Sunshine Under 5'sOfsted inspection, 31 Mar 2014

Sunshine Under Fives Centre Percival Road, The Dale, CHESTER, Cheshire, CH2 4AH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31/03/2014 05/02/2010

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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

 The quality of teaching is consistently good because staff use skilful questioning to encourage children to develop their own ideas and creativity. As a result, children initiate their own learning and are enthusiastic active learners.  Settling-in procedures for children are well embedded, resulting in happy secure attachments between adults and children, made in a warm friendly environment.  Management ensure the safeguarding of children is a clear priority, through effective procedures and recruitment of suitable staff to provide a secure stimulating environment. This means that children feel safe and have confidence to independently explore their surroundings.  Partnerships with parents and outside agencies are excellently promoted and well established. As a result, parents and other professionals make positive contributions to children's learning and support the acquisition of new skills at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Inclusion is promoted to meet the needs of children. However, there is scope to develop further use of multi-cultural resources, in order to celebrate different cultures of children and enhance their sense of belonging and self-worth.

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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 interaction between staff and children during play activities in the indoor playrooms and outdoor play area.  The inspector held brief discussions with staff throughout the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a representative sample of documents including, attendance documents, children's records, assessment documentation, and staff suitability records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and children spoken to on the day of inspection.

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Information about the setting

Sunshine Under Fives Centre opened in 1986 and is registered on the Early Years Register. It operates from two main rooms in an accessible single story building located in the village of Moston, Chester. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The centre is run as a registered charity and managed by a committee, including parents. It is open each weekday during term time only, from 9.30am until 12.30pm. There are currently 35 children on roll in the early years age range. The centre provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. Children attend from the local community. The centre supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There are six members of staff, of whom four hold appropriate early years qualifications. The manager holds a qualification in early years care at level 3, one member of staff holds a qualification at level 3 and two staff at

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Information about the setting

level 2. The centre is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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

 extend the use of multi-cultural resources, in order to celebrate the many different cultures of children, to enhance their sense of belonging and self-esteem.

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who attend

Children are happy confident and enthusiastic learners. They are actively involved in planning their day at this warm, friendly centre. Children are able to solve problems and make their own decisions, supported by staff who praise their ingenuity and value their ideas. Children's learning and development is greatly enriched by their participation in a wealth of play experiences in both the indoor and outdoor environments. For example, children in the 'butterflies' room enjoy erecting a series of tents and tunnels in the playroom to enjoy camping. Their attention turns to holidays and parties and they express a wish to participate in a 'birthday party'. Their imagination is encouraged by staff who ask 'what do we need for a party?' Children require music and a birthday cake and enjoy dancing to music, as they blow out pretend wooden candles on a cake made of play dough. They sing happy birthday to each other and dissolve into peals of laughter when

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who attend

the candles go out. Educational programmes have depth and breadth across all areas, enhanced by a range of excellent resources, which create a stimulating exciting environment for children. Staff provide interesting and challenging experiences, which meet the needs of all children, based on an accurate knowledge and understanding of how to promote the learning and development of children. This means children gain the necessary skills to support their future learning. Playrooms are bright and colourful, enhanced by a variety of ways to display children's work, such as children's self-portraits. Display screens show children busy in their activities of painting, modelling and expressing themselves in art and design. This helps children feel a sense of belonging.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is consistently good. All staff use skilful questions and careful observations of children at play, to extend children's learning and re-shape tasks to accommodate children's ideas and interests. Staff listen attentively to children valuing their involvement in play and learning experiences. For example, during play in the 'ladybirds' group staff observe children's fascination for wheels and the movement of vehicles, so they provide opportunities for the very young children to learn about 'rolling', by painting plastic bottles wrapped in bubble wrap to roll across paper to make patterns. Children create by rolling cars and trains across paint trays to make swirling tracks and they roll real tyres in the outdoor area and these experiences heighten their curiosity to explore even more. Children lie on the floor and roll wheels of toys, at different speeds, watching their motion and giggling with delight at their control, fully absorbed in their

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who attend

discoveries. In the garden, children are engaged in mark making and drawing pictures on large blackboards with giant chalks. Others march around to the sound of clashing symbols made from pan lids pretending they are 'on parade'. Balancing walking on a line of plastic crates develops agility, along with games of football and climbing on apparatus, builds stamina and enhances physical skills. Children enjoy running and stretching their limbs in the sunshine and the garden is filled with children's laughter as they play creatively, cooperating with one another, taking turns and having fun as they learn.

