Box Pre School Playgroup

Box Pre-School Playgroup Jubilee Youth Centre, Box, Corsham, Wiltshire, SN13 8NZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/10/2014 05/10/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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 interesting and often exciting activities that motivate children and make them eager to join in and explore their environment.  The consistently good quality of teaching means that children make very good progress, especially in language and communication development.  The supervisor has successfully embedded a culture of reflective practice. Staff, parents and children contribute their views. As a result, the staff and committee are clearly focused and strive to provide the highest quality of care and learning for all children.  Staff monitor children's development accurately. They quickly establish when children are making slower progress and ensure they receive additional support to help them achieve as well as possible.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always take spontaneous opportunities to enhance children's learning by developing children's immediate interests and ideas.  Staff have not developed fully effective partnerships with other settings that children attend to ensure continuity in their teaching and children's learning.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff interacting with children indoors and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff, children, the supervisor and a member of the committee.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of documentation, including polices, children's developmental records, notes from meetings with external advisors and the pre- school's self-evaluation record.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with several parents on the day and took their comments into account.

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Information about the setting

Box Pre-school is a well-established committee run group serving the community of Box in Wiltshire. It has been running for over 30 years. The pre-school meets in term time from 8.30am to 3.30pm. Children may attend for half or full days. They have sole use of the downstairs rooms in the Jubilee Centre, which is in the centre of the village. They have shared use of the upstairs room and kitchen, which are also used by a breakfast and after- school club. The pre-school uses an outdoor area that has a safety surface for outdoor play. There are currently 35 children from two to under five years on roll. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for three- and four-year-olds. The pre-school support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are five staff members. Of these, three hold appropriate qualifications at level 3, one at level 2 and one is unqualified.

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

 enhance further the quality of teaching by making sure that staff make best use of spontaneous opportunities to develop children's interests and ideas

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

 build better partnerships with other settings that children attend to provide continuity in their learning.

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who attend

Children experience a rich programme of stimulating and worthwhile activities that support fully all areas of their development. Staff frequently go the extra mile to organise additional experiences that deepen children's knowledge and understanding, and make them eager to join in. The pre-school employs outside specialists to work with the children, such as sport and drama teachers. Children regularly visit a forest school where they learn in exciting ways, such as by having a campfire and creating art on a large scale, using natural objects. Children learn about the natural world through fascinating activities, such as hatching chicks and butterfly eggs.

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who attend

Staff have a strong focus on developing children's language, physical and social development and children make very good progress in these areas. The supervisor has received training in the nationally recognised Every Child a Talker programme. She shares her knowledge with staff so that all support children's language development particularly well. They have created enclosed spaces where children like to talk. Children listen enthralled as staff tell or read stories in lively ways, often using props, such as puppets. Staff leave these for children to use and retell the story in their own words. Staff play alongside children, describing what they are doing. This helps children learn new vocabulary and hear how sentences are structured. Staff quickly spot if children's speech development is falling behind. They secure specialist help and use recognised programmes to support children's language so that children make good progress in relation to their

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who attend

starting points. There are many activities for children to enjoy with others, such as building a large train track or cooking in the mud kitchen. They practise speaking all the time, because there is so much to do and talk about.

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who attend

Staff use their good knowledge of child development to help promote children's learning. For example, they encourage children to move to music and make patterns in foam and with paint to music. This helps them develop the movements and control they will need as they start learning to write. Children benefit from playing outside every day. Staff encourage children to question and explore. They race conkers and nuts down guttering and staff encourage them to begin recording their findings, using simple tallying. Staff work alongside children, generally supporting their play very well. However, they sometimes miss opportunities to recognise children's discoveries and encourage them to find out more. For example, by noticing when a child discovers that breaking a biscuit makes two pieces or that when they catch rain in a tin, they can change the sound by tipping the container.

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who attend

Staff carefully observe children's play and note their interests and achievements. They discuss all the children at weekly planning meetings and what children need to learn next. They use the information to plan activities that interest and challenge each child so that all make at least good progress in relation to their starting points and abilities. Staff keep parents well informed about their child's progress. Parents have free access to their child's developmental records and staff encourage them to share achievements from home, to gain a full picture of children's progress.

