St Peters Busy Bee's Pre-School

St Peters Busy Bee's Pre-School St. Peters Church, Button Lane, Bearsted, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 8NJ

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/06/2014 15/03/2011

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Children have a lot of fun in the lively, friendly environment and progress well.  Staff and children make very good use of the outdoor environment to offer a broad range of activities.  Children are enthusiastic and independent learners because of the freedom they receive to make choices and decisions.  There are good arrangements to promote children's health.  Effective partnership with parents helps to promote consistent and co-ordinated care for children.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 The open plan arrangement of the hall provides few cosy areas for children for children seeking more relaxing activities.  Children receive slightly less encouragement to engage in arts and crafts and to celebrate their own ideas than they do for other areas of learning.

p.1

Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

p.2

Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.2

Information about this inspection

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

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed all areas of the pre-school.  The inspector spoke with the manager, staff team, parents and children.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the interaction of staff and children during a range of activities.  The inspector undertook a joint observation of indoor play with the manager.  The inspector viewed a selection of documents including children's progress records.

p.2

Information about the setting

St Peter's Pre-School (Busy Bees) opened in 1985. The pre-school is a committee run provision and operates from St Peter's church hall in Bearsted. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

p.3

Information about the setting

The pre-school is open four days a week, excluding Wednesdays, during school term- times from 8.45am to 12.30pm. It is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 33 children aged from two to the end of the early years age group on roll. The pre-school is able to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who learn English as an additional language. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four.

p.3

Information about the setting

There are five members of staff, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

p.3

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

 enhance further the indoor environment by offering more cosy areas for children who want to relax or engage in quiet activities

p.3

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

 extend the opportunities and encouragement for children to explore their own creative ideas using a broad range of art and craft and celebrate these in the displays.

p.3

who attend

Staff provide educational programmes which children thoroughly enjoy and which offer a good level of challenge. As a result, children progress well in their learning. Children are motivated and enthusiastic learners which prepares them well for their future education. They very confidently explore their environment, choosing the games they want to play. Staff support this very well. They know when to interact with children to extend their learning and enjoyment and when to stand back to let them learn through discovery.

p.3

who attend

There is a lot of very lively and interesting discussion within the pre-school. Children use language very expressively to tell their news to staff, to ask questions and to take part in good humoured banter. Staff use clear strategies to help children develop their vocabularies and to encourage them to speak. For example, when introducing a new word such as 'hibernation' a member of staff repeats it a few times, sounding out the initial letter clearly. This encourages children to copy her and engages their interest as she clearly explains what this interesting new word means. As a result of the good support children receive, they are becoming articulate and are developing a lot of general knowledge.

p.3

who attend

Staff place strong focus on promoting children's physical development and do this well. Children are free to move between the indoor and outdoor areas for the vast majority of each session. The good deployment of staff and effective security means that children are able to do this safely. They enjoy climbing and use ride-on toys which develop their control and coordination. Staff and children also work together to invent new physical games and exercises. For example, they create stepping stones from large plastic bricks and arrange mats for children to crawl across in interesting ways. This helps children to explore their own capabilities and to begin to take some carefully managed risks.

p.4

who attend

Many children are keen writers, particularly those who are preparing for their move to school. They frequently choose to use the writing materials and are beginning to form recognisable letters. All children also benefit from regularly looking at books. They enjoy shared reading with staff, often on their own or with one friend so they are able to fully engage. Children also regularly choose to take a break from their more energetic play to relax in the book corner for a few minutes. They know how to turn pages correctly and use good story telling language as they describe the different scenes.

p.4

who attend

There are art and craft materials out for children to use every day but the presentation of these is less inspiring than other resources. In addition, the wall displays within the pre- school generally feature work completed to link in with adult lead themes rather than celebrating children's own ideas. As a result, children tend to spend slightly less time expressing themselves creatively than they do engaging in other areas of learning.

p.4

who attend

Staff regularly observe children and they play. This allows them to understand how each child likes to learn as well as monitoring their progress. Staff regularly set new learning goals for children and involve parents well in this process. There are effective arrangements to complete the required progress checks for two-year-old children.

