Ducklings Pre-School

Ducklings Pre-School VC Primary School, Weasenham Road, Great Massingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE32 2EY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/07/2014 09/07/2010

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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 quality of teaching is good. Children enthusiastically participate in a wide and exciting range of activities, which enable them to make good progress across all seven areas of learning.  Children are confident, happy and settled in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of the pre-school. They form warm and trusting relationships with their key persons, who ensure that their well-being, safety and individual needs are effectively met.  Staff make good use of snack and mealtimes to support children's learning. Children develop their independence skills, build secure relationships and practise their communication skills through being part of a small group.  Staff have a good understanding of how to promote the health and safety of the children in their care. They effectively use daily risk assessments to ensure potential hazards are minimised during activities and in all areas of the premises used by the

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for parents to contribute their ongoing observations of children's learning have not yet been fully embraced to ensure their knowledge is used to help share ideas about how to move children forward.  There are fewer opportunities for children to learn about words, numbers and shapes in the outside area, in order to help them to make connections in their learning.

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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 playroom and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and spoke to staff members in each room.  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 staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation and improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from information included in the setting's own parent survey.

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Information about the setting

Ducklings Pre-School was registered in 1975 and registered again in 2003 to the current premises on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The pre-school operates from a mobile classroom in the school grounds, situated in the village of Great Massingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk. The pre-school opens five days a week from 9am until 3pm, term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. There are currently 19 children attending in the early years age range. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre- school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children, who speak English is an additional language. There are currently three staff working directly with the children, all of whom have an appropriate early years qualification. Of

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Information about the setting

these, one holds an early years qualification at level 2 and one holds an early years qualification at level 3. The manager has completed a level 6 qualification. The pre-school receives support from the local authority.

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

 strengthen the opportunities for parents to contribute to children's ongoing learning, for example, by recording their own observations in children's development records

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

 enhance the outside environment, so it contains print and display numbers and shapes in purposeful contexts, so children can make connections in their learning.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and use this well to support children in their learning. Staff focus on promoting the prime areas of learning. As a result, children have a firm knowledge base from which they can build on and learn new skills. Children are encouraged to make choices from a wide range of resources. The daily routine is organised successfully to enable children to have lots of learning opportunities. Several group sessions throughout the day provide good opportunities for children to develop their listening skills and understanding. Children have fun at the pre-school and there is a very good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities on offer. Children's starting points are identified through information provided by parents during settling-in sessions. Ongoing observations are carried out and staff use the information they gather to identify the next steps in each child's learning. The learning records and tracking

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who attend

systems clearly show that all children make good progress from their starting points and capabilities. The deputy manager takes lead responsibility for coordinating the care of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. She fully understands her responsibilities and effectively works with parents and other professionals, in order to meet children's individual needs. There are also effective strategies to support children, who speak English as an additional language. Staff provide parents with regular updates of their children's progress, including completing the progress checks for children between the ages of two and three years. These are effective in highlighting any gaps in the children's learning and development.

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who attend

Each child has a learning journey book with comments and photographs, demonstrating that children take part in a wide range of interesting activities that build on their early learning skills. Staff are enthusiastic about the activities they provide and this engages the children, motivating them to join in. Staff make regular observations and assessments to monitor children's progress against developmental milestones and then plan activities to extend children's learning to suit their emerging interests. Parents are kept informed of their child's achievements as they have regular discussions with their child's key person. However, opportunities for parents to share their own observations of children's learning at home have not yet been fully explored, so that staff can use this information to contribute to the day-to-day planning to further support the next steps in children's learning. Staff support children well as they join in with their learning. They interact with

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who attend

children in a positive and friendly manner, helping them to develop their language, physical and social skills. Staff know the children very well and engage them in conversations about things that are important to them. Children enjoy listening to stories, singing and sharing news with each other. Staff skilfully ask children open-ended questions and give them time to reply. This deepens children's thinking and develops their language and communication skills well.

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who attend

Children are beginning to use mathematical language in their daily routines as they count how many girls and boys are present and then add the number together. They learn about shapes when making squares with dough and cutting out circles for their caterpillar pictures. Staff introduce children to the work of famous artists and they have a go at representing their pictures, such as sunflowers and water lilies, using a variety of materials. Children have lots of opportunities to practise their writing skills. Some of the older children are developing an awareness of letters and they are beginning to write their names and other words. Staff display many signs, words, shapes and numerals in the indoor environment to allow children to focus on meaningful print. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to see these outdoors to help them to make connections in their learning. Children's understanding of information and communication technology is

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who attend

extended with appropriate resources, such as cameras, magnets and programmable toys. They excitedly investigate light and reflection using torches and enjoy their trips to the school to use the computer suite. Children plant and water the flowers, herbs and vegetables in the pre-school garden. This supports their understanding of the world as they begin to understand growth and changes over time. Children's learning is enhanced by a range of visitors to the pre-school, including a fire officer, doctor and nurse. They enjoy their trips to an 'enchanted wood', the local airfield and village shops. These experiences help them to develop a sense of their local community and the people, who help them. The outdoor environment is extremely inviting with ride-on toys, a digging and growing area, a 'mud kitchen' and a wide range of equipment to promote their physical skills. Children are learning to play cooperatively with each other and have responsibilities,

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who attend

such as helping at snack time and tidying up. They learn about sitting quietly, taking turns and listening to stories. As a result, children are acquiring the skills, attitudes and dispositions they need to be ready for school.

