Fun Start Childcare

Fun Start Childcare St Barnabas Church Hall, Hampton Street, CANNOCK, WS11 0AW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/09/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 plan a wide range of activities across the seven areas of learning. They interact positively with children to enhance their learning and there is a strong focus on promoting children's mathematical understanding. Consequently, children make good progress towards the early learning goals.  The management team have a clear vision for the pre-school, with robust monitoring of children's progress and staff practices. This ensures that training for staff is focused on the required areas. As a result, children are supported well in becoming active learners.  Staff have a thorough understanding of child protection procedures and take appropriate action if any concerns arise. This helps to protect children from harm.  Staff promote very strong relationships with parents. They are extremely proactive at involving parents in their children's learning through giving ideas for activities at home. Staff regularly share information regarding children's progress with their parents. This

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This provision is good

ensures that care and learning is well promoted in the pre-school and at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not consistently build on opportunities for children who speak English as an additional language to use their home language as they play, in order to develop their communication skills further.  Opportunities for children to develop their physical, and designing and making skills are not as well supported outdoors as they are inside.

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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 conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the main playroom and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager of the pre-school, and had discussions with other staff members about their roles and responsibilities, including safeguarding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of policies and procedures, which included safeguarding and complaints, children's learning records, and the pre-school's self- evaluation and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

Fun Start Childcare opened in 2014 and is registered on the Early Years Register. It is a charitable incorporated organisation and operates from converted single-storey premises, in the Cannock area of Staffordshire. The pre-school serves the immediate locality and the surrounding areas. The pre-school opens five days a week, from 9.30am until 12.30pm and has a lunch club, from 12.30pm to 1.15pm, during term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children are cared for in one main playroom and have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 15 children on roll 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 who speak English as an additional language. There are currently three staff and one volunteer working directly with children, all of whom have an appropriate early years qualification. The manager has

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Information about the setting

a level 4 qualification and the remaining staff have appropriate qualifications at level 3. 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:

 enhance the opportunities for children to use their home language in their play and learning, for example, by gathering a wide range of familiar words for children who speak English as an additional language, so that staff can use these to extend children's communication skills

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

 provide further opportunities for children to develop physical skills, such as, throwing, catching, pedalling and balancing when they play outside, as well as build on outdoor opportunities for designing, making and imaginary play, for example by providing opportunities for activities, such as den building.

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who attend

Staff promote children's learning effectively. They plan a wide range of interesting and challenging activities across the seven areas of learning. Staff know children well and each key person observes the children in their group, so that they can plan the next steps in their learning. Every child has a learning journey folder and this includes the observations and assessments of children's learning. The key person discusses the child's starting points at the initial visits and through a meeting held with parents shortly after children have settled. The key person has ongoing conversations with parents, to make sure that they are kept up to date with any achievements and changes in children's interests. This enables staff to build on what children already know and ensures that children's learning is promoted effectively. Staff provide very good opportunities to involve parents in their children's learning. Staff complete progress reports every term, which are shared with

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who attend

parents. Every child has a scrapbook with activities that children can do at home. For example, children are given a shape to cut out and a sheet to identify the different insects they see outside at home. Children take home library books to share with parents and notices are displayed, which give parents ideas for activities at home. For instance, parents are encouraged to talk about the shapes of different packaging when they take their children shopping and to use the weather to explore shadows and puddles. This supports children's continual learning and helps children to make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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who attend

Teaching is good because staff have a secure knowledge of how to enhance children's learning. Staff ensure that there is a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities, so that children remain interested and continue to enjoy their learning. Staff sit with children at their level and make good use of open-ended questions during activities. For example, staff ask children to think where the bear might go and children say that they are going to 'put him in the cave'. Staff sit with children to encourage them to build with the blocks and ask 'What are you going to build with the boxes?' Children tell staff that they are going to build a house and staff then ask them, 'How are you going to build it?' This develops children's thinking skills as they decide how they are going to do this. During activities, staff introduce new words, such as 'squidgy' when children roll the material in the paint. Staff provide a wide range of resources to further develop children's communication skills.

