Bicton Heath Pre-School

Bicton Heath Pre-School Pensfold, Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY3 5HF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/04/2014 13/01/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Teaching is good and provides a wide range of experiences across all seven areas of learning. Staff have very high expectations of children and therefore they make good progress as they become ready for school.  Staff are good role models for children. They demonstrate expected behaviour and promote social skills during meal times. Consequently, children are very sociable and are aware of the impact of their behaviour on others.  Children are kept safe and secure while at pre-school. All staff have an in-depth knowledge of how to keep children safe from possible harm and implement effective procedures to minimise hazards.  There are effective partnerships in place with other agencies to ensure outcomes for children improve. The pre-school engages well with parents to ensure interventions in learning are identified and children receive the right support.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The organisation of large group times requires the youngest children to sustain their focus for too long and therefore they lose interest over time.  The outdoor environment is not yet highly stimulating to fully extend children's learning in all areas.

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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 spoke with staff, children and observed activities in the main room and outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed all relevant documentation, including policies and procedures, self-evaluation, risk assessments, learning and development records and safeguarding documents.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with one of the managers.  The inspector spoke with parents to seek their views.

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Information about the setting

Bicton Heath Pre-School opened in 1986 and has been operating from its current location since 2011. It is privately run and registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the grounds of Oxon C of E Primary School in the Bicton Heath area of Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The premises comprises of a lobby area, main room, kitchen, toilet area, office and outdoor area. Children attend from the local area and beyond.

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Information about the setting

The pre-school employs four members of staff working with the children. Of these, the two managers hold degrees and the other two, hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens term time only 9am to 3.15pm Monday to Thursday. Children may attend for a variety of sessions. The pre-school provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school currently receives support from the local authority.

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

 enhance the organisation of large group times in order to maintain the youngest children's interest

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

 enrich the outdoor environment to provide even more stimulating activities and experiences.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good. Staff provide a varied range of activities and experiences that are well matched to the individual development needs of all children. At times the teaching is outstanding because staff are skilful in how they capture children's imagination and focus. However, when all children come together as a whole group, the youngest children lose concentration over time. Consequently, they are not as well motivated to learn during these times. Staff have a good knowledge of how to support children to acquire the vital skills they need to be ready for school. They understand the importance of children having good physical, social and communication skills. Teaching is consistent and effective; all children are making the expected progress towards the early learning goals. Staff have high expectations of children and are fully committed to supporting them to reach their optimum levels of achievement. Children with special educational needs

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who attend

and/or disabilities are making good progress from their starting points. Individual Education Plans are informing teaching and as a result, children are receiving the support they need through appropriate interventions. Teaching is differentiated well for the youngest and oldest children. Activities are carefully organised for the oldest children to build on their prior learning and for the youngest to develop firm foundations in their learning before going on to develop specific skills. For example, staff teach older children to count and replicate quantities as they match the number of spots on the dice to the number of spots on the ladybird. Children are school ready and well prepared for future learning. Staff understand the importance of adapting the routine for the oldest children to provide a realistic representation of a school day including the types of teaching and learning children will experience. Staff work well with the school to establish how best to

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who attend

Children's experimental movement is supported well through the range of resources provided and good supervision. Ideas are added for them to experiment with allowing them to take risks and try things out. For example, children are confident to take risks as they jump off the climbing frame and land safely. Adults support early writing skills very effectively as they invite children to write the price of petrol on the chalk board. Children describe their marks to others as they pretend to take money for petrol. Learning is extended purposefully by staff. Children continue their learning of counting ladybird spots, to searching for 'mini-beasts' with magnifying glasses. Staff join in the hunt and talk with children about what they find, enhancing children's knowledge even further by correctly naming the insects they find. Learning is re-shaped by staff when children encounter challenges in their thinking. For example, they make a road for their cars by using chalk;

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who attend

when they run out of space, staff help to identify what they need to do to make their road smaller and adjust their planning accordingly.

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who attend

Starting points in children's learning are identified swiftly and precisely by staff. They seek information from parents when children start, which helps give a comprehensive overview along with the initial observations carried out. An initial assessment is completed which successfully identifies their developmental starting points. As a result of this effective practice any children who enter the pre-school below the expected level of development are identified quickly and suitable plans are implemented to enable gaps in learning to be closed. Parents are kept informed of progress on a regular basis in a variety of ways, such as, parent consultation meetings and informal conversations. Therefore all parents, including those who are hard to reach, have a good knowledge of their child's progress. This is enhanced further as the pre-school provides guidance through newsletters on how to extend learning at home. Key persons complete the progress check at two for the

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who attend

youngest children. Parents are provided with a written overview of their child's progress, including any areas that require enhanced support. Key persons share the progress check with professionals as required in order to obtain the necessary support. For example, children with communication and language delay receive support from a Speech and Language Therapist. Observations are captured through a variety of ways to capture children's key achievements and interests. Staff use them to plan activities that are well matched to the individual needs of children.

