Duckpool Pre-School C.I.C

Duckpool Pre-School C.I.C St Mary's R C Primary School, Duckpool Lane, Whickham, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 4HB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/07/2014 10/10/2011

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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

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This provision is good

 Teaching is good. The educational programme provides interesting and challenging experiences across all areas of learning that help children to make good progress towards the early learning goals.  There is a strong emphasis on partnership working with the schools that children will move on to. Highly successful initiatives ensure that everyone who works with the children plays an important role in ensuring that they make the move to school smoothly, while supporting children's emotional well-being.  Management and staff ensure that children play, learn and rest in a clean, safe and secure environment. Consequently, children are effectively safeguarded.  Staff are supportive of all children and respond appropriately to their individual needs. They interact positively with the children as well as the parents and build good relationships with them to help them to feel secure.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to build on the practice for developing children's understanding of good health and how to take care of themselves.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed activities in the playrooms and outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the manager, carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager and spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's development records, the planning documentation, evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school and a range of other records, policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussion at the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Duckpool Pre-School opened in 2003. It re-registered in 2011 and is run by a community interest company. It operates from a self-contained building in the grounds of St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School in Whickham, Gateshead. The pre-school serves the immediate locality and also the surrounding areas. The pre-school opens five days a week from 9am until 12 noon during term time. It also runs a lunch club from 12 noon until 1pm, which is optional. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children are cared for in two playrooms and have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 24 children in the early years age range. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school employs six childcare staff, all of whom have an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. The pre-school

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Information about the setting

receives support from the local authority. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register.

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

 build on strategies that help children to learn to maintain their own good health, for example, by teaching them about the reasons for protecting themselves from the sun and how to do this effectively for themselves.

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who attend

Teaching is good. Staff have a comprehensive knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and this means they provide children with a wide choice of stimulating activities that capture their interest and motivate their learning. Staff plan play to include a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated play. As a result, children benefit from a combination of experiences that include those led by adults and learning from their own play. Staff accurately assess children's starting points, taking information from parents about what children already know and can do at a home visit. They observe children and use this information to carry out their own assessments, to effectively plan suitably challenging activities as soon as children start their placement. Staff take responsibility for maintaining a learning journey for each child in their key group. This contains observations, made throughout their time at the pre-school. They carry out regular assessments of children's

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who attend

progress in a tracking document and use this along with their observations to plan next steps in children's learning. This means that staff effectively get to know children's interests and learning styles and plan suitably challenging activities that meet the individual needs of each child. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is consistently effective. Excellent teaching methods are employed to meet children's specific needs and to promote their all-round development. These include promoting children's personal, social and emotional development through staff role modelling how to interact with each other and helping children to play with other children by sharing resources. As a result, children get the good quality support and are fully included in all aspects of the pre-school.

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who attend

Children make decisions for themselves and become independent because they can help themselves to a range of easily accessible toys and resources. This means that children have time to become deeply involved in activities, which encourages them to persist in their learning. Staff use skilful teaching to support children's communication and language development. They constantly listen to what children have to say and respond accordingly, asking open-ended questions to encourage them to think. They encourage children's communication through a wide variety of methods. For example, they help children to learn about the routine of the day as they sit in a group at the start of the session. They use a white board with a picture time line and go through what will happen as they point to the pictures and children say what they are. They also use sign language, which children enthusiastically join in with. This is especially helpful for children with limited

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who attend

speech and ensures that they are fully included. Each morning, key groups are involved in adult-led activities. Staff ensure this covers several areas of learning and adapt the group work for individual needs. For example, they use mathematical language to help children learn. They discuss the solid shape that they looked at last week and children recall that it was a cylinder. They look at letters that the staff draw on a white board and show their understanding of the initial sounds in words as they name words that start with the letter. For example, they know that 'Thomas' and 'tiger' begin with the letter 't'. Staff challenge children's learning further as they write numbers on the board and observe which numbers children recognise. This leads on to simple addition where children identify what the number is when one more is added. During child-initiated play, staff stay close by to give a hand where needed. For example, children excitedly play with water. They fill jugs

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who attend

and watch where it goes as they pour it down some guttering. Staff make sure they have sufficient water for their play and talk to them about what they are doing. This encourages children to think about possible outcomes. Outdoors, children learn to care for living things. Staff have recently set up a bird feeder and they involve children in learning how to care for the birds by providing water, birdfeed and bread for them. Children enjoy the experience of filling up the water bowl and putting the bread out. They show care and consideration for others as they give some bread to other children to put out. This shows that they understand about taking turns and sharing resources. As a result of these adult- led and child-led activities, children learn skills that prepare them for the next steps in their learning and eventually the move to school.

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who attend

Parents are warmly welcomed into the pre-school by the approachable staff. Staff encourage them to take part in their children's learning and development. They send home their children's learning journals once a term, along with a summary of children's development, so that parents can see what children have been learning. Their comments in children's journals are warmly received and help staff to know about children's interests at home, which they then appropriately plan for. Staff complete an end of year review of children's progress, which parents receive and they also share this information with settings that children move on to. Parents can also make an appointment each term to discuss their children's progress and agree the next steps in their learning. The pre-school have a parent-and-carer rota that involves them in the pre-school. Volunteers are welcome and the most is made of any additional knowledge they have that can help

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who attend

children to make progress. For example, a volunteer with a good understanding of how children develop their physical skills helps staff to provide movement sessions in the school hall.

