Pelican Children's Centre

Pelican Children's Centre Pelican Centre, 66 Saltash Road, Keyham, Plymouth, Devon, PL2 1QS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/01/2014 06/02/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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

 Children are happy, confident and settled. They are keen to learn and have a positive rapport with their friends and staff.  Staff foster good relationships with parents and carers and fully involve them in all aspects of the provision.  There are good systems in place to monitor the progress children are making to share their progress with parents.  The management monitors the provision effectively and encourages the staff team's professional development, which benefits the children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 At times, creative resources are not plentiful or provide extra challenge for children.  Staff are not always consistent in their use of open-ended questions to extend their children's thinking, and do not always give them time to respond.

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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 pre-school rooms and the baby rooms.  The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and some parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled relevant documentation, including some policies, procedures and children's assessment records.  The inspector conducted a joint observation of an activity with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Pelican Children's Centre registered in 1991. It is a community run voluntary centre situated in an extensive double-fronted, end of terrace property in Keyham, Plymouth, Devon. It is an inner city area adjacent to the Royal Navel Dockyard. There is an enclosed outdoor play area. The centre is open from Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm for 48 weeks of the year. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 80 children on roll; all are in the early years age group. The centre is in receipt of funding for free nursery education for children aged two, three and four years. The centre supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are learning English as an additional language. The children's centre is run by a full-time manager, under the supervision of a board of trustees. There are currently 20 staff employed, of whom most

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Information about the setting

hold recognised childcare qualifications.

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

 develop further the range of resources for creative activities to give children more choice and to provide more challenge for the children as they develop their skills

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

 extend the consistent use of open ended-questions during activities to encourage and extend children's thinking and learning.

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who attend

The staff interact well with the children as they play helping them to make good progress in their learning and development. The children are familiar with the routine for the day. They have a key person who completes observations and assessments on their children. These are used effectively to identify and plan for children's next steps in their learning. There is a good 'buddy system' in place for staff to record observations and assessments on children as they observe them at play to share with the child's key person. The older children confidently choose which room they want to play in and have a good range of toys and resources easily accessible to support their individual interests. Staff encourage children to use their imaginations through role-play. Children chat happily with their friends as they play pretending to be on a picnic and have a play area set up as a hospital. The children enjoy dressing up. Staff organise the environment well to help children to

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who attend

make good progress in all the areas of learning. This includes well resourced literacy and mathematic play areas to help children to learn naturally as they play. Staff encourage children to develop their early writing skills writing their own names on their work. The staff have a good rapport with the children giving them plenty of praise and encouragement. This builds children's good self-esteem and confidence. Children are keen to share their home news with staff and to talk about family pets. The staff help children to learn to listen when someone else is talking. For example, when a child is holding a box the other children know it is time to listen to what the child is saying. When the box is passed on, they know it is their turn to speak. Staff read stories with enthusiasm to the children to engage their interest and attention. Children learn to count spontaneously as they play. For example, counting at snack time and learning about

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who attend

'more' and 'less', and by doing simple calculations. They learn to solve problems by completing jigsaw puzzles. Staff help children to learn the sounds that letters make by playing games. Younger children are encouraged to learn new words to help them to become confident communicators. Staff help children learning English as additional language very well by learning key words in the child's own language and by having a visual display to show them the daily routine. This helps children to become familiar with the routine and to feel the secure. Staff use sign language and this helps all children to be fully included and to be able to communicate.

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who attend

Children concentrate well at their chosen task. They enjoy craft activities and are proud of their finished picture. They talk about what will happen next when they mix paints together and what colours they can make. However, at times staff do not provide a broad enough range of resources for some planned craft activities. Consequently, opportunities for to use their own ideas and imaginations or to challenge them further, are missed. The staff sit alongside the children as they play. However, they do not consistently use open- ended questions to extend children's thinking and to encourage them to explain their own ideas. Children are not always given sufficient time to think or answer questions.

