Blue Hoots Pre School Ltd

Blue Hoots Pre School & Out of School Care Ltd Blue Hoots Pre School, The Old School House, Birmingham Road, Blakedown, KIDDERMINSTER, Worcestershire, DY10 3JN

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/05/2014 25/10/2010

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 The enthusiastic and caring staff team ensure that good relationships between children and themselves are well-established. Consequently, children form strong bonds and they are happy and settled.  Staff plan individualised and interesting activities for children. As a result of this, children make good progress across the seven areas of learning and development.  Procedures to keep children safe are well understood and embedded by staff. Consequently, children are safe and risks are minimised.  Children's welfare needs are well-met through effective partnership working arrangements with parents. Parents are extremely positive about the care their children receive and the good progress they make.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 There is room to build on the already good partnerships with parents to include more information sharing about children's learning achievements at home.  There is scope to extend opportunities for staff to develop further professionally.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children playing indoors and outside and accompanied staff and children on an outing to a local field.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documents, including policies and procedures and children's learning records.

p.2

Inspection activities

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

p.2

Information about the setting

Blue Hoots Pre School & Out of School Care Ltd has been registered since 2010 and is run by a limited company. It operates from a self-contained building in the village of Blakedown, Kidderminster. The setting is accessible to all children. There are three separate enclosed outdoor play areas for children to access. The setting opens from 7.30am to 6pm, for 48 weeks of the year. It provides full daycare and out of school care for children aged birth to 11 years. Children are able to attend for a variety of sessions. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register. Funding for early education is available for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are currently 64 children attending, who are in the early years age range. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There are 13 members of staff

p.3

Information about the setting

employed to work directly with children. Two members of staff, including the manager, are qualified to degree level. The manager also holds Early Years Professional Status. Nine members of staff hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3 and two members of staff hold level 2 qualifications. The setting receives support from the local authority.

p.3

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

 make the most of opportunities to work in partnership with parents to enhance further the progress children make through greater consideration and use of information about children's ongoing learning at home

p.3

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

 maximise opportunities for staff to be able to develop even further professionally, in order to drive standards and outcomes for children.

p.3

who attend

Staff have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how to promote children's learning and development. This is combined with good quality teaching and a well-resourced, effectively organised and stimulating learning environment. As a result, children make good progress in all aspects of their learning and development. Staff know children very well and have a very child-centred philosophy, which puts the child at the heart of what they do. Staff accurately assess children's starting points, taking information from parents about what children already know and can do at home. They make good use of this information, alongside their own assessments, to effectively plan suitably challenging activities as soon as children start their placement. However, information about children's subsequent learning at home is not as well-shared between parents and staff. As a result, the pre-

p.3

who attend

school's ongoing ability to support children's interests and learning is not based on the most comprehensive picture of the child. Staff take responsibility for maintaining a learning journey for each child in their key group. This contains observations, planning and assessments of children throughout their time at the pre-school. This means that staff effectively get to know children's interests and learning styles. As a result, staff plan next steps in learning, which are suitably challenging and meet the individual needs of each child.

p.4

who attend

The educational programmes provide for all areas of learning and are adapted to meet the needs of children of different age groups. Activities for babies and toddlers are set out well to ensure that they are able to participate at their own level. For example, babies delight in exploring and playing with toys in water filled trays set out at floor level. They have opportunities to develop their physical skills with caring and supportive staff. For example, babies delight in rolling balls to members of staff, who skilfully position the balls a little way from the child. This means that small and large muscle skills can develop as the babies reach over for the ball. Staff focus on the prime areas of learning with children and they develop their social skills as they make good relationships with staff and their peers. Their early language skills are recognised and supported as staff speak clearly to them,

p.4

who attend

narrating their play and naming familiar objects. They also repeat the sounds made by babies and young children encouraging and promoting early communication.

p.4

who attend

Staff communicate with children enthusiastically and this helps to promote engagement and motivation in learning. They are skilful at extending learning and providing opportunities for further development. For example, children are engrossed as a member of staff reads a traditional fairy tale, while other members of staff act out the story. When children play outside later, staff extend this further by encouraging children to re-enact the story. Children delight in filling containers of different sizes and pretending it is 'the bears' porridge'. This also demonstrates that children are developing a good imagination. On a walk to a local field children develop early listening skills as staff encourage them to identify any sounds they hear along the way. Children listen carefully and excitedly call out 'birds', 'trees' and 'rain' as they walk. When they arrive at the field, staff enthusiastically engage children in a story about finding a bear and the outing ends in delight as children

p.4

who attend

find their very own teddy bear hiding in the bushes. This shows that staff are skilled at introducing children to stories in an imaginative way. As a result, children are gaining early literacy skills, which can be extended when they commence more formal learning at school. Communication development is promoted by staff, who communicate consistently well with children, introducing new vocabulary as they speak. Children are also encouraged to communicate together and friendships are well-established. Consequently, children play cooperatively together and are socially confident. Staff are working effectively with the local primary schools and teachers are invited in to discuss children's learning and development prior to them starting school. As a result, children experience a smooth transition between settings and are well-prepared for their next stage in learning.

