Wray School Pre School

Wray School Pre School Wray Institute, Main Street, Wray, Lancaster, LA2 8QG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/07/2014 29/06/2009

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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

 The stimulating and well-resourced indoor and outdoor environments are utilised well by staff to provide a good range of learning experiences based on children's interest and to extend their knowledge.  An effective key-person system and relaxed, warm atmosphere supports children to develop strong bonds with staff. Consequently, children are confident, inquisitive and interested in exploring and learning.  The quality of teaching is good. Staff give high priority to children's early language and communication skills and to their physical, personal, social and emotional development. As a result, children make good progress given their starting points.  Children are protected from harm because staff at all levels fully understand the safeguarding policies well and follow the procedures for promoting children's safety with rigour and consistency.  The needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well met

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This provision is good

because staff develop effective partnerships with parents and other professionals. Consequently, children have continuity in their care and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to extend the systems in place for sharing important information with other early years providers, so that all children receive consistency of care and support in their learning and development.

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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 observed activities in the indoor and outdoor learning environment.  The inspector conducted one joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager of the provision and spoke to staff throughout the inspection when appropriate.  The inspector looked at planning documentation and children's assessment records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of staff qualifications and suitability to work with children and the provider's evidence of self-evaluation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parents' and carers' views spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Wray School Pre School was registered in 1999 on the Early Years Register. It is situated in the village institute building in the Wray area of Lancaster and it is managed by a voluntary committee. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from two rooms and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including two with Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens Monday and Tuesday 9am until 1pm and on Thursday and Friday 9am until 3pm, during term time. Children attend Forest School on Thursday and Friday mornings. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 23 children attending, who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs

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

 enhance the systems for sharing information with other early years providers, so that all children benefit from consistency of care and support in their learning and development.

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who attend

The quality of teaching at this effectively organised and thoughtfully resourced pre-school is good. Children are encouraged to make independent choices through a range of interesting and challenging activities. Each area of learning and development is implemented through planned, purposeful play and through an appropriate mix of adult- led and child-initiated activities. All staff respond well to children's emerging needs and interests and guide their development through positive interaction. For example, when children ask why it is raining, they are encouraged to wonder where rain comes from and to listen as it falls on their umbrellas. Children thoroughly enjoy the time they spend at the pre-school and they are excited and motivated to learn. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning and development. The key persons complete ongoing observations of children to assess their stage of development and to plan for their next

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who attend

steps in learning. These are shared effectively across the pre-school, so that all staff have a good knowledge of every child's progress. Information is regularly shared with parents through a variety of effective methods, including daily verbal communication, reports and parents' meetings. Parents are encouraged to share learning from home through the form of 'wow stars'. Staff use this information to effectively support children's progress in the pre-school. Advice from professionals involved with children, who have special educational needs and/ or disabilities, is used by key persons to inform their individual planning. This helps key persons ensure that children make consistent progress in the areas where they need extra support. Key persons complete the required progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. This helps to support children's progress or identify if there are any concerns, so that further support can be put in place.

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who attend

Children learn to be confident communicators. They talk to each other and staff about what they are doing, their recent experiences and ideas, using expressive language. For example, as children play in the 'mud kitchen', they discuss how to make a chocolate cake and choose objects to represent the candles. Staff ask appropriate questions to challenge children's thinking and encourage them to solve problems. For example, during a circle game, staff encourage children to consider how to roll a ball around the circle to their neighbour rather than across the circle to the person opposite. Staff support language development by being at children's level, listening carefully to them and repeating unclear speech. In this way, children learn to communicate well with others. Staff provide children with a wide range of interesting writing materials and they enjoy making marks to help them develop early writing skills. Children learn about numbers, shape and measure

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who attend

through play opportunities around the pre-school. For example, as children fill up the different sized buckets with water from the water butt outside, they decide whether to fill it 'right to the top or half way', or as they count the number of spoons of soil they need to make mud paint. Children enjoy learning about the environment at Forest School as they use natural materials to further develop their skills in mathematics by comparing sizes and colours of leaves. Children develop a good understanding of nature through a wide range of learning experiences. For example, they learn about the life cycle of caterpillars as they watch them mature into butterflies before releasing them into the garden. Parents speak highly of the learning experiences children enjoy at Forest School and note how their children's self-confidence has developed through the opportunities to explore and investigate in the outdoor environment.

