Stoke Damerel Preschool

Stoke Damerel Pre-School Rear Of Stoke Damerel Church, Paradise Road, Stoke, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 5QL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/11/2013 23/01/2012

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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 provide very good support to develop children's language and communication skills, particularly when children require additional help.  There are very good staffing levels and staff are well deployed to ensure that children have good support for their learning and to meet their individual needs.  Managers demonstrate a strong commitment to continue to improve the quality of the provision and of teaching. They have introduced a number of positive changes since the last inspection and continue to reflect on their practice and implement action plans.  There are many opportunities for parents and carers to be involved in their children's learning and contribute ideas for activities based on their child's interests.  The staff are skilled at carrying out observations of what children do and plan effectively for the next steps in their learning. As a result children make good progress in all areas.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There are sometimes missed opportunities to further develop and extend the younger children's thinking by asking questions in different ways.  The routines of the pre-school occasionally detract from children's ability to sustain and develop their play and ideas, for example when they are playing outdoors.

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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 the children taking part in a range of activities in the pre- school and after school club.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to a number of parents and carers and observed a 'stay and play session'.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and deputy and had discussions with staff about their practice.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed a range of policies and documentation, including suitability checks and committee records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation with the room leader of a group activity with the younger children.

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Information about the setting

Stoke Damerel Pre-school was registered in 2000 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is managed by a voluntary committee. The pre-school operates in specially adapted rooms at the rear of Stoke Damerel Church, and has sole use of the premises. It serves the local area and is accessible to all children. There is a large play room, secure outdoor play area, office, kitchen area and associated facilities. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 2 or above, with three staff trained to level 3; the manager has achieved level 5 and the room leader has Early Years Professional Status. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm and the after-school club from 3.30pm to 6pm, term-time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children are collected from Stoke Damerel Primary School for the after-school

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Information about the setting

club. There are currently 37 children attending who are in the early years age group and 30 older children attending the after-school club. The pre-school provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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

 enhance opportunities for children to be creative and think critically through more consistent use of effective questioning skills by staff

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

 increase opportunities for children to sustain their play and develop their ideas further, particularly when playing outdoors.

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who attend

Children make good progress because staff are skilled at observing what they can do and plan activities which interest and challenge them. Staff use information from parents to incorporate children's interests in activities. For example, staff build on a child's fascination with dinosaurs by introducing dinosaur toys into the 'snow' tray. Regular assessments of children's progress ensure that any gaps in achievement are identified and additional measures put in place to support them should they require it. The deputy is the special educational needs coordinator and she works closely with staff to put into place individual education plans. There is very good support for children's speech and language through small group activities based on a programme to enrich their communication. Children gain confidence as they listen attentively to sounds, join in familiar songs and listen to stories. Staff demonstrate good teaching skills by sitting on the carpet with the children and

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who attend

making sure they have direct eye contact with them. Children who speak English as an additional language make good progress because staff learn basic words in the child's language when they start. Staff also regularly use sign language and picture cards as an effective aid to communication with all the children.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to try new skills and to develop their independence. They have changed the arrangements for snack to enable children to help themselves to food and pour their own drinks. Children develop their understanding of number as staff help them to select two breadsticks or to count the number of children at circle time. Staff introduce basic mathematical concepts in play, for example they talk about shape and measure as children play with puzzles or help fold a blanket. Overall staff question children effectively to extend their thinking, although less experienced staff are not always as confident in asking questions that can be answered in different ways.

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who attend

Staff provide an interesting variety of activities indoors and out, which fires children's imaginations. Children role-play in the 'North Pole' area where the dark tent has been changed into an igloo. They develop their creativity and fine motor skills as they model with clay and choose sequins to decorate their Christmas baubles. Younger children enjoy caring for their baby dolls and male staff provide positive role models as they encourage the children to see to their babies' care needs. Staff have designed the outdoor area to promote children's learning in all areas. Children develop their physical skills as they climb on the pirates' ship or ride wheeled toys, but there are also areas where they can sit quietly and share books. Staff understand that children learn in different ways and therefore provide a range of activities to suit different learning styles. However, occasionally children do not have time to fully develop or return to their activities because

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who attend

of routines such as 'tidy up time' or the need to practise Christmas songs, which interrupt their outdoor play.