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

A well established and extremely effective key-person system operates throughout the pre-school. This helps children to form secure emotional attachments and provides parents with a familiar person to share information with regarding their child. Every key person knows their children exceptionally well and can clearly demonstrate how they help them to move forward and make good progress. Settling-in visits help children get to know their new surroundings, the staff and other children prior to starting. This means there is a smooth transition from home to the pre-school. Children are well mannered and manage their own behaviour particularly well because the behavioural rules are fully embedded in routines. Sensitive reminders and positive reinforcement means children receive consistent messages. For example, staff encourage children to notice any differences in the school hall when they go in. Children immediately notice there is a stage set up that is not usually

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

there. This also gives staff the opportunity to help children learn how to manage their own safety as they talk about not going on the stage.

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

Staff provide a very stimulating environment both inside and outside for children. The outdoor environment is well resourced with a wide range of good-quality equipment, activities and positive interaction, which engages children's interest and develops their independence. There is an open-door policy where children can choose whether they want to play inside or out. Outside children develop their large muscles as they climb on a large frame, use a small trampoline and climb on equipment to use the slide. This means they learn how to move their bodies in a variety of ways. In the school hall children learn how to move round during music and movement activities, while taking account of other children using the space. They enthusiastically follow the staffs' directions as the music plays and they do star jumps and bend over and touch their toes. Staff make sure that they learn how to observe the effects of activity on their bodies when they ask them to

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

pause and rest for a couple of minutes. At the end of the activity staff help children learn how to manage their own self-care skills. For example, they encourage all children to put their own socks and shoes back on. This helps to prepare children for their move to school. In pre-school children freely use the water dispenser, being aware of when they are thirsty. They become self-sufficient in using the bathroom, in particular to wash their hands before snack. However, there is scope to build on children's learning further, to develop their understanding of how to maintain their own good health, particularly with regard to protecting themselves from the sun. Snack time is particularly well organised and is an excellent way of introducing children to, and teaching them about different foods and why they are healthy for them. For example, children have peas in the pod for snack. Staff ask open-ended questions to see if children know what they are and if they know

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

how to get inside them. Children recognise them and those that have had them before show other children how to open them. Children are extremely well-prepared for the move to school because staff work very closely with the local schools. In particular, very close relationships are in place with the school on the same site. Children visit to the school so that they can get to know where they will be moving to and meet their new teacher. Children thoroughly enjoy their visit and benefit from a buddy being assigned from the reception class to show them where things are and how to use them. When children move to school they are assigned a buddy from year five. In preparation for this, their buddy visits them at play time in the pre- school so that they get to know each other. Pre-school staff attend a meeting at the school every morning so that they are kept up-to-date on the life of the school and anything that they can join in with. Contact is also made with other schools that children

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

will attend and teachers are invited to visit children in the pre-school, which helps ensure a smooth move on for those children who are not moving to the host school.

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provision

Staff have a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Safeguarding arrangements are strong. Staff understand their role in protecting children from harm and are aware of what to do should they have a concern about a child's welfare. Recruitment and induction procedures are effective and ensure that all those working with children are suitable to do so. New staff benefit from an induction, which ensures that they are quickly aware of the routines, policies and procedures that apply to the pre-school. Management hold termly supervisions with staff, where staffs' strengths and areas for development are discussed. Management carry out observations of staff as they work with children and give effective feedback to enhance their practice. All staff hold childcare qualifications and they demonstrate a positive attitude towards their continuous professional development. For example, staff have

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provision

attended training in sign language, which they use to support children's communication, and they have attended a course on completing the tracking document, which they use successfully to show the progress children make in their learning.

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provision

Risks are effectively assessed and managed and this means that children are free to choose activities, test their skills and make new discoveries within safe boundaries. The management team understand the need to monitor the educational programme along with the quality of teaching and have effective systems in place to do so. Weekly staff meetings are held where individual children's progress is discussed and their next steps in learning are incorporated into the following week's planning. This means that all staff are aware of children's individual learning needs. The management team check children's tracking sheets and any delays or gaps in children's learning are easily identified. This ensures that early intervention is sought if needed. Consequently, the teaching is good and children's learning is strong, given their individual starting points. The management team and staff use self-evaluation and action planning effectively to make changes and improvements,

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provision

and they set clear targets for development. Questionnaires are used twice a year to gain parents' and children's views and action is taken to include their suggestions and make changes. This shows that the management team and staff are able to continuously improve the pre-school and consequently, improve the care and learning for the children. The recommendations raised at the last inspection have been addressed. For example, staff record children's attendance and make a note of any changes to times that they are present if they have to leave early.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are established and daily verbal dialogue is encouraged. Parents comment that they think the pre-school is a warm and welcoming place for their children and that they would highly recommend it. They particularly comment on how approachable staff are and that they feel confident to raise any concerns that they might have. Staff understand the importance of working closely with other childcare professionals. They are familiar with how to make referrals for any children that they feel are not making progress as they should. Partnership working is appreciated and they follow advice on effective teaching strategies, to support any identified needs a child may have. Overall, this is a good, friendly pre-school where children receive a positive early years experience, which lays a solid foundation on which to support their future learning.

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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 EY421767 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 874416

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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 24 Name of provider Duckpool Pre-School C.I.C Date of previous inspection 10/10/2011 Telephone number 01914881137

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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

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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