Pippins Preschool

Pippins Preschool Community Centre, Beadsman Crescent, Leybourne Chase, West Malling, Kent, ME19 5FB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/01/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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

 There is a warm, friendly atmosphere, characterised by busy, happy children who enjoy interacting with their friends and staff.  The manager monitors the staff deployment effectively to ensure that the children are well supervised at all times.  Staff have very good partnerships with parents, which helps to ensure that children settle well and their individual needs are met.  Staff use observations, assessment and children's interests well to plan for children's next steps in their learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The staff provide the children with a wide range of activities and resources, but these do not reflect all members of society fully.  Occasionally staff miss opportunities to extend the children's knowledge, and show them how to keep themselves safe, while exploring the local community.

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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 sampled relevant documentation, including children's developmental records

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed the pre-school's action plans with the owner and how she is driving forward improvement.  The inspector talked to parents and read comments on questionnaires.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play and staff interactions with them, both indoors and while on a walk.

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Information about the setting

Pippins Pre-school was registered in 2013 and is privately owned. The pre-school operates from two rooms in the village community centre on a new residential development in Leybourne Chase, near West Malling, Kent. There is a secure outdoor area. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9am to 4pm, term time only. It operates morning and afternoon sessions and lunch club. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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Information about the setting

The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register and there are 23 children on roll. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years and staff receive support from the local authority. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

There are two full time members of staff including the manager and both hold appropriate early years qualifications at National Vocational Qualification level 3. The pre-school also employs three bank staff.

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

 use all opportunities to extend the children's knowledge and help them learn how to manage risks, especially when going on walks.

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

 provide more opportunities for children to learn about the world around them, for example, by providing more resources and positive images of children and adults with disabilities.

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who attend

This warm and welcoming pre-school provides children with plenty of opportunities to play and explore. The staff plan to meet the individual needs and interests of all children by offering a wide range of both adult-led and child-initiated, exciting activities. The staff develop the children's curiosity and problem solving skills by engaging them in learning about the world around them. For example, the children are particularly engrossed in watching the birds. The staff help the children to identify the birds by looking for markings. They use opportunities to extend the children's learning further by helping the children to make and put up bird feeders. The staff demonstrate a very strong understanding of all seven areas of learning and development and activities are based on the children's individual capabilities. Children are motivated to learn, and they explore their immediate environment with enthusiasm.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to use their senses to learn. The children particularly like listening to the noises made with the musical instruments. They enjoy discovering and investigating the different smells and textures in the treasure basket of natural materials and spices. Staff adapt and change routines to take into account children's emerging interests. For example, children engage in imaginative play using the dinosaurs. They act out different situations and compare the different features of each dinosaur. Staff extend this further by introducing books to identify the dinosaurs, and check their names, with the children.

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who attend

The staff provide the children with a stimulating environment where they can see displays of letters and numbers. Staff engage the children in some activities that help children to learn about their own culture and those of others. However opportunities to learn about all members of society, for example, those with disabilities, are not as apparent. The play room is set out with well-organised low level units and child-sized tables and chairs. This helps the children to choose resources for themselves and take responsibility for keeping the environment tidy. The staff set up comfortable dens, which offer the children a place to play and chatter with friends. Staff spend time reading stories to the children, who then respond with their own stories.

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who attend

Staff work well with parents gathering information about the children prior to them starting at the pre-school. This helps to identify children's starting points to plan effectively for their next stage of learning. The children's learning journey folders clearly show that all children are making good progress in all areas of learning. These records are a comprehensive assessment of the children's time in the pre-school. Children acquire the skills they will need to move on successfully to their next stage in learning or to school.

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

The staff provide the children with consistent and well-developed settling-in procedures, ensuring all children feel secure and confident. The children's emotional well-being benefits from the close relationships they have with their key person who works with parents to gain a clear understanding of children's individual care and learning needs.

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

The staff spend time talking to the children about how they are feeling to help them understand their emotions. All children demonstrate very good behaviour. They are kind to friends and eager to, for example, help staff set up activities. The children respond to staff politely and staff use good manners consistently when talking to each other and the children. This means that children communicate positively, sharing with one another and taking turns.

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

The children develop independence as they take themselves to the toilet and wash their hands. They access their individual drinks throughout the session and staff remind them to have a drink of water regularly. The staff sit with the children at snack time. They help them to pour their own drinks and offer them a healthy snack. Snack time and lunchtime are social experiences where staff chat to the children, for example, talking about how to stay healthy. Parents are encouraged to provide children with a healthy, nutritious lunch.

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

All children enjoy frequent outdoor play. They change their slippers to wellington boots to go outside, and ask staff to pass them their coats. The children particularly enjoy going for walks to the park and using the climbing equipment. They walk through the woods to visit the pond and look for squirrels. The staff ensure that the children are safe when out on walks. Children hold their friends' hands and staff remind the children to stay with the group. However, staff do not take this opportunity to extend children's learning by talking to them about water safety and the creatures that might live in the pond.

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

The outdoor environment and natural resources are an important part of the pre-school's daily routines. The staff are in the process of developing the outdoor secure area to enable the children to use it freely throughout the session and in all weathers. Staff ensure that the children are well supervised while outside. The children enjoy balancing on the beams and steppingstones as well as riding bikes and scooters. The staff have introduced the mud kitchen for the children to develop their physical and social skills further while playing with friends.

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

The pre-school is establishing strong links with schools as well as the local children's centre, to help ensure children receive continuity of care. The staff work closely with parents to develop care plans to meet the individual needs of all children. Staff have recently completed the progress check for some two-year-old children, which they have shared with parents. This helps staff and parents to understand the progress children have made so that they can seek support where necessary and work together to narrow any gaps in learning.

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provision

The manager works closely with staff and volunteers to ensure they all follow the policies and procedures correctly to help keep children safe and secure. The manager has undertaken designated person safeguarding training and fully understands her responsibilities in meeting the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

Keeping children safe is given the highest priority. The manager ensures that robust procedures are in place for the recruitment and vetting of staff. This ensures that all staff working with children are suitable to do so. Comprehensive induction and one-to-one supervision meetings ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of the ethos of the pre-school, and the procedures for staff appraisal are in place. Staff work together to provide a consistent approach to supporting children and their families. The deputy has undertaken Special Education Needs training and has put in place procedures to support any children with additional needs. The manager and deputy meet regularly to plan how to improve practice to move the pre- school forward and to identify any training needs. The manager is working closely with the local authority to improve practice. She has adopted ideas to improve partnerships with

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provision

parents, for example, by holding a parents evening and introduced activities to support the children to learn about their emotions.

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provision

Comprehensive risk assessments are in place. Staff carry out daily checks to identify any hazards and minimise risks to children. All required documentation is appropriately completed and available for inspection. Staff practise fire drills regularly with the children to ensure everyone can leave the building quickly and safely in the event of an emergency.

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provision

The manager is aware of the strengths and areas for improvement in the pre-school. Clear action plans are in place to address any concerns and improve outcomes for all children, for example, to improve the outside play space. Parents and children are also encouraged to put forward ideas to improve the service the pre-school provides. The manager demonstrates a positive commitment to improving practice. The pre-school makes good use of support from external agencies and works closely with parents to meet the needs of every child.

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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 EY461890 Local authority Kent Inspection number 927172 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 23 Name of provider Leybourne Chase Pre-School Ltd Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07501535051

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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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