Little Owl Pre-School Ltd

Little Owl Pre-School Baptist Church, Main Street, Woodhouse Eaves, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 8RZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/06/2014 28/04/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3

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This provision requires improvement

 A secure key-person system means relationships with parents are strong and children feel safe, secure and confident within the pre-school. Staff are kind, caring and interested in what children say and do.  The development of communication and language is promoted well through adult interactions with the children. This is because staff make the most of all opportunities to model language and extend vocabulary.

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It is not yet good because

 Children do not always get the most from activities because planning of adult-led tasks and group times is not yet well informed by children's next steps in learning.  The promotion of learning and development through ongoing routines, such as snack time and outdoor play, is sometimes missed because opportunities for encouraging independence, choice making and reasoning are not maximised.  Those in charge have not yet fully established systems to monitor, evaluate and improve the quality of teaching in order to raise the level of children's attainment.

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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 had a tour of the premises, looked at documentation and spoke to parents.  The inspector observed children and looked at their learning journey records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and special educational needs coordinator.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of staff, and a sample of the setting's policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

Little Owl Pre-School opened in 1990 and is on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from the Baptist Church Hall in the Leicestershire village of Woodhouse Eaves. The setting serves the local community and surrounding area. It opens from 9am until 12 noon, Monday to Friday during term time only. There are currently 47 children on roll in the early years age range. There are seven members of staff, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- olds, and supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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must:

 plan regular, focused adult-led opportunities, informed accurately by children's next steps in learning, to prepare all children well for their next stage in learning and help them to make good progress towards the early learning goals

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must:

 establish appropriate arrangements for the supervision of all staff and create a culture of coaching, monitoring, evaluation and continuous improvement to ensure that teaching evolves to meet all children's needs.

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

 develop snack time and outdoor play as learning experiences so that children develop decision-making, independence and reasoning skills as part of everyday routines.

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who attend

Children at the pre-school choose from toys and equipment which support all areas of learning and development through play. They move freely from activity to activity and know which items they prefer to play with. Most children concentrate well as they play and keenly share their ideas with the adults and other children. They make links, play in role and apply their imaginations. For example, children dress up as pirates and go in search of 'treasure', immersed in their own imaginary world with a sense of purpose and creativity. There is a balance of play and adult-led activities, but planning of more structured activities is not yet well founded in children's next steps in learning, being generally based around a craft type of experience. As a result, the children do not always gain fully from the adult-led tasks and group activities provided. This is a missed opportunity in their preparation for school. There is a secure outdoor environment where

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who attend

children can develop physically through the use of equipment, such as bikes, a crawling tunnel, a sandpit and a small slide. However, as planning for this area does not account for the next steps of all children, some older children have less physical challenge and do not gain as well as they should from the experience.

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who attend

Children's communication and language development is promoted well as they play together with staff. Staff talk to the children and knowledge is generally furthered through effective modelling and extension of language. For example, a member of staff provides a commentary as a child plays on a ride-along pirate ship. She explains how it 'tilts', becomes 'imbalanced' then is 'upright again'. This level of language modelling demonstrates high expectations and a good level of support through play. The adults speak directly to the children and question them to encourage their language for thinking. They also provide children with the time and space to formulate their own answers. Consequently, children engage in lively conversations and are able communicators. Visual timetables are used to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, which significantly helps these children to understand the routines and choices within the

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who attend

pre-school. Overall, children enjoy their time at the pre-school and they develop positive attitudes towards learning ready for school.

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who attend

Staff carry out initial assessments of children on entry, and children progress from their identified starting points. Observations and photographs which illustrate children's learning and development are shared with parents using children's learning journey records. The children can access these independently, sharing them with others to reflect on their own progress in an age-appropriate manner. Parents read and comment on annual summaries of progress, and the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years is completed when children are of the appropriate age. Parents are informed about themes and topics the activities will be covering and are provided with occasional newsletters which keep them up to date. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well catered for as a result of the relationships established with families and the patience, understanding and support of the staff. The special educational needs

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who attend

coordinator has arranged appropriate training and responded actively to the advice of outside agencies. This has had a visible impact because good progress has been achieved by specific children and is praised by the parents concerned.

