Forest Bears Pre-School

Forest Bears Pre-School Forrest Community Centre, Pinehill Road, Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 0BS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/02/2014 21/03/2011

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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

 Children concentrate well and develop good independence and self-care skills because staff provide them with a good range of activities and resources that motivate and inspire them during their play.  Staff use their good knowledge of children's individual development to promote and extend their learning through their own positive involvement.  Staff work effectively in partnership with parents to meet children's individual needs.  The special educational co-ordinator provides additional one to one activities that help children with speech and language delay make good progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not consistently use all activities and resources to extend children's ability to link sounds to letters of the alphabet to promote their pre-reading skills.  Staff do not always share information about children's learning with other early years provision to promote continuity in their learning and development.

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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 activities in the indoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager of the provision during a large group story time.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with staff, children and the manager at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

Forest Bears Pre-School was registered in 1987 and is a registered charity run by a voluntary committee of parents. It operates from two rooms within the Forest Community Centre in the village of Bordon, Hampshire. There is an area available for outdoor play. The pre-school serves the local area and surrounding villages. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 42 children on roll. The provision is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. Children attend for a variety of sessions or stay all day. The setting currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children learning English as an additional language. The pre-school opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and from 9am until 11.30am each Friday. Children who stay all day bring their

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Information about the setting

own packed lunches. There are seven members of staff working with the children, six of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The pre-school receives support from the local authority.

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

 increase the resources and activities for children to learn the sounds of letters and link them to letters of the alphabet to promote their pre-reading skills

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

 strengthen communication with other early years provision that children attend to share information about their learning priorities and promote continuity in their learning and development.

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who attend

Staff observe children during their play and have a good knowledge of their key children's individual progress and needs. They use this information to effectively promote their learning in all activities through good communication with other staff and their own positive involvement. Staff complete assessments which show children reach expected levels, and sometimes above expected levels, of development in relation to their starting points. Consequently, they are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including starting school. Staff share a summary of their observations of children with the children's parents. They also share their plans for completing the progress check for two-year-old children. Children choose their favourite books, for example, about cars and show great interest as staff ask questions and engage children in conversation. Staff notice when others want to join in and give children time to talk to each other. At the end of these

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who attend

discussions, children show their affection as they give each other a hug and kiss. Children enjoy copying numbers and letters in the environment and generally correctly form these. Staff enhance this by providing additional things for them to copy so they can attempt to write words. For example, children then write 'mummy' independently. This helps extend their literacy skills by responding to her interests. However, staff are not consistent at promoting pre-reading skills during these times. Therefore at times this restricts opportunities for older and more able children to learn how to link letter sounds to letters of the alphabet to fully promote their pre-reading skills.

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who attend

Staff support children well to achieve their aims. For example, they sit with them in the book corner and explain how to use a new CD player to listen to stories. They help children start up the computer and help them choose and use simple programmes. Consequently, children successfully use the mouse to move and match pieces of puzzles. Children play imaginatively as they use the good selection of real life resources in the home corner. For example, they put on washing-up gloves and pretend to wash the crockery and saucepans. Children show good concentration and persist at activities because staff show interest in what they say and do. They always respect children's efforts and ideas so they are willing to have a go during all activities. Staff help children think and control what they do, give them time to think, talk and ask questions without rushing toward answers too quickly. This is evident in all activities as they follow children's

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who attend

lead in conversation, and think about things together. Children learn to control their movements as they play ball games, make up games with bean bags and hoops that include others and jump off sunken tyres and a wooden train.

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who attend

Children are provided with a good range of activities and resources that motivate them during their play. For example, they visit a care home for Harvest festival and hand out bags of provisions donated by their parents. They dress up and act out stories in the outdoor play area, build constructions using bricks and watch the raising of the flag as part of National Armed Forces week in the community centre. Children plant bulbs, vegetables, flowers and plants in the outdoor play area. They learn about the features of living things as they look at spiders and watch caterpillars hatch from chrysalis in a net and let them go when they turn into butterflies. Children explore the environment and learn about the local community during walks to woodland areas, the post office and greengrocers. Parents are invited to take part in activities, which provides good opportunities for them to be involved in events. For example, during a family barbeque at

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who attend

the end of the summer term and a leavers presentation for children going on to school. Parents are fully involved in their children's learning. Staff establish a daily two-way flow of information about children's individual needs and spend time talking to parents at the beginning and end of each session. Parents attend regularly progress meetings.

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who attend

The special educational needs coordinator provides children with additional activities to promote their speech and language and reduce gaps in this area of their development. Children take part in one-to-one activities in an additional room in the community centre, which provides a quieter area that helps them to concentrate. Staff plan these sessions according to aims identified in children's individual education plans. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator discusses children's individual needs with parents and other staff to identify how children who are less confident in their speech and language can benefit from their support.

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

There is a key person system in place. All staff know all the children well, as they are in two rooms together, and all are responsible for sharing information at team meetings about children's individual needs. Children are well behaved and form good relationships with staff and other children. Staff are deployed effectively to supervise children during the session and quickly intervene and resolve any minor difficulties. Consequently, children quickly cooperate as staff encourage them to share the resources. Staff provide children with a positive role model as they show interest in what they say and do. They are observant of the choices children make during their play and join them at activities to extend their learning. They encourage children to attempt things for themselves whilst providing support. Consequently, children are very motivated and independent in their play and like to repeat activities. For example, they decide to draw detailed pictures of

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

princesses they have drawn the day before and respond to staff suggestions to use glitter and other collage resources to decorate them.

