Bledlow Pre-School

Bledlow Pre-School Bledlow Village Hall, Bledlow, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP27 9QF

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/09/2014 20/10/2009

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 Children are active, motivated learners, independently accessing an abundantrange of toys and stimulating resources to enhance their play and learning.  The wide range of experiences available promotes all areas of learning and supports children's good progress towards their early learning goals.  Staff reliably identify children whose learning and development is not at a typical level for their age, and make interventions to support those children.  Staff model good behaviour and children are caring and supportive of each other. As a result, children enjoy their learning experiences together.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Arrangements to monitor staff performance are not fully effective in identifying where best to target support to promote the professional development of the staff team.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector toured the premises with the manager and held discussions with management and staff.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a selection of policies, staff records, registers, planning and children's progress records.  The inspector observed staff and children during activities and routines.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to at the inspection.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector viewed the self-evaluation documentation.

p.2

Information about the setting

Bledlow Pre-School registered in 1997 when it became managed by a committee of parents. It has been in running for over 30 years. The pre-school operates from the village hall in Bledlow near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. It is open weekdays from 9.15am to 12.15pm during term time only, and there is a lunch club available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The pre-school uses the main hall and side room and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. Children also use the village adventure play area. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities as well as children who speak English as an additional language. It is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 27 children on roll in the early years age range. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four. There are 10

p.3

Information about the setting

members of staff, eight of whom hold relevant early years qualifications.

p.3

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

 develop further the monitoring of staff practice to more precisely identify training opportunities to support ongoing professional development

p.3

who attend

Children make good progress in all areas of development as staff monitor their progress well, accurately identifying their individual interests and levels of ability. As a result, staff plan activities and provide resources that children enjoy and support their learning well. For example, exploring and experimenting with large materials, such as crates and planks, engages children well as they build outside. Each day a member of staff takes responsibility for setting up the outside area. They make sure a wide range of activities and opportunities are available in all weathers. This results in children being active and engaged in their play, displaying both enthusiasm and confidence. For instance, when children grow vegetables in the raised beds outside they enjoy carrying the soil they need using buckets, spades and wheelbarrows.

p.3

who attend

Staff support cooperative play by sensitively inviting all children into become included in activities. For example, in a child initiated hide and seek game, a member of staff suggests a variety of ways that other children can also participate. While children are free to choose whether they want to take part, the encouragement they receive helps them to feel valued in their play. Children make good use of their developing language to chat happily with their friends. They confidently use vocabulary linked the themes they have been exploring, such as 'pirates' and 'treasure'.

p.3

who attend

Staff complete tracking forms on a termly basis to make sure children are continuing to progress at an appropriate rate. When staff identify areas of children's learning that need developing or extending they create a 'play plan' which is shared with their parents. These means that staff and parents are able to work together to address any gaps in achievement or to identify where addition support maybe necessary. These arrangements effectively support staff to meet the individual needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. In addition, staff provide additional challenge for children who have accomplished or exceeded the expected levels of development. For example, if assessment demonstrates that children are ready, staff provide further opportunities for them to develop their early reading skills.

p.4

who attend

Links with local schools are strong and staff encourage teachers to visit the pre-school in the term before children start school. Children can have their photograph taken with their new teachers and staff display these in their 'pretend school'. There are spare school uniforms available during the summer term so that children have the chance to dress up and consider what it will be like at 'big school'. Staff plan specific activities to help children prepare for their move to school. The 'School Starter Club' provides simple number and letter work in the form of songs and games. Staff also plan specific activities, and provide a broad range of resources, to encourage children to explore letters and sounds.

p.4

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

Settling children happily into the pre-school is a major priority for staff. They schedule starter sessions for new children and their parents to coincide with local authority school starting dates. At this time, all new children receive a booklet containing photographs of pre-school staff. This means that, before the home visit, parents and children become familiar with staff names and faces. Staff are caring and understand the anxieties children may experience about leaving their parents and interacting socially with others. They offer home visits, prior to each child starting, to enable the key person to get to know them in the comfort and security of their home environment. It is evident that relationships in the pre-school are strong and children easily make attachments with their key workers and with other staff. As a result, they settle quickly and are secure and happy.

