Edenham Pre-School

Edenham Pre-School Grimsthorpe Estate, Grimsthorpe, BOURNE, Lincolnshire, PE10 0LY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/05/2014 06/05/2009

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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 are motivated and keen to learn in this inclusive and welcoming setting. Excellent use is made of the outdoor learning environments that provide children with opportunities to be active and engage in exploratory play.  Key person relationships are strong and children have developed close emotional bonds with staff. They know the children well and plan effectively for each individual child based on their interests and developmental needs.  Close, trusting relationships with parents and effective links with other agencies support a shared approach to children's learning and ensures they receive consistent high levels of support.  The environment is welcoming and safe and a clear priority is given to safeguarding. This means that children feel safe in the nursery and are comfortable to explore their surroundings.  Management demonstrate a clear vision for improvement and use effective systems for

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This provision is good

self-evaluation to plan realistic targets to strengthen practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although, a culture of monitoring the practice of staff is in place, the newly appointed manager has not yet embedded this practice effectively, to consistently ensure the highest levels of achievement are sustained for all children over time.

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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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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.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's activities in the pre-school room, nursery room, baby room and outdoor learning environments, including the castle grounds.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and spoke at appropriate times to staff throughout the sessions.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and the provider's self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

Edenham Pre-school was registered in 1993 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from the Old Hostel and other buildings on the Grimsthorpe Castle Estate, Bourne, Lincolnshire. The pre-school also provides after school care called the Red Deer Rangers. There are two enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. The pre-school employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The manager holds a qualification at level 4. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, term time only. Red Deer Rangers operates throughout the holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 92 children attending, 62 of whom are in the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-

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Information about the setting

old children. It supports a small number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 embed the monitoring of staff, for example, through more regular supervisions and observations of staff practice, to ensure the highest levels of achievement are sustained for all children in the journey towards excellence.

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who attend

Children are keen to explore and investigate because staff provide a stimulating learning environment and they have a clear understanding of how children learn through play. As a result, children have good opportunities to enhance their development across the seven areas of learning through participating in a broad range of interesting activities. Teaching across the setting is good and in some cases very good, especially within the pre-school room. Staff here are skilled at making learning very enjoyable and highly interesting. For example, during a walk in the woods, children are encouraged to smell the different flowers and lift up logs to look for wildlife. They use their magnifying glasses to take a closer look at baby snails and slugs they have found and learn that they like to live in damp conditions. Some children show great use of their imagination, searching for a fox that is hiding in the woods. They imagine they see footprints and find 'food' it has eaten.

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who attend

Staff pretend to look for the fox with them and encourage their imagination further, as they think about where a fox may hide in the woods and why. Activities, such as this, ensures children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals and gaining sufficient skills for the next stage of their learning, for example, starting school. Children's communication skills are fostered well by staff who understand the importance of children being able to convey their own wants and needs. Staff ensure they model language, repeat words for reinforcement and praise young children for their efforts. Staff show good skills in appropriately questioning children to fully encourage their thinking skills. For example, during an activity with clay in the nursery room, some clay became stuck to the table. Staff ask children, 'Why do you think it is sticking?' They are then encouraged to think about what they could use to get the clay off the table, with some

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who attend

children suggesting a wipe or flannel. Opportunities for children to enhance and develop their literacy skills are good. The environment is rich in text and books are used positively and frequently in all rooms to help children understand that print carries meaning. Children enjoy listening to familiar stories, which are read enthusiastically by staff to motivate them to listen carefully and interact well when prompted to. Babies have good opportunities to use their senses during interesting planned activities. For example, during exploration of a mixture of berries, older babies carefully squash each berry with a finger until they hear a popping sound. Staff introduce words, such as push, squish and squash, into their vocabulary and introduce sizes, for example, big and small when looking at the different types of berries they are touching. Younger babies simply enjoy squashing the berries between their fingers and using their mouths to taste the flavours, which results in

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who attend

some startled expressions but lots of smiles.

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who attend

Planning truly reflects the interest of children who attend the setting. For example, recently the pre-school children have shown a fascination with knights, stemming from a particular book and a children's visit to a castle. As a result of this, children have spent a lot of time exploring the castle and its gardens, in which the setting is situated, in great detail. A particular interest in the castle's kitchen garden has led to quite detailed drawings from the children and the opportunity to replicate their own kitchen garden in the outside area. Plans are in place for children to make their own shields and swords to further enhance their learning and act out being a knight themselves. Staff evaluate the progress children are making throughout the setting through regular assessment and demonstrate through discussion that they know children well. Records are regularly monitored for effectiveness to ensure children are making good progress and that any gaps in learning

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who attend

are effectively planned for. Parents attend progress meetings twice a year and share learning from home in this way. Staff are skilled in ensuring that children's needs are quickly identified and the correct support is put in place for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff are well experienced in working closely with children's families and outside professionals, to fully provide for children's individual needs. The traditions and backgrounds of the children who attended the setting are valued and suitable resources and celebrations of festivals, supports children's understanding of the diverse society they live in.

