Spinney Pre-School

Spinney Pre-School Spinney School, Cooks Spinney, Harlow, Essex, CM20 3DY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/10/2014 15/10/2009

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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

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This provision is good

 Children are well protected in a safe caring environment because staff have a good understanding of how to safeguard children. As a result, children are safe, happy and settled and thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting.  Children make good progress because teaching and learning is good. Staff provide interesting learning opportunities for the children, so children are highly motivated, curious and eager to learn.  Partnership with parents and external agencies are highly effective in ensuring that appropriate interventions are secured so that all children receive the support that they need to make progress.  Children are well prepared for their move to school because of the good arrangements that are in place and the strong relationships with the school.  The manager supports and monitors the staff team and encourages them to continue their professional development in order to improve outcomes for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some members of staff do not always reinforce the rules for speaking and listening. As a result, children sometimes find it difficult to take turns and listen to each other during group discussion times.

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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 manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities both indoors and out and spoke with staff and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation regarding safeguarding, staff records, including evidence of qualifications and suitability, and children's learning and development.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers.

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Information about the setting

Spinney Pre-School was registered in 2007 on the Early Years Register. It is situated in the grounds of Cooks Spinney Primary School in the Mark Hall Moors area of Harlow and is privately owned and managed. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a demountable building and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 3. The pre-school opens during term time only. Sessions operate on Monday to Thursday, from 8.55am until 11.55am and 12noon until 3pm. Friday sessions operate from 8.55am to 12noon only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 41 children attending, who are all in the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an

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Information about the setting

additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 enhance children's understanding of sharing time and taking turns, by encouraging staff to consistently reinforce children's considerate listening and attention during large group discussions.

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who attend

Teaching and learning is good because staff have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage. Staff regularly observe the children and plan interesting learning opportunities for them. Good systems for observation and assessment enable staff to plan the next steps in the children's learning and development. Children's progress is carefully tracked through the progress wheel tracking sheet, so management and staff have a good knowledge of how children are progressing. The pre-school has developed a new approach to planning which takes into account children's interests and needs. As a result, all groups of children make good progress. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points because they are very well supported. Education, health and care plans and homework diaries are in place to support those children who need

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who attend

additional help. Children who speak English as an additional language are successfully integrated into the setting. Children's learning journeys include observations, examples of children's work and photographic evidence and parents' contributions. The progress check for children between the ages of two and three years is firmly embedded and shared with parents. Children's communication and language skills are well promoted with plenty of opportunities for talk during group discussion times and throughout the day. Adults model language well and extend children's vocabulary supported by Makaton sign language. Children's listening and attention skills are well supported through picture games, stories and simple instructions. Children happily join in with action songs and rhymes, listen attentively to stories and regularly take books home to share with their family. They begin to recognise their names as they collect their name cards and self-register during group

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who attend

times. One member of staff is trained in phonics so she is able to plan effectively to promote children's literacy skills. There are good opportunities for children to draw both indoors and outside. For example, children draw marks on the ground outside and begin to distinguish between different marks that they make. Staff take every opportunity to develop children's mathematical skills through play situations. For example, children sort and count bears, talk about two dimensional shapes outside, sing number rhymes and count various objects throughout the day. They learn colours and sequence the days of the week.

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who attend

There are good opportunities for developing children's understanding of the world. Children observe seasonal changes as they take nature walks and collect and count various items, including leaves. They talk about the different colours and make leaf collages. They make a bird box for the nature garden. Children learn about animals that hibernate and paint hedgehog pictures. Children thoroughly enjoy playing and exploring in the nature garden. They access tools independently, dig for worms, find slugs and identify different mini-beasts on the wall chart. Adults are at hand to extend their knowledge and vocabulary, answer children's questions and model how to use equipment safely. Children have access to a range of information and communication equipment, such as, hand held devices, programmable toys and a computer. This supports children's learning in other areas of learning. Children are developing good basic skills that will prepare them for

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who attend

learning in the next stage of their education.

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

Children are happy to attend because of the warm welcome they receive on arrival at the setting. The well-established key-person system enables the staff to establish strong relationships with children and their families from the start. As a result, children have developed secure bonds with the staff. They show a strong sense of belonging and are comfortable to approach any member of staff if they need help. Parents share information about their children when children first start at the nursery. Staff use this information to help settle children in. Home visits help children make the move to nursery a positive experience. The well-organised room allows children to access a good range of quality toys and resources. Children make choices and play independently or alongside other children showing sustained concentration in chosen activities. Staff gently remind children of what is expected. For example, children are reminded to use their quiet voices inside.

