Squirrels Pre-School

Squirrels Pre-School Priory Park Pavillion, Priory Street, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7HX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/06/2014 30/11/2011

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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

 Staff have a good understanding of how to promote children's learning and development and as a result, children are making good progress.  Staff are very caring and supportive, which contributes to children feeling safe and secure and forming trusting relationships.  All staff have a clear and secure understanding of the procedures they need to adhere to, ensuring safeguarding children and monitoring safety is given the highest priority.  The setting uses a system in which they are able to track not only individual children's progress, but also groups of children. This helps to identify if there are any gaps forming in the educational programme.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not take all opportunities to fully enhance children's literacy development in the outdoor area.  Everyday opportunities and routines are not always fully used to maximise children's early mathematical awareness.

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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 observed activities in the inside and outside play areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager of the provision in the outside classroom area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with the provider, staff, children and the manager at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' views spoken to on the day of the inspection and from documentation.

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Information about the setting

Squirrels Pre-School is privately owned and registered in 2000. It offers care to pre-school children, after school care and a holiday play scheme to children attending full-time school. The provision operates from the Pavilion building in Priory Park in Farnborough, Hampshire. The premises include a main room used for all activities and a smaller room for out-of-school care, toilet facilities, a kitchen and storage areas. Children have access to an adjacent public playground, park and tennis courts, as a well as an outdoor classroom. The provision mostly serves families from the local community. The provision is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 82 children aged from two to eight years on roll, of which 47 are in the early years age range. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. The pre-school welcomes

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Information about the setting

children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Sessions run from 9am to 11.30am, 12.30pm or 3pm, Monday to Friday. Children can bring a packed lunch if they are staying for the lunch time period. The pre-school employs 12 staff, of whom, nine have suitable childcare qualifications. Squirrels after-school club cares for children aged from four to under eight years. It operates between 3.30pm and 6pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. Fun time holiday play scheme cares for children aged from four years to under 12 years. It operates during all school holidays from 8.30am to 6pm.

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

 use everyday opportunities and the daily routine to further promote children's awareness of numbers

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

 display signs, symbols, notices, numbers and words where children can easily see them outdoors, to further help them recognize numerals and know that print carries meaning.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how to promote children's learning and development and as a result, children are making good progress. Staff have high expectations of all children as they complete a range of good quality assessments to identify children's development and this is tracked to demonstrate progress. Staff complete individual learning journal files and summaries of learning for each child. They use open-ended questions well to further develop children's thinking and understanding. The progress check at age two has been completed for all relevant children. These enable staff to identify any individual falling behind their peers or below their expected achievements, so that all children are able to reach their full potential. The pre-school uses a system in which they are able to track not only individual children's progress, but also groups of children. This helps to identify any gaps forming in the educational programme. As a direct

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who attend

result of this, the pre-school has identified that they need to increase more opportunities for children to develop their learning of mathematical concepts. However, although they have addressed this area of development successfully overall, staff do not consistently use daily routines to help consolidate children's mathematical understanding. In addition to this, there are limited examples of numbers displayed within the outside area for children to use for a purpose, such as matching numbers together.

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who attend

Children begin to understand that print carries meaning, and they handle books with care and enjoy having stories read to them. However, there are fewer resources in the outside area to promote children's understanding of words. Nevertheless, children are progressing well. For example, older children write their names on their work and recognise their names as they self register when they arrive at the pre-school and at snack time. This means that they are fully aware that written text has meaning. Staff encourage children to talk about the pictures and repeat new vocabulary and staff give young children time to respond. Staff give meaningful praise as children repeat new words and they are keen and eager to learn. This is influential in developing the children's communication and language skills and encourages an eagerness for learning. Sign language is used effectively throughout the pre-school. Children clearly benefit from staff using this form of

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who attend

communication to promote children's understanding.

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who attend

Children access a broad range of experiences to develop their physical skills. They benefit from using the extensive grounds and play equipment in Priory Park as well as the outside classroom area. Children handle buckets and skilfully pour water down the plastic pipe. They show control in holding and using toys, books and mark-making tools. Children are encouraged to develop their physical skills and benefit from fresh air and exercise daily. They balance, climb, run and jump, and develop good skills of hand to eye coordination as they play with bats and balls. Children have access to a good selection of craft resources. They independently select paper, paints and glue to create their own pictures to display in the room or to take home with them. All of these experiences result in children effectively developing the key skills they need for the next steps in their learning, including those required when they attend school.

