Little Poppies Pre School

Little Poppies Pre-School (Royal British Legion) Poppyfield Drive, Mickleover, DE3 9GQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/02/2014 05/02/2009

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early years provision

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

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This provision requires improvement

 Children are appropriately supported to develop close bonds and friendships with the staff and their peers. This means that they are generally happy and enjoy their time at the pre-school.  Partnerships with parents and other settings are strong. Information is shared effectively, which helps to promote the learning and development of the children. This benefits the children as learning is supported at home and between settings.  Children are kept safe as there is a robust system for the ongoing assessment of risk, and staff effectively minimise hazards throughout the day.

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It is not yet good because

 Behaviour management procedures are not always implemented effectively to help children learn how to play together and consider others. As a result, not all children learn how to control their behaviour.  The outdoor area is not used regularly enough to promote children's all-round development.  Monitoring of staff practice is in its early stages and has not identified that teaching methods do not always challenge each child enough to make the most of activities provided, so that they can make good progress.

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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 hall and outside play area of the pre-school.  The inspector spoke with staff, children and their parents throughout the inspection.  The inspector held meetings and carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a range of documents including children's profiles and the policies and procedures,

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Information about the setting

Little Poppies Pre-School was registered in 1989 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated on the Royal British Legion site in the Mickleover area of Derby, and is privately owned. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from the main hall and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff, six of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 4.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 43 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

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must:

 ensure that behaviour management procedures are implemented consistently and effectively by all staff, to enable all children to learn how to play together appropriately.

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

 improve processes for the monitoring of staff practice, so they are robust enough to ensure teaching methods improve, enabling all children to use the activities provided effectively so they consistently make good progress

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

 extend opportunities for children to move freely between the outdoor and indoor environment, so they can follow their interests and build on their learning.

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who attend

The pre-school offers a welcoming and visually stimulating learning environment. Children arrive enthusiastically at the setting and are keen to engage in play. This is because they are provided with a sufficient range of activities and experiences that they mostly enjoy and which generally support their development across the areas of learning. An appropriate balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities means that some children receive attentive support from staff and make steady progress. Some staff have a reasonable understanding of how children learn best and demonstrate suitable teaching skills which support the children as they learn. For example, some staff ask questions which encourage the children to think critically. However, teaching styles are inconsistent and do not always support all children sufficiently to make the most of activities provided. As a consequence of this, some children become bored and disengaged, which means that

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who attend

A reasonable selection of resources are available to encourage the children to write and express themselves creatively, which they freely use to make marks as they play. For example, they write shopping lists and draw a duck pond for the farm on the lid of a shoe box. Children develop a sufficient understanding of mathematical concepts, such as, more than, as they build and count bricks in the builders yard. Children's physical development is appropriately supported as they learn, for example, how to balance on a bench, thread small beads and snip at paper with scissors. Some children develop the skills needed to lead their own play and use their imagination as they make treasure maps and follow the map to find the hidden treasure. Children are offered some opportunities to play and learn outside. For example, they dig, use sit-and-ride toys and explore the natural environment using binoculars and magnifying glasses. However, the pre-school's outdoor area is not

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who attend

always used effectively throughout the session. There is room to extend opportunities for children to move freely between environments to further support their all-round development. As a result, children are restricted as to where and what they choose to play with. Consequently, this limits opportunities for children to follow their interests and learn in the outdoor environment.

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who attend

The staff regularly observe the children as they play and make appropriate assessments of children's developmental progress. When children first start at the pre-school, staff use generally good information from parents and children which is collected at settling-in visits to ensure that children's initial needs are planned for and met. Staff then take the time to get to know the children's emerging needs and interests to effectively plan activities which support each child's next stage of development. This means that most children make steady progress and develop reasonable skills which prepare them for when they start school. Staff share relevant useful information with parents about their child's learning and development on a daily basis. Parents are invited to attend parents' evenings where key workers share written assessments and discuss any emerging needs. They also take this opportunity to discuss any learning that takes place at home. The pre-school provides

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who attend

'home achievement forms' for parents to complete, to share news from home. This helps to ensure that learning and development is complimented between environments and helps to support some children to make steady progress.

