Smylers Preschool/Wraparound

Smylers Preschool/Wraparound St. Lukes C of E Cp School, Pepper Street, Silverdale, NEWCASTLE, Staffordshire, ST5 6QJ

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/10/2013 08/01/2013

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 Staff have high expectations for children and a good awareness of how young children learn. This ensures that each child makes good progress from their starting points and that they are well-prepared for school.  Children are motivated learners as staff provide a varied range of interesting and challenging activities and opportunities, which support their identified next steps in learning.  Staff create a welcoming, happy and safe environment where children settle well, enjoy themselves and develop close relationships with their peers and the adults working with them.  Staff work closely with parents when children first attend to establish children's starting points and care routines, supporting children's transitions into the setting very well.  Strong, focused leadership communicates high expectations to the staff team, which is effectively monitored to ensure that children's learning and development needs are met

p.1

This provision is good

and the setting sustains continued improvement.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Children are not able to freely access a wide range of creative resources to support their spontaneous creativity.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed a range of activities indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke with children, staff and the manager throughout the inspection.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took part in a joint observation of an adult-led activity with the manager of the setting.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector examined a range of documentation, including health and safety procedures, risk assessments and accident records.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff working within the setting and the provider's self- evaluation.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to during the inspection and written feedback from letters and questionnaires.

p.2

Information about the setting

Smylers Preschool/Wraparound was registered in 2012. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated within St. Luke's Church of England County Primary School, Silverdale, in Newcastle, Staffordshire. It operates from one main large classroom with access to other areas of the school. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The setting serves the local area and children also come from further afield.

p.3

Information about the setting

The setting employs nine members of childcare staff, seven of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The manager holds a degree in early years. The setting opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, during term time only. There are currently 24 children on roll, who are within the Early Years age range. Children can attend for a variety of sessions. The setting also offers care to older children aged up to eight years. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The setting provides funded early education for children aged two-, three- and four-years-old. It receives support from the local authority.

p.3

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

 develop an area which enables children to freely express their creativity and promote their development in expressive arts and design, through continuous provision of creative resources which children can access at all times.

p.3

who attend

Staff demonstrate a very good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This enables them to plan and provide a wide range of stimulating and challenging activities, which support children's learning and development across all areas of learning. A good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities are provided to support children in their learning. It is evident that children use what they have learnt through these adult focused activities, in their spontaneous play. For example, following a group activity where different shapes are explored, children identify and name a range of different shaped objects in the learning environment. Staff observe children each day during their play and use these observations to plan weekly for children's next steps. As a result, planning is always current, ensuring that children are well challenged and their learning and development is continuously moved forward. This results in children making

p.3

who attend

good progress towards the early learning goals.

p.4

who attend

Teaching is very skilful as staff fully understand how children learn and how they can support this further. Staff use their knowledge of each individual child's interests and next steps to extend their learning through a wide range of opportunities. For example, children show an interest in numbers and staff build upon what they know, supporting them to further develop their knowledge in this area. Staff encourage children to identify which number follows another and which number is one higher than the previous one. They initially give them the opportunity to work this out for themselves, supporting only when necessary. Through this timely intervention by staff, children are able to work out how to order the numbers in a sequence. This supports them in developing the characteristics of effective learning, such as, engagement, motivation and thinking. These are skills which will support their future learning and prepare them well for school.

p.4

who attend

The indoor environment is well planned, with age-appropriate resources which support children's developing interests and independence. Children are actively involved in making decisions about the resources which are available during child-initiated play. This supports their self-esteem and their sense of belonging, demonstrating that they are valued by adults who take care of them. Staff enthusiastically engage in children's play and develop ideas together, such as building structures with the different shaped blocks. They discuss how they will build this and take turns to add the blocks. Throughout, these playful opportunities are used by staff to further develop children's mathematical understanding of shape and colour. In addition, children's communication and language is enhanced, alongside developing their social skills through working together to achieve a goal. There is, however, scope to further develop opportunities for children's spontaneous creativity,

p.4

who attend

through the continuous provision of creative resources which they can access at all times.

p.4

who attend

Communication is given a high priority in the setting and is supported well by staff, who listen to children and show interest in what children are telling them. They engage children in conversations and provide focused activities to promote children's listening skills. For example, children listen to the sound of a hidden musical instrument and find a matching instrument which makes the same sound. This enables them to differentiate between different sounds which will support their skills in their letters and sounds activities, in readiness for school. Staff use lots of open questions to encourage children to extend their thinking skills. Daily group times involving time to talk, stories and songs are part of the daily routine. These support both language development and children's social skills as they learn to take turns and listen to one another.

p.4

who attend

Parents are encouraged to take an active role in the setting and their child's learning and development. Staff gain parents' knowledge of their child's skills, interests and level of development on entry. These starting points enable staff to complete initial assessments of children's learning and development, establish their interests and plan for how best to support their needs. Staff encourage parents to regularly contribute observations of their child's learning at home, which they use to plan next steps in their learning. Learning at home is promoted through book sharing, supporting children to develop their language skills and enjoyment of literature. Staff complete assessments on children for the progress check at age two, to update their progress in their development files termly and when children leave to go to school. These are shared and discussed with parents who are actively involved in contributing to them. The regular progress updates are also used by

p.4

who attend

staff to ensure that any gaps in learning or children needing additional support are promptly identified and addressed. This ensures that the individual needs of all children are consistently very well met.

