Blean Pre-School

Blean Pre-School Blean Parish Hall, School Lane,Blean, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 9JA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/10/2013 11/10/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 4 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 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Parents and carers are involved in their children's learning journeys, contributing to their developmental folders and this gives support to children's ongoing progress.  Children are supported to be independent and have good self-help skills as a result.

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It is not yet good because

 The pre-school's evaluation of practice does not go far enough in ensuring that staff consistently challenge and enhance children's learning.  Observation and subsequent planning methods do not always focus on key children's interests and ideas.

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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 indoors and outdoors.  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, evaluation and safeguarding procedures.

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Information about the setting

Blean Pre-School is managed by a parents' committee. It registered in 1994 and operates in Blean village hall, near Canterbury. Children have access to a main playroom and an outside play area. It is open each weekday from 9.15am to 12.15pm, term-time only. A lunch club runs from 12.15pm to 1.30pm two days a week. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 18 children aged from two to under five years on roll. There are six members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least National Vocational level 2. Two members of staff are currently working towards a further qualification. The pre-school provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds. The pre-school receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 establish more robust evaluation of practice to ensure staff engagement with children is consistent and supports their progress in all areas

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

 build on planning to link to children's individual interests and ideas

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

 continue to build on how are observations are used to plan meaningful experiences for children.

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who attend

Children progress generally well in their learning. Toys and resources arranged around the pre-school offer learning opportunities in all areas of development. Children make choices about what they play with and enjoy participating in a range of adult and child led activities. They greet each other and adults warmly and explore what is available to play with enthusiastically. They take pride in the environment, play alongside and with each other, sharing toys and receiving praise from staff. Children are interested in what others are doing, resulting in them engaging in conversation with their friends. The book area is welcoming with a range of books and comfortable seating. Although children enjoy group stories, interacting positively with books, the reading area is under utilised and children prefer other types of play. There are opportunities for some children to identify their names, for example at snack time but not all names are available. Children participate in

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who attend

activities such as making their own recipe books to help them understand that information and print is found in a variety of places. They are supported to develop their writing skills and staff build on children's emerging talents in this area, offering praise and support.

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who attend

Children learn about numbers as they play. They roll pastry into rectangles and squares to make sausage rolls, describing the shapes they make. In the outside area children count conkers into numbered pots and, with help from adults, think about adding and subtraction. There are many opportunities for children to develop their fine motor skills. They help themselves to pencils, practise writing and use tools competently when playing with dough, for example. However, at snack time there are missed chances for children to further build on how they use tools by independently cutting their own fruit. Children enjoy playing outside, crawling through tubes and running up small slopes, for example. They benefit from visits to the park where they develop physical skills on climbing apparatus and in large spaces. They also regularly visit the local wildlife area and this interest is continued in their own garden where they examine spiders and plants with

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who attend

interest. Children particularly enjoy imaginative play, copying what they see others doing. Playing with real items such as pasta and interaction with adults who model play helps children to enjoy extremely positive play at these times. Children use the computer competently, following programmes and sharing what they are learning with others. Children create individual works of art. There are a range of resources available for children to create spontaneous artwork but less encouragement from staff to enable them to access resources freely. Wearing boots when they play outside helps children to feel free to splash in and explore water which they do with enthusiasm. There are many resources in the garden which encourage exploration.

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who attend

Each child has a developmental folder which contains written and photographic observations of their progress. Key persons are beginning to use this information to assess children and to plan for individual learning. A new planning system and regular staff meetings help staff to go some way in supporting and challenging children's progress but are not fully embedded in practice. Children enjoy helping staff to place photographs in their developmental folders, revisiting activities that they have enjoyed. Parents and carers are able to look at their children's developmental folders every day and appreciate becoming fully involved in their children's learning journeys. Developmental folders are also added to by parents, making a joined up approach to children's learning.

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

Children have formed strong relationships with each other and adults. Key persons work closely with families and the setting has ensured that children are supported if the key person is not present. Staff know all the children and work very closely with each other so that they are able to support individuals. Children are encouraged to be independent. They hang their own coats up, put boots on before playing outside without support, help themselves to tissues to blow their noses and use the bathroom independently. However, sometimes during adult led activities practitioners are too quick to help children do tasks rather than let them persevere and maybe make their own mistakes. Behaviour is very good as children become fully involved in activities available. Behaviour rules are devised together and are positive, looking at what children do at pre-school rather than what they do not.

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

Children make choices about whether they play in or outdoors, understanding the importance of fresh air and exercise to a healthy lifestyle. Snack time is a social occasion and children make choices about what they eat, pouring their own drinks. At lunch time adults eat with children, helping them to develop good table manners. The pre-school helps children to develop their social skills in preparation for when they go to school. Consequently children show consideration of others. They particularly enjoy celebrating things of importance to the families that attend. Children explore their environment happily and appear to feel safe and secure at the pre-school. Knowing the children that they care for very well ensures that their individual care needs are met, helping children to feel secure. The settling in process is individual to each child and key persons work very closely with parents and carers to ensure that children settle very well.

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provision

The pre-school demonstrates a sound understanding of the learning and development and welfare requirements. Children play in a safe and secure environment, as regular assessments of the building and outside areas help staff to ensure that this is the case. Staff and committee members are checked to ensure their suitability to work with children and a record kept of the checks. Staff participate in safeguarding training and are knowledgeable as to their role in protecting children. They are aware of the possible signs or symptoms of child abuse and the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child in their care. Policies and procedures are reviewed to ensure that they reflect the pre-school and parents are fully informed.

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provision

The pre-school works well with the local authority to ensure their practice is regularly monitored. They value the views and opinions of parents and carers which they obtain through discussion, a suggestion box and questionnaires. Staff give consideration to suggestions from parents, acting on these when appropriate and this helps to improve outcomes for children. Suggestions for improvement raised at the previous inspection have been addressed and improvement is ongoing. For example, staff now build on how they use questioning to help children develop their communication skills but there is still room to improve open questions which encourage the children to think. Staff are beginning to evaluate their practice and the changes that they are making in order to improve outcomes for children. The new appraisal system goes some way in helping the manager to support teaching and therefore improve outcomes for children's learning.

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provision

However, staff are using a relatively new system for planning for children's individual learning and systems to monitor the educational provision are in their infancy.

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provision

When children attend other settings delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage, key persons liaise with staff to ensure all adults are working together to support children's development. Before children start school, teachers visit the pre-school and information is shared so that learning is continuous and children are helped to settle in their new setting. When children require further support staff work closely with parents and carers and, when appropriate, other agencies, to ensure that children's individual emotional and learning needs are met. Parents and carers say that they are fully involved in their children's learning. They are happy with their choice of childcare, reporting that staff are always happy to listen and share any concerns. They say that children play in a safe and caring environment and that regular newsletters, notes and verbal messages keep them well informed.

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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 127023 Local authority Kent Inspection number 890662 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 18 Name of provider Blean Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 11/10/2012 Telephone number 07944 290301

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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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