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

All children form positive, trusting and emotional relationships with their key person and other staff because there is a good level of adult attention and warm interaction. For example, babies are held close while drinking their milk and older children snuggle on staff's laps at circle time. This supports them to be secure and happy and promotes their growing independence very well. There is a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. Parents are cheerfully greeted as they enter the buildings and there is a clear appreciation for the diverse backgrounds of the children who attend, which supports their well-being. New starters settle quickly in their surroundings due to the stimulating environment and kind and caring nature of all staff. The individual care needs for children under the age of three are met well through clear systems for nappy changes, sleep and feed times. Children are supported well as they move from one base room to the next. There is an effective

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

exchange of information between key persons and a gradual settling-in period. Effective systems are in place for when children attend other settings and good relationships have formed with local schools. Teachers visit the pre-school room and children attend events at the school. The reception class and teacher of the main feeder school are invited each year to hear the children's end of term songs, which helps support the smooth transition into school life.

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

Children demonstrate good levels of confidence and behave well. Staff have high expectations of behaviour and are clear role models. With calm confidence, they give children space to explore freely and test out their boundaries. Staff consistently praise and acknowledge children for their progress and achievements, which encourages good levels of self-esteem. As a result, children are relaxed, happy and well behaved. There are clear rules and routines in place, which are encouraged by staff from the beginning. For example, on walks around the estate, older children understand that they must stop and wait when the whistle is blown and walk sensibly across the working yard when going to and from the pre-school building. This also helps them to gain a good appreciation of how to keep themselves safe. Staff allow children to take risks during their play but encourages them to be mindful of their own safety and that of others when doing so. For example,

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

children climb trees but are reminded to be careful of other children's eyes when pulling on branches.

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

Clear emphasis is given to promoting children's good health and hygiene practices. In the pre-school room, discussions take place regarding germs and the importance of washing hands correctly, which staff demonstrate. Children show that they understand that germs in their tummy will make them poorly. Snack and mealtimes enable children to share a relaxed, social experience with each other and staff. Children eat a variety of healthy foods during snack time, which they often help to prepare themselves. A packed lunch is provided by parents for lunch and a nutritional evening meal is offered to those children attending the after school aspect of the setting. Children help themselves to water throughout the day, so that they are able to control their own thirst. They are given good opportunities to learn vital self-care skills before starting school, as they independently wash hands and attempt to put on their boots and coats before outdoor play. There are

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

very good opportunities for outdoor play in the fresh air on a daily basis. A well-thought out garden area adjoins the nursery room and provides a range of interesting activities, including opportunities for physical play on apparatus, such as a slide. The pre-school children also have their own outdoor space. Along with the nursery, children spend quality time in the nearby woods and grass areas, where they are able to run freely and explore their environment with awe and wonder. Babies are also taken for regular walks around the estate.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children are good. Staff demonstrate clear knowledge and understanding of how to report concerns about children in their care. Effective policies and procedures support their work and help to ensure that children remain as safe as possible when attending. Safeguarding is a standing item on the team meeting agenda, which helps to ensure that it is always at the forefront of the minds of the staff. This helps to promote children's well-being and welfare to a good standard. A robust system of recruitment is in place and appropriate checks to safeguard children are carried out on all adults. Strong relationships with parents means that good channels of communication are in place and staff are kept aware of children's individual needs and family backgrounds at all times to ensure they are well safeguarded. Clear consideration is given to keeping children safe. Staff are deployed very well at all times to supervise children both inside

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provision

and outside, especially on walks, as the setting is situated within the public gardens of a castle, where children spend a considerable amount of time. The premises are secure and parents and visitors cannot enter the building without being let in by staff with a keypad system. Thorough risk assessments and daily checks ensure children play in a safe environment.

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provision

Leadership and management are good. There is a secure knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. A new manager has recently been appointed and demonstrates clear vision for the future and capacity for improvement, as a robust system for self-evaluation is in place. However, she is only just beginning to implement a more robust structure for monitoring the performance of staff formally through supervision meetings and observations of their practice with children during activities. As a result, these systems are not securely embedded at present, to ensure the highest levels of achievement are sustained for all children over time. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements and strive to provide all children with an effective and enjoyable learning experience. Educational programmes are monitored and as a result, children benefit from

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provision

a broad range of experiences that supports their positive progress towards the early learning goals. Staff are encouraged to develop professionally and attend regular training that benefits the children in their care. Training is regularly cascaded to the whole staff team, so that everyone benefits from refreshed knowledge and skills.

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provision

Close, trusting relationships have been built with all parents and staff value their input into their children's pre-school life. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the benefits of working closely together to meet children's needs. They consistently share information about their children's progress in meetings through written diaries with the youngest children and during daily handover discussions to ensure children's continuing needs can be met. Parents are warmly welcomed into the setting and invited to regular events that support their children's time in the setting, such as a concert of Christmas songs in the castle. Parents feel staff get to know the children before they start and provide a happy environment because they are always smiling. Partnerships with external agencies and other providers are good. This means that children benefit from a coordinated approach to their care and development and as a result, they make good progress. Overall, the setting

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provision

is organised effectively to create a warm and welcoming environment in which children feel safe, secure and happy.

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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

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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 253776 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 966825

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 92 Name of provider Julie Marshall Date of previous inspection 06/05/2009 Telephone number 01778 591368

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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

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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