Oldfield Pre-school

Oldfield Pre-School Oldfield Primary School, Green Lane, Vicars Cross, Chester, Cheshire, CH3 5LB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/07/2014 10/12/2008

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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 high expectations of the children and provide challenges that effectively promote their learning.  Staff are nurturing and build good attachments with their key children. They have strong bonds and children settle in quickly. Consequently, children are emotionally secure in their learning.  Leadership and management are strong. The management have a clear vision of how they want to make further improvements to the nursery because self-evaluation is rigorous.  The nursery engages well with parents to ensure the need for interventions in learning are quickly identified and, as a consequence, children receive the right support.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Occasionally, activities are ended too quickly. As a result, some children do not always have time to build on their concentration and perseverance skills.

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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 playroom and outside learning area.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and the planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and the improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Oldfield Pre-School is a committee-run group, which operates from a mobile building situated within the grounds of Oldfield Primary School in Chester. The group has been running for several years, but has operated from the current premises since 1994, and serves the local area. There are currently 52 children from two to five years on roll. Funding for free early years education is available for two-, three- and four-year-old children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Setting is open Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 3.30pm. Eight members of staff work with the children, six of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. Two members of staff are working towards a qualification. Two further members of staff are working towards an early years foundation degree.

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

 provide sufficient time for children to complete activities, so they can pursue their own interests, explore and investigate, enabling them to develop their concentration and perseverance skills.

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who attend

Staff show a secure understanding of individual children's learning needs. They plan activities to match children's learning objectives. The environment is rich in resources, which staff use to help children to develop their interests and achieve new skills. Staff understand the importance of modelling play. They provide children with encouragement and praise their achievements. Staff are cheerful and enthusiastic in their teaching roles. This increases children's confidence and self-assurance in all they attempt to do. Staff use language to broaden children's understanding and develop their speaking skills during activities. Staff make regular observations of children's activities, tracking and recording their progress. This informs staff of children's developmental stages and supports them in identifying children's next steps of learning.

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who attend

Staff provide a variety of good-quality play materials and set them out for children to explore. Staff skilfully encourage children to try new activities themselves. Children have opportunities to experiment with quantities and measurement, and to practise their manipulative skills by filling and emptying many different containers in the water play area. Staff appropriately join in with children in their play. For example, they become involved with a group who show curiosity about how to move a bottle top down a water chute, into a bucket below. Staff are quick to recognise that this is an opportunity for children to solve their own problems, and encourage them to think in advance about how they will accomplish the task, by asking 'how much water is needed to push the top down?' and 'how fast does the water need to flow?' Children's success is praised by staff and this encourages them to try things out for themselves. However, on occasion, child-

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who attend

initiated activities are quickly ended as children are directed to adult-led activities. This sometimes prevents children from pursuing their own interests, or exploring and investigating, so they develop their concentration and perseverance skills.

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who attend

Teaching is good. There is a focus on enabling children to acquire the language skills and mathematical language needed in preparation for school. Children enjoy group time and are eager to share special items brought from home. Staff support and encourage language and conversational development as each child is invited to explain their item. Children ask each other questions and staff use this opportunity to extend learning by sustaining the conversations. Children enjoy using water pumps outside and squirt the water onto a number line. The children notice that when the water hits the waterproof cover of a shed it looks different. Staff skilfully draw their attention to this and introduce language by discussing with the children how it shimmers and trickles. Staff ask questions to enable children to wonder why the water does not fall into the shed and soak the toys inside. Children have opportunities to experiment with number during a target game. Staff

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who attend

ask good questions such as 'How many are inside?' and 'Are there more in the basket or more outside the basket?' A parachute game develops knowledge of colour and shape. Children enjoy the shared social experience as they count using familiar songs and rhymes around and under the parachute. As a result, children acquire an enthusiasm and motivation for learning, which prepares them well for school.

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

Children develop friendly, trusting relationships with practitioners who are warm, caring and interact positively with them. They offer cuddles whenever they are needed and their presence helps children to feel secure in their care. The effective key-person role means that good relationships exist with parents. They contribute to their child's learning journey and provide information to support children to settle. Consequently, children's emotional well-being is given high priority. Children learn to keep themselves and others safe through everyday activities and routines. For example, they manage risk safely as they work out how to negotiate large play equipment outside.

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

Staff are positive role models and interact with children at their level. For example, staff sit on the floor with the children as they listen to a song tape and accompanying story book. They enthusiastically join in the actions and role model how to listen for the different instruments. Staff are caring towards the children and are quick to attend to children's needs. Positive behaviour is appropriately encouraged through giving constant praise to children. Positive behaviour strategies are age appropriate and targeted to children's individual needs. This means that children learn to manage their own behaviour and develop a good understanding of right and wrong.

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

Children learn to adopt a healthy attitude to food as they are offered nutritious, balanced snacks each day, which are prepared on the premises. Staff talk with the children about their choices. This supports children's knowledge of eating healthily. Daily access to the outdoor area, music and movement sessions and walks around the fields introduce children to a healthy lifestyle. Supportive arrangements are in place for children when it is time for them to move on. If children attend another setting, staff ensure that they make contact, so that information can be shared between providers to support children's individual care and learning needs. Children enjoy talking to older school children and school staff from the school next door, and enjoy visits to the school for assemblies and special events. This helps them to become familiar with the new environment and staff before the time comes for them to start school.

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provision

The pre-school staff understand their responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements. All adults on the premises have undergone suitability checks in order to protect children. The ongoing suitability of staff is monitored to help make sure that they are suitable to work with children. The pre-school demonstrates a high level of commitment to children's safety. Arrangements for safeguarding children are secure. This is because all staff have received training, which is regularly discussed and updated in staff meetings. Managers ensure there are staff in each session who hold relevant first-aid certificates. They have attended training courses to keep their childcare knowledge up to date. Staff are well deployed, so that children are well supervised and are never left unsupervised throughout the session.

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provision

The manager has a good overview of the educational programmes. She conducts annual appraisals with all members of staff. Staff are encouraged to undertake training sessions, tailored to their individual needs and interests, to ensure that they continue to improve their already good practice. Activities planned for children provide a good balance of those led by adults and those initiated by children. Assessments of children's progress are routinely linked to the planning of activities. This has a positive impact on children's ongoing development because the planning of activities is focused on children's individual learning needs. Managers and staff demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement. For example, managers update the pre-schools' self-evaluation form on a regular basis and demonstrate a willingness to continue to improve their practice.

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provision

The premises and outdoor play area are secure, and risks of injury are minimised, as staff supervise children well. Managers carry out regular risk assessments of all aspects of the pre-school. For example, the entrance gate is locked at all times during the session, and the outside area has been developed to provide children with a safe entrance and exit. Staff recognise the importance of maintaining close links with parents. They have good working relationships with them and share information, so that children's individual needs are met. There is a range of appropriate policies and procedures to support the management of the provision. These are shared with parents, so they are well informed about the pre-school. They speak highly of the care and learning their children receive. The pre-school recognises the importance of the strong links with other professionals, in order to ensure that children make the best possible progress. The work well with other

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provision

settings children attend and also with the host school. This ensures that children benefit from continuity of care and a smooth move on to 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 305229 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 867581

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 52 Name of provider Oldfield Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 10/12/2008 Telephone number 01244 317056

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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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