Springfield Bees Preschool

Springfield Bees Preschool Perryfields Community Hall, Springfield, CHELMSFORD, CM1 7PP

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/06/2014 18/06/2013

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 4 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

p.1

This provision requires improvement

 Children's confidence, self-esteem and sense of belonging are well fostered by the staff who get to know each child well and form secure attachments with them.  Staff demonstrate a suitable understanding of how to safeguard children. This means they are clear about how to respond should they be concerned about the welfare of a child in their care.  The pre-school places a strong emphasis on promoting inclusion for children who speak English as an additional language.

p.1

It is not yet good because

 The effectiveness of the quality of teaching is not always monitored closely enough, to ensure children make good progress.  Planning is not fully developed to consistently reflect the individual needs of all children attending the pre-school.  Opportunities for parents to share information are limited. Therefore, parents are not fully involved in some of the decisions affecting their child.

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 part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed aspects of policy and practice with the manager and staff.  The inspector conducted 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 viewed a wide range of documentation. This included relevant policies and procedures, a sample of children's learning files, health and safety documents and discussed the providers self-evaluation.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector toured the premises and observed and talked with children and their parents and carers, taking their views into account.

p.2

Information about the setting

Springfield Bees Pre-School was re-opened in 2012 after a name change to the provision. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the voluntary part of the Childcare Register. It operates from a community hall in Perryfields Children's Centre, attached to Perryfields Infant School in Springfield, Essex and is managed by a committee. The pre- school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. There is an enclosed play area in the school for outdoor play. The pre-school opens Monday to Thursday during school term times, from 9.15am until 12.15pm and from 12.15pm until 3.15pm and on Fridays from 9.15am to 12.15pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 48 children attending who are within the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special

p.3

Information about the setting

educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one holds an early years degree. The playgroup receives support from the local authority.

p.3

must:

 improve the supervision of staff to ensure that they are provided with support, coaching and training where necessary, to assure the quality of teaching and learning in order to promote the interests of children and help them to make good progress

p.3

must:

 improve the level of challenge provided for children and support them to make more rapid progress by effectively using the assessment of children's skills interest and development to inform the planning of activities.

p.3

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

 enhance the quality of information gathered from parents, so that accurate assessments can be made as children start and further develop partnerships to engage parents with their child's learning, improving support for learning at home.

p.3

who attend

The learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are not yet fully embedded and require improvement. Children are making suitable progress in their learning and development as they are provided with a range of activities covering all seven areas of learning on a daily basis. The staff team supervise the children at these activities well and show an interest in what they do and say. However, teaching practice is inconsistent and children's learning is sometimes incidental rather than as a result of good quality teaching. For example, children are encouraged to develop their motor skills and hand-eye coordination when using scissors to cut paper and other resources in the creative area. They then use their imaginations to create patterns on paper using the materials they have just cut out using a glue stick. Some staff do not engage the children in any purposeful conversation about what they are doing to extend their thinking or

p.3

who attend

learning during these tasks. The staff team carry out observations on their key children and use this information to assess what each of the children have learnt. They then use this knowledge to plan for the next stages in their development. However, there are inconsistencies in how the staff team ensure the next steps they have identified to extend children's learning is effectively planned for. This means that potentially children are not making as much progress as they can. The key person system supports sound links with parents and carers. Staff obtain information about the children's interest when they start and provide resources to aid the settling-in process. However, little information is initially gathered from parents to help the key person with the initial assessment process. Staff communicate with parents on a daily basis and parents have regular opportunities to view their child's profile folder. Parents are encouraged to comment on their child's learning

p.4

who attend

and development. However, not all parents are consistently provided with ideas and strategies to help develop their child's learning at home.

p.4

who attend

Children are confident at pre-school. They make choices in their play and are allowed to be creative and spontaneous. The characteristics of effective learning are evident most of the time. Children are confident to play, explore and 'have a go' at new things. They are investigators and are keen to try new experiences. A group of children become interested in the inspector. They ask questions about what she is doing and who she is. They are inquisitive and persistent in their exploration and these skills that they are acquiring support lifelong learning. Children are active learners. They concentrate and persevere at activities. For example, children enjoy an activity where they explore spaghetti. Children are confident to leave the activity to find new resources from around the room to bring to the play, they have lots of fun exploring the texture of the spaghetti in their hands, as they squash, squeeze and manipulate it through their fingers. They leave the activity and

p.4

who attend

return to it as they wish and this consolidates their learning well. However, staff do not sufficiently support children's communication and language during this activity by asking them questions to make them think or introduce new words when they are exploring the texture. Children are critical thinkers as they are encouraged to develop their own ideas and strategies for doing things. They enjoy making obstacle courses with the soft play, building bridges from one piece of apparatus to another. They find ways to get on and off of the trampoline using the large equipment.

p.4

who attend

Children are adequately prepared for school as they are experiencing a broad curriculum, which covers the prime and specific areas of learning. Children use their imaginations well as they engage in role play and make-believe play. The role play area is planned as a home, where children play with staff who engage them in making pretend cups of tea and washing up the dishes. Children excitedly sing songs or rhymes and count as they sing. These opportunities help children to develop early mathematical skills. Children enjoy books and stories. Staff provide a suitable range of books that children can select for themselves. The inviting quiet spaces encourage children to relax and listen well. Natural resources and information and technology equipment are provided to support children's learning and explorations of cause and effect. Circle time is used to provide opportunities for all the children to share news from home. This encourages them to take turns and

p.4

who attend

listen to each other and to develop their confidence in talking in a group. Staff offer lots of praise and this boosts children's confidence and values their contributions. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are appropriately supported because the designated special educational needs coordinator has completed training and accesses support from the local authority to help her in her role.

