St Osyth Preschool and Nursery CIC

St. Osyth Preschool CIC 64 Mill Street, St. Osyth, CLACTON-ON-SEA, Essex, CO16 8EW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/12/2013 14/05/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Children learn and develop because staff know their starting points, carefully observe and assess them to track progress and plan next steps which are suitably challenging and well-focused.  Staff get to know children well and build meaningful emotional attachments, helping them feel secure and able to make friends and confidently engage with the pre-school environment so that they can learn and develop.  Supervision and monitoring of staff is good, maintaining a consistent standard of teaching across the whole pre-school, and identifying and addressing their training needs.

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It is not yet good because

 No member of staff has attended the required designated person training to enable them to take a lead role in safeguarding and ensuring that all staff have a secure understanding of how to implement all aspects of the safeguarding policy. This compromises children's well-being.  Some areas of the pre-school, such as the role play area for three to five year olds, and the outside area, are less well-resourced and set out, making them less appealing and limiting children's learning.

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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 compulsory part 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 interacted with children in the playrooms and as they ate lunch.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the provider/manager, and carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a sample of documentation including evidence of staff checks, risk assessments, some policies and children's development profiles.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of several parents spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

St Osyth Pre-school Community Interest Company (CIC) was registered in 2012 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in St Osyth, Essex, and is managed by two directors. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from spacious converted commercial premises and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The pre-school employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 4. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday all year round except for the Christmas period. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 66 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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must:

 ensure staff appraisals identify any training needs, to ensure all staff have up-to- date knowledge, with specific regard to safeguarding.

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

 ensure that all areas are consistently well-resourced and appealing, to provide children with stimulating, creative play opportunities, for example, in the outside area and the role play area.

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who attend

Children enjoy activities and play opportunities designed to help them make progress towards the early learning goals. They successfully develop the skills they need for their future learning and are ready for school, when the time comes to move on. While there are resources available covering all areas of learning, sometimes these are not presented appealingly. For example, one of the role play areas is neglected and poorly set out which results in children's imaginative play and opportunities to develop their understanding and problem solving being limited. The pre-school benefits from spacious outdoor play areas where children can run and move freely and enjoy using physical play equipment as well as sand and water sometimes. However, there is room for improvement and additional activities and resources, to provide more wide ranging learning opportunities for children. Toddlers have plenty of choice from the resources set out for them, and can easily access

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who attend

other items from the low-level storage. They happily explore their chosen play materials and move freely between areas. A child enjoys using the farm animals and vehicles to create his own play scenario, supported by staff who introduce vocabulary, such as 'tractor and trailer'. Painting with brushes or fingers introduces children to what happens when they mix colours and create patterns and shapes. They take part in seasonal activities, such as Christmas crafts, proudly showing off their cards for mummy and daddy with sparkly sequins and glitter. Older children have lead roles in the annual nativity presentation which takes place in a local church. This special occasion gives children an understanding of their local community and boosts self-esteem as they rehearse for the show, knowing that their parents and families will be watching.

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who attend

The staff team is generally well qualified and experienced and provides children with the support they need to learn well. They understand how children learn and base the teaching and educational programme on what children can do and what they need to do next. They determine children's starting points by asking parents about them before they start. They then observe and assess children, tracking their progress against expected levels and planning next steps in learning. Each child has a development profile with examples of their work and photographs, annotated and linked to the specific areas of learning, showing how they have progressed over time. A termly report is compiled and shared with parents. These are well written and presented, so parents can share in and continue the learning at home. Children aged two have a progress check which is shared with parents so that any additional support may be put in place to close any gaps in

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who attend

development. Staff speak to children clearly and use some open questions to promote children's creative thinking. They read stories and lead the group times skilfully so that children can interact and express their own ideas and feelings.

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who attend

A large area is set aside for physical play indoors, so that even in poor weather, or when the outside area is not available, children can use some wheeled toys or balls to develop their skills and move freely. The segregated art area contains various messy play resources and allows children to experiment freely with a range of materials to explore texture, colour and form. They use tools, such as, scissors and glue sticks to create collages and print white shapes on black paper for a Christmas themed display. Graded puzzles help children learn about shape and space and staff note as they complete them so that they can provide puzzles with the next level of difficulty, to challenge the children. Staff support children's language development well by reflecting their speech and modelling correct pronunciation. Over time, children improve their expressive language and begin to be able to talk about their feelings and what they have been doing.

