Zion Community Preschool

Zion Community Preschool Church Hall Woodend Road, BRISTOL, BS36 2HX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/05/2014 11/03/2010

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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

 Children are making good progress in their learning and development taking into account their initial starting points.  Staff promote children's learning well and demonstrate good teaching skills to help them make progress.  Children are happy and show increasing self-confidence as they safely explore their environment.  The manager is effective in leading her staff team in providing a good quality service. She has established an effective system to oversee children's learning and closely monitors their progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children are not always able to select their preferred play activity independently because staff already set out some resources for them with fewer alternatives available.  There are fewer resources and displays to promote children's awareness of diversity in order to teach children about other communities and the wider world.

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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 both the main hall and the outdoor area.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of records including planning and assessment, self-evaluation documents and evidence of staff suitability.

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

Zion Community Pre-school registered in 1970 and operates from one room in the church hall of Frampton Cotterell, a village in South Gloucestershire. Children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. It is open each weekday on Monday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 12pm and from 9am to 3pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, during term time only. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 32 children on roll from two years to the end of the early years age group. The pre-school receives funding for free early years education for three- and four-year-olds. The pre- school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are seven members of staff working directly with the children, of whom, six hold early years qualifications at level 3 and one member of staff is currently unqualified.

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

 enhance children's free choice in play and promote their independent learning by reviewing how resources are made available to them

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

 develop the use of resources to help extend children's understanding of the wider world, for example, in children's play items and through displays to show different people and communities.

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who attend

Children are making good progress in their learning and development taking into account their initial starting points. Staff show a good understanding of how to meet the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They meet collectively every week to discuss their assigned key children. They use this opportunity well to monitor individual children's progress and effectively plan for their next steps in learning. Staff complete ongoing assessments and more detailed learning summaries at the end of each term. Key person meetings take place three times a year where staff invite parents to discuss their child's progress and share their learning profiles. Staff complete progress checks when children reach the age of two and share this with their parents. They demonstrate they value parents contributions. They use various opportunities including ongoing parent consultation forms to gather information about any

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who attend

significant changes in their child's life outside of the pre-school and offer appropriate support. Children happily engage in play and show an interest in their environment. Staff promote children's learning well and demonstrate good teaching skills to help them make progress. For example, staff will lead small focused group activities where they introduce children to letters and their sounds, and develop their use of numbers, including counting and recognition. Children assemble in smaller groups for their daily story sessions, which helps them to develop good concentration and listening skills. Staff ask effective questions to extend children's thinking and language development during group sessions. They use audio tapes to accompany a storybook, which offers variety and keeps children engaged. Children have many opportunities to practise their early writing skills. For instance, children use the writing area where they can select a range of writing materials. Outdoors,

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who attend

children make marks on the large chalkboard using chunky size chalks. Children are developing their small physical skills well, for example, children show great focus and attention as they place a nail into a shape before hammering it onto the board to create pictures and patterns. This helps children to develop their hand to eye coordination and pincer grip, which is a skill they will need to hold a pencil and learn to write. Consequently, staff are effective in teaching children the necessary skills to prepare them for the next stage of learning and starting school.

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who attend

Children benefit from a range of activities in all areas of learning that reflect their ages and interests. Staff provide a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated experiences. For instance, they join in with children's play as they dig and explore the mud area outdoors looking for insects. They provide children with suitable tools to extend their play including magnifying glasses, spades and buckets. Staff promote children's creative expression through the use of craft materials, which they can freely access from an arts trolley. Children enjoy making their own collages using a range of textured fabric and material, which they proudly hold up to show others. They engage in role-play scenarios while they explore the kitchen play area and prepare food in the microwave. They wait in excitement for the microwave sound to ping, indicating their food is ready. However, staff provide fewer resources and displays promoting diversity and positive images to teach children

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who attend

about the other communities and the wider world.

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

Children are happy and show increasing self-confidence as they safely explore their environment. The staff create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Consequently, children settle very quickly upon arrival and separate from their carer with ease. The key person role is effective in meeting the well-being of each child. For instance, the key person will spend some time with parents prior to their child starting to find out about any particular interests, routines and dislikes. As a result, children form strong and secure attachments and staff meet their needs well.