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who attend

The development of key skills in the personal, social and emotional aspects of children's learning is supported through well-planned continuous provision. As a result, children develop good friendships and learn to play cooperatively together. For example, as children share the resources in the water tray, or make cups of tea for each other in the home corner. Consequently, children are developing the skills necessary to support them as they move onto school.

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

The robust key-person system ensures positive relationships are formed with children, parents and extended families. Staff are fully aware of the importance of meeting children's individual needs, to make them feel safe, secure and confident to explore. This means that staff effectively support children's emotional well-being and provide readiness to learn at the earliest opportunity. Staff take the opportunity to talk to children about health and hygiene as they supervise hand washing routines. Children learn that they must wash their hands after playing outside to 'get rid of the germs'. They make choices from a variety of healthy options for snack, including toast and fruit, with a choice of milk or water to drink. There are clear procedures in place with regards to children's dietary requirements. Staff work in partnership with parents to ensure children's good health and well-being needs are met. Children benefit from regular opportunities to play outside,

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

including regular weekly sessions at Forest School. They demonstrate awareness of keeping themselves and each other safe as they build towers with blocks and give warnings to not build it too high as 'it might fall on you'.

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

The learning environment, both indoors and outside, is stimulating and well resourced. All resources are stored at low level, allowing children to make choices and be actively involved in their learning. As a result, children are developing independence. Staff are good role models to children, sitting at child level, frequently offering praise and calmly establishing expectations. Consequently, there is an atmosphere of calm and mutual respect and behaviour is very good. Children are emotionally well prepared for moving onto school when the time comes. Parents speak highly of the support they receive from staff, especially when supporting their children, who have special educational needs and/ or disabilities and during settling-in periods. This ensures consistency of care is promoted and children's well-being is fully supported.

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

Parents and children gather in the 'welcome room' at the start of the day. This provides a warm, relaxed start to the session as children meet up with their friends. Parents spend time reading with their children or playing musical instruments as they wait for the pre- school room to open. Staff take this opportunity to talk with parents and gather information about children's learning at home. As a result, the processes to help children settle into the pre-school are highly effective and parents feel welcomed and valued as partners in their child's learning and development.

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provision

The manager has a clear understanding of her role and responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff clearly understand their duty to protect children. They know how to report and record concerns in respect of child protection and safeguarding. Comprehensive policies, procedures and risk assessments are in place and regularly reviewed to ensure children are protected and kept safe from harm. This includes policies on the use of mobile telephones and cameras, which staff are aware of and adhere to. The management team have a clear understanding of safe recruitment practices and induction procedures include safeguarding practices. This ensures that adults working with children are suitable to do so and that all children are cared for by qualified, experienced and committed staff.

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provision

There is a strong commitment to self-evaluation and improving outcomes for children. Self-evaluation processes take into account the views of parents, children and staff. Children's views are recorded and displayed around the nursery. The recommendations from the previous inspection have been addressed. The management and staff team work effectively together to help raise the quality of provision. Staff systematically observe, record and track children's achievements in accordance with their age and stage of development. They use their observations to make individual plans, which clearly identify children's next steps in learning. Staff observe each others' practice and moderate each others' assessments to ensure they are accurate. This helps to ensure children receive consistent support to make progress towards the early learning goals. Staff are well qualified and committed to improving their own practice. Training needs are identified at

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provision

supervision meetings and information gathered from training courses is disseminated to all staff to positively impact on practitioners' performance.

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provision

Parents comment positively about the pre-school and that they are pleased with the progress their children are making. Effective partnerships with parents contribute to a coordinated approach to children's care. Where children are identified as requiring additional support, the pre-school meet with other settings that they attend and external professionals to discuss and agree on a consistent approach. This ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from consistent and targeted support. However, there is scope to develop the systems for sharing information with other early years providers to ensure consistency of care for all children. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and development because the pre-school works effectively with the local school in supporting children in moving onto reception. For example, children develop confidence during their frequent visits to the school.

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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 EY385203 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 858905

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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 23 Name of provider Wray School Pre School Committee Date of previous inspection 29/06/2009 Telephone number 07909797861

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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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