p.4

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

Children's emotional well-being is effectively promoted throughout the pre-school. A well- established key person system and small staff team ensures all children benefit from strong attachments. The caring and supportive environment helps children to feel safe and secure, which provides a good foundation for their general well-being and independence. Parents know who their child's key person is and work together with them to ensure close bonds are formed. For example, children are introduced to the pre-school through settling- in sessions, where the key person will obtain information from parents regarding their child's routines, interests, likes and dislikes. This ensures that children feel valued and cared for and that relationships with parents are strong. Effective systems are in place to support children as they move rooms, such as discussions with their new key person and settling-in visits. Consequently, children experience continuity and consistency of care and

p.5

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

Staff are good role models and have high expectations of all children. For example, children are encouraged to say 'please' and 'thank you' throughout the day and consequently, children respect one another. This fosters a caring and supportive environment. Staff sit with children at mealtimes, encouraging and supporting the younger children in the development of independent feeding, self-help skills and they learn basic manners. Older children develop independence skills by self-serving their snacks and competently pouring their own drinks. There is a designated cook at the pre-school, who prepares freshly made meals which are balanced and nutritious. Children learn about good hygiene routines from a young age and independently take themselves off to wash their hands. They all know they must wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating. Children learn about healthy lifestyles through moving freely between the indoor and

p.5

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

outdoor learning environments, which are of good quality and well-resourced. This allows them to have freedom to choose their preferred learning environment to meet their needs and to learn to manage risk. They are encouraged to access fresh air and to participate in physical activity on a daily basis to develop their physical skills.

p.5

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

Children's understanding of safety is promoted as staff remind children of potential dangers and how to stay safe. For example, during outdoor play staff offer gentle reminders to children to be careful with the bikes. Staff prompt children to think about why they may need to be careful when playing. For example, when children comment that the ground is 'slippy' under the bikes, staff ask children why that might be. Children comment that 'it was raining' and the 'ground is wet'. This means that children understand the need to be careful and are beginning to learn about cause and effect. Staff provide a variety of activities to support children's physical skills and develop their small and large muscles. For example, children's physical activity is directed by animated staff, who use music and singing to enthuse children in their learning. Children delight in singing while stretching, jumping and dancing to favourite songs. Children have experienced a number

p.5

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

of community cohesion events, such as, visits to the local church, visits to the local school and nature walks around a nearby field.

p.5

provision

Staff have a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Safeguarding arrangements are strong. Staff understand their role in protecting children from harm and are aware of what to do should they have a concern about a child's welfare. Recruitment and induction procedures are robust and ensure that all those working with children are suitable to do so. Risk assessments are thorough and as a result, children are cared for in a safe environment. All new staff benefit from a full induction, which ensures they are quickly aware of the routines, policies and procedures that apply to the pre-school. The monitoring of teaching and learning is good and management do this in various forms, such as using peer-on-peer observations, appraisals and supervisions. Regular staff meetings are in place to discuss the environment and the quality of teaching and learning. Management have good working

p.6

provision

relationships with staff and they work very effectively and closely to ensure children receive good quality care and education. However, there is scope to enhance the professional development of staff further by maximising opportunities for them to attend more training, in order to drive standards even higher within the pre-school.

p.6

provision

The manager monitors and evaluates all aspects of the pre-school well. Staff in each room evaluate and reflect on areas for improvement and action plans highlight future improvements and how these are to be achieved. For example, management highlighted that children would benefit from playing and exploring in a more natural environment. As a result, children now have regular outings in the local area and there are further plans to implement forest school activities. A system to track children's progress is in place and the manager monitors this regularly to ensure that any potential gaps, correlations or specific interventions are quickly identified. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning and development.

p.6

provision

A system to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is in place to ensure they are integrated fully and given individual support by staff. Staff work closely with external agencies to meet the individual needs of children. Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection report their satisfaction with how well their children have settled and their children's growing skills. There are effective partnership working arrangements between the pre-school and the primary school in preparation for children making the transition between settings. These are well-established and contribute to meeting children's needs and preparing them for the next stage of learning. Partnership working with external agencies and professionals, such as local authority special educational needs support are very effective in ensuring children are well supported when required.

p.6

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY409672 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 851026

p.8

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 64 Name of provider Blue Hoots Pre-School & Out Of School Care Limited Date of previous inspection 25/10/2010 Telephone number 01562701333

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10