Otley Under Fives Centre

Otley Under Fives Centre Otley Primary School, Chapel Road, Otley, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP6 9NT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/07/2014 22/10/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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

 Children benefit from secure, trusting and respectful relationships with their key person. This helps them to feel confident and safe within the setting.  Staff work closely with parents and local schools to ensure that knowledge of individual children's needs is continuously shared. This has a positive impact in supporting children when the time comes to move onto school and contributes to building strong partnerships with parents.  Staff have a good knowledge of the safeguarding policy and practice. As a result, children are well protected and safeguarded in the setting.  Staff plan well, taking into account children's individual interests and preferences. This ensures that activities are tailored to meet each child's learning needs and priorities.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to enhance opportunities for children to make marks and practise their early writing skills in the outdoor area.

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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 children's activities in the main playroom and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager of the provision and a member of the committee.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and operational plan.

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

Otley Under Fives Centre was registered in 1983 on the Early Years Register. It is a committee-run setting. The setting is situated in the school grounds of Otley Primary School in Suffolk and operates from a mobile unit. The setting opens Monday to Friday between 9am until 3pm, except for Tuesdays where it is closed. Sessions are run flexibly and include lunch time facilities. The setting operates term time only. It is accessible to all children and has a main playroom, with access to an enclosed garden as well as the school playground, field and apparatus. There are currently 15 children aged from two years to five years on roll. The Under Fives Centre employs two members of staff, both of whom have an appropriate early years qualification. One of the staff has an appropriate qualification at level 5 and the other member of staff has an appropriate qualification at level 3. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old

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Information about the setting

children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 enhance further the opportunities for children to make marks and practise their early writing skills in the outdoor area.

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who attend

Staff have a good awareness of how children learn and provide well-planned activities for the children in their key group. They provide an enabling environment, which fosters the seven areas of learning and offer lots of opportunities to learn through play, particularly in the role-play area. For example, opportunities for children to make marks and practise writing are maximised in this area to meet the needs of individual children and enhance their literacy development. Staff supply simple sticky notes, hard hats and a work bench for the children to be 'busy at work'. This is supporting children to gain the necessary skills, such as writing, in preparation for school. However, the strong provision to promote children's literacy skills indoors, is not yet fully enhanced in the outside environment. Regular observations are undertaken by staff of children as they play. This informs staff of children's interests, their developmental stages and supports them in identifying children's

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who attend

next steps in learning. Planning is based securely on children's individual needs, which ensures that activities continue to fully engage and challenge them in their learning and development. Staff gather this information in a record of the child's achievements, which clearly shows how the setting has tracked development from their starting points until they leave the setting. Furthermore, these records are used to share information with parents, who regularly contribute. As a result, children are making good progress. Staff fully understand the importance of preparing children for their transition into other early years provisions and school. The setting regularly communicates with other early years settings and shares the progress records. This provides consistency and continuity for the children and their parents. Staff prepare children for their move onto school by supporting them with their growing independence. For example, children are encouraged

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who attend

to put on their own clothing, put on their shoes, use the bathroom facilities and recognise and write their own name. Children are also supported with transitions during purposefully-planned activities. For example, children enjoy socialising with older children from the school during a 'teddy bears picnic' and take part in activities, which are led by their new school teacher. These provide rich opportunities for children to form new attachments, ensuring they are fully ready for school and have a strong foundation for learning across the three prime areas.

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who attend

Teaching and learning is good. This is because staff develop activities based specifically on children's needs and interests. For example, a growing activity in the garden has enabled the staff to provide lots of learning opportunities around understanding of the world. This also effectively supports children's personal, social and emotional development. Children recall planting the flowers with friends, who have now left the setting to attend school. They use this activity to express their thoughts and feelings, which staff sensitively support. It has also been used to strengthen the home learning environment. Children take plants home to continue growing and regularly share this experience with the setting. This means that different areas of learning are successfully interwoven and promoted throughout the setting, both indoors and outside. Staff verbally interact with children throughout all times of the day, asking questions and posing tasks. This promotes early

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who attend

language skills and sustained thinking, so children become active and confident learners. Children's opinions are respected. Staff encourage children to choose their own snack and help them to recognise when they have tried something new and if they like it or not. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported through close partnership working with parents, other professionals and the staff's commitment to appropriate training to enhance their own professional development. This enables children to make good progress in their individual learning.

