Storrs Road Pre-School

Storrs Road Pre-School Storrs Road Church Centre, Storrs Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 3PY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30/06/2014 12/03/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is good and children make sound progress in relation to their starting points because activities engage their interests and cover the seven areas of learning.  Effective partnership working with parents means there is a continuity of learning between the nursery and home, which contributes to the good progress children make.  Children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted well, as they learn how to adjust their behaviour to different events and social situations.  A clear improvement plan that supports children's achievements over time demonstrates the manager's and committee's level of commitment to drive improvement and raise standards.

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It is not yet good because

 On one occasion, prior to the designated lead officer receiving appropriate training, the safeguarding policies and procedures were not correctly implemented, which potentially put children at risk.  Children's knowledge and understanding of technology is not always fully promoted.  Children do not always have appropriate opportunities to develop an awareness and understanding of growth, decay and change over time.

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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 main playroom and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed practitioners while they engaged in activities with children, and discussed the quality of teaching with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the chair of the committee, manager, practitioners and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of practitioners' suitability, training certificates, policies and procedures, risk assessments and the pre-school's self-evaluation documents.  The inspector spoke with parents to gain their views on the quality of the provision.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Information about the setting

Storrs Road Pre-School was registered in 1974 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the Methodist Church Centre in Chesterfield, Derbyshire and is run by a management committee. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from one room and there is an area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The pre-school opens Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 3pm, Tuesday from 9am to 12pm and Thursday from 12pm to 3pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 47 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

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

 build on children's understanding of technology, for example, by encouraging them to explore a variety of technological resources, talk about what they do, what they can be used for and how to use them safely

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

 strengthen the opportunities for children to develop an understanding of growth, decay and change over time, to promote their understanding of the world further.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good and children demonstrate how they enjoy the company of practitioners, as they seek them out to share their experiences. For example, a group of children lead practitioners to the sand tray where they show them that they are building a road. Open questions encourage the children to think of different ways that they can get the sand into the back of their diggers and trucks. Children move their vehicles around and they represent their experiences in their play, as they make the sound for a reversing vehicle. Children in the pre-school gain a good range of skills to support their future learning and their move on to school. For example, children show how they can sit quietly and listen attentively. They confidently name the days of the week, and practitioners extend their learning by asking them to say the letter sound for 'Monday'. Children call out 'moose', 'many' and 'mummy', demonstrating their early literacy and writing skills, as they

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who attend

Children's communication and language skills are promoted well, as practitioners support their excursions into imaginary worlds. For example, children pretend to take care of their baby dolls by changing their clothes and nappies. They work together to choose clothes for their babies and ask each other and practitioners, 'do you think this will fit?' Children press buttons on cash registers, as they pretend to sell apples in the shop. However, there are few opportunities to develop children's understanding of technology further. Children show their motivation to persist with an activity when challenges occur. For instance, they independently complete jigsaw puzzles as they twist, turn and move pieces around until their shape fits into the correct space. Practitioners offer praise and encouragement and children smile, showing satisfaction in meeting their goal. Outdoors, children have opportunities to talk about animals they have observed, such as birds. However, there are

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who attend

fewer opportunities for children to observe nature, growth, decay and how things change over time, in order to fully develop their understanding of the natural environment.

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who attend

Children learn, discover and make good progress in relation to their starting points in this vibrant pre-school because learning is fun. There is a sound balance of age-appropriate activities that engage children's interests and cover the seven areas of learning. Practitioners undertake spontaneous observations when children start at the pre-school and they use this information, together with that collated from parents, to make an initial assessment. Thereafter, practitioners regularly undertake planned and spontaneous observations to assess children's current stage of development and plan what they need to do next to promote their learning. Children's next steps in learning are shared with parents so that they can support their children's learning at home. In addition, parents also provide verbal updates about what their children's interests are at home and what they like to play with. Furthermore, the progress check between the age of two and three

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who attend

years is also shared with parents and their contributions are welcomed by practitioners. This shared approach to children's learning and development successfully contributes to the good progress children make and shows a continuity of learning between the pre- school and home.

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

On an occasion, children's feelings of safety and security were misplaced because of a breach of a statutory requirement. Nevertheless, children are happy, relaxed and self- assured in this very welcoming and friendly environment. This is because the role of the key person is implemented effectively within the nursery, ensuring every child's care is tailored to their individual needs. Practitioners work closely with the child and their parents, and a settling-in plan is completed to help practitioners get to know their children well. Consequently, the move between home and the pre-school is supported well and children form secure emotional attachments with their key person. Children demonstrate how they feel safe in their environment, as they introduce themselves to visitors and interact with them appropriately. This shows children's confidence and self-awareness, as they enjoy sharing and talking about their own achievements. Play spaces are organised

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

well and resources are of a good quality and are stored at age-appropriate heights. This allows children to be independent in their play, use their imagination and play with their friends.

