The Alphabet Pre-School

The Alphabet Pre-School The Bedfont Public Hall, Bedfont, FELTHAM, Middlesex, TW14 8HR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/02/2014 25/11/2011

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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 approach of staff helps children to settle quickly and to feel safe and secure, forming close attachments and bonds.  Staff use observations and assessment to plan for children's next steps in their learning; therefore, children make suitable progress in relation to their starting points.  Staff encourage parents to be involved in their child's learning and this further supports children to make progress.  The pre-school is well resourced and the premises are imaginatively set out with play equipment so that children are active in their learning.

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It is not yet good because

 Management does not have a secure knowledge and understanding of reporting significant concerns and incidents to Ofsted. Accidents and injuries are not always recorded, as required.  Staff do not always work effectively in partnership with parents to agree behaviour management strategies. They are also not always responsive to sudden changes in children's behaviour.  Children's learning is not always effectively promoted due to inconsistencies of staff interactions with children.  Systems of self-evaluation do not yet include the views of children and parents in order to help set targets for improvement.

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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 had a tour of the nursery with owner/manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents on the day of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents, including policies and procedures, staff training, records of children and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspector held discussions with management throughout the inspection.  The inspector held discussion with key persons and staff.

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Information about the setting

Alphabet Pre-school is privately owned. It originally registered in 1998 and moved to these premises in 2011. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance. The pre-school operates from the Bedfont Public Hall which is located in a residential road in Bedfont, Middlesex. There is an enclosed outdoor play area at the rear of the hall. The pre-school opens every weekday during school term time. Sessions run from 9am to 12 noon and from 12.10pm to 3.10pm. Children attend a variety of sessions, but none attend for more than one session per day. The Alphabet Pre-School is registered on the Early Years Register. The children may join the setting at two years old and attend till the end of the early years age range. The pre-school has nine staff, of whom eight have appropriate early years qualifications. There are currently 84 children on roll who attend a range of sessions each week. The pre-school welcomes children who are learning English

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Information about the setting

as an additional language and children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 ensure all children's accidents/injuries are recorded and the information is shared with their parents/carers

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must:

 improve the effectiveness of staff interactions to provide consistent experiences to promote children's individual learning

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must:

 improve strategies of managing children's behaviour by working more effectively in partnership with parents; ensure staff are alert to identify and respond to sudden changes in children's behaviour.

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

 strengthen the current systems of reflective practice and self-assessment to take account of parent and children's views, in order to secure continuous improvements based on user needs.

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who attend

Children enjoy a range of activities that cover the required areas of learning. Prior to admission into the pre-school, staff obtain information from parents about each child's background, starting points and needs. This ensures staff know the children well as they are settling-in. This helps children to feel valued and respected, enabling them to reach their full potential. There are many ways in which the staff support parents to feel involved in their child's learning. For example, staff share children's learning journals with parents, they are invited to parents' evenings and management send out regular letters to parents notifying them of current learning themes they are working on as a group, such as transport.

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who attend

All children have access to mark-making tools, such as paint, pencils and crayons. Children independently select different resources to make marks on paper, supporting their early writing skills. They draw lines and circles, begin to form letters and start to write their names. Children's mathematical development is supported through a range of planned and self-chosen activities. For example, children learn about numbers and counting as they sing number rhymes. They learn about shape and size as they use their imagination, building creations with bricks. Staff join in with children's play and positive interactions help children develop the skills they need for the next step in their learning. However, inconsistencies across the pre-school mean that staff interaction is not always pro-active in identifying the needs of individual children to provide support and challenge. A good range of small world and role play resources provide children with opportunities to try out

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who attend

different roles in the community, such as a shopkeeper, for example.

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who attend

Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of how to promote the learning and development of children. Assessments of children are effective and support staff in planning activities that reflect their interests. The completion of the required progress check for two-year-old children helps to ensure their progress is monitored. The secure key person systems allows a successful engagement with parents and secures effective, targeted strategies for most children as a result. Systems to support children who are learning English as an additional language are embedded into practice. Positive images, resources and labelling that reflect diverse cultures to meet the individual needs of children are incorporated into everyday activities.

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

Children's personal, social and emotional development is a positive strength of the pre- school and provides a firm foundation for the next stage in children's learning as they progress to school. The pre-school has sound settling-in procedures and take time to give one-to-one attention to all children who have just started. The effective key person system enhances the relationships formed between children and staff. Children respond well through knowing they are valued by caring staff. They express their own needs and views during the session, for example, asking to sing independently at group time.