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who attend

Establishing partnership with parents is a priority. They contribute to the initial assessment of their child when they start pre-school and their child's ongoing record of learning. For example, through talking regularly to their child's key person and also completing a 'wow cloud' to celebrate their child's successes observed at home. Information about their child's progress and planning is shared with parents regularly, which provides support to continue learning at home. Very good support is given to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work with parents and external agencies to plan and tailor activities to meet individual children's needs.

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

Staff are very caring and supportive, which contributes to children feeling safe and secure and forming trusting relationships. The settling-in procedure has a significant impact on the successful relationship building between children, key person and parents. Key persons use the information gathered from parents about children's interests to plan activities they will enjoy. As a result, children are content, happy and confidently separate from their parents. The ongoing exchange of information between parents and key persons successfully promotes continuity of care. Staff plan activities and provide resources to help prepare children for school. This involves visits being made to the pre- school by school teachers.

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

Staff support children's developing social skills and are positive role models for children's behaviour. Through effective gentle reminders, consistent boundaries and clear explanations, staff reinforce behavioural expectations. As a result, children's behaviour is good. Children participate in activities delivered by an external instructor which not only promotes good health but also helps their understanding of cooperative play. As a result, they enjoy the social aspect of their play as they make friends. Children develop a positive attitude in taking responsibility for their environment. Staff support children's understanding of personal safety. For example, they encourage children to help tidy away play materials and resources so that the floor is free from trip hazards. Resources and planned activities help to nurture children's respect towards the diversity of the world in which we live and the needs of others.

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

Children learn about healthy lifestyles and have daily opportunities to benefit from fresh air and to be physically active. Children are encouraged to independently attend to their self-care needs, such as, toileting, hand washing, dressing and serving their own food. Children benefit from having healthy snacks; individual dietary requirements are carefully discussed with parents and adhered to. A 'rolling' snack time is offered to children which enables them to choose when they wish to eat and this supports children's individual needs well. Resources indoors and outside are accessible to children and support all areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This promotes the development of children's independence skills and enhances their opportunities to make choices about their play across the full range of areas of learning.

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provision

The management team has a clear understanding of their responsibilities in meeting all of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff have a clear and secure understanding of the procedures they need to adhere to, ensuring safeguarding children and monitoring safety is given the highest priority. They have all attended safeguarding training and clearly know the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child. Staff fully understand the importance of discussing any concerns with the management team and are very confident in their roles. The management team has good leadership skills and robust systems are in place for monitoring staff recruitment and deployment and on-going suitability to work with children. Regular supervisions and appraisals take place, including verbal one to one meetings and mentoring take place. Consequently, all staff have full understanding of their responsibilities to meet the needs of children. All required

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provision

Self-evaluation highlights areas of good practice along with considerations for development. Parents' views are sought regularly through questionnaires and conversations. Children's views are also gained to find out what they like to do at the pre- school and which their favourite resources are. As a result, the pre-school is focused on the priorities for development, in order to continue to improve the setting for the benefit of children and their families. Staff have also been closely involved in contributing to 'The Local Offer', a document which sets out what the pre-school is able to offer to families in the area. The management team has good links with other early years provisions which the children also attend. For example, there are good systems in place to promote a two- way flow of information which has a positive effect on children's learning and development. There are also good links with local schools and effective systems ensure

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provision

children are well prepared, confident and eager to make the move from pre-school to full- time education.

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provision

Partnership working is a key strength of the pre-school. The management team provides a good range of information for parents which include the policies and procedures of the pre-school when children first start. Staff keep parents well informed about their child's progress and achievements on a daily basis. Parents benefit from an array of information displayed on the parents' notice board and regular updates in newsletters and through electronic communication systems. All parents spoken to during the inspection are very happy with the pre-school and are extremely pleased with the progress their children are making. There are well-established links with external agencies to ensure information is shared appropriately for the benefit of children.

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provision

The management team consistently checks staff's knowledge of the educational programmes for children. This enhances all aspects of their role, ensuring planning and assessment is focused and providing rich, varied and imaginative challenges for children. Nearly all of the staff hold a recognised childcare qualification and regularly complete in- house training. Staff are supported to attend higher education courses to enhance their knowledge of practice.

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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 511276 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 978844 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 82 Name of provider Lisa Jane Healey Date of previous inspection 30/11/2011 Telephone number 01252 378402 or 07702 202921

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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

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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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