Hart Common Pre-School

Hart Common Pre-School Westhoughton Rangers Football Club, Wigan Road, Westhoughton, BOLTON, BL5 2BX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/05/2014 12/11/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 The warm welcome from staff effectively underpins the children's sense of belonging and security.  Children are safeguarded because all staff have completed child protection training and this knowledge is implemented successfully into their practice. Staff have current first aid qualifications, which further promotes children's well-being.  Partnerships with parents are generally effective. Parents speak positively about the care and education their children receive. As a result, children's care needs are appropriately met.

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It is not yet good because

 The quality of teaching is variable. Some staff miss opportunities to take learning further, particularly in extending children's thinking skills by appropriately using open- ended questions or challenging children's ideas.  Some assessments are not always completed in sufficient detail to identify children's current learning and development or identify clear next steps in their learning on which to base future planning.  Staff do not fully support parents to continue their child's learning at home.  Lunchtime is not always sufficiently well organised or resourced to keep children actively engaged in learning at a good level, particularly just prior to lunch and when children serve themselves.

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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 teaching and learning activities in three of the playrooms and outdoors.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the deputy nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, a selection of documentation related to children's learning and welfare and the pre-school's plans for self-evaluation and improvement.

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

Hart Common Pre-School was registered under new ownership in 2008 and is registered on the Early Years Register. It operates from a single-storey building in the Westhoughton area of Bolton, Lancashire. The pre-school has the use of four rooms; one large open plan and three smaller rooms. All children share access to a secure, enclosed outside play area and to a large playing field. The pre-school serves the local area and the wider community and is accessible to all children. It operates Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm during term time. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 50 children attending the pre-school who are all within the early years age range. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre- school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff, who all hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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Information about the setting

These include; one member of staff with Early Years Professional Status, two members with National Vocational Qualification level 4 and three members of staff at level 3. The setting receives support from Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Service.

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must:

 develop the ability of staff to use open-ended questions when appropriate, to ensure that all children are sufficiently challenged, in order to develop thinking skills and extend their learning

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must:

 strengthen arrangements for the assessment of children's progress to ensure that their achievements and the next steps in their learning are consistently identified and are used to plan challenging activities that meet individual children's needs effectively.

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

 explore strategies to involve parents in continuing children's learning at home

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

 review the lunchtime arrangements for children to ensure best use is made of time and resources in order to keep children actively engaged in learning and to enhance their independence.

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who attend

Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and provide an environment where children are able to independently choose from a selection of toys and resources. Resources are clearly labelled and are presented at a low level so children can access them freely. The children are familiar with the pre-school's daily routines. For example, they know when the lights dim it is time to tidy up. Children take part in calendar time when they learn and talk about a variety of things such as; days of the week, words that begin with the sound m, counting numbers from one to 19 and singing songs. Children listen well and are beginning to develop some of the vital skills they will need when moving on to school. Children are given opportunities to develop their literacy skills as they draw on paper with readily available pens, pencil and crayons. Children enjoy taking part in the activities provided. However,

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who attend

some are mundane and lack challenge for the children. For example, children take part in an art activity that involves sticking squares of tissue onto a piece of paper and the squares are already pre-cut by staff. This means that children are not given the opportunity to develop their independence, be creative and learn how to use equipment safely through using scissors.

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who attend

The quality of learning and teaching is inconsistent. Consequently, children's progress is satisfactory rather than good. Staff engage in child-initiated play and sometimes use opportunities to extend children's learning. However, staff miss opportunities to take learning further, particularly in extending children's thinking skills, as they do not consistently use thinking language and open-ended questions or challenging children's ideas. For example, children take part in a focused activity in which they have to find the numbers hidden in the sand and then match the number to a corresponding number card. Children enjoy exploring the textures of sand whilst searching for a wooden number. However, staff do not talk to the children about the texture of sand or ask any questions. Therefore, at times, learning experiences can lack consistent challenge and are not always precisely matched to children's individual needs. Staff use a tracker system to identify

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who attend

which development bands the children are currently in. However, these are not consistently completed by staff. Therefore, they do not currently show children's actual stages of development. As a result, staff cannot effectively plan next steps for children based on up-to-date and accurate information. Children who have a special educational need and/or disabilities are supported through a designated special educational needs coordinator, access to a range of multi-agency professionals offering targeted support, and partnership working with parents. In addition, staff write individual education plans, which generally support children's development needs.