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

Children are encouraged to develop their personal independence and to recognise their own needs in preparation for starting school. For example, children wash their hands and select their plate and cup as they enjoy a caf style snack time. Children learn about healthy eating as they peel their own fruit and pour their own drinks, promoting future life skills. Tissues are within easy reach for children to wipe their noses. This further supports their growing independence and personal responsibility. Children have opportunities to enjoy fresh air. They learn about shape and colour as they make marks with chalk, for example. Children express themselves as they paint the fence with large brushes and sponges supporting physical development.

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

Children play well with their friends and display good behaviour. Staff act as positive role models and support children to become familiar with the routine of the setting. Regular praise and encouragement offered by staff promotes children's self-esteem and independence. Staff give children gentle reminders about safety during the day, such as not to run indoors, for example. However, partnership working with parents is not robust enough in managing children's more challenging behaviour. As a result, the welfare and individual needs of all children are not always met. Children are learning about keeping each other safe as staff support them to be kind to their friends as they play together and gently reinforce the group rules. Children are supported well in their transition to school. Teachers from local schools visit the setting, supporting school readiness.

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provision

The inspection was brought forward as a result of information Ofsted received about a potential allegation made against a member of staff in relation to biting a child, and that not all staff had undertaken the required suitability checks. This information raised concerns regarding how staff and managers follow safeguarding procedures in practice, the suitability of staff, management of children's behaviour and staff's training, support and skills. Concerns were also raised relating to some aspects of the learning and development requirements. The inspection found that an incident did take place during which an allegation was made. The manager explained the circumstances and the reasons why she did not refer the allegation to the local authority designated person for safeguarding, or Ofsted. The manager, who is the designated person for safeguarding matters, is now very clear about her reporting responsibilities. The manager recognises

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provision

that she should have notified Ofsted of the incident. On this occasion, Ofsted does not intend to take action in respect of the failure to notify. All but one member of staff are fully vetted, including being checked through the Disclosure and Barring Service. Checks are in process for the other staff member and they are not left unsupervised with the children, to safeguard their welfare. Documentary evidence demonstrates all other members of staff are suitable, in the form of recruitment files, qualifications, references and a list of staff's completed Disclosure and Barring Service checks. The inspector also found staff have attended safeguarding training and as a result, they have knowledge of the indicators that would cause concern and the procedure to follow if they are concerned about the welfare of any child in their care. These procedures and documentation help to safeguard children's welfare. However, the inspector found the staff were not recording all

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provision

injuries, such as bites, in the accident/incident book and sharing the information with parents/carers. This means that parents are not always aware of what has happened to their child and such information is also not always shared with the manager. The inspection found that the manager of the setting is responsible for behaviour management, that staff have received training in positive behaviour, and there were good strategies of behaviour management in use. However, the inspector found staff and managers are not effectively working in partnership with parents in managing children's behaviour. This is because the cause for a sudden change of a child's behaviour was not explored. In addition, although most of the learning and development requirements are being met, the inspection identified that, currently, there are weaknesses in the interactions between staff and children to provide consistent learning experiences to help

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provision

promote children's individual learning effectively.

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provision

As a result of the inspection findings, the provider is required to take action to ensure the pre-school make the necessary improvements. This is because the provider is not meeting all the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Consequently, children's welfare and individual needs are not being consistently met.

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provision

The setting is securely maintained and staff use an effective process of risk assessment to ensure potential hazards are minimised in all areas. Good recruitment procedures ensure all staff are vetted to ensure children are cared for by a suitable staff team. Most staff hold current paediatric first aid certificates and this provides them with up-to-date knowledge to enable them to treat children's accidents and illnesses effectively.

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provision

Staff receive supervision and annual appraisals and meetings take place to monitor staff training needs and the quality of provision. For example, staff have just completed a training course to support children in their communication and language development. Systems for monitoring children's progress are clearly established. Observation and assessment is embedded into staff's practice to help ensure children make progress. Verbal information is shared on a daily basis, promoting an integrated approach to children's learning. Parents are complimentary of the pre-school and the staff and comment positively on the progress of their child. However, management do not have a clear self-evaluation system in place to monitor practice and evaluate the views of others, such as parents. Consequently it is not sufficiently robust to systematically monitor the quality of the provision.

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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 EY431513 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 952936 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 84 Name of provider The Alphabet Pre-School ltd Date of previous inspection 25/11/2011 Telephone number 07984 035 295

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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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