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who attend

The pre-school has established effective links with the village school that most children move on to. For example, they use the same phonics programme, to provide continuity in children's learning. Staff visit the Reception class with the children and discuss with the teacher how they can best prepare children for the move into school.

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

Children thrive in this busy, friendly pre-school. Staff warmly welcome all children and their families and take time to get to know them really well. This means staff understand children's home life and can talk to them about the things that matter to them. Children settle very quickly and even the youngest children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. They confidently find activities and resources they want to play with and do not hesitate to ask the staff for help if needed. Staff have organised the indoor and outdoor spaces carefully to encourage children to play independently and explore their surroundings. Staff teach children to manage their personal care and they encourage them to make healthy choices. Children know they must wash their hands before eating, and older ones do so without needing reminding. Staff provide a range of healthy and nutritious snacks and offer parents tips on making healthy lunch boxes for children. Children enjoy regular

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

cooking activities, including baking with eggs laid by chickens they hatched earlier in the year. Staff encourage children to be physically active every day. They enjoy playing outside, even on a rainy day, when they have fun splashing in the puddles. Children take part in sport and dance sessions, which introduces them to fun physical activities.

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

Staff help children become aware of dangers and learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they encourage the children to realise that the ground will be wet and slippery after rain and to recognise it will be safer to walk than run when it is slippery. Staff teach children how to handle tools such as knives and scissors, safely. Children behave very well because staff explain clearly to them the consequences of unwanted behaviour. They help children to manage minor disagreements and to share, for example, by using a sand timer to decide when it is their turn on the computer.

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

Staff prepare children very well for moving on to school. They have separate sessions for the older children, when they practise skills such as changing for sport. They make sure these children are confident within group activities, able to express their views and can play cooperatively. These important skills help them settle easily and begin to make friends when they move on to school, so they are ready to learn.

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provision

The management team has a thorough understanding of their legal responsibilities to meet the welfare, learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Managers have devised a wide range of policies and procedures that underpin their practice. Staff use team meetings to reflect routinely on policies, to consider how they help safeguard children and promote their welfare. All staff receive child protection training, the supervisor at a more advanced level, and a member of the committee also takes a lead in this area. This ensures that all staff have a clear understanding of what they must do if they have concerns for a child's welfare. Staff make children's safety a top priority. They make through checks of the premises and plan thoroughly for outings, thinking carefully how to minimise any potential hazards. They very effectively teach children how to keep themselves safe without being overly fearful.

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provision

Management follow robust procedures to check that staff are suitable to work with children from the outset and continue to be so. New staff undergo a thorough induction programme so they are familiar with pre-school procedures from the start of their employment. The management strive for a well-qualified staff team and ensure they support them in their work.

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provision

Staff have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements and how to deliver these through high quality play. They effectively monitor the educational programme to ensure children receive a broad variety of interesting experiences. Staff accurately assess and monitor children's progress. This ensures they quickly identify any children who need additional support and secure the help required, to narrow any gaps in achievement. The supervisor effectively monitors individual children, and the progress of potentially vulnerable groups such as summer-born children. This helps staff review and adapt their teaching approach and planning to suit different styles of learning.

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provision

The dedicated and enthusiastic supervisor has set high aspirations for herself, her staff team and the children. She has helped embed a strong drive for all to achieve the highest standards within the pre-school. The pre-school uses the county self-evaluation system to help the staff and committee reflect on their practice and target areas for improvement. This has helped the committee secure funding for major improvements to the building, which will benefit children. The supervisor places high importance on coaching and training her staff team. They appreciate the support of advisory teachers and other early years professionals to help improve their practice. This positive approach has lead to a knowledgeable staff team with consistently good teaching skills.

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provision

The pre-school has built good partnerships with the local school, which helps children make a good start as they move into Reception class. Staff pass on information to other early years settings that children attend but they do not routinely share information that would provide more continuity in children's learning. Staff work closely with local support agencies, the children's centre and other professionals, such as speech and language therapists. This helps staff provide good quality care and education for children who have additional needs.

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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 199410 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 987854 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 35 Name of provider Box Pre-School Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 05/10/2010 Telephone number 01225 743794

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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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