p.4

who attend

There are suitable arrangements to provide appropriate care for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. One member of staff takes the lead for co-ordinating the support of these children and is trained for the role. Staff also understand how to work effectively with children who learn English as an additional language. They know which languages are spoken in children's homes and reflect these positively in the pre-school.

p.4

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

Children show a strong sense of security and belonging within the pre-school. They form trusting bonds with the manager and staff team and approach them confidently for support or attention. Effective key person arrangements mean that each child's individual care and learning needs are understood and prioritised. This creates an inclusive environment where all children feel valued. For example, staff are alert to children who are feeling unsettled or who are missing their parents and offer them cuddles and reassurance. Children respond well to this and are generally playing happily within a very short time.

p.4

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

Children are developing very good social skills as staff guide them to take turns and to share. Staff act as good role models as they are patient, calm and listen with genuine interest to the things children say. This helps children to learn how to manage their emotions whilst also promoting their self-esteem. Staff offer children clear guidance when necessary to keep themselves and others safe, including the procedures to follow in case of a fire. They also give children appropriate freedom to develop their independence and to learn for themselves. For example, children like to take the large plastic bricks outside and staff allow them do work out how best to do this. This means that children learn, through trial and error, how many they are capable of carrying and how best to stack them.

p.5

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

The resources are in good condition and children make good use of those available to enhance their play. There are sufficient numbers of the most popular items, such as ride- on vehicles, to allow many children to play together. The outdoor area is very inviting and children use it to engage in a broad range of activities. In addition to physical exercise they engage in role play games in the play house, draw and write on blackboards and study nature. The hall also contains many interesting activities and resources for children to explore. However, the open-plan layout means that, other than the book corner, there are few cosy areas for children to relax.

p.5

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

Staff promote children's health well. They provide a nutritious snacks and water is available for children to reach at all times. Children take part in activities which help them to learn which foods are good for them and which should be eaten in moderation. Children develop independence in their personal care and understand that they must wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. In addition, there is a 'nose blowing' station where children are able to help themselves to a tissue and all know to dispose of it in the bin provided. These procedures help to minimise the risks of cross-infection within the pre-school and teach children useful and important self care skills.

p.5

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

Staff work effectively with the parents of children who are moving on to school. They seek to ensure that all children are able to complete tasks such as dressing and self-care. They assess any areas where children may need specific support. Staff speak positively to children about the changes they are facing. In addition, they produce transfer records on each child's learning and development for the reception teachers.

p.5

provision

There has been a significant restructure of the staff team in the pre-school in recent months. The new leadership arrangements are strong and the manager is fully supported by a stable, skilled staff team. They use their training and experience well to promote children's learning and development. There is a strong focus on self-evaluation and this successfully supports staff to monitor their success and to determine areas for further development. Regular team meetings promote consistency and ensure that all staff are aware of, and able to influence, working practices. The manager also holds regular supervision meetings and appraisals with individual staff to identify future training in order to continually promote staff development.

p.5

provision

There are clear and effective security arrangements within the pre-school. The door leading out of the hall is kept locked while the session is running. All parents and visitors have to be let in by staff. In addition, a member of staff stands in the entrance hall while children are arriving and leaving. The deputy manager takes the lead in safeguarding and child protection. She has a thorough understanding of the procedures to follow should any concerns arise regarding the welfare of any child or in case of an allegation against a member of staff. These procedures are set out in written documents which are always available to staff and parents. There are robust recruitment procedures to check that staff are suitably vetted, qualified and experienced. Visitors to the pre-school are supervised at all times. Staff also undertake risk assessments and daily health and safety checks in order to identify and address any potential hazards.

p.6

provision

Parents express high levels of satisfaction with the service they receive. Those spoken to during the inspection praise the staff team and feel that their children are progressing well. There are similarly effective arrangements to work co-operatively with other professionals, including other early years providers, to meet the needs of individual children.

p.6

The Childcare Register

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

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

p.7

Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number 127621 Local authority Kent Inspection number 976186 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 29 Name of provider St Peters Busy Bee's Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 15/03/2011 Telephone number 07944 275459

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

Type of provision

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

p.8

Type of provision

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

p.8

Type of provision

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

p.9

Type of provision

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

p.9

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.10

Type of provision

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

p.10