Little Buds Pre-School

Little Buds Pre School Brickfields Avenue, Newmarket, SUFFOLK, CB8 7RX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/06/2014 12/11/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

 Overall, teaching practice, along with the well-planned learning opportunities provided, enables children to make good progress towards the early learning goals.  Partnerships with parents and carers are very good. Purposeful information is shared about the children's interests and achievements which occur at home. This further supports staff in planning individual, motivating learning opportunities for all children.  The leadership and management of the pre-school is good. Managers work closely with the parent committee to make sure that all legal requirements are met. Attention to safeguarding children takes priority and there are clearly implemented procedures to follow to keep children safe and secure if a child-protection concern is identified.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to extend learning opportunities by enhancing the provision of various texts and artefacts, in order to better reflect the different home languages spoken by children.  There is room to enhance and implement more constructive teaching strategies, such as Every Child a Talker, in order to expand how children learn to link sounds to letters.

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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 spoke with the two managers, staff, children, parents and carers at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector observed activities in all areas used by the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of policies, procedures and relevant documentation, including safeguarding records and evidence of staff's suitability and qualifications.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out joint discussions with one of the manager's, in relation to making observations of the children's play, learning and progress.

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Information about the setting

Little Buds Pre-School opened in 1990 and is registered on the Early Years Register. It operates from Studlands Park Community Centre, in Newmarket, Suffolk. All children share access to a public playground which is enclosed. The pre-school is run by a voluntary committee. It serves the local area and is accessible to all children. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during school term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 12noon and from 1pm to 4pm, with an optional lunch club offered from 12noon to 1pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. 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. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. There are currently 53 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range.

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

 further enhance learning opportunities in relation to exploring similarities and differences by, for example, enriching displays with printed labels and providing more text and artefacts that reflect the different home languages of the children attending

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

 extend learning opportunities for children relating to language for communication and literacy, for example, by implementing enhanced teaching strategies with regard to linking sounds and letters, such as those within Every Child a Talker.

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who attend

Overall, children make good levels of progress. Initial progress checks are carried out when children first start at the setting. These basic checks help to establish the individual starting points of all children, so that staff can plan activities to move them forward with their learning and to help them to settle in during their first days. The progress check for children aged between two and three years is then carried out at the appropriate time to ensure that there are no gaps in learning. These are completed with the parents or carers of each child. If gaps in learning are identified, then appropriate and swift action can be taken to close or minimise these. For example, staff can adapt their teaching practice, or work with other early years professionals, with the parents or carers consent.

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who attend

Ongoing assessments of learning are undertaken by the children's key person. Clear and purposeful observations are made of the children as they play. These are evaluated well in order to accurately identify and reflect the children's next steps in learning, through ongoing planning. This attention to detail, makes sure that the individual needs and interests of each child are incorporated into the planning of activities, which helps to ensure they are curious and fully engaged during their play and learning. All staff within the setting clearly know the children and their families very well. As a result, the children are fully supported in making good progress towards the early learning goals. All learning records are shared with parents and carers and they are encouraged to make comments and contributions relating to the progress and achievements their children enjoy at home. This positive approach helps to make sure that each child is supported in developing the

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who attend

skills they need for their later moves onto school.

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who attend

Children absorb information relating to the diverse range of customs and beliefs of the multi-cultural society in which they live. Staff provide a positive range of resources and activities which help children to learn about their own cultures and festivals and those of others. However, there is scope to enrich these learning opportunities, in particular for those children who speak English as an additional language, by enhancing these arrangements further to reflect the various home languages spoken within the setting. For example, adding additional labels to displays, and providing an extended range of text and artefacts for children to explore and share with their peers. This will enrich the learning as the children increase their knowledge about their own similarities and differences. Children confidently use numbers in their play and in adult-led situations. They enjoy measuring and weighing their dolls while visiting their role play baby clinic. They also count plastic

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who attend

bricks as they build towers; working out who has created the tallest or the shortest. Children in the pre-school are confident to talk in small and large groups. For example, they take great pleasure during group activities, talking happily about the items they have brought from home and what they mean to them. Staff sensitively support children's growing communication skills. They ask open questions and provide time for the children to listen, think and then respond. All the children enjoy making marks using a wide range of media. Older children demonstrate their growing awareness that print carries meaning, as they begin to write recognisable letters from their first name. However, there is room to extend the teaching of sounds and letters, along with enhancing and expanding on the strategies used in relation to children's continuing language and communication skills, in order to help children to further enrich their developing literacy and vocabulary skills.

