Buttercups Early Years Centre

Buttercups Early Years Centre Bursledon Village Hall, Long Lane, Bursledon, Southampton, SO31 8BZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/09/2013 03/07/2012

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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

 Staff are sensitive and help children form secure emotional attachments, providing a strong base for children's learning and well-being.  Tailored support is given to each child by the skilled staff. Children make good progress given their starting points including children learning English as an additional language.  Children play and explore in a rich, well-planned learning environment both indoors and outside. Emphasis on free choice and high quality outdoor play in all weathers supports all aspects of children's learning and well-being.  The manager effectively oversees the robust systems for the safe and successful running of the pre-school and brings about continuous improvements for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Information of how staff are helping children to make progress is less detailed in the progress check at two years than in other records shared with parents and other professionals.

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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 rooms, the garden and on a visit to the woods.  The inspector had discussions with parents, staff and children.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including children's records, staff records and safeguarding procedures.

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Information about the setting

Buttercups Early Years Centre is privately owned and was registered in 2012. It operates from two rooms in Bursledon Village Hall, in Southampton, Hampshire. The setting opens each weekday from 9am to 2.30pm during school term times. All children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area and have daily walks to the local woodlands. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 42 children in the early years age group on roll. The setting receives funding for early education for children aged three and four years. Children come from a wide catchment area and attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are learning English as an additional language. There are seven members of staff who work with the children including the owner who is also the manager. Of these, five

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Information about the setting

hold a relevant early years childcare qualification at level 3 and one holds a degree in early years.

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

 enhance the summary of the progress check made when a child is aged two years to inform parents and other professionals more fully of all the steps being taken to help children make progress.

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who attend

Children are interested and motivated to play and learn as they arrive. All children make good progress in all aspects of their learning and development in relation to their starting points. This is because the enthusiastic staff have a secure knowledge of how children learn and support children fully in their chosen activities. As a result, staff meet children's developing needs well. Staff take every opportunity to promote children's interests further. For example, they are eager to spend time outside encouraging children to explore a downpour of rain. Children are confident to use the equipment as they wish. They place dolls in large containers and place them under a cascade of water that runs off the roof. Staff challenge children to solve problems, such as how to lift a heavy bucket of water. They skilfully suggest using the rope and help them to build a pulley system. Children pull the rope and are thrilled as the bucket rises. Therefore, children discover how to use

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who attend

equipment and tools with a purpose. Children grow in confidence and develop skills as they explore and solve problems, showing delight when they succeed. Staff place a high emphasis on giving children the time they need to find things out, talk and learn about what they see and do. This means children are inquisitive and ask lots of questions and develop good skills for their future learning. They are confident speakers and use a wide range of words to describe what they see and feel around them. Walking to the woods, children talk about the wooden telegraph poles and the plastic bin. Staff use unplanned events effectively to extend children's language and understanding of the world. They point out a person cutting the verge. They all stop and discuss what the man is doing, what he is wearing and why. Staff teach children new words as they explain the man is wearing 'ear defenders' to stop the noise hurting his ears. Children say they look

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who attend

like their headphones that let them hear music; showing their good understanding of how things work in different ways.

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who attend

In the woods, children relish picking up sticks and using them as tools to scrape away soil and leaves as they search for insects. They show they have respect for the world around them as they carefully move large stones so they do not hurt any creatures. Staff take some equipment out with them including magnifiers that children use to examine what they find. Children develop number skills as count the legs on the spider and describe the creatures as 'tiny' and 'bigger' showing that they understand about size. Staff encourage children to refer to books to match and name the creatures they find to extend their learning.

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who attend

Staff regularly evaluate the activities and each child's specific learning aims in relation to their ongoing needs. All children, including those learning English as an additional language are valued and included. Staff learn and use key words in children's home languages, which helps children settle. Staff make accurate assessments of children's learning and development and devise targeted plans of how to help them progress. They share these with parents in their child's 'Learning journey' document and through regular discussions. However, staff do not always provide the same detailed information in the summary of the check carried out when a child is aged two years. Therefore, parents and other professionals involved in children's care are not always as well-informed of children's progress through this aspect of assessment.