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

An effective key-person system ensures that children develop secure attachments with staff. As a result, children are happy and settled, and parents value and praise the care that staff take with their children. The children play with confidence, ask for help when they need it and are keen to participate in the activities on offer. Older children demonstrate well-formed friendships and a sense of belonging, valuing the ideas of others as they play. For example, a group of girls use a large wooden boat to act out an imaginary story, using language well to interact and exchange ideas about possibilities. They negotiate well to agree roles with extremely well-developed manners and social skills. The children are secure in the pre-school's routine and know exactly what to do and how to do it. They keenly help staff to rearrange the room following their physical activity and look after the toys as they play. Children are well supported for their transition to

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

school. The setting is located near the village primary school where the older children use the information and communication technology facilities on a regular basis. As a result, children are familiar with the teachers and the concept of going to school, and benefit from learning about the technology available. All local schools are welcomed to the setting for pre-transition visits, and transfer documents provided for the schools show that the staff know the children well. These effective transition arrangements support children in embracing their future learning.

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

The learning environment is safe and clean with resources which are well cared for. Staff are deployed well inside and out to provide continuous supervision of children, and accidents are monitored to ensure risk assessments contribute to keeping children safe. Children are well supported in learning to manage their own personal hygiene and behave well for their ages and stages of development because staff are positive role models. They provide well-established routines, boundaries and clear explanations, which means that the emotional well-being of the children is well accommodated. Children have daily access to playing in the fresh air within the enclosed outdoor space, and it is within this safe environment that they are encouraged to take appropriate risks. For example, children are shown how to ride bikes safely downhill and then are given the opportunity to experiment for themselves under the watchful eye of a member of staff close by.

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

Children learn about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Following periods of activity, the effect of exercise on the body is well explained, contributing to their overall understanding in an age-appropriate way. A daily snack menu is shared with parents and incorporates plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, the staff manage children's dietary needs and allergies well. However, opportunities for encouraging independence, choice making and reasoning during snack time are missed. This means that the children do not learn as well as they might from the experience.

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provision

Staff understand their responsibilities in meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and have all completed safeguarding training. Sound recruitment and vetting procedures are in place, which means that only those suitable to work with children are appointed. As a result, children are well safeguarded. Required documentation is in place and there are a range of policies and procedures which are designed to guide practice. These are shared with parents via the internet and reviewed annually by the pre-school committee.

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provision

Children generally make adequate progress. However, some older or more-able children are not regularly engaged in activities to challenge their thinking in preparation for school. The development of systems to feed children's individual next steps into adult-led and group activities is required to ensure that this happens. This was highlighted as a recommendation during the last inspection and has not yet been successfully addressed by those responsible for the leadership and management of the pre-school. Staff practice is not consistently monitored, therefore developments are not ongoing or well paced. A productive cycle of evaluation and action planning is also not in place. The manager has a general understanding of strengths and areas for improvement. These now need to be swiftly realised to raise the quality of planning and provision for adult-led and group activities. Some training to develop staff has been sought and attended. This has meant

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provision

that children with specific needs have particularly benefitted and some staff have an increased understanding of assessment and record keeping.

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provision

The pre-school is warm and welcoming because the team is well established and the staff clearly work well together. Parents comment on the role of the pre-school as a community in itself and often travel from villages further afield so that their children can attend. For example, staff work with the parents to hold cake sales to raise money for a local charity, which successfully teaches the children the value of belonging and making a contribution. Useful information is gathered about children's care and learning before they start attending the pre-school. Parents look at their children's learning journey records whenever they wish, and informally talk to the key persons at the beginning and end of sessions. Through documentation, notice boards, discussions and policies, parents receive a range of information concerning children's health, well-being and development. They particularly comment on the progress their children are making in their personal, social

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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 226316 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 871386

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 47 Name of provider Little Owl Pre School Limited Date of previous inspection 28/04/2010 Telephone number 01509 890195

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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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