Little Tinkers Preschool @ Holne Chase

Little Tinkers Preschool @ Holne Chase Peter Hemmingway Building, Holne Chase Primary School, Buckingham Road, MILTON KEYNES, MK3 5HP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/06/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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

 Staff support children very well to make effective use of the good quality resources to promote children's learning. This enables children with different learning styles to play freely and to make good progress from their starting points.  Children enjoy playing and learning indoors and outside. This helps them understand which environments best suit their style of learning.  Staff support children very well to learn about different aspects of healthy lifestyles. This enables children to develop secure understanding of practices that promote their good health.  Staff are knowledgeable and confident about different aspects of safeguarding. They are clear and confident about their role to safeguard children at all times. Staff work effectively as a team.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There are occasions when staff do not allow children sufficient time to respond to questions. This reduces the time for children to think and put their thoughts into words.

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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 compulsory part 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, indoors and outside, and engaged them in conversations.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and discussed activity plans with the manager.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the pre-school supervisor.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed documentation and discussed self-evaluation and improvement plans with the manager.  The inspector spoke to parents and took note of their views.

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Information about the setting

Little Tinkers Pre-school registered in 2013. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. Private individuals own the pre-school. The pre-school operates from a single-storey building in the grounds of Holne Chase Primary School, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Children have access to three rooms and a fully enclosed outside play area. The setting offers sessions from 9am to 12noon and from 12 noon to 3pm. It also offers full-time sessions from 9am to 3pm. Children attend from the local community and surrounding areas. There are currently 26 children on roll and they are all in the early years age group. The pre-schools supports children who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Six staff work in the pre-school and they all hold relevant qualifications in childcare and education; one staff member holds qualification at level 6, four at level 3 and one at level 2.

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

 strengthen the quality of teaching by developing all staff's ability to understand when they should give children time to think and to put their thoughts into words.

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who attend

Staff promote children's learning very well individually and in groups. Staff use information from observations and assessments to inform their daily plans. This ensures that the provision for play and learning reflects the interests of all the children. Children participate in activities that cover all of the educational programmes and staff know how to adapt activities to meet the needs of individual children. Staff provide a variety and range of interesting resources to capture children's imaginations and motivate them to learn. Children have good opportunities to play freely outdoors, enabling them to develop their physical skills and stamina. For example, some children dig and rake the soil, while others test their balance and learn what their bodies can do as they use the balancing equipment and control balls with their feet. Children have fun learning from each other, laughing and showing the many ways in which they can move their bodies. Staff allow children to spend

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who attend

as much time as they like playing and learning outdoors. Staff engage effectively with the children inside and outdoors and this encourages children to learn in the environment that suits them best. For example, some children enjoy exploring books and stories indoors and others do the same outdoors. Staff talk to children about why it is important to dress appropriately for the weather conditions. Consequently, children explain that they need to put on boots because the wet grass will spoil their shoes. Staff help children to use their physical skills to support their independence. For example, children learn to put on their boots and shoes with little or no help, and learn to assess some risks, such as how high to go on the rope swing. Their successes make children proud of their achievements as they show what they can do.

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who attend

Staff sit at children's level and engage them in interesting activities which helps children extend learning. Most of the time staff use effective questioning to draw children into conversations. However, sometimes they do not allow enough time before they interject which lessens the opportunities for children to think and to put their thoughts into words. Even so, staff are enthusiastic teachers who are quick to model play for children which helps children to maintain their focus for learning. For example, staff used familiar rhythms to draw children into a bug hunt. Staff used this activity to develop children's understanding of the natural world. Children enjoy exploring the garden, including their vegetable patch, with magnifying glasses to see what they can find. They put forward reasons about why they cannot find many insects and bugs. Staff teach children to write for different purposes, for example, children make some of the labels for the wall displays

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who attend

and some children form recognisable letters as they write their names. Staff use resources, such as strings of beads and rulers, to encourage children to develop their understanding of mathematics. For example, children measure an object with string and then measure the string with the ruler.

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who attend

Staff's good management of large group activities helps children to learn to sit quietly and listen. This makes sure that everyone is able to enjoy the large group story time. Children's enjoyment of these well-managed learning experiences helps them to realise that their good behaviour is valuable, because it allows everyone to take part and feel included. Expressive arts and design are a central part of children's learning each day. For example, while some children painted and drew indoors, other children made music with the pots and pans outdoors. The spontaneous activity was intriguing to others and they joined the play. Staff plan and deliver the educational programmes with a full range of interesting learning experiences for the children. Children are making good progress in their learning and development because staff effectively prepare them for school.

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

Staff operate an effective key-person system because they are clear about their roles and responsibilities to the children. Staff routinely gain sufficient information from parents about children's starting points. Staff engage fully with parents to meet children's welfare, health and care needs efficiently. They carry out early observations of children and use the information alongside what parents have told them. This helps them to meet children's individual needs well from the start. Children settle very quickly in the pre-school. Staff respond to children warmly and children interact positively with staff, showing that they feel emotionally secure.