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

Children show good independence as they help themselves to food at snack time. They butter toast, pour their own cereal and drinks of milk. Staff promote children's self-help skills as they encourage them to wash up their dishes and put them into a drainer when they have finished eating. Children are also encouraged to put on their coats depending on their age and ability. Staff offer help if needed, whilst giving them time to try and achieve things for themselves. Children's good health is promoted because staff operate a free flow system that allows children to choose to play outdoors for most of each session. There is a good range of accessible indoor and outdoor play equipment, particularly in the home corner. Since the last inspection, staff have provided a digging and planting area, paint, water and chalks for children to make marks outdoors and created a sensory area with herbs. Consequently, children's learning is promoted outdoors as well as indoors.

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

There are plans in place to improve the range of outdoor play equipment for older and more able children to provide them with more challenge. Staff regularly talk to children about their own safety, for example, during large group circle times. Consequently, children remember that when they are on outings with their parents and staff they must hold their hands and stay close to them.

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

Children have access to a good range of resources that help them develop a positive awareness of differences in society. For example, books, home corner play equipment and puzzles. Children take part in activities related to their home celebrations because staff encourage parents to share their traditions. For example for St David's Day parents are making Welsh cakes for children to try. The provision also celebrates fathers and mothers day, Harvest Festival and Eid. Children learning English as an additional language are fully included in all activities. Staff obtain words in children's home languages to use during their play and children receive one to one support to promote their language development. Children move smoothly between the provision and school because staff successfully help them to become confident and independent learners.

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provision

Staff complete child protection training that safeguards and promotes children's well- being. The manager regularly reviews staff understanding of child protection policies and procedures to ensure they are effectively implemented in everyday practice. All staff receive a copy of the safeguarding policy and have attended training through the local authority. The lead child protection officer and the manager are due to attend level 4 training in March 2014. The lead child protection officer attends local authority meetings each term and cascades this information to all staff at team meetings. This means they have an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding issues and procedures. Staff use risk assessments to successfully maintain children's safety and security. They ensure the gate on the entrance door is kept shut at all times so children cannot go into other areas of the community centre unsupervised. They also complete risk assessments during outings.

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provision

Staff are observant of potential hazards and quickly take action to reduce them. For example, when the wind builds up whilst children are playing outdoors, they quickly make the decision to take them inside due to the potential risk of the tall trees. There are robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. All staff have had appropriate checks completed. Most staff have worked at the provision for many years, which provides continuity in children's care and learning. Staffing arrangements meet the required staff to child ratios so there are sufficient staff to supervise and safeguard children.

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provision

The manager attends committee meetings and reports on the progress of the provision. She understands the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and reviews all policies and procedures on an annual basis with the deputy. These are then signed off by the committee. The manager attends provider briefing meetings every term and these enable her to stay up-to-date with the requirements. The provision also have access to a development worker for advice on funded places for two year olds. The manager supports new staff during their induction by meeting with them after two weeks to discuss and review their progress. All staff receive individual supervision every six months which includes signing a declaration of their continued suitability. Since the last inspection, staff have attended several training courses to promote their professional development. This has enabled them to look at all the areas

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provision

of learning and change resources, for example, in the role play area to provide children with variety. The manager provides staff with a positive role model as she works directly with the children as part of the team. She models how to get down to the children's level, listen to them and how to extend activities.

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provision

The manager monitors activities to ensure that they have sufficient challenge and meet the needs of all children, including those who need extra support. Staff share information about children's individual needs and progress at team meetings and before children arrive each day. This includes discussion about the success of activities and how they can be adapted to capture children's interest. For example, the mark making area has recently been relocated so that the resources are more inviting to children and are now used more often. Recommendations made at the last inspection have been met. Staff now complete written risk assessments for every outing and have a good knowledge of potential hazards and how to reduce them. In addition, self-evaluation has generally improved. The manager consults with staff, parents and the committee to drive improvement. For example, since the last inspection staff have created an outdoor mud kitchen, parents

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provision

have installed tyres and fences to improve the quality of the outdoor play area, staff have fitted fairy lights to make areas such as the book corner more inviting. Future plans include improving tracking children's progress and review and improve the outdoor play area. Staff regularly review their practice during team meetings and make adaptations to promote continuous improvement. The manager uses a development plan to record aims for development, what impact they will have on the children and evaluations about how the changes make a difference.

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provision

Partnership with parents and other agencies is good. Parents are invited to complete questionnaires that seek their views about the provision. The information within questionnaires is kept confidential and is used to help the provision make changes in relation to children's care and education. For example, about food provision. Comments from parents during the inspection show they are happy with the care of their children. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and other staff attend speech and language therapy meetings with parents to discuss targets for promoting this area of children's development. Staff work closely with parents to help new children gradually settle into the provision. They provide children with lots of reassurance that helps them to overcome any anxiety and feel confident to take part in everything on offer. Staff talk to parents at the end of each session to give them feedback about children's well-being and needs. The

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provision

manager contacts other early years provision that children attend. However, these discussions are generally focused on children's care needs rather than their learning priorities. This reduces continuity in children's learning and development.

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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 110134 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 949783 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 42 Name of provider Forest Bears Play Group Committee Date of previous inspection 21/03/2011 Telephone number 07776 187643

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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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