p.5

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

Staff promote a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, which is reflected in how well children settle and enjoy their time in the setting. There is an overwhelming sense of fun and laughter as staff and children enjoy one another's company and playing together. The good key person system ensures that children develop close bonds with their chosen adult, who understands and meets their needs. Staff respond appropriately to the differing emotional needs of the youngest children attending the setting. This helps to develop their sense of security and enables them to confidently explore the environment and all it has to offer. Staff complete documentation with parents when children first start to attend the setting, to ensure that information about the child's individual care needs, interests and current development is shared. This enables staff to provide for the child's routine needs and interests from the outset, resulting in children's physical and emotional needs being

p.5

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

The setting has achieved awards for healthy eating and promotes this well through the provision of healthy snacks and drinks. Guidance is offered to parents on healthy lunch box options, which children eat in the school hall with staff from the setting. Snack times are used as an opportunity to develop children's independence skills. For example, children select their own drink and snack and tidy away when they have finished. Children are very skilled at this and staff only need to offer minimal support to the youngest children who are learning what is expected of them. Their self-help skills are further enhanced as they independently wash their hands, use the bathroom and are encouraged to put on their own coats and dressing-up clothes. Children have daily opportunities to be physically active through dancing and exercising indoors and in the outdoor area, which they access in all weathers with waterproof clothing provided by the setting. They learn to

p.5

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

safely manage risks in the outdoor area. For example, by balancing on stepping stones or negotiating obstacle courses in the adventure playground, under close adult supervision. Further safety awareness is shared with children through topics on road safety and discussing awareness of strangers.

p.5

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

Children are very well behaved because they are highly engaged in play which is appropriate to their individual needs. Staff manage behaviour well and give lots of praise and encouragement for positive behaviours. Consequently, children know the simple rules, such as being kind to one another and what the boundaries are. Children learn to play cooperatively as staff encourage them to share and take turns and to support children younger than themselves. They learn to care for their environment through the fun way which staff involve them in tidying away the toys before snack and lunchtimes. Children respond to the music played during tidy up time, enthusiastically getting the task completed quickly so that they can all dance to the music together. Children are confident, friendly, well-mannered and motivated. This is because staff demonstrate these behaviours themselves, acting as positive role models. Children with English as an

p.5

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

additional language or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported by the setting's special educational needs coordinator, who is skilled in putting plans in place to meet their specific needs. Children are well-prepared for the next stage in their learning, such as school. This is because staff understand the skills that children need to develop, so they can participate fully in school life and support them to achieve these. They share information about the child's learning and development with reception teachers on site and become involved in a range of school activities. This helps children's continuity of care and supports a seamless transition as they move into school.

p.6

provision

The manager has a very good understanding of her roles and responsibilities with regard to implementing the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are safeguarded well as safety is given a high priority. The manager ensures that staff are appropriately qualified and that the relevant checks are carried out to ensure that new staff are suitable to work with children. A thorough induction process is in place and staff are monitored and supported to ensure that they fulfil their role to the best of their ability. The manager ensures that staff are deployed to meet ratios at all times, resulting in children being supervised consistently. All staff have a good awareness of the procedures for dealing with child protection concerns and ensure that access to the premises is secure. Policies and procedures are in place to ensure that children's health and safety needs are well met. All of the necessary documentation is in place to record

p.6

provision

accidents and injuries and any first aid treatment given on the premises. Staff follow risk assessments in place for the indoor and outdoor environments, which are reviewed annually, or following an accident or incident. This ensures that the safety of the environment is constantly reviewed, protecting children from potential harm.

p.6

provision

The strong, focused leadership from the manager results in high expectations from all staff, to support the best outcomes for children attending the setting. Staff are actively encouraged to attend available training in order to develop professionally and put new initiatives in place. The manager observes staff practice regularly to provide individual support and coaching and staff have annual appraisals to review their roles. Overall, systems are in place to monitor staff performance, any identified under performance and the educational programme to ensure that children make good progress. There is a strong focus on continual improvement, involving the views of children, parents and staff. The manager is suitably aware of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement, having plans in place to address this.

p.6

provision

Partnership with parents is a very high priority for the setting. Parents feel that they have strong relationships with staff and are highly reassured by their professionalism and abilities to support children with specific medical or learning needs. Information is shared with parents each time their child attends and through regular progress update meetings. Feedback from parents confirms that they are happy with the setting and the progress that their children have made through attending. Parents are encouraged to share information from home through observations, which contribute to the child's development record in the setting. The setting actively works in partnership with other agencies and professionals who are involved with children and families attending the setting. Information regarding children's learning and development is shared with the school on site which children move onto. This ensures that children's needs are identified and

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY451573 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 937397

p.9

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 24 Name of provider Diane Smy Date of previous inspection 08/01/2013 Telephone number 01782297445

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

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,

p.10

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.11

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11