p.4

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

Staff promote children's physical health and wellbeing in all weathers. There is a side room, used as additional indoor space when weather is poor. Indoor climbing frames of varied sizes offer good challenge for children of differing ages and abilities. This space is also used to accommodate the large train track, which is very popular. Staff lead physical activities such as softball games and disco dancing indoors. These activities provide opportunities for them to talk to children about how physical exercise is important for health, including discussions about the effects on breathing and heart rate. Children also initiate their own physical activities. For example, children organising a party include a variety of games such as musical statues. They enjoy playing cooperatively as they take turns to stop and start the music. Outdoors children make good use of resources to promote their physical development further while also encouraging them to learn through

p.4

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

exploration. For example, staff provide all children with spades and encourage them to working together to collect 'treasure' in the form of conkers, which they proceed to bury around the garden.

p.5

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

Staff offer support and supervision as appropriate for each child to develop good hygiene habits. Children can easily access the toilets and use the taps at the sinks themselves to wash their hands. Children soon become independent and begin to wash their hands without prompting for example, before snack time. Staff constantly model good, polite and respectful behaviour and devise activities aimed at promoting positive behaviour. These include role-play activities and the use of puppets and stories. Staff teach children skills to resolve their own disputes. They encourage them to think of possible solutions by asking questions such as, "you both want to play on the red car, how can we make this fair?" There are large sand timers available for taking turns and children ask for these and use them independently. Staff praise any examples of positive and constructive behaviour. As a result, children feel confident and develop very good social skills. This prepares them

p.5

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

well to cope with challenges they may face in school.

p.5

provision

Good educational programmes result in a broad range of experiences that successfully help children to make progress to the early learning goals. This is a result of the good understanding by staff of all the areas of learning, accurate progress tracking and skilful planning to reflect children's individual learning needs.

p.5

provision

Whenever a member of staff goes on a training course they report what they have learnt to their colleagues. All staff discuss how the new information can have positive impact on their practice. Each staff member receives an annual appraisal to review their performance and to consider any training needs. However, the leadership and management team do not regularly observe staff to evaluate or assess their individual performance throughout the year. This does not fully ensure that staff members receive specifically targeted support for their professional development on an ongoing basis.

p.5

provision

The management and individual staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They understand and implement appropriate policies and procedures to ensure children's health and wellbeing. At regular meetings, the manager always ensures there is time to review safeguarding and child protection practices. She ensures that staff have a thorough understanding of child protection issues and are aware of the potential signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk. There is a visual display board in the lobby which shows the 'do's and don'ts' for safe practice at the setting. For example, children are never alone with parent helpers. Staff guide all volunteers to look at the display board in order to remind them about these rules before they enter the building.

p.5

provision

Children express their own views through 'all about me' sheets. The information they provide helps staff to plan learning around their interests. There has recently been an increased effort to obtain parents views about the strengths and weaknesses of the pre- school. Staff consider all comments and implement changes and improvements where possible. For example, this has led to the development of the 'play plans' to more effectively support parents to understand their child's progress. The chair of the pre- school committee has a good working relationship with staff and the manager. Regular committee meetings provide the management team with a constant overview about parents' opinions. This supports the pre-school to maintain strong working partnerships with parents, which in turn supports the children's wellbeing and development.

p.5

provision

The manager arranges a dialogue with other professionals involved in meeting children's individual needs, and staff follow the advice they receive. The manager also attends network meetings with other early years practitioners, including reception teachers, each term. The manager organises visits to other pre-schools for her staff and is aware that these partnerships help staff make continuous improvements at the setting. The highly effective team working within the pre-school helps to provide a safe, happy environment where children make good progress.

p.6

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

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number 140865 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 846558 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 27 Name of provider Bledlow Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 20/10/2009 Telephone number 01844 352687

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10