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

Staff fully understand their responsibility to treat all children and their families with equal concern. Welcome signs are displayed in different scripts. Staff implement the pre-school's equal opportunity policy, treating every child and their family fairly. Staff use visual aids and translation tools to help children learning English as an additional language. Staff extend these methods for parents if necessary. The senior staff monitor these children very closely and regularly review their progress. This helps to ensure that they are learning to speak a good standard of English in readiness for school. Staff support children to learn about different cultural celebrations and provide resources that positively reflect cultural diversity and disabilities, such as books, dolls and positive images.

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

Staff implement good hygiene routines and attend to the personal needs of children promptly. This ensures that children are clean and comfortable. Where necessary, children get the support they need to move independently to using the toilet. The vast majority of children in the pre-school are able to use the toilet independently or with little help from staff. Staff teach children to develop good hygiene habits through their daily routines and this promotes their understanding of healthy lifestyles. The availability of fresh drinking water throughout the session encourages children to drink when they feel thirsty. Staff provide children with healthy snacks, which includes fresh fruits. Staff encourage children to increase their self-care skills, as they pour their own milk and water. Staff help children to embed learning about healthy and unhealthy foods so that children are able to recognise foods that are not good for the body. Children share their knowledge with

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

parents who provide their lunches. As a result, there has been improvement in the quality of food in children's packed lunches. Staff, children and parents acknowledge this and they celebrate with award certificates. Staff are helping children to develop their understanding of personal safety through first-hand experiences. For example, staff help children recognise tripping hazards and encourage them to tidy items away when they are not using them. Through discussion, staff help children to learn why they are not to run indoors. Staff teach children to use tools, such as gardening tools and scissors, safely when they dig and rake soil in the garden and use scissors during creative activities.

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

Staff provide a wide range of good quality resources for children to use indoors and outside. The premises are safe and secure; children are not able to leave unsupervised and all areas are clean and properly maintained. The management and staff make effective use of risk assessments and hazard checks; they create and maintain safe environments for children. This increases children's independence and confidence to make use of the resources. Children move freely between indoor and outdoor activities and this shows that they feel safe. Staff practise the evacuation procedure with the children so that they all know what to expect if the alarm sounds. Fire exits are marked and kept clear, and fire-fighting equipment is in place.

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

Staff model behaviour very well for children; this sets a good example for children who learn to be kind and show consideration for others. Staff are helping children to learn right from wrong and how to share. The environment in the pre-school is busy and purposeful. Children make independent choices about play and they are learning to listen and respond positively to the adults who care for them. These are useful skills for them now and in their preparation for school.

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provision

The leadership and management team makes very good arrangements to deliver the learning and development, and the safeguarding and welfare requirements. They use efficient systems that are familiar to the staff and parents to deliver and monitor the effectiveness of the pre-school's performance in meeting the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, the educational programmes and the systems to monitor, track and assess children's progress help children to make good progress from their starting points. Children show growing confidence in their learning according to their stage of development. Most children are working comfortably in line with expectations for their age and stage of development, and some children are doing better than what is expected of them. The management team is experienced at completing the progress check for children between the ages of two and three. Additionally, the management team provides parents

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provision

with information about their children's progress.

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provision

Recruitment procedures are good and include all of the necessary elements. For example, all staff are properly checked. They undergo a thorough induction process which ensures that they are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Staff know the designated person with overall responsibility for safeguarding. They have a good understanding of the procedure to follow if they have concerns about children's welfare. Clear policies and procedures provide guidance for staff and parents and this promotes the practices for safeguarding. Required documentation to support children's health and welfare is up to date. There are clear and effective systems for staff management, including regular staff meetings, supervision and appraisals. The management team uses the information from these procedures to develop and maintain an up-to-date training plan and professional development for all staff.

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provision

There are systems to evaluate the pre-school's performance and the management team is careful to gain parents' views and to act on their contributions. For example, parents stated the positive benefits of a recent outing and the management team has considered this for further long-term plans. The leadership team is acting to improve outcomes for the benefit of the children. For example, the management team has started to develop close working relationships with the headteacher and the Early Years Foundation Stage class teachers of the primary school in whose grounds the pre-school is located. This is helping them to establish a culture of continuous improvement from the start. For example, the management team agrees how best to present information from children's observations to make sure that children's profile documents are useful to support their transition into school. Additionally, the leadership team provides training for staff to ensure there is

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provision

consistency in the way they all use supporting published guidance.

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provision

Staff's positive engagement with parents encourages them to contribute information about the activities that their children enjoy at home. Parents welcome the resources that the pre-school shares with them, such as the toys that children bring home. This encourages parents to support children to share their experiences with others in the pre-school. Staff in the pre-school show parents that they value their input and this strengthens partnership working. Management and staff understand the importance of working with all professionals who are involved in the children's care and education.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY473036 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 950016 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 26 Name of provider Little Tinkers Pre-school Partnership Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07952 638603

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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

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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