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who attend

Staff teach children about their local community and the wider world through celebrating festivals throughout the year. These planned activities include trying food from the country they are learning about. This helps them to explore diversity in a meaningful way. Children's work is attractively displayed around the room for parents to see what their child has been doing. Younger children learn to explore and investigate and to use their senses with a sensory wall. They explore with toys playing with them in foam and oats in a tray. Staff provide musical instruments and technology toys to help children learn how things work from a young age. The staff help children to learn the skills they need to be well prepared for starting school. Children are taken for visits to their new school and the teachers are invited in to see the children at play.

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

Children are confident and encouraged to be independent in their self-care from a young age. The older children confidently help themselves to water and put their cup in the bin when they have finished. Staff teach children about healthy lifestyles. Consequently, children are familiar with the routine of washing their hands before meals and cleaning their teeth after meals. Children bring packed lunches and learn to eat their savoury items first. Parents are given ideas on the content of the lunches to promote healthy eating. Staff sit with the children at meal times to encourage good social skills and manners. The children enjoy a 'caf' style snack time. This allows them to have their snack when they are ready and does not interrupt their play. Children confidently pour their own drinks. Staff use these times to talk with the children about healthy eating and to encourage them to try fruits and vegetables that are new to them.

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

The staff takes a consistent approach in how they deal with any unwanted behaviour. This helps children to learn to behave well and to play well alongside their friends sharing and taking turns. For example, when using the computer with gentle reminders from a member of staff to take turns. Children learn about keeping themselves and each other safe as they play, with reminders from staff to sit carefully on chairs and to move safely on the stairs. They learn to use scissors with care. These skills help children in preparation for starting school.

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

Babies' and younger children's routines are met well. Good hygiene routines are followed to minimise the risk of any cross infection The staff interact well with the children giving them reassuring cuddles as they tire and on waking. The children have their own trays and bed linen. The children are checked regularly when sleeping and this is recorded and shared with parents. The parents are kept well informed of how their child has been through daily discussions and a daily diary this promotes continuity of care.

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

Children enjoy fresh air each day playing outside in the enclosed garden with a safety surface and the use of toys to promote their physical development. Children can play out in all weathers and are able to grow flowers, tomatoes and cucumber. They learn about nature as they play for example, how animals hatch and about the changing seasons.

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provision

The staff work effectively as a team and are well supported by the manager. They demonstrate a secure understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There are good systems in place for appointing new staff and induction procedures to ensure that new staff are clear of all the policies and procedures. These include safeguarding children and a 'whistle blowing' policy. Staff have regular supervision and appraisals to monitor their performance and to identify any training required in order to improve outcomes for children. Close circuit television (CCTV) is used in all rooms to help to keep children safe. Staff complete daily checks of the premises before children arrive and risk assessments are regularly reviewed to minimise any potential hazards to children as they play. There are good systems in place during arrivals and departures of children to ensure they are safe and they are supervised well.

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provision

The staff have completed safeguarding training and is clear of the procedure to follow in the event of a child protection concern. Fire drills are regularly practised with the children so they are clear of the procedure to follow in the event of an emergency. All staff have a secure understanding of the medication policy and the procedure to follow if a child requires any medicine. For example, staff obtain written parental consents, and a second member of staff witnesses and records any medication given. Parents countersign the medication form as an additional precaution.

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provision

There is a good partnership with parents. Staff keep them very well informed on a daily basis how their child has been and what they have been doing. There is an informative notice board for parents including information on the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Parents receive regular newsletters. They are warmly welcomed and are able to stay with their child until they settle. Children's 'wow' moments and achievements are recorded. Their progress is shared with parents through regular parents' evenings and parents are encouraged to share children's achievements at home. This promotes a shared approach to children's learning and development. The centre has good links with outside agencies to seek advice and support for children's individual needs including the speech and language therapist and the portage workers.

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provision

The manager has high expectations of the provision and monitors practice through self- evaluation with the staff to identify their strengths and areas to improve outcomes for children. They have successfully completed the British Standards Accreditation. Parents' views are sought through regular questionnaires. The parents spoken to on the day of the inspection, speak highly of the centre and the care that their children receive. Staff are positive role models and the children are clearly very fond of them.

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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 117138 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 950634 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 47 Number of children on roll 80 Name of provider Pelican Children's Centre Date of previous inspection 06/02/2012 Telephone number 01752 551191

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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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