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

The key person system is well-embedded and the importance of it is understood effectively by staff. The atmosphere is warm and caring and this enables children to thrive. Children are relaxed and feel secure when they are at pre-school. Children who are unwell seek out support from familiar adults; they are put at ease by the care they receive which is underpinned by staff's extensive knowledge of their key children. Parents feel reassured by the welcoming environment and describe the pre-school as 'homely'. Children are very confident in their surroundings; they are reassured by the familiar routine and know what will happen next. They are able to tidy things away together, working as a team on difficult tasks. Since moving into the new premises, the indoor environment has been developed extensively. The resources are of high quality and stored in low open storage units for children to access freely. As a result, children are able to

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

extend their play through bringing resources together from a variety of areas providing rich learning opportunities. New resources are purchased on a regular basis and are well matched to the development needs of all children. However, the resources in the outdoor area are not being used to create an environment that is as highly stimulating as that of the indoor area.

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

Staff are very responsive to children's behaviour; they explore the impact behaviour has on others and how others might feel. For example, when children push in the line to wash their hands, staff discuss how their friends might feel. Staff deploy themselves effectively in order to ensure behaviour remains positive and to intervene swiftly if needed. As a result, all children are well behaved. Staff encourage children to have good manners and remind them of these when needed. For example, when children cough over food they are asked to put their hand over their mouth. Children have a strong sense of safety and security. They act in a safe way and understand the safety rules, such as, not going on the climbing equipment when unsupervised.

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

Children take physical exercise on a daily basis and this is encouraged by staff making resources available, such as the climbing frame, bicycles and tunnels. Children explain how running makes them fit and know why being outside is good for their bodies. Staff remind children of the importance of a balanced diet, as children talk about chocolate at Easter. Children manage their personal hygiene and needs well. Staff role model how to wash hands properly to remove all germs and children are then able to do this independently.

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provision

The managers have a good awareness of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. All staff are knowledgeable about the local child protection procedures and are able to follow the correct steps in order to keep children safe and free from harm. Recruitment procedures are effective in ensuring suitable candidates are appointed to work in the pre- school. Safety is promoted across the pre-school. The managers have taken steps since the last inspection to ensure all risks are identified and that hazards are reduced through effective procedures. There is a secure entry system to the building and all visitors are required to sign in. All staff, students and volunteers receive a robust induction, which enables them to carry out their new role effectively. Staff attend a wide range of training including mandatory training, such as Health and Safety. Training is available on a regular basis and disseminated to all staff, resulting in them having a good level of professional

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provision

development to support their professional growth and abilities. All staff receive child protection training, which reinforces their already sound knowledge of how to safeguard children from potential and actual abuse. The managers provide very regular feedback on performance as they complete regular appraisals and supervisions. These enable staff to be monitored effectively to identify their strengths and weaknesses in practice. The managers are very keen to improve their own teaching in addition to that of the staff and use their local authority support well to challenge their own practice. As a result of the good mentoring provided to staff, the performance and quality of practice is very high. Policies and procedures cover all requirements and are updated regularly to reflect changes.

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provision

The leadership team have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements and as a result they meet them effectively. They have high expectations and a detailed understanding of child development and therefore know what progress children should be making. As a result, they are able to make sure children make this necessary progress and act appropriately when interventions are required. Managers know all children very well, including their next steps in learning and interests. Consequently, they are thorough in ensuring that the planning of activities are well matched to all children's needs and provide challenging experiences on a daily basis.

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provision

Since the last inspection, the leaders of the pre-school have acted to improve their partnership with parents by ensuring they have a better understanding of their child's progress. They have also acted to ensure risk assessments identify all possible risks children may come in contact with and record parent's permission to seek emergency medical treatment and advice. Self-evaluation is recorded well as a written summary identifying strengths and priorities for improvement. The most recent self-evaluation identified the need to work closer with other agencies to improve outcomes for children. The pre-school have successfully achieved this as they now have strong relationships with professionals to support children's special educational needs and/or disabilities. Self- evaluation takes into account the views of staff, parents, children and the local authority. Managers are able to ensure the pre-school continues to make good progress as they

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provision

benchmark quality using guidance to make accurate judgements of their quality. As a result, self-evaluation is sharply focussed. Partnerships are strong and going from strength to strength. All partnerships are purposeful and focus on making a difference to children. The pre-school has good links with the local school and childminders. These links support children's smooth transition to school and their daily transitions by sharing pertinent information with other early years settings. Staff engage parents well in supporting learning. This is successful and ensures all children are challenged appropriately at home and at pre-school including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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 224041 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 871331

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 29 Name of provider Mrs Lorraine Evans & Mrs Anita Copeland Partnership Date of previous inspection 13/01/2011 Telephone number 01743 231302

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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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