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who attend

Children learn skills that will support them in their future learning. Staff develop themes based around a familiar story, such as Goldilocks, to encourage a range of skills such as listening and attention. They develop story boards with the children and act out the story. Parents are actively involved in their children's learning by joining in activities with them at regular stay and play sessions. The strong partnership between staff and parents contribute to the good progress that children make and ensures their individual needs are well met.

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

Children are happy and confident in the pre-school and soon settle and become absorbed in their play. Staff support them to separate from carers and they spend time in small family groups of 'Eggs', 'Cygnets' and 'Swans', which helps them to feel emotionally secure. The key persons know their children well and develop positive relationships with parents, which supports children's well-being. Staff have high expectations of behaviour and children benefit from having clear boundaries, for example staff explain why they must be kind to their friends and as a result children hug and make up. Visual symbols with sad and smiley faces are used to promote positive behaviour with individual children when appropriate.

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

Resources are well-organised to enable children to be independent and make choices. They are very attractively presented, with lots of toys and equipment in baskets with clear labels on low shelves. Staff clearly give a lot of thought to the layout of the room and the organisation of equipment to support children's learning. There have been major improvements to the garden, which now has areas of bark, decking and grass to enable children to play outdoors throughout the year. There is a good selection of play materials for the younger children, including different textured objects and materials that encourage children to use all their senses.

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

Children learn about keeping themselves safe and healthy lifestyles through reminders from staff and the familiar everyday routines. For example, children attending the after- school club wear fluorescent vests so that they can be clearly seen when walking from school. Children learn to challenge themselves physically when they climb and balance on the outdoor play equipment or go for walks in the local area. Staff remind children that they need coats when they go outside because it is chilly and to wipe their feet on the mat when they come back inside. Healthy snacks are provided and information about the contents of a healthy lunchbox is sent out in newsletters to parents. Children's physical needs are well provided for, for example the older children can access the toilets independently and a new changing trolley is on order to improve facilities for nappy changing. Children help themselves to drinks when they are thirsty and have a social lunch

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

time together. After lunch the children enjoy a quiet period with classical music and sensory lighting, which enables them to rest and prepare for the afternoon session.

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

Staff provide focussed support for children in their last term before they start school to ensure they are emotionally prepared for the changes to come. Children are taught self- help skills, such as dressing themselves, and teachers from local schools visit the children in pre-school.

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provision

The leadership and management of the setting is strong. The pre-school is managed by an active voluntary committee and the manager and deputy are very experienced in their roles. The recommendations from the last inspection have been very effectively implemented. The outdoor area has been improved to give better support for children's learning. There is now a self-service system in place for snack-time, which has increased opportunities for children to be independent. The pre-school has also embarked on a quality assurance programme and uses this to reflect on practice and to drive improvement. The managers have a good understanding of their legal responsibilities to safeguard children and support their welfare. All required policies and procedures are in place to meet requirements and these are regularly reviewed and updated. The room leader is an Early Years Professional and uses her expertise to monitor the quality of the

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provision

teaching and mentor staff. For example, she tracks the assessments of groups of children to ensure that any gaps in achievement are identified and appropriate action taken.

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provision

Safeguarding is given a high priority in the pre-school. The premises are secure and daily safety checks and regular risk assessments ensure that any possible hazards are identified and risks reduced. There are robust systems in place to ensure that adults working with children are suitable to do so, including a record of Criminal Record Bureau or Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all staff. Managers are aware of changes that must be notified to Ofsted, such as changes in committee members. All staff undertake training in safeguarding and demonstrate through discussion that they have a good understanding of what to look for and procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child or adult in the pre-school. The manager has completed level 3 training in safeguarding as well as training with the local police to support children in the event of domestic abuse incidents.

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provision

The pre-school has a strong commitment to developing the skills and qualifications of staff. All staff undertake induction training and complete first aid, equal opportunities, food hygiene and behaviour management courses. They also attend other training opportunities throughout the year and are supported to achieve higher level qualifications. Regular staff meetings and appraisals provide staff with a forum to share any concerns and develop their expertise. This has a positive impact on the quality of the experience for children. There are good partnerships other professionals, such as speech and language therapists and local schools. Parents and carers spoken to were very complimentary about the staff and the pre-school. They feel well informed about their children's progress and particularly appreciate the support for children with additional needs.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 117155 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 942073 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 67 Name of provider Stoke Damerel Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 23/01/2012 Telephone number 01752 605390

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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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