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

The caring, family atmosphere at the pre-school enables children to feel secure and happy. Each child has a named key person, who gets to know them well and ably supports their care and learning needs. Staff prepare children very well for starting the pre-school by encouraging parents to visit for short periods before they start. Children settle quickly because staff find out about their interests, likes, dislikes and care routines from parents. Children's behaviour shows they feel safe in the pre-school. They are very comfortable with the staff and often go to their favourite adult for a cuddle. Staff respond affectionately, providing children with a strong sense of belonging and promoting their emotional well-being. Staff model good manners and reinforce children's good behaviour with praise and encouragement. As a result, children are learning to share and take turns and play happily together. Staff provide a well-resourced learning environment both inside

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

and outside. All toys and games are stored in low-level units to ensure children have lots of opportunities to make choices and develop their independence. Staff support the children well as they develop their independence and gain the skills needed to be ready for school. There are appropriate arrangements to prepare children for their move to school. These include arranging visits to the schools they will be attending.

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

Children are developing an understanding of a healthy lifestyle. They are offered healthy snacks during the day and they either bring packed lunches or they can have a hot lunch provided by the school. Staff plan activities to help them to learn about making healthy food choices, such as growing their own vegetables and going on walks to pick blackberries. They also enjoy making fruit kebabs, pizza, cakes and pancakes to eat at snack time. The familiar daily routines enable children to develop their personal independence, such as learning to dress themselves and use the toilet independently. They enjoy setting the table, pouring their drinks and serving their food at snack time. Children are also learning about the need for good hygiene practices as they routinely wash hands before touching food and after visiting the toilet. All staff are aware of children's allergies and food preferences and can, therefore, meet their individual needs.

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

Cosy areas within the indoor environment give children opportunities to rest, relax and play quietly. Also, daily access to the large outdoor area means that they benefit from fresh air and exercise. As a result, children's health is promoted well, which has a positive impact on their physical and emotional well-being.

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

Staff encourage children to think about their own safety during everyday routines and activities. For example, they discuss what may happen if they do not sit on their chair correctly. They learn about road safety when they go for walks in the village and they are gaining an understanding of risk through activities that encourage them to explore their environment. Children are supported well in using equipment safely, such as scissors in their craft activities. They learn how to use knives carefully when they independently cut up their fruit and spread butter on their crackers at snack time. The regular fire evacuation drills enable children to learn how to protect themselves in the event of an emergency. Consequently, children's understanding of keeping safe is fully promoted and helps ensure that they can play and learn in a safe environment.

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provision

The manager and staff have a very good understanding of the learning and development requirements and the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They have attended the relevant training and know who to contact should they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff deployment throughout the day is good and ensures that children are well supervised, ratios are met and children's individual needs are identified and met at all times. All staff hold appropriate qualifications and have been vetted through the pre-school's robust vetting system. Staff also hold paediatric first-aid qualifications, which means that any accidents occurring can be treated effectively to ensure the well-being of children. Staff monitor who enters and leaves the pre-school through a visitors' book and records are kept of any accidents, incidents, attendance registers and medication forms. This shows that the pre-school gives the

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provision

safeguarding and welfare of children a high priority. Furthermore, the effective use of risk assessments, indoors and outdoors, ensures that children play in a safe and secure environment.

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provision

All staff have a very good knowledge and understanding of how children learn. This enables them to deliver educational programmes, which have depth and breadth across the seven areas of learning. Staff provide interesting and challenging experiences that meet the needs of all the children attending. The manager takes responsibility for monitoring the planning to ensure that all areas of learning are covered throughout the day. She has a secure understanding of the pre-school's responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. The manager is highly qualified and this means that she is very competent in leading practice and supporting the staff. She effectively identifies strengths and areas for development when observing staff's individual practice. This results in children making consistently good progress because of the high quality teaching experiences they receive from staff. Self-evaluation identifies the strengths and

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provision

areas for future improvements to further enhance the provision. Photographs and information about past and future development plans, documents the journey that the pre-school has taken over the past few years and shows a wide range of changes and improvements. For example, the outdoor area has been extensively developed to create an exciting learning environment, covering all areas of learning.

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provision

Parents are warmly welcomed into the pre-school by the very friendly and approachable staff. Lots of information is provided to parents about the pre-school, their children's care and their learning and developmental progress. A detailed induction pack, parents' information boards, questionnaires and regular newsletters enable parents to be familiar with all aspects of the pre-school. Furthermore, there are opportunities for parents to access all policies and procedures that underpin the running of the pre-school. All parents are invited to be members of the committee, encouraged to join in with family sessions and support with fundraising activities. Parents spoken to at the time of the inspection express their complete satisfaction with the care and education their children receive. They state that their children are making good progress and would highly recommend the pre-school to others. The manager and staff work with a number of professionals and

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provision

other agencies to effectively meet the needs of all children attending and to support the whole family. Partnerships with local schools are very good. Staff are forging strong links with teachers, so that children are supported both in their learning now and in the move into schools in the future.

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY268556 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 915102

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 19 Name of provider Ducklings Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 09/07/2010 Telephone number 07807 185746

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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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