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who attend

Planning is robust and staff are on hand to support and extend learning where necessary. They provide fun activities and learning opportunities, which fully engage children.

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

The two managers and their staff offer a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere in which children are safe, secure and happy. Positive relationships are cultivated between parents, carers and staff and this is further supported by an effective key person system. Staff provide a reliable, friendly face with whom parents, carers and their children can rely on. The key person is responsible for smaller groups of children and their families. They make sure that the day-to-day care needs and plans for the individual learning and development of the children and families within their group are met. As a result, children's physical and emotional well-being is well promoted. Children have good friendships with each other and actively seek out others to share their play. Children settle quickly into the pre-school and develop positive emotional attachments to staff.

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

Children understand the need to take turns and wait patiently. The attention staff give to promoting good behaviour and expectations also helps the children to remain safe. For example, taking turns on the slide or climbing frame prevents any unnecessary accidents. Queuing up after playing in the community park, enables staff and children to safely check that everyone is present, as they undertake the head-count back into the pre-school. Attention to supporting children in developing healthy lifestyles is good. Hygiene procedures are in place with regard to regular nappy changing. This makes sure that the health and comfort needs of very young children are met well. Older children are fully encouraged to be independent with regards to their personal needs. They take themselves to the toilet and learn about the importance of washing their hands at pertinent times. All children have access to a cafe style snack bar and bottles of drinking water are placed

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

within easy reach. This attention to detail means that the children can take responsibility in meeting their own needs. For example, children help themselves to drinks when they are thirsty and access the healthy option snack bar when hungry and their energy begins to flag. All aspects of the children's personal development is careful monitored by staff.

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

The environment is organised well. For example, a good range of child-height storage means that the children are clearly able to help themselves to resources; choosing what they want to do and further promoting their independence and self-help skills. Positive behaviour is valued and praised. This raises the children's confidence and self-esteem, which promotes their personal, social and emotional development. As a result, children are helped to develop the necessary skills which helps them embrace new experiences with confidence and are supported as they move on to school. Outdoor play provides regular opportunities for children to enjoy learning about the natural environment. It also provides them with time to enjoy running, skipping and using a wide range of resources on a more energetic and larger scale than is possible indoors. These occasions enable the children to develop larger physical movement, including refining their coordination and balance.

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provision

The managers, staff and parent committee understand their responsibilities with regard to meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements. A clear recruitment process has been implemented in practice, which means that only adults who are suitable and cleared to work on the staff team or join the parent committee do so. This robust approach means that children are protected from coming into contact with unsuitable adults. Necessary steps are taken to minimise risks so that children can play safely indoors and outside. This makes sure that the pre-school premises remain safe and secure. All staff and managers have a good knowledge and understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect, to help them identify when children may be at risk. They know how to report concerns, in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines. All records and documentation, required by legislation, is in place, well maintained and kept securely. The

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provision

managers, all staff and committee members understand that the confidentiality of families must be respected at all times.

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provision

A regular programme of staff supervision and ongoing appraisals, make sure that staff practice is monitored and any training needs identified. The managers, along with the members of staff, evaluate their practice informally, through discussion at the end of each session. In addition to this, regular staff and planning meetings provide further opportunities to monitor their practice. Attention to continuing their professional development and sharing good practice ideas, has a positive impact on the children. Staff are confident in working with the children. For example, recent in-depth training with their local authority development officer has had a positive impact on the quality of their assessment of learning processes. Staff state that they now clearly understand the importance of evaluative observations in order to support each child's ongoing learning and development. This is further reflected in the good progress the children are currently

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provision

making across the prime and specific areas of learning. Reflective practise is undertaken and children, parents and carers are encouraged to share their views and ideas.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and carers are good and all documentation required for the safe daily management of the pre-school is effectively shared. Staff are committed to working together with parents, to ensure stability of care and learning for their children. Parents and carers report that staff are friendly, approachable and easy to talk to. They find that their children very much enjoy coming to pre-school and always have plenty to talk about. Parents and carers state that they highly recommend the pre-school to other families. The managers and staff are clearly mindful about the importance of working in partnership with others who provide care and learning for the children. Partnerships with other settings that children attend are well established. This is to make sure that each child enjoys continuity of care and learning while moving between these settings.

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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 251681 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 962676

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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 53 Name of provider Little Buds Pre School Committee Date of previous inspection 12/11/2013 Telephone number 01638 665219

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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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