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

Children form firm emotional attachments to the staff caring for them. This allows them to feel settled and at home, so they can explore their surroundings, play and learn. The key person system ensures that families have a point of contact for discussing anything to do with their child. A daily diary is used for a two-way flow of communication, so parents can see what children have been doing and can add information about outings and activities from home. This allows staff to incorporate children's experiences and interests, keeping them fully engaged and interested. When children move on to the next room, they have a flexible, phased settling-in period and their current key person ensures that the new key person is fully informed about the child before they move on. Children learn how to behave as they follow they simple and consistently applied rules. Staff reinforce these and remind children about moving around carefully, washing their hands and taking turns.

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

Children have time to be active as well as take a rest or nap if they need to, as space is set aside for a quiet area. They have meals and snacks in accordance with their individual dietary needs, allergies and intolerances are understood and children are only given suitable foods. They eat a packed lunch from home and confidently say that the 'fruit is good for you'. Staff support them and chat about the foods they are eating, encouraging healthy eating and good table behaviour. Children's independence and self-help is promoted as they manage their own lunchboxes and pour drinks form a small jug at snack time. Children requiring first aid for any minor accidents or bumps are treated onsite and the details recorded and signed by parents. Any medication is administered only by parents. This ensures that children's good health is promoted and their individual needs are met.

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

The pre-school is safe, warm and welcoming. Staff are constantly vigilant and ensure that children are always within sight or hearing and have particular regard to children using the toilet facilities. Staff supervise children to allow them to develop independence and maintain their privacy, but ensure they are supported, when required. Children have space for their belongings and understand the routines that help the sessions run smoothly. Staff carry out risk assessments and check all areas regularly to keep the environment safe and secure. Recently, a storm caused a large tree to fall onto storage sheds containing outdoor toys and damaged a section of fencing. As a result, part of the outside area has been out of use while repairs are awaited following an insurance claim. Children use a part of the garden that is unaffected, so they are not at any risk of harm or injury. Staff understand their responsibility for safeguarding children and are alert to the signs and symptoms of

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

abuse. They are able to make a referral where it is felt that outside support or intervention is required to protect children. However, since no member of staff has completed the required designated person training there may be gaps in knowledge that could compromise children's welfare.

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provision

The manager has a basic understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and demonstrates that she knows how to make a referral to ensure that any child who needs support receives appropriate intervention and care. However, in order to meet requirements a designated person must attend a local authority approved training course to enable them to take a lead role within the setting and ensure that all staff are fully informed and able to act on their own in initiative. This has not been done which means that there may be some gaps in knowledge that potentially compromise children's welfare.

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provision

The managers have initiated very sound supervision and monitoring processes. They oversee the practice throughout the pre-school and provide support and guidance for staff to enable their professional development. An annual appraisal highlights strengths and areas for development, staff report that they found the recently peer appraisal trial helpful and informative. Recruitment and induction is based on robust and well thought out procedures, ensuring that children are cared for by staff who are appropriately qualified and experienced and who have undergone vetting procedures for suitability.

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provision

The partnership with parents is effective and benefits children. Parents have good communication channels so that they regularly share information with their child's key person. Parents are invited to become involved and contribute in different ways, by attending sessions if they so wish, or as an audience to the children's Christmas production. Parents say they find the staff approachable and appreciate their advice and help with childcare related matters. They like the fact that children make friends that they will keep when they move onto school and enjoy the links that the pre-school has with the local area. The manager reflects on practice and evaluates the pre-school in order to plan improvements that will benefit children and raise their achievement levels. For example, she intends to provide a 'bird hide' so children can safely observe the wildlife on the adjacent lake and plans to cultivate more vegetables and plants so that children gain ideas

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY451581 Local authority Essex Inspection number 945549

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 66 Name of provider St. Osyth Preschool CIC Date of previous inspection 14/05/2013 Telephone number 07958047058

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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.

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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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