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

Children demonstrate how happy and secure they feel with the staff when they keenly arrive at the setting. Parents also relay this as a particular strength of the setting, pointing out that their children are always eager to come to the centre to play. Throughout the day, children are self-motivated to learn and manage many tasks themselves. For example, they help to prepare the snack table, wiping it clean. They make their own choices as to what snack they would like from the healthy, balanced menu provided and pour their own water. During the teddy bears picnic at lunchtime, they have the opportunity to try their own home-grown potatoes. As a result, children's health and well- being are thoroughly supported.

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

Relationships with parents, schools and other settings are strong and robust. Staff go to considerable lengths to ensure that information is regularly shared. The key-person system is effective and enables children to feel safe and secure. This means that there is a strong focus on continuity for children's care, learning and transitions between home and the setting and between all settings the child attends.

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

The outdoor environment fosters many opportunities for children to be physically active. Children explore a wide variety of activities, such as sand and water play, digging, growing, ride-on bicycles and scooters and lots of new games on the school field, including balancing on boards. These tasks enhance children's ability to gain good control and coordination in what they do. In particular, children develop the larger muscles in their bodies as they perfect a range of skills, such as bending, stretching, kicking, throwing and catching. Children's toileting needs and care routines are managed appropriately for their stage of development. Clear records are kept for these care routines, such as permission slips for sun cream and records for nappy changing. Staff support children to manage their own risks appropriate for their age and stage of development. For example, the digging area is made into a fabulous exploratory area with

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

stones and buckets, where the children have named it 'The chocolate-cake factory'.

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provision

Staff have a good knowledge of the safeguarding practice and procedures, ensuring children are well protected from harm. The safeguarding lead practitioner has attended appropriate training and has a good understanding of her role. There are effective reporting procedures in place for allegations against staff members and whistle-blowing, which go further to enhance children's welfare. Furthermore, the committee understand their responsibility with regards to safer recruitment and have documented the procedures they have taken. This includes regular appraisals and a robust recruitment procedure. They gather information, such as references and ensure staff have a clear induction process. The setting implements effective methods for risk management. Written risk assessments are in place and written policies and procedures support good practice. Staff have assessed that the outdoor area can only be accessed with the supervision of staff at

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provision

all times due to a public footpath that runs alongside the fence. The setting records details of all visitors to the setting and completes daily visual checks to ensure the areas are clean and safe from any dangerous objects.

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provision

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how children learn. They monitor the way in which they deliver the educational programmes well. As a result, children are now fully engaged in their learning as they are learn through purposeful play, appropriate to their stage of development. The quality of teaching is good. There are comprehensive levels of self-evaluative practice in place. The experienced management team have effectively identified areas of strength and weakness and are pro-active in ensuring that the service consistently improves. The committee continue to work hard to ensure the service they offer meets the needs of the children and families, who attend. Staff are well experienced, with one member of staff currently working towards her early years teacher training after recently completing her degree. This demonstrates they are receptive to new ideas and are keen to keep themselves up to date with current initiatives to provide the best learning

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provision

environment for children. Strong partnerships have been established with parents and outside agencies. Staff have specific responsibilities, such as the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator role, which ensures that they build a professional relationship with particular and relevant agencies. Staff ensure there are timely interventions to support children, based on the information received from working in partnership with these agencies. As a result, children make good progress, given their starting points. Parents are fully engaged in the children's learning and have free access to their child's progress records. Consequently, there is a strong, shared approached to promoting children's 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 251590 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 854783

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 15 Name of provider Otley Under Fives Centre Committee Date of previous inspection 22/10/2008 Telephone number 07789468853

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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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