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who attend

Children sit in the listening area to listen to the musical tape and engage well in the singing session, eagerly joining in with the actions. Staff use an elastic material circle for children to hold onto and move around, as they sing, which keeps them focused on the activity. Children sit well for story time and confidently join in with the rhyming sentences about the bear. Staff use gestures and give individual support for children who speak English as an additional language. However, they do not use children's home language during play and routines in order to further develop children's emerging communication skills. Staff show children that writing is used for a purpose. They encourage children to label their own pictures with their name and older children are encouraged to form letters in their scrapbooks, which they take home. This prepares children well for their future learning and when it is time for them to move on to school.

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who attend

Staff skilfully promote children's understanding of mathematics and this is a clear focus for the pre-school. They use many of the activities to encourage children to count and solve problems. For example, children confidently count how many chairs there are at the snack table and know that they need one more for the number of children. Children are able to count the eight legs on the spider in the book and the seven squares they have printed on their picture. Children learn about quantity when they fill containers in the sand and recognise the numbers on the keyboard. Staff respond quickly to children's interests. They fetch the laptop computer when children show an interest. Children show good skill as they use the mouse to draw their pictures, clicking on the different colours. The pre-school has a good range of electronic equipment for children to explore. Children show much interest as they investigate how the torches work. They discover that they need to press

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who attend

the lever to make the light come on and concentrate with this for some time. Many of the toys inside are stored on open shelving, with containers that are easily accessible to children. This allows them to make their own choices about their play. Staff allow children to develop their own play and use the equipment as they wish. For instance, children sit in the large tray and pretend they are having a bath. They crawl into the dark tent to re- enact parts of the story about the bear and enjoy dressing up in the varied range of outfits. This supports children's imaginative play well.

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

Staff support children well through interacting positively with them. They are very alert when children are upset, and give cuddles and comfort to help them to settle. Staff encourage children to talk about how they are feeling when they first arrive in the morning. Most children say that they are feeling happy and they are aware when others are feeling sad. This helps children to support each other. Children confidently approach staff and they enjoy sitting on staff's knees, sharing stories together. There is a clear settling-in procedure and this is flexible according to children's and parent's needs. The key persons liaise closely with parents to exchange detailed information about children's care needs and routines at home. As a result, staff know children well and are able to support them effectively. For example, staff know that some children do not like to have their nappy changed on the high-level changing mat and so they provide an alternative.

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

Staff make sure that children are emotionally prepared for the move to school. For example, the role-play area is organised into a school environment, so that staff and children can act out situations that might arise in school. Staff make sure that they spend time talking to children about their initial visits to school, so that any fears they may have can be dispelled.

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

Staff promote a harmonious environment for children to play in. They provide many activities, which involve taking turns and sharing. For example, children wait patiently for their turn to paint and are happy to play with another activity until staff call them. Children respond positively to the music when it is time to tidy the toys away and they are all keen to help. If any issues arise, then staff explain how children need to be kind and sit nicely next to each other. Consequently, children play well together and learn how to share and take turns. Staff use praise well and encourage children to use their manners during play and routines. Children show good independence skills as staff encourage them to pour their own drinks at snack time and to open their own foods in their lunch box. This helps to ensure that children will be ready for the move to school in the future. Staff support children effectively in keeping themselves safe. They provide good supervision when

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

children play indoors and outside. Staff support children well when using the steps and explain to children how to climb up and down the large climbing frame safely. Staff practise regular fire drills with children to ensure that they are clear of the routine to follow in an emergency.

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

Staff make sure that children are learning the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle. They promote good hygiene routines, ensuring that children wash their hands at appropriate times. Staff provide healthy and nutritional snacks. For example, children sit well as they eat their bananas and drink water or milk at the table. Staff invite staff from local supermarkets to come and talk to children about what foods are good for them. Staff plan further activities to develop children's understanding. For example, children grow vegetables, such as radishes, spring onions and potatoes in the garden. Consequently, children are developing good practices for a healthy life in the future. Staff plan daily activities for the outdoor area. This means that children have plenty of fresh air and good opportunities to be active. Children enjoy practising their climbing skills using the large frame and spend time filling and emptying the containers in the sand. There is a varied

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

range of equipment, such as, an outdoor kitchen, a writing area and a row of coloured balls for children to count. However, there are fewer opportunities outside for children to practise their physical skills or to design and make things for their own purpose, such as dens.