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who attend

Staff work in partnership with parents and value their contributions. They gather information from parents about their children's individual interests on entry. This provides staff with a starting point for a baseline assessment. Staff use baseline assessments to plan initial activities to support children's next steps in their learning and development. Relevant support and guidance documents are used as a reference to allow them to identify if children are operating within the expected bands of development for their age. Individual learning journals are accessible to parents and are available to be viewed at any time. Parents are encouraged to share information regarding children's further development at home. However, the pre-school is less effective in supporting parents to continue their child's learning at home. Parents speak highly of the pre-school and make comments, such as 'I am very happy with the nursery, staff are always available to talk to'

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who attend

and 'I am really happy, we have noticed my children's confidence grow and I think they are ready for starting school'.

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

Children and their families are welcomed into this friendly pre-school. As children arrive at the pre-school, they immediately settle and confidently begin to explore the range of activities. As a result, children demonstrate that they are feeling emotionally secure within the environment. The gradual and flexible admissions process in place allows children and parents to build warm relationships. Children demonstrate secure attachments to staff and confidently interact with visitors, which shows they feel safe and self-assured. The pre- school has an effective key person system in place. Lists of key groups are displayed on the wall within the main playroom for parents to see. The secondary key person system in place allows children to remain emotionally secure when their main carer is absent.

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

As children make the move on to school, staff complete end of year assessments detailing current development levels, likes and dislikes. Additionally, teachers are invited to observe the children in the pre-school, and meet with the key person, so they have a good understanding of the child's needs before they start school.

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

Children learn to keep themselves healthy through daily routines, such as washing their hands before snacks and meals. Children describe the importance of washing their hands to make sure they are clean before they eat their lunch. Discussions with staff support their developing understanding of the reason for these routines, for example, 'to get rid of any germs'. Lunchtime is a sociable occasion, as staff and children sit together to eat. All children bring their own packed lunch. However, lunchtime preparations are not well organised and children are not involved in this process. As a result, children are not given opportunities on these occasions to develop their independence skills. Children understand the importance of hydrating their bodies especially in the warm weather, as they confidently help themselves to their named bottles of water whilst playing outside in the sunshine. Dietary needs and preferences are discussed with parents and are adhered to

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

carefully to maintain children's health and well-being. Children have access to the outdoors and are encouraged to spend time in the fresh air.

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

Children regularly go on nature walks and collect blackberries. Staff talk to the children about how important it is not to put any of the berries in their mouths, as some might make them poorly. As a result, children are developing an understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Staff demonstrate a sound understanding of how to manage children's behaviour. They recognise children's good behaviour, kindness and achievements through the use of stickers and certificates. As a result, children's confidence and self-esteem is promoted effectively. Children show good behaviour at all times and use polite and courteous language, such as please and thank you.

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provision

Safeguarding children is a high priority for staff and management. Staff have a good understanding of the safeguarding policy and procedures and of their roles and responsibilities in reporting concerns regarding child welfare. All staff have attended child protection training. Staff supervise children effectively, consequently, children are suitably protected. Procedures regarding the safe use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting are clear and are implemented effectively by the staff. Robust recruitment and selection procedures are followed to ensure safe recruitment including identity checks, qualification verification, reference checks and clearance checks to assess their suitability to be with the children. In line with the pre-school's safeguarding policy staff have their suitability checked every three years to ensure their ongoing suitability. Staff induction processes are in place and staff are further supported through appraisals and supervisions to improve

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provision

The management team and staff have a sound understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. The management team monitor the staff's assessments of children and discuss their development. However, systems to track children's progress are not used effectively and are found in some cases incomplete and do not contain information about current development levels. Arrangements for performance management are in place. Staff supervisions and appraisals take place to help staff reflect on and evaluate the quality of their own practice. Staff have begun to carry out peer observations to strengthen this aspect of practice. The majority of staff are long serving and hold higher levels of qualification.

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provision

The management team have some understanding of the strengths and aspects for further development of the setting and plan to involve staff, parents and children to improve the service provided. Management gather staff views through a reflective diary and parents are encouraged to make their views known through a variety of ways, such as direct conversations, parent questionnaires and anonymously through suggestion envelopes. A system to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is in place. Staff work with external agencies to meet the individual needs of the children and attend meetings to ensure consistency. Staff receive support from local authority advisers and the pre-school values input from professionals, such as health visitors and speech and language therapists. The pre-school has formed links with other providers, in order to share information and support children effectively when they attend more than one

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provision

setting, or when the time comes to move on to school.

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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 EY376587 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 858388

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 50 Name of provider Hart Comman Pre-School Partnership Date of previous inspection 12/11/2008 Telephone number 07803 600 974

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

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

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