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

Staff at the pre-school are caring and affectionate. They show this by asking children and their parents questions about their well-being. For example, they ask about children's health and reassure children with cuddles when they become upset. When children first start key workers use the first sessions to develop warm bonds with the children, which means that children are emotionally supported to form appropriate attachments with staff during this transitional phase. Visits from and to local schools help to ensure that children are emotionally well supported when they move on from the pre-school. Children develop close friendships with each other. For example, they laugh and smile and share jokes together as they play, which demonstrates that they enjoy each other's company. Therefore, children are generally happy and enjoy their time at the pre-school. Staff are mostly effective role models as they are polite and respectful, which in turn means that

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

children learn to use suitable manners. Staff praise children's achievements appropriately and this helps the children to develop generally good self-esteem. Children mostly play cooperatively together. However, not all children learn how to behave appropriately to ensure that they keep themselves and others safe. Although staff have an adequate policy and procedures for dealing with behaviour issues, they are not always implemented effectively. For instance, children are allowed to run around the hall and chase each other, often falling over and disrupting the enjoyment of others in the setting. Staff do not always intervene effectively to stop this or make their expectations for behaviour clear, and as a result, not all children are learning how to control their behaviour appropriately.

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

The environment is sufficiently well organised and arranged to enable children to use the resources independently. This means that most children explore the environment and equipment suitably. The majority of staff have an awareness of how to promote the safety of the children, and generally support most children to gain an understanding of risk. For example, they are encouraged to balance independently on the bench while staff remain close by. Staff support most children to learn how to keep themselves appropriately safe. For example, the children participate in fire drills, are reminded that there is only one allowed at time on the trampoline, and discuss risks, such as slippy ice, with the staff. This helps to keep the children safe. Children's independence is adequately supported. For example, older children use toilet facilities by themselves and staff support the younger children as they wash their hands. This means that they are learning how to manage their

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

own personal hygiene needs, which helps to promote their well-being.

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

The pre-school provides the children with healthy snacks and drinks. Parents have access to appropriate policies and advice which encourage them to send their child healthy options in their lunch box. For example, they do not bring sweets into the setting. Children participate in activities, such as sorting food wrappers, which helps them to learn which foods are healthy. Pictures on the wall provide clear visual reminders that reinforce their learning. This helps to promote healthy eating within the pre-school. Children learn about the importance of exercise as they go on outings to the field where they learn how to participate in sports. The outside secure area also provides opportunities for children to be more physical. This helps to ensure that children are generally well supported to be healthy.

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provision

Children's welfare is promoted sufficiently within the pre-school as the management team generally understand their responsibilities under the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Safer recruitment policies and procedures have been developed since the last inspection, which help to keep the children safe. All staff are appropriately checked to help ensure that they are suitable to work within the setting. They have recently attended safeguarding training and subsequently have a good understanding of how to keep children safe from harm. Staff are clear on child protection procedures and who to report any concerns to. They have an awareness of the process to follow should an allegation be made against a member of staff. This means children are mostly safe and suitably protected while attending the pre-school. Risk assessments of the premises, including outings and resources, are implemented, and suitable policies and procedures are in place

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provision

which generally help to support the children's well-being. However, behaviour management procedures are not always implemented effectively. This is also a breach of a requirement of the Childcare Register. Regular relevant safety checks of the building, including the outdoor area, help to ensure that the environment is safe and secure.

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provision

The management team has an acceptable understanding of their role in meeting the learning and development requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The manager has a reasonable overview of the observation and assessment of children. Planning is done as a team and each key worker is responsible for making sure that the next steps in children's development are planned for, which helps to ensure that children generally make steady progress. Overall, most staff are monitored and appraised appropriately, through supervision discussions and annual appraisals conducted by the manager. However, monitoring of staff practice is in its early stages and has not identified that teaching needs improving so that staff can successfully support all children to make the most of the activities provided, to enable them to make good progress. Regular opportunities for staff to attend training to extend their knowledge,

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provision

understanding and skills are provided. As a consequence, staff are adequately trained and qualified to meet most children's needs.

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provision

The staff team are very passionate and are keen to improve the setting. Good enough plans are in place to support continuous improvement. Most aspects of practice are reasonably reflective, and relevant evaluation takes place regularly, taking into account the views of the children, parents and staff. This means that most strengths and weaknesses are adequately identified. The setting has developed suitable partnerships with parents and other settings. Parents are generally positive about the setting and feel that staff are very supportive. They comment that they 'find it useful' that staff give ideas for learning at home. This strong relationship means that staff are generally able to share relevant information in relation to each child's development. This helps to ensure that learning is complimented at home. Appropriate, well-established partnerships with other pre-schools help ensure that some children who attend other settings mostly have their

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provision

needs met. The pre-school works closely with the local authority support worker, who has provided support and guidance. This has helped the setting to develop its practice adequately. The manager places a great importance on this relationship, which has helped her to develop in confidence, and this in turn supports the ongoing improvement of the pre-school.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that children's behaviour is managed in a suitable manner (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that children's behaviour is managed in a suitable manner (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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 EY371611 Local authority Derby, City of Inspection number 870837

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 43 Name of provider Jacqueline Anne Beacon Date of previous inspection 05/02/2009 Telephone number 07789 393172

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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

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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