure that they progress well towards the early learning goals, given their starting points. However, children are not fully challenged in mathematical and critical thinking skills because staff do not consistently encourage children to solve problems by using daily routines and free-play. Progress check at age two is effective in sharing with parents their child's development in the three prime areas of learning. The partnership between the parents and all staff is strong. An initial assessment of a child's progress is conducted by the key worker together

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who attend

with the child's parents during the settling-in period. This enables staff to make an accurate assessment on every child based on what they have achieved at home. Parents are consistently supported and are given guidance on how to encourage children's learning at home. This means that children consistently make achieve high standards in most areas of learning.

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who attend

Children are motivated to learn because they are provided with a good balance of adult- led and child-initiated activities. They consistently engage in purposeful and developmentally appropriate play. Children participate in a broad range of interesting and challenging experiences. Resources and layout of the in and outdoor activities ensure that children become independent learners through free choice. For example, a group of children enjoy developing their creative skills as they help themselves to various materials, glue, scissors and colouring materials to create their collages. Staff are at hand to join in appropriately and most of the time challenge children's learning effectively. Children use language to communicate very well and hold conversations about their interests, likes and dislikes with adults and their peer group. They enjoy sharing books as they are read to enthusiastically by staff. Younger children enjoy being cuddled as they listen with interest.

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who attend

All children enjoy making the actions of 'under', 'over' and 'through' by hand as they follow the story of the 'Bear Hunt'. Some children recognise familiar alphabet letters and make good attempts at writing their names.

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who attend

Children demonstrate a sound understanding of their counting skills and number recognition. For example, children draw number shapes in the garden and say correctly what they are. As they play a colour matching game they are able to count the number of rings on the ladybird. Children enjoy playing with the sand and water and staff join in and provide support. This means that they are developing early skills of volume and space, although staff do not fully challenge them by asking open-ended questions. Children's knowledge of the wider world is encouraged as they plant their sunflowers in the garden. Staff encourage them to look for mini-beasts, such as worms, as they dig the earth.

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who attend

Due to the good progress children are making in their learning and development, they are very well prepared for their next stage in learning either in nursery or school.

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

Children's well-being is given high priority. A well-established key person system helps them form secure attachments with the staff. This is due to an effective settling-in procedure and the strong partnership developed with parents from the beginning. Parents provide valuable in-depth information about their child. This means that the close relationship enables staff to be very well prepared to fully meet the needs of each individual child. The strong bond developed between the staff and the children ensures that they feel secure. Children are cared for in a warm, friendly and child-centred environment. For example, attractive displays of their work, mobiles and posters of positive images develop children's strong sense of belonging. Soft draped areas provide a space for children to enjoy books and be comforted by staff, if required. Children behave very well because they know what is expected of them. Staff are good

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

role models and are well-deployed to encourage positive attitude in all children. Children learn with ease to take turns and share as they take part in small group games. They wait patiently for their turn and staff are at hand to re-enforce good behaviour. Children are encouraged to apologise and quickly do this as they cuddle their friends. Older children have formed strong bonds with their peers and talk freely about going to each other's houses for lunch/tea. They learn to care for each other as older children carefully wipe a younger child's face. Children enjoy helping as they bring out a glass of water for visitors.

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

Children's understanding of cultures and beliefs is fostered well as they use a variety of resources, such as musical instruments and dressing-up clothes. Children are encouraged to try foods from different countries and participate in a range of interesting activities celebrating festivals from around the world. Therefore, children learn to respect and value each other's differences. They enjoy nurturing plants as they water their sunflowers in the garden talking about how they have to look after them to help them grow. Children develop a good understanding of their community as they visit the local park and go for walks within the local area. They have a good understanding of people who help in the community through role play. For example, children enjoy dressing up as a policeman or fireman and describe their roles well.

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

Full emphasis is given to ensuring children are protected. Due to the strong key worker system children feel safe and are able to share their concerns with a secure adult. They develop a good understanding of staying safe as they are reminded of walking down the ramp. Children clearly demonstrate the importance of using sun-protection as they have sun cream put on them. They use resources, such as, scissors and knives, with confidence. Children learn to play running games and use large wheeled toys safely and know where they can do this. They learn the importance of healthy eating as they talk informally about the importance of eating fresh fruit and vegetables around the snack table. Children enjoy the social occasion and happily tuck into a variety of fruits, carrot sticks and bread sticks and are assisted in pouring either milk or water. Staff are at hand to encourage children to try new tastes by praising them. Children have regular fresh air

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

because the garden is an extension of their learning environment. They learn to competently use ride-on toys, rockers and cars. Children enjoy developing their running skills as they learn to control their speed and manoeuvre around each other safely.

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

Children are very well prepared for their next stage of learning by staff who support them in their move to nursery or school. For example, staff have put together a laminated book for both settings describing in pictures what happens. Children are also encouraged to visit the next place with their key worker. This means that by the time they start nursery or school they are already familiar with the routines of that setting, which helps them feel secure.

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provision

The pre-school is very well managed and all staff work extremely well as a team. A high level of qualified staff enables them all to have a good overview of the curriculum and monitoring of the educational program is mostly very good. This means that children achieve high standards towards most areas of the early learning goals. Children with specific needs are quickly identified and their learning effectively targeted so that appropriate interventions are sought. Staff work very closely with other agencies to ensure that children requiring additional support also make good progress and gaps in their learning are closing. This means that partnership between all those involved in the children's care is strong and effectively promotes children's learning and welfare. Parents are fully informed of the group's complaints procedure and know exactly what to do should they have any concerns.

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provision

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the pre-school's policies and procedures. Meetings are effective in ensuring that they are all involved in any changes to the running of the group or amendments to procedures. Performance is effectively monitored by the manager through observations and regular appraisals. Training needs are quickly identified and staff are fully supported in updating their skills. Professional development is fully promoted by the manager and staff are keen to update their skills and value the importance of qualifications. There is a clear procedure in place to ensure that under- performance is tackled ensuring that the impact on the children's learning and welfare is minimised.

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provision

Self-evaluation takes into account the views of all staff, children and their parents. Parents complete questionnaires, and are encouraged to talk to staff if they have any suggestions or ideas which would improve the care arrangements for their child. Children's views are incorporated into their development and progress plans. Improvement plans also take into account the views of the local authority who work very closely with the pre-school. The drive for providing high quality care is clearly demonstrated and consistently reviewed to support children's learning and welfare. Recommendations from the previous inspection have been quickly and successfully implemented to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children and have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn. Partnerships with parents, external agencies and other providers are strong and well established and make a strong contribution to children receiving additional support quickly

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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 EY392996 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 915665

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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 57 Name of provider Tracy Ann Bunce Date of previous inspection 18/11/2009 Telephone number 01442 252 030

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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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