Sticky Fish Pre-School

Sticky Fish Pre-School Fishponds Baptist Church, Downend Road, Fishponds, BRISTOL, BS16 5AS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31/01/2014 25/09/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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 confident and secure; they engage well with a wide range of activities, which contributes well to their good progress.  There are effective systems in place to reflect on the quality of practice, which successfully drive ongoing improvements.  Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop, they plan and provide enjoyable experiences that meet children's individual needs.  A well-established key person system is in place, which supports staff relationships with children and their families.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for children to develop their literacy skills outdoors are not as effective as indoors, as there are fewer resources, signs and symbols to promote learning.  Staff do not consistently involve children in taking responsibility for helping in the preparation and serving of food, and clearing away at snack time.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play and staff interaction, indoors and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the manager, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation including policies, planning file and children's assessment and developmental records.  The inspector spoke with available parents to gain their views.

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Information about the setting

Sticky Fish Pre-School registered in 1994 and is a privately run group. It operates from the Lower Hall of Fishponds Baptist Church, situated close to the Fishponds and Downend border. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area with paved surfaces. The pre-school serves the local and wider communities. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 18 children on roll aged from two to five years. The pre-school currently supports children who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years.

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Information about the setting

The pre-school opens five days a week during school term times from 9.30am to 12.30pm, with an additional optional hour for lunch until 13.30pm. The pre-school employs seven staff, of whom six staff have recognised childcare qualifications at level 3. The manager has qualified teacher status in Modern Foreign Languages for secondary education.

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

 maximise opportunities for children's literacy learning in the outdoor area by, for example, the provision of further resources and visual support of letters, signs and symbols

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

 develop further opportunities for children to build on their self-care skills by, for example, allowing them to prepare and serve their own snacks, clear away and wash up.

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who attend

Children are settled, happy and ready to learn because staff provide a warm and welcoming environment and give children frequent individual attention. Staff make their own observations to complement parents information on their home life to identify children's interests and starting points. The key person uses ongoing observations to plan appropriate opportunities to promote children's learning. Staff provide a broad range of appealing activities for children, including free-play which is child-initiated, and some adult activities in groups. Consequently, children show that they are keen to be involved and are motivated to learn. As a result this supports their learning across all areas. Information on children's learning is clearly and attractively documented in their individual learning journals and show they are making good progress. Good communication channels mean that parents are well informed about the care and education their children receive. Staff

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who attend

share learning journals with parents regularly, together with video clips of their child during play to involve them in celebrating their child's achievements. Parents and the key person use daily communication books to share information about the children. Staff also make themselves available to parents to talk when children arrive and leave each day. Staff share written summaries of learning with parents each term. Several formal meetings are scheduled each year which enables a more in-depth conversation about children's current stage of development and their next steps. The pre-school has a two-way flow of information with other settings that children attend. This allows the staff to gain a wider picture of children's progress and promotes consistency of learning. Staff are aware of the need to complete the required progress check for two year old children and to share this with parents. The pre-school runs parenting courses and workshops, in order to support

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who attend

parents in their children's learning and development. For example, course such as 'Caring for the family' and 'Dealing with challenging behaviour'.

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who attend

Overall, teaching is effective to support children's developing communication and language skills. Children are consistently engaged in conversations with adults and each other and staff ask a good amount of open questions to help children to think. For example, during story time children are asked what they can remember about the book. Staff support children who learn English as an additional language well by using sign language, visual images and key words in their home language. This effectively helps children to develop friendships and gain a command of English in readiness for school. Children demonstrate good hand to eye co-ordination and small muscle control as they carefully use needles threaded with elastic to make holes on their Chinese New Year animal masks. During music activities staff are positive role models joining in with action songs, stretching their arms, jumping up and down and clapping hands to promote language and physical

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who attend

development. Children enjoy these activities and laugh as they sing, dance and wiggle their bodies to the rhythms.

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who attend

Children move purposely around the pre-school interacting with both adults and their peers. They are able to freely access a wide range of good quality resources and equipment which is attractively stored at child height within the play room. This helps to support their independent learning well. Staff foster children's imagination as they engage in children's role play sensitively in the clothes shop and during small world play. Children select their own dressing up clothes and find additional resources during craft activities to enhance their creativity and imagination. They are able to access computers and hand held electronic toys which help to promote their technological awareness.

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who attend

Most children spend extended periods of time engaged in their play and exploration. Outside, they dig in the sand and fill containers. Children are able to make connections in their learning as they use watering cans to water herbs in the border. Staff challenge children to think for themselves as they try out their ideas and solve problems. For example, children experiment with gutters, tubes, funnels and sieves to transport water from the water butt into a variety of containers. Children happily take turns and share brooms as they work together to clear up debris. This demonstrates that they are developing the social skills required to enable them to move onto school. Children spend time painting with water on the wall. However, although the indoors is very well resourced, there are fewer resources to promote children's literacy skills outside. This does not benefit children who particularly enjoy the outdoor learning environment.