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who attend

An established key person system ensures staff carry out effective observations and accurate assessments on children to plan next steps, tailoring activities to meet individual children's needs. Play plans are shared with parents building on the excellent use of the progress check at age two. This ensures all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children learning English as an additional language are progressing extremely well. Children are working within or even exceeding the typical range of development for their age. Staff support communication and language development through songs, stories and literacy and they use Makaton signing accompanied by gestures and visual cues in pictures of every activity. Children are welcomed by a 'welcome song' and greet each other by saying 'good morning' as they enjoy discussing the weather and the days events to come. Staff speak Welsh and sing

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who attend

nursery rhymes in French. This promotes children's personal and emotional development as they proudly show staff they can sing and sign in different languages too. Children teach staff new signs and are praised and valued for their contribution. They develop key skills and independence needed for school. Especially in their love of books and story time, as children take control of a familiar story and 'read' it to their peers using picture cues and astonishing memories. However, there is scope to develop further use of multi- cultural resources to celebrate different cultures and enhance children's sense of belonging and self-esteem.

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

Effective settling-in procedures for children are well-established and visits are negotiated between parents and staff to meet individual family needs. Parents are very complimentary about the 'warm, friendly staff' and 'special attachments' their children are making with adults who care for them. Younger children feel a strong sense of security evidenced by their spontaneous cuddles for staff. Children's behaviour shows they feel safe in their care, they are able to share concerns with familiar adults. Older children are actively encouraged to develop independence and to care for their environment, by setting out their own plates and cups on tables for snacks and clearing away afterwards. For example, pre-school children participate in snack time, deciding when they wish to eat. They come to the table set out with cereal, milk and water, serving their own food and pouring drinks from the water dispenser they sit in little groups socialising, while other

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

children continue absorbed in their play. This allows for sustained concentrated thinking for children, as activities continue at their own pace and are uninterrupted by adults.

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

Children are supported in keeping themselves healthy by learning to address their own personal needs. They are encouraged to dispense with used cups in the washing tub, use toilets, wash their hands, put on their coats for outdoors and hang these on their own pegs. This promotes well-being and limits cross-infection, instilling a healthy lifestyle for learners. As a result, they develop self-help skills of independence and confidence in caring for themselves appropriate to their age and level of understanding. An established key person system ensures children form secure lasting attachments with staff and each other. Adults act as good role models for children, consistently giving clear guidance on expected behaviour. This provides clear boundaries for children, minimising confusion and as a result, strong relationships are forged of mutual respect among adults and children.

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

Children learn to manage risk for themselves, through activities indoors and in the large outdoor garden where they enjoy cycling, climbing, and opportunities to develop their physical skills. As part of the programme for expressive art and design, they enjoy music and movement, stimulating their love of music and rhythm. Children are supported in moving on to new settings and homes, by taking part in 'packing and moving' role play and games with staff, where they even invent the arrival of the removal van and build on their imaginations as they talk about the excitement of having a new bedroom and making new friends. As a result, children are confident happy learners, who are interested in exploring and discovering the world around them. In this way, children are prepared emotionally and socially for their next stage of learning, including school.

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provision

The safeguarding and security of children are a clear priority for the manager who ensures her staff are effectively trained to keep children safe. Rigorous risk assessments, both indoors and outdoors are in place to ensure children are safe and secure at all rimes. Staff demonstrate excellent awareness of safety, using mobile equipment to keep in contact with senior staff in the event of an accident or incident when using the outdoor environment. Staff show an excellent understanding of safeguarding children and know how to deal with any issues or causes for concern about a child in their care. The security arrangements include effective procedures are in place to ensure children's safety. For example, parents sign their children out on collection, staff complete attendance registers, visitors are challenged and identity checked. Robust recruitment procedures ensure children are cared for by suitable adults.

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provision

Management have an excellent understanding of their role and responsibilities within the Early Years Foundation Stage. They have a clear view of how to drive forward improvements for the benefit of the children entrusted to their care. Ongoing performance management is effective and staff training is supported well. This results in children making consistently good progress because of the high quality of teaching experiences they receive from staff. The manager has an excellent overview of the educational programmes in all areas of learning. Assessment of children's progress is tracked efficiently and staff are eager to embrace changes in the way they record observations of children's learning, following professional training. Planning is targeted to meet children's individual needs, offering a broad range of challenging and interesting learning experiences. This ensures children make good progress in their learning.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and other agencies are exceptional, forging strong links through a variety of good communication tools. These include, suggestion boxes, workshops for parents on communication techniques and Makaton and principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff make a strong contribution to children's learning. Parents feel their children are safe and cared for by 'excellent staff who know their children well' and who 'the children love and will greatly miss when they move away, or go to school' and who 'make their children's early years experience fun and exciting'.

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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 305351 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 876745

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 35 Name of provider Sunshine Under 5's Centre Committee Date of previous inspection 05/02/2010 Telephone number 01244 650 722

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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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