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provision

Leadership and management of the pre-school are strong. Although this is the first inspection for this registration, the pre-school has been operating for many years. The committee hold regular meetings with the manager to discuss any issues that arise, and to ensure that the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are met. Staff clearly understand the safeguarding procedures and know who to report any concerns to. There is a detailed safeguarding policy, which gives clear guidance. The manager ensures that mobile telephones and cameras are not used in the pre-school by staff, parents and visitors. All staff attend regular safeguarding training, to ensure their knowledge is kept updated. The management team ensure that robust recruitment procedures are in place. All relevant suitability checks are undertaken, with staff signing a disclaimer regarding their suitability every six months. This helps to verify

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provision

that all staff are suitable to work with children and that all committee members are suitable to undertake their role. Consequently, this helps to protect children. Staff are vigilant in promoting children's safety within the pre-school, both indoors and outdoors. Staff complete daily risk assessments and ensure all outer doors are kept secure. When staff take children to the toilet, they lock the gates, to prevent any other children from leaving the room unsupervised. This means that children are able to play safely. The main gate on the outdoor area is always locked when children play outside, to ensure they remain safe at all times. Two of the staff hold a current paediatric first-aid certificate, which ensures there is cover if one is absent. As children are all grouped in one room, it enables staff to deal with any medical emergencies if they arise. Staff accurately record attendance and these show that staff-to-child ratios are good, ensuring children's needs

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provision

The committee and the manager demonstrate a strong commitment to improving what the pre-school offers. All of the staff are qualified to level 3 and the manager has a level 4 qualification. The robust monitoring of staff practices and the regular supervision sessions held each term help to identify what further training is required. One of the key strengths of the pre-school is the wide range of training attended by staff. For example, staff have attended training specifically for the funded two-year-olds, such as Tuning into toddlers and Spaces to talk. As a result, staff make changes to the environment, to ensure it is stimulating and maintains children's interest in learning. A listening corner has been set up and children sit and listen to songs and rhymes using the compact disc player. The manager monitors the educational programmes effectively ensuring that the learning and development requirements are met to a good level. At the beginning of each term all staff

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provision

discuss the planning of activities to ensure that there is sufficient challenge for the differing abilities of children. The manager has rigorous systems in place, to monitor the progress of the different groups of children. This helps to ensure that every child makes good progress. She takes effective action if it appears that children are not progressing in a certain area. For instance, she identified that training for promoting children's mathematical skills was needed. As a result, this has now become a strength of the pre- school. The manager is very clear on what needs improving and there is a detailed action plan in place. She works very closely with staff and the committee, to ensure changes are being made to improve the quality of care and education offered. For example, fund- raising events are taking place to develop the outdoor area.

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provision

Staff promote very strong partnerships with parents. They hold regular meetings with parents to exchange information regarding children's well-being and learning. Staff display a wealth of information in the main entrance to ensure parents are fully informed about how their children will be cared for. For example, menus for snacks are displayed and the policies are available for parents to view. Staff are proactive in listening to and acting on any feedback from parents. For instance, a next steps tree is now available, so that parents can see how staff are supporting their children. Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection are extremely happy with the care and education of their children. Their comments include, 'my child has developed in confidence with other children' and 'staff are really good with the children'. Parents said that they have a lot of information from staff regarding their children's progress and staff tell them each month what their

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provision

children's next steps in learning are. This helps to make sure that children's learning is continually promoted. Staff fully understand the importance of promoting partnerships with other settings that children attend. They contact the settings to discuss children's individual learning needs, to ensure that their learning is complemented in both settings. Staff are proactive in forging links with the schools that children move on to. They invite teaching staff into the pre-school to meet children and to talk to the key person. Staff complete a summary of children's learning for the parents and school. This helps to ensure that their ongoing care and learning is supported effectively.

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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 EY475926 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 960795 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 15 Name of provider Fun Start Childcare Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07896064446

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Setting details

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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