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

The effective key person system and the strong skills of the staff play a key role in ensuring all children are happy and settled. Staff have a good knowledge of the children's backgrounds, the professionals involved in their life, and their specific needs. As a result, all children display great confidence and develop high levels of independence in their play and routines. Children are receptive to the support staff offer in their self-care routines. Staff help children to put on their waterproof leggings and wellington boots, breaking actions down into achievable and more challenging stages. Children beam with delight as they proudly show they have done it themselves.

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

Staff place a clear emphasis on safety. Children spend the majority of their time outdoors either in the garden or on visits to the local wooded areas. Staff complete comprehensive risk assessments for each outing, making sure they cover all aspects of keeping children safe and well. Staff teach children how to keep safe as they explain the importance of following the strict procedures. Children hold the walking rope as they walk along and know they need to stop at a gate and never go through it without an adult going first. This helps children develop skills in assessing risks for themselves. In the woods children know they must keep sticks pointed downwards to prevent poking anyone and lift their arms to avoid touching stinging nettles. Children develop very good physical skills and confidence as they clamber on to fallen trees. They bounce gently at first and then use more force on branches to see how far they can make them move, which strengthens

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

Staff teach children about healthy lifestyles well as they talk about foods that are good for them and encourage children to drink frequently so they remain healthy. Good attention to hygiene practices is evident at all times. Children benefit from regular fresh air and exercise showing endurance as they walk and play for long periods outside. Children happily relax and sometimes sleep on the beds after lunch, as they are tired and content. The staff provide a stimulating environment where children can play and learn. The rich and varied play areas, with well-chosen play resources, support all areas of children's learning and development. Staff make sure all children can reach all the equipment and that it meets their developing needs. For example, a range of easy to grip and dual- handled scissors enable children to develop cutting skills. Staff are good role models helping children to learn good manners and to respect each other. Most children respond

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

well to the consistent reminders to share and take turns and those still learning are supported kindly and calmly. Staff prepare children well for the move to school and for their future learning. This is because children learn positive skills and attitudes to exploring and learning, build friendships and their self-care. Staff form strong links with schools whose teachers visit to read with the children prior to attending the school.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children's well-being are robust. The owner, who is also the manager, has an extremely secure understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She and her staff team respond promptly and effectively to any concerns that arise, working with outside agencies where necessary. All staff have a secure knowledge of the child protection procedures to follow should they have a concern regarding a child. They update their child protection training to ensure they operate in line with current guidance. The implementation of vigorous procedures when recruiting staff and their ongoing supervision helps to ensure the suitability of all adults involved in the pre-school. All staff undergo a thorough induction that informs them of their roles and responsibilities in helping to protect children.

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provision

The manager and staff team have a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements. The manager uses a computerised tracking system to regularly monitor and check children's progress is moving forward. The effective use of staff appraisals targets their ongoing professional development. Staff attend training to increase their knowledge and skills including in the Forest School principles of teaching. As a result, they have a secure understanding of how to teach each area of learning outdoors effectively. Since the last inspection, the staff team has continued to evaluate all aspects of the pre-school and make improvements to benefit children. For example, the previous recommendation has been met and parents are more involved in contributing to their children's learning records. Children also enjoy planting winter vegetables, which they knowledgably name as 'broccoli' and 'curly kale', in the new vegetable patch in the

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provision

garden. This helps children to learn where food comes from and how to care for plants.

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provision

Staff develop strong partnerships with parents, which benefits children greatly. The manager seeks feedback from parents and act on their comments. As a result, the arrival and collection procedure has been changed recently, making the reception areas less busy and more welcoming. Parents report their children are making good progress in their developmental progress. For example, parents comment that children learning English as an additional language are 'speaking many more words in English now' and 'spending so much time outdoors is good for my child's health'. Staff work closely with other professionals and agencies involved in children's care and learning to deliver a consistent approach. This has a positive effect on each child's welfare and learning.

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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 EY442543 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 909816 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 42 Name of provider Nature's Pre-Schools Limited Date of previous inspection 03/07/2012 Telephone number 07850761458

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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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