p.5

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

Children form close attachments to staff because they spend time getting to know them. New children settle well into the pre-school as staff take account of information about individual children's care needs obtained from parents. A key person system is in place to help children bond with a member of staff, to support their emotional needs and be motivated to learn. Children demonstrate a positive approach to learning, supported by the positive interactions of the staff team caring for them. Children learn about the needs and feelings of others through sharing, taking turns and helping others. They demonstrate they can negotiate and solve problems, for example, as they confidently inform staff if another child has upset them. They are learning to understand that their actions can hurt other children's feelings. Their behaviour is generally good, as staff share consistent expectations and are good role models themselves. Staff have agreed procedures outlining

p.5

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

how to manage changes in children's behaviour. The reasoning for this is shared with parents to maintain a joint approach. Regular praise and encouragement offered by staff promotes children's self-esteem. Children willingly take on responsibility, for example, tidying away toys and resources at the end of the session. The pre-school places a strong emphasis on promoting inclusion for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. For example, the staff team together with the parents have developed a language book which displays lists of words from home languages used by the children in the setting. This encourages parents and children to feel involved and valued.

p.5

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

Staff support children's sound understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. They provide nutritious snacks, which include fruit and vegetables. Staff discuss the importance of hand washing with children in order to protect them from harmful germs. As a result, children develop independence in hygiene and managing their personal care. Children benefit from regular fresh air and exercise during outdoor play. During play outdoors they listen carefully and adhere closely to the instructions of staff. The children also confidently use the security rope together on outings and when walking to the playground. This demonstrates a mature attitude to taking responsibility for the safety of both themselves and their friends. Complying with these expectations means children enjoy their pre-school experiences and have some emerging skills to underpin their eventual move to school. Children explore, play and learn in a safe and secure environment both indoors and

p.5

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

outdoors. Children play outside on a daily basis and the outdoor area promotes children's developing physical skills and confidence. The indoor environment is effectively organised, allowing children to access a developmentally appropriate range of toys and resources covering all areas of learning. The setting is committed to working in partnership with other professionals, such as occupational therapists and speech therapists. Therefore, the needs of all children are met, with any additional support they may need being accessed.

p.5

provision

Leadership and management requires improvement. Following the previous inspection, the pre-school has introduced a new management structure to ensure the provision is meeting the needs of the staff, families and children that attend. The recently appointed manager and her team demonstrate an increasingly appropriate knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They understand their responsibility to promote the learning and development of all children. The manager, staff team and committee are beginning to work well together and have accurately identified many areas for improvement. However, the implementation of these changes is still in the early stages and the manger is still developing systems of monitoring and evaluating the teaching practice of staff and their assessments of children's learning and development. This has resulted in a lack of consistency in teaching practice and accurate assessment. Continuous professional

p.6

provision

development is prioritised by the manager and committee. Staff are encouraged to attend regular training courses based on their needs and the needs of the children. Staff work well as a team and support each other in their practice. The result is a balanced working environment, which benefits children and adults.

p.6

provision

Staff have a generally good understanding of their responsibility to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Appropriate safeguarding procedures are in place to promote the safety and welfare of children. In addition, suitable recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. This includes procedures to ensure that anyone whose checks are not complete is not left unsupervised with children, to protect children's welfare. Staff demonstrate an appropriate understanding of child protection issues. They have completed safeguarding training, are able to identify the signs and symptoms that would cause concern and they know the correct procedures to follow as a result, to help keep children safe. Children are protected in the event of an accident because a number of staff have a current paediatric first-aid certificate. Children play in a secure, safe environment where staff complete daily safety

p.6

provision

checks and regularly review risk assessments to promote their welfare.

p.6

provision

The manager, staff and committee strive to provide a good quality pre-school for the children and their families. The manager reflects on practice and identifies areas for improvement. Parents are involved well when it comes to children's care and welfare. However, opportunities to be fully involved with supporting their children's progress at home are fewer. They are actively consulted for their views and suggestions about how they feel improvements can be made to enhance the quality of learning their children receive. Parents talk favourably about the pre-school and the progress their children are making. Parents spoken to at the inspection praise the pre-school staff for their friendliness and dedication to their children. Parents say their children are very happy and enjoy attending pre-school; the parents comment that their children talk about the friends they have made, the skills of the staff and that their children are eager to attend. Effective

p.6

provision

relationships with other professionals and external agencies are established so that children's needs are supported and help them to make progress. Links with other providers are in place and continue to be developed to further aid children's progress and development through a consistent approach.

p.7

The Childcare Register

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

p.7

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.8

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.8

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.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY430190 Local authority Essex Inspection number 926320

p.9

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 48 Name of provider Springfield Bees Pre-School Date of previous inspection 18/06/2013 Telephone number 07528 651840

p.9

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.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.9

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.9

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.10

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.10

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.11

Type of provision

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

p.11