Middle Barton Pre-School

Middle Barton Pre-School 29 Church Lane, Middle Barton, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 7BX

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/10/2014 03/04/2009

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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Children are highly motivated to explore and learn in this vibrant setting, choosing freely from an exciting range of activities and resources.  Children flourish because the staff know them well. They are sensitive to children's individual needs and offer extra support and reassurance to children who need it.  The quality of teaching is good and staff plan activities that reflect children's interests and learning needs. This allows them to make good progress.  The manager and staff team work extremely well together and all have a strong role in contributing to good practice.  Effective communication between parents and staff supports children to achieve the next steps in their learning.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Although effective in identifying the progress of individual children, assessment systems do not fully support staff to reflect precisely on the progress being made by specific groups of children.

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 compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documents including policies, registers, and children's records of their learning.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through speaking to them during the inspection.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children and play indoors and outdoors, and staff interactions with them.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with a senior member of staff.

p.2

Information about the setting

Middle Barton Pre-School registered in 1993. It is managed by a voluntary committee of parents and carers. The pre-school meets in a purpose-built premises located in the grounds of the school in Middle Barton, Oxfordshire. It is on one level and is wheelchair accessible. The intake of children is from the village and the surrounding rural communities. The pre-school offers sessional care on weekdays during school term time, from 9am to 3pm. There are currently 33 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. The pre-school supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There are four staff working with the children, all of whom have appropriate early years qualifications, including one with a teaching qualification. Middle Barton Pre- School is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare

p.3

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

 Refine further the assessment of children's progress throughout the pre-school to support staff to more precisely identify any gaps in achievement for specific groups of children.

p.3

who attend

Children make good progress in their learning and development. The quality of teaching is good and staff plan effectively to meet children's individual needs. There are robust systems in place to assess each child's progress and to plan for their next steps in learning. Staff work closely with parents who regularly contribute information about their child's learning at home. For example, parents play an active role in the progress check for two-year olds.

p.3

who attend

Staff are skilled in questioning children to extend their thinking and encourage communication. They know that eye contact, facial expressions and tone of voice are instrumental in developing children's early communication. Staff are particularly skilled in supporting children who speak English as an additional language. For example, children make connections between their home experiences and those in a new environment, exploring role play that represents their own cultures. Staff use visual timetables and basic sign language, which supports children's language development. There are good arrangements to provide care for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff are well trained on how to support children with specific needs and the pre-school works closely with other professionals where appropriate.

p.3

who attend

Staff link children's interests well during their freely chosen play and through thoughtfully planned adult led activities. This combination of teaching styles successfully captures children's natural curiosity, challenging them to explore and discover things for themselves. For example, children join in enthusiastically to stories read by staff, using puppets and props. Children develop strong vocabularies as they enthusiastically re-enact the stories in their own play.

p.4

who attend

Children demonstrate independence and they move confidently between the indoor and outdoor learning environments. Staff recognise the importance of first hand experiences and self-discovery, and create many good opportunities to promote children's understanding. This is evident as children investigate a web created by a chrysalis. This knowledge is extended by staff who read a story about a caterpillar, and then lead a bug hunt outdoors. This successfully extends children's knowledge of the natural world.

p.4

who attend

Children enjoy expressing themselves creatively as they make up dances to their favourite music, and dress up to represent film characters. They perform eagerly for an audience, demonstrating confidence and high self-esteem. Children develop skills to support their future learning as they navigate the touch screen computer, using it to make pictures or to play mathematical games without needing adult support.

p.4

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

Staff welcome children and their families into the calm and extremely nurturing environment. As a result, relationships between staff and families are very good. Children are happy and settle quickly into pre-school. Staff are sensitive to children's individual needs. They know when to offer additional support and when to let children explore and play independently. There is a good variety of toys and equipment and young children are able to easily see what is available. They confidently help themselves to resources. The rooms provide many well devised hidey holes, such as the role play areas and book corners where children can rest or have quiet times. Displays on the wall immerse children in print and celebrate their work and achievements.

p.4

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

Staff are good role models and encourage children to treat each other with respect and patience. They provide consistent messages about right and wrong and offer praise when children make the right choice. As a result, children's behaviour is excellent and they are developing superb social skills.

p.4

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

Staff promote children's health very well. They provide nutritious snacks and frequently discuss healthy choices. Hygiene arrangements in the pre-school are robust and children are independent in their personal care. Children know to wash their hands after using the toilets and before eating. Older children demonstrate impressive self-help skills as they put their coats and boots on to go outside independently. Children learn to monitor their own abilities and to measure risks. For example, they jump on stepping stones in the garden and use climbing equipment, all with close supervision of the vigilant staff. The pre-school fosters excellent links with the school, which supports children's who are preparing to move on. Children have frequent visits to the school in which they play and explore, supported by pre-school staff. School teachers also visit the pre-school on a regular basis, building relationships with children to ease any anxieties.

p.4

provision

The Leadership and management of the preschool is strong and staff work very effectively together. The staff team share roles and responsibilities very effectively, ensuring they are all actively responsible for ensuring the provision is improving. On-going self-evaluation accurately identifies the strengths and helps to identify areas for improvement.

p.5

provision

There are effective systems to safeguard children, including rigorous recruitment and vetting procedures. All staff have a good understanding of what to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare and have attended safeguarding training. The pre-school has a comprehensive set of policies and procedures that underpin staff knowledge. As a result, all staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

p.5

provision

The manager fully understands her responsibility to promote children's learning and development. She oversees the assessments and the progress of individual children on a regular basis. This enables key persons to accurately identify and address gaps in each child's learning. This strong assessment does not fully extend to monitoring the rates of progress for specific groups of children across all areas of learning. This means that assessment in not completely effective in supporting staff to continually refine learning programmes across the pre-school.

p.5

provision

The manager and committee are highly supportive of staff gaining higher qualifications and, as a result, staff are well qualified and motivated to pursue further training. Regular team meetings and appraisals promote consistent practice.

p.5

provision

Parents spoken to during the inspection highly praise the staff and the progress their children make. Staff communicate verbally with parents each day, as well as through regular newsletters and more formal parents meetings. The pre-school works effectively with other early year's providers, especially the school with which they share a site. This ensures children are very well supported as they move up to school. In addition, staff have experience of working successfully with a broad range of professionals to support children's individual needs.

p.5

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.5

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.6

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.6

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.7

Setting details

Unique reference number 133492 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 840983 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 33 Name of provider Middle Barton Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 03/04/2009 Telephone number 01869 347968

p.7

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.7

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.7

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.7

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.7

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.8

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.8

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.9

Type of provision

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

p.9