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

Staff are warm and caring to the children and this helps them to build good levels of confidence and self-esteem which supports their emotional development well. Consequently, children demonstrate a sense of security, building secure relationships with both staff and their friends which enables most children to settle quickly on arrival and enjoy their time at the pre-school. Staff get down to children's level to support them during activities and this helps the children to feel valued, be involved and concentrate. Most children behave well at the pre-school, for instance they know that they need to walk indoors as calm staff, gently but firmly, remind them of the golden rules. Staff support children to use good manners during their play and daily routines and remind them that they need to share the toys. Children develop a sense of time as staff promote the use of sand timers to encourage turn-taking skills. Children benefit from good opportunities to

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

develop a positive awareness and respect of people's differences as they explore the local community, wider world, their own cultures and beliefs and those of others. Children become familiar with good hygiene practices to keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, staff remind younger children that they need to wash their hands before eating snack and after toileting. Staff change nappies using appropriate procedures in areas that give children a degree of privacy yet safeguard them.

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

Children are developing an awareness of a healthy diet as they help themselves to water to during their play so they do not become thirsty. They enjoy a wide range of healthy snacks such as homemade vegetable soup and a variety of fruit and vegetables. Staff sit with children during snack time and engage them in conversation which helps to promote family style meals and develops their social skills. Children develop some independence as they calculate how many children are present and then hand out bowls. However, some opportunities are missed to further promote self-care skills by consistently involving children in the preparation, serving, and clearing away of snack.

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

Staff promote children's safety as they play. They make sure that all children understand how to evacuate the building quickly as this is practised regularly. Staff teach children about road safety in the large segregated indoor area for ride on toys. The children experiment with battery operated traffic lights, stopping their cars on a red light so that staff can cross the road. All children benefit from daily fresh air in all weathers, physical exercise and active play to promote their fitness and physical development. All children are able to move freely between the playroom and the enclosed outdoor play area for the majority of the session. This supports their individual learning preferences well. Staff support children as they learn to put on their own coats and wellington boots. Consequently, children are learning the skills they need in readiness for starting school. Children explore the enclosed outside play area containing a variety of play equipment,

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

such as ride on toys, climbing frame and slides, sand and water. Children have opportunities to sow seeds, tend to plants, and harvest the results. For example, they grow herbs and strawberries which they can eat during snack time. This helps to support children to care for living things and develop an understanding of where food comes from. Children take responsibility for helping to tidy away toys into the labelled containers after use. They hang their belongings on their coat peg in the cloakroom area and engage in 'self-registration' when they arrive. Children's work is valued and displayed attractively on the playroom walls. The 'Kindness kites' and 'caring clouds' enable staff to celebrate children's achievements with other children and parents. These good practices successfully support children's sense of belonging and emotional well-being. Positive partnerships with parents and other early years settings are in place, which help to support children in their

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provision

The provider demonstrates a good understanding of the learning and development, and safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Robust recruitment, induction and appraisal systems are in place to check that staff are suitable to work with children and skilled in their roles. The manager is the designated person for safeguarding. She has attended safeguarding training to ensure that they are up to date with any changes in legislation and understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting children's welfare. All staff hold current paediatric first aid and food safety certificates, and have all undertaken safeguarding training. As a result, staff have a secure understanding of the procedures to follow should they have concerns about children's welfare. The manager and staff regularly review and update policies and procedures to ensure the safety and well-being of the children. Written risk assessments

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provision

are in place and staff complete daily visual checks to maintain the safety and suitability of the premises, toys and equipment. There are effective procedures in place to record accidents, incidents and the administration of medication.

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provision

Staff work well to support one another and the children in their care. The achieved Bristol Standards scheme has proved very successful at focusing the staff to evaluate the quality of the provision and identify specific areas for improvement. They use regular peer observations to reflect on practice, which are discussed during regular staff meetings There are effective systems in place for monitoring performance, mentoring, coaching and identifying future training needs. The manager effectively monitors training on a rolling programme to ensure it is kept updated and that staff continue to develop professionally. The manager takes into account the views of staff, other professionals, parents and children when identifying areas to develop. Effective action is then taken to drive ongoing improvements. This includes the introduction of a website, developing the outdoor play area and continuing to involve all parents in their children's learning.

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provision

The welcoming staff establish good partnerships with parents who speak highly of the friendly staff, care and support provided for their children. They say their children enjoy their time at the pre-school. Parents explain that they regularly liaise with their child's key person, to agree appropriate 'next steps' for learning. Assessment records show that parents share written evidence of what children have done at home, to celebrate their achievements with the pre-school. Staff are aware of the benefit of sharing information with other settings that children attend. Links with outside agencies means that the pre- school can access services that may be required to support children with particular needs, and to recommend them to parents when needed.

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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 EY388839 Local authority Bristol City Inspection number 844614 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 18 Name of provider Sticky Fish Pre-School Date of previous inspection 25/09/2009 Telephone number 01179584075

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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

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’.

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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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