Ladybird Pre-School (Chinnor)

Ladybird Pre-School St. Andrews C of E School, Station Road, CHINNOR, Oxfordshire, OX39 4PU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/07/2014 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

 Partnerships with parents are strong, due to good systems for sharing knowledge through effective communication.  Staff are warm and attentive so that children feel secure and gain confidence to explore their surroundings.  The quality of teaching is good, as staff are skilful in their interactions with children. They use questions well to support, extend and encourage children's learning and development.  Children enjoy the free-flow opportunities to play outside, where there is a good range of challenging toys and equipment.  Staff provide varied and exciting experiences for children, which enables them to enjoy learning and make good progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not make full use of their monitoring systems to track the progress that particular groups of children make. For example, children who learn English as an additional language.

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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 held discussions with the pre-school manager, staff and children.  The inspector observed a range of activities in the main play areas.  The inspector spoke to and took account of the views of parents and carers.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed paperwork which included children's records and samples of their work, samples of policies and procedures and risk assessments.

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Information about the setting

Ladybird Pre-school re-registered in 2014 and has been operational for 25 years. It is a committee-run pre-school based on the school site of St. Andrews C of E School in Chinnor, Oxfordshire. There are currently 37 children on roll attending on part-time and full-time basis. The setting is open each week day between 9am until 3pm offering sessional care to all children. It is open term time only. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The setting employs 6 staff, all staff have level 3 early years qualifications.

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

 enhance existing monitoring systems to include tracking of particular groups of children to help all children achieve and enjoy their learning.

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who attend

Children are motivated, active learners who make good progress in all aspects of their learning and development. Staff gather information from parents and complete observations when children begin to quickly establish children's starting points across all areas of learning. They use a balance of quick tracking and longer observations to identify children's ongoing learning and development. This helps staff create targeted specific plans for children's activities which are based on their knowledge of children's next steps. As a result any gaps in children's progress are quickly identified. Staff work with professionals to ensure that children receive any additional support they need.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good. There is a supportive balance of child-initiated and adult- led play as children freely use the large indoor and outside spaces. This is altered each day to provide a stimulating play space to meet children's interests and level of learning. For example, children have taken a recent interest in dinosaurs. Staff have developed this well, providing a dinosaur playscape, a book and a large selection of dinosaurs that children can access easily. The afternoon session is more clearly structured to provide more focused, small-group activities for older children who will be moving to school at the end of the academic year. This helps to prepare children well for their next steps in their learning. For example, children learn to read and write recognising the sounds letters make and practise changing their own clothes for outdoor physical exercise.

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who attend

Staff support children's thinking and problem solving well as they sensitively intervene to extend their learning. For example, staff encourage children to think about how to build a tunnel that is big enough for a toy dinosaur. Staff model thinking out loud, using phrases such as 'I wonder if' and use skilful questioning. This supports children to think critically and to sustain their interest when play does not turn out as they would expect. For example, children do not give up when they are finding it difficult balance larger blocks on smaller blocks.

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who attend

Staff routinely provide opportunities for children to explore all areas of learning. Children are involved in a wide range of meaningful activities to develop their communication and language skills. They learn and practise new words in their play. For example, children explain the word "medium" to other children they are playing with. Children are confident to share and talk at circle time as they retell stories. Staff help children to develop personal, social and emotional skills by encouraging them to listen to each other, taking turns to speak. Children offer to help their friends and are patient while they wait for their turn on the climbing frame. Children develop their physical skills in the outside play area. They climb, plan their routes, balance, run, jump and ride on wheeled toys. Staff help children to develop their understanding of the world as they engage them in conversations about their experiences. They make good use of a wide selection of resources to enable

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who attend

children to further explore the animal world, their environment and people's lives as they play. Staff help children to develop their mathematical skills as they encourage them to count out loud in groups and on their own. Children work out solutions to simple number problems. For example, when making toast they discuss how many pieces they are cutting which helps them to learn the concept of more or less and half. They design and assemble their own lego models which involves identifying and looking at shapes. Children are interested in drawing and painting and junk modelling and these activities are always very popular. Staff provide a literacy area with a range of different writing resources, which children use daily. This enables them to develop their early writing skills.