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

As a result, children behave well generally. Reward stickers, achievement certificates and praise, motivate children and boosts their self-esteem. They look forward to taking Spinney the teddy home at the weekend as a reward for positive attitudes and behaviour. Children follow instructions well but some members of staff do not always reinforce the rules for speaking and listening. As a result, children sometimes find it difficult to take turns and listen to each other during group discussion times. Children are curious, eager to learn and show positive attitudes to learning. They are encouraged to be independent as they help themselves to snacks, put their cups and plates away and help tidy up both inside and outdoors.

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

Children's health is well promoted. Children make healthy choices from a selection of fruit, milk or water at snack time. The rolling snack bar means that children can choose when they have snack so their play is not interrupted. All members of staff are trained in food hygiene and take into consideration children's dietary and medical needs when preparing food. Children adopt healthy practices as they wash their hands before meals. Children's physical development is very well promoted with daily outdoor physical activities where children ride wheeled toys and run around in the fresh air. Children benefit from the expertise of a qualified gymnastic instructor who is also a member of staff. Children have access to the school's hall and equipment for physical activities. They play parachute games, team games and running races on the school's playing fields.

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

Children are taught how to play and learn safely. They learn to assess risks themselves and begin to develop an awareness of their own and other's space. Regular fire practices means that children understand the procedures for safe emergency evacuation of the premises. Visitors to the setting, such as police and fire officers, support children's understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Children are emotionally well prepared for the move to school because of the good transition arrangements that exist. Children visit the nursery, participate in a joint sports day with the nursery and join in with a national charity toddlerthon. They are invited to watch the school's Christmas performance. Teachers from the nursery visit the pre-school and also make home visits. The photograph album of the school helps children familiarise themselves with the school environment.

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provision

Leadership and management are good because there are good systems in place to safeguard children. The manager and staff are trained in safeguarding and some members of staff have attended various courses on child protection. Staff know what action to take should they have concerns about a child. The premises are secure and visitors' identity is checked before gaining entry to the building. There are good procedures for safe recruitment to ensure that the staff are suitable to work with children. Daily checks are carried out on the learning environment and equipment to minimise potential risks. Accident and medication records are well maintained. The pre-school has a good range of policies and procedures in place to support children's welfare and safety, including that on the use of mobile telephones and cameras on the premises.

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provision

The manager monitors staff performance through observations and staff are encouraged to improve their knowledge and skills through training. All staff are trained in food hygiene. Three members of staff hold current first-aid certificates and other staff are awaiting training to renew their certificates. The manager currently supports one member of staff who is working towards a level 3 qualification. The pre-school is working towards a recognised early years autism-friendly setting bronze award and staff are due to attend further Makaton sign language training. Effective teamwork means that the pre-school runs smoothly on a daily basis. All recommendations from the last inspection have been fully addressed. The outdoor play area is developing well to provide more learning opportunities for the children. It now has a shelter so children can play outside in all weathers and a new nature garden provides further opportunities for children to play and

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provision

explore. Staff evaluate activities on a daily basis and staff meetings provide good opportunities for staff to discuss future plans.

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provision

The pre-school has established strong relationships with parents, so parents are fully involved in their children's education. Parents are kept well informed about their children's progress and the pre-school's activities through daily informal conversations, newsletters, the information board, the pre-school's website, text messages and e-mails. Parents speak highly of the staff and the good support for those children who need additional help. They comment that the staff are caring, very approachable and help children settle in quickly. Parents are invited to parent meetings twice a year and attend open days when they can play alongside their children at the pre-school. They visit the nursery and meet the teachers before their children start school. The nursery staff also make home visits to ensure a smooth transition to the nursery. There are highly effective partnerships with external agencies, such as, speech therapists, specialist teachers, the school and the Pre-

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provision

school Alliance. As a result, children receive the support that they need to make progress.

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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 EY364602 Local authority Essex Inspection number 863818

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 41 Name of provider Guilia Christine Pollard Date of previous inspection 15/10/2009 Telephone number 01279 435 798

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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

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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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