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

Practitioners are good role models in the pre-school. They work very well as a team and set good examples to children. Children's behaviour is good due to the positive support of attentive and engaged practitioners who spend quality time with children during their play. For instance, during circle time activities practitioners guide children by discussing their expectations. They teach them how to be respectful of what their friends have to say when they speak in a group by asking them, 'have we got our listening ears on?' This allows children to learn how to adjust their behaviour to different events and social situations, promoting their personal, social and emotional development. The behaviour management policy is appropriately implemented by all staff, which means that children are treated fairly and sensitively. Children respond promptly to practitioners and understand instructions. They recognise routine signals; for examplpe, when practitioners

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

put up visual clues, children know they have to tidy up before they go outside. Practitioners promote children's independence in self-care routines to develop their early understanding of good health. For example, children know they have to wash their hands before food and after going to the toilet. They begin to recognise the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle, as they are provided with healthy food choices at snack time. Children demonstrate how they are beginning to be independent in their everyday tasks, as they gather their name card, bowl and fruit and sit at the table with their friends. In addition, they show how they are beginning to recognise their own personal needs, as they decide when they have finished and if they have had enough to eat.

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

Frequent opportunities are provided for children to enjoy daily fresh air and take part in a range of activities to promote their physical development. For example, children kick footballs, throw beanbags and jump up and down to catch and chase bubbles. Children take part in sponsored walks, where they begin to recognise the effects exercise has on their bodies. For instance, they say that their legs are tired and that they are out of breath. Practitioners demonstrate how they take appropriate action to protect children and keep them safe during outdoor play. For example, they conduct regular head counts and count children in and out of the pre-school and the play area. Children also learn to keep themselves safe, as they use a friendship band to walk from pre-school to the outdoor play area. Practitioners remind children to use their walking legs, look for cars and use their quiet voices, so they are respectful of their neighbours. Practitioners provide good

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

support to prepare children for their move on to school. For example, graduation ceremonies, which are shared with parents, help children to prepare emotionally for their move. In addition, teachers are invited from the local schools to visit children and they spend time talking to them in the pre-school environment. As a result, children become acquainted with a familiar adult and settle more readily into their new environment when the time comes.

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provision

The inspection was prioritised following concerns being raised about the provider's ability to safeguard the children in the nursery. The inspection found that on one occasion the provider had failed to follow the correct procedures to deal with a safeguarding incident. The nursery has a clear safeguarding policy and procedure that meets the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, however, this was not implemented effectively on this occasion. At the time of the incident, the management committee did not fully understand their role and responsibilities to protect children. This resulted in a significant breach in the safeguarding requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and also a breach of the requirements of the Childcare Register. However, since the incident occurred, the knowledge and understanding of the designated lead officer for safeguarding has improved significantly. At the time of the inspection they were able to demonstrate a clear

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provision

ability to recognise the possible signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect. In addition, they are very clear about the correct procedures to follow, in line with Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. The procedures include information on when and how to notify Ofsted and information about whistleblowing procedures. She has also attended child protection training and is working with other agencies to support her in her role. In addition, the manager and practitioners demonstrate an efficient knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures, to keep children safe. The provider acted swiftly to address the breaches in requirements, and as a result, no further action is required.

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provision

Written risk assessments are conducted on areas used by children and reasonable steps are taken to minimize hazards. In addition, security is efficiently maintained and all visitors to the nursery are met by practitioners at the main door. Furthermore, they are requested to show identification on arrival and to sign in and out of the building, to keep children protected. Recruitment and selection procedures are sufficient and the manager and committee make sure that all practitioners working with children are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their role. All practitioners are vetted and Disclosure and Barring Service checks are completed, to help guarantee their appropriateness to work with children.

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provision

At an unannounced visit carried out by Ofsted, it was found that appropriate arrangements for the supervision of practitioners were not in place. However, the manager acted swiftly to address the breaches in requirements, and as a result, any identified weaknesses in practice and teaching are now supported through regular supervisions and annual appraisals. Practitioners also attend a programme of training events, to improve their already good teaching and knowledge and understanding of how children learn through play. The manager makes good use of a very effective database system, which allows her to quickly and effectively monitor the educational programmes and the progress children make. In addition, the system helps to identify individuals or groups of children with identified learning needs. As a result, planning and assessment are consistent and precise and display an accurate understanding of all children's skills,

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provision

abilities and progress. Furthermore, appropriate interventions are sought for children with identified needs and their progress is rigorously monitored, to ensure they reach their expected levels of development. The manager also uses this system to monitor practitioners' practice and their knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

The manager and committee demonstrate a high level of commitment to driving improvement and raising the standards of the pre-school. This is evidenced by a clear and successful improvement plan that supports children's achievements over time. In addition, self-evaluation is sufficient because parents, children and practitioners are encouraged to share their views regularly. Parents are warmly welcomed into the nursery and feel that practitioners keep them well informed of their children's learning and development, The pre-school has also established good links with the local authority and local schools. Consequently, these strong partnerships help to provide children with good consistency in their care and learning.

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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 509209 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 976454

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 47 Name of provider Storrs Road Pre-school Committee Date of previous inspection 12/03/2012 Telephone number 01246 566189

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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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