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

Staff are good role models. They promote pleasant manners at all times and remind children of behaviour expectations, such as saying 'please' and 'thank you' if needed. Children are learning to share resources and take turns. Staff intervene quickly to resolve any squabbles over toys. To address a previous recommendation following the last inspection, staff have made effective changes to managing children's unwanted behaviour. They have introduced a 'thinking cushion' for children to have a quiet time to sit and reflect on their behaviour. Children have also contributed to this by working with staff to create pre-school rules, which has helped to strengthen their understanding of the behaviour expectations.

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

The pre-school uses a main hall for play. Resources are generally well organised covering all areas of learning both indoors and in the garden area. Staff set up activities before children arrive and change them for the afternoon session for more variety. However, this can at times inhibit children from independently learning by selecting their preferred play item when they want. Children are learning to manage their own self-care needs. For example, staff help younger children with their toilet training and work closely with parents to discuss the various stages. Most children are able to put on and off their own wellington boots for outdoor play and staff assist the younger children if needed. Children are confident to pour their own drinking water from a jug, which staff replenish and make accessible at all times. These skills are beneficial as children are acquiring the necessary aptitudes to help prepare them for next stages in their learning.

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

The children's snack bar is inviting and cosy. It displays pictures of nutritional foods, such as fruits and vegetables including recipes, which promotes a healthy lifestyle. Staff provide a range of healthy snacks and drinks including milk, which children can access freely. Staff teach children about the importance of having a healthy body, for example, they discuss the benefits of drinking milk to obtain calcium for strong bones and teeth. Children respond well during the adult-led discussions and show a good understanding of what food types are good and not so good. Children bring in prepared lunches from home, which includes a balance of nutritional foods supplied by parents. Staff sit with children during mealtimes and encourage them to eat their lunch. Children show a good understanding of hygiene practices and know to wash their hands before mealtimes and after using the toilet. Staff use hand gels if needed to ensure everyone's hands are clean,

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

which minimises the spread of infection.

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

Children have plenty of opportunity to exercise and benefit from fresh air as staff promote free-flow access to the outdoor area. The outdoor space has a range of equipment that promotes children's physical skills including tunnels and balancing beams. Children learn to keep themselves safe at all times. For instance, staff remind them to be aware of others when running outdoors or when throwing balls into the air. They deploy themselves well in all areas and supervise children to ensure they use equipment and resources properly and safely.

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provision

The management are effective in meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The manager leads her staff well in providing a good quality service. She has established an effective system to oversee children's learning and closely monitors their progress by using a tracking grid. This helps her to identify any children who are exceeding either the expected developmental levels or those who require additional support. Children with additional needs and/or disabilities have individual targeted plans to address their specific needs.

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provision

All staff are aware of their responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements. The manager and her deputy have undertaken an advanced safeguarding course to help them fulfil their designated roles. The manager ensures all staff have understood the safeguarding policy and are confident to follow the correct procedures if they have a concern about the welfare of a child. The manager makes certain that all staff receive, understand and implement up-to-date information relating to safeguarding practices through ongoing discussions. All staff are vetted and undergo suitability checks prior to working at the pre-school. All new staff receive induction training and the manager works closely with them to help them understand their roles and offers support.

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provision

The manager supports her staff by monitoring their performance and promoting their ongoing professional development. She holds regular one to one meetings and yearly appraisals to discuss their performance and identify any further training needs. For example, the manager has identified suitable training to strengthen staff skills in writing accurate observations. She encourages staff with a particular interest to extend this further, for example, by highlighting courses to promote their interest in use of sign language.

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provision

All staff contribute towards evaluating the pre-school and making improvements. They have worked together to successfully address all the recommendations from the last inspection. The manager has a setting development plan, which lists the areas in priority they would like to develop. The manager and staff seek the views of children through discussions as well as parents feedback via questionnaires, which influence any future improvement plans. Staff develop positive relationships with parents, local early years providers and multi-professionals. The manager has improved communication with other providers following the last inspection. For instance, she has introduced a process to share relevant information and records between early years providers to support continuity in children's learning. Staff have established strong links with the local school to support children through the process of starting school. Parents are complimentary of their

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provision

experiences at the pre-school. They express how pleased they are to see how much progress their children are making in such a short time.

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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 EY321532 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 843922 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider Zion Community Preschool Committee Date of previous inspection 11/03/2010 Telephone number 07715 467764

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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

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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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