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who attend

Staff help to involve parents in their children's education. Key person's compile detailed progress reports for parents which identify future learning. They carry out the progress check for children aged two years and share this with parents at individual meetings. They regularly share with parents their children's learning journals, so that they can demonstrate children's ongoing good progress towards the early learning goals. This also enable staff to share ideas with the parents to further support children's learning at home. Overall, the pre-school prepares children well for their move to school.

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

Children are happy, settled and content while at the pre-school. There is an effective key person system, which helps to support children's individual needs. All children have good relationships with their key person and as a result, new children settle quickly into the group. Children take part in different social situations which develops their confidence. Children behave well because adults have high expectations and act as positive role models. Staff provide clear explanations to help children learn to manage their behaviour and the boundaries in the setting. For example, they know that their time on the computer is over when the sand timer has indicated they have had five minutes and they must let their friend direct the mouse. Staff use a whistle and give children clear warnings about what is happening next. Children respond eagerly, announcing 'It's carpet time' and engage well in tidy-up time. These activities help to prepare them for routine changes,

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

and increases their confidence in coping with changes in readiness for school.

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

Staff provide a well-resourced environment with a good selection of toys and materials that promote children's learning and development. Activities and resources are well presented so that children can easily help themselves and make their own choices. For example, children draw, design and make their own creations using resources from the well-stocked craft area. Staff plan and arrange the outdoor area for maximum benefit to the children. There is large space for physical activity as well as areas for quieter, more reflective activities. For example, children sit in a wigwam to read books. Toys and the environment are all clearly labelled and support children to read and make thoughtful choices. For example, traffic road signs help children decide on the best route for their bicycles.

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

Staff help children to learn about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout the daily routines and well-planned activities. Children learn to manage risk and to keep themselves safe as they carefully climb the steps to the slide or negotiate the tyres. Children's independence is growing, as they are encouraged to manage their own personal hygiene and to pour their own drinks when they are thirsty and put on their sun hats. The staff eat with the children, they use this time to develop relationships with the children and to encourage good social manners. Consequently, children are well-prepared for the next stage in their learning and their move to school.

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provision

Staff are a well-established team who work effectively together and understand the learning and development, and safeguarding and welfare requirements. They draw on their many years of experience to help ensure they meet all requirements and safeguard children. Staff complete focused risk assessments to monitor the safety of the environment. Risk assessments in place include the checking and monitoring of all exit and entrances. This includes consideration of safe practice as parents arrive to drop children off in the morning.

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provision

Staff are attentive to maintaining children's good health. Hygiene standards are good as adults follow well-established cleaning routines, for example, they disinfect tables at mealtimes, and regularly replace the sand outside. Staff supervision of children's play is effective in ensuring that children are always within sight and sound. All of the staff team attend regular training in key areas such as safeguarding children. They demonstrate a strong understanding of what to do if they have any concerns about children in their care.

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provision

There are clear procedures in place to ensure those working with children are suitable. Appraisals take place once a year and the manager carries out weekly supervisions with staff to discuss future areas of development and share good practice. The manager carries out regular observations of her staff and checks the environment to successfully identify strengths and weaknesses in the provision. She involves the staff in the evaluation and seeks the views of parents and children. This helps to formulate a clear action plan to support continuous improvement.

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provision

Staff use assessment information on individual children to improve outcomes for children and narrow gaps in achievement. For example, they provide many outdoor mark-making opportunities to encourage boys to engage in early writing skills. However, staff do not make full use of their monitoring systems to track specific groups of children, such as those learning English as an additional language, to ensure these groups make progress.

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provision

Partnerships with external agencies and other providers support children's progress. The manager links with other early years settings that children attend to share good practice and to make sure children receive consistency in their care. Links with the local school are very strong as they share the school site. These strong links with the reception teacher means that children experience consistency in routines and spend time in the school prior to starting, which helps them to prepare well for their future school life.

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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 EY474626 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 956216 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 37 Name of provider Ladybird Pre School (Sydenham) Committee Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07803807777

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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

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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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