Happy Tots Pre School

Happy Tots Pre School Landseer Road Methodist Church, Landseer Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9LX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/10/2014 23/01/2014

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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

 The quality of teaching is consistently good. This means that all children make good progress towards the early learning goals. They enjoy fun, imaginative and stimulating activities that promote all areas of their development very well.  Children form secure attachments to the adults caring for them. They are active learners who have high self-esteem and are confident and happy.  Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language are very well supported. They make very good progress due to highly effective, well-targeted interventions and specialised activities.  The manager has high aspirations and works tirelessly, supported by the committee, to raise standards of care and learning for all children. She inspires staff with her dedication and enthusiasm. Consequently, staff are highly motivated and work as a team to deliver high-quality experiences for all children.

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This provision is good

 Children are safe and free from harm as staff have an excellent understanding of their safeguarding and child protection responsibilities. Partnerships with parents are highly valued and effectively support children in their learning and development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The pre-school does not consistently use signs, labels and text, indoors and outside, and provide a wide range of printed material, to promote children's literacy and enjoyment of reading.

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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 interacted with children in the playroom, small teaching room and in the outside play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the provider, staff members and the manager, and carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a sample of documentation including evidence of staff suitability checks, some policies and children's development profiles.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection, along with questionnaires and surveys gathered by the pre-school.

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Information about the setting

Happy Tots Pre-School opened in 1981. It is registered on the Early Years Register and is managed by a voluntary committee. It operates from a hall and attached outdoor play area at the rear of Landseer Road Methodist Church Hall, in Ipswich, Suffolk. The pre- school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. The pre-school employs 14 members of childcare staff, of these, eight staff hold recognised early years qualifications at level 3, two hold level 2, one holds level 6 and the manager holds a level 5 qualification. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am until 12.15pm and 1.15pm until 4.15pm. An optional breakfast club operates from 8.15am until 9.15am and a lunch club is available from 12.15pm until 1pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 70 children on roll. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who speak

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Information about the setting

English as an 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 literacy and enjoyment of reading further, for example, by using more signs, labels and text, indoors and outside, and by providing a wide range of printed material, such as magazines, brochures and catalogues in the book area.

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who attend

Children make very good progress at Happy Tots. They acquire the skills and attitudes that will support their future learning, making them ready for school. This is achieved because staff plan and deliver a very imaginative, integrated educational programme. Activities cover all areas of learning well and the organisation of the sessions encourages children to freely move about and choose what they wish to do. This means that children can follow their interests and are highly motivated to persevere and revisit tasks to refine and practise their skills. Very good use is made of all areas of the premises, which is set out in distinct zones. Children know where to find books, puzzles, mathematics equipment, enjoy a messy craft or set up some role play. They go outside to explore the climbing and balancing equipment, to search for bugs or to develop their physical skills with balls and wheeled toys. The outside area is a particular strength of the pre-school. Children access

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who attend

this as and when they wish, putting on boots and protective clothing when the weather is wet or cold. They excitedly run to the den to shelter from the rain or scan the sky for an elusive rainbow. Children use the slope to watch how balls roll and go in different directions, with staff supporting and extending the activity, helping children to count and name colours skilfully, using open-ended questions. Children's knowledge of the world is promoted as they make bird feeders, talking about why they need to help the birds find extra food in winter. The 'halloween' theme is carried through with craft activities, searching for spiders and turning the outside den into a bat cave complete with lights and bats. Children animatedly talk about their discoveries and extend their learning by making connections and thinking creatively. The book area is inviting and comfortable, and children spontaneously use the books for fun and to find information. However, the pre-

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who attend

school does not consistently provide a wide variety of printed material, such as catalogues and travel brochures, to inspire children's interest and encourage the growth of their vocabulary. Similarly, while there are name tags, labelling of resources and signs at various points, some of these are becoming worn or tired. They need refreshing in order to make a positive impact to add to the vibrant environment. This helps children understand the use of print in different contexts.

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who attend

All children make very good progress in relation to their starting points. Staff are acutely aware of the varied abilities of the children that they teach. This is a result of the accurate and comprehensive assessment systems which have been developed. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and for children who speak English as an additional language, is particularly successful in helping children reach their potential. Special 'enhanced intervention' groups are planned several times a week. This enables staff to focus on a particular child and set up small group activities which promote, for example, communication skills or social and interaction skills. Staff carefully select the group of children who will benefit from the activity and use these opportunities effectively to model and support the skills they are teaching. As a result, children respond well and staff can assess how they are progressing. Parents are fully involved in the plans to

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who attend

support their children's learning. Staff work in partnership with parents to provide very good ideas for activities they can use at home, to support and extend their child's learning. These are individually tailored programmes, which the key persons arrange to suit each child.

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who attend

Each child has a 'learning journey' folder. This contains examples of their work, photographs and observations by staff and tracking documents. Many contain parents' comments and information about children's starting points and what they like to do at home, so staff have a very good understanding of each child's unique needs and learning styles. Frequent reviews and meetings with parents ensure that they are kept well- informed and know what next steps in learning their child is working towards. As well as individual children's progress, the manager collates and tracks data to look at groups of children, so that she can ensure inclusion and identify any discrepancies or gaps in learning for particular groups. Children's ongoing progress is well documented and all reviews are shared with parents. This includes the progress check completed between the ages of two-and-three years. This is shared with parents and ensures that any gaps in

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who attend

development are identified and addressed in a timely way.

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

All children form effective and warm emotional bonds and attachments to the adults caring for them. This helps children to be settled and comfortable in their environment and prepares them well for their future learning. Settling-in procedures are tailored individually, to allow for differences between children. The pre-school staff have recently started to visit children in their own home before they start attending. Staff are very keen to extend this for all new children as it is proving valuable in forming a strong relationship with the family and helping children feel happy and settled before they start attending. Children are eager and curious, active learners who are not afraid to try new things and join in with group activities. For example, children enjoy a movement session, with music and actions. They join in at their own level, expressing themselves through movement and dance as they show their enjoyment with smiles and squeals of delight. Staff playfully join

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

in and support children, showing that they value the children's efforts.

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

Children enjoy a hearty, nutritious mid-session snack. This is organised as a rolling snack time, so children decide when they wish to eat. They self-register with a name card and serve themselves with a choice of fruit, bread and cheese spread, and pour a drink of milk or water. Staff are fully aware of children's different dietary needs, for example, any allergies children may have. These are catered for appropriately to ensure that children do not have unsuitable food or drinks. Children are not hurried, but are encouraged to be independent and take their time. They are supported by staff who are on hand if needed, and chat to the children about what they are doing. Children show that they understand the routines and wash their own plates and cups after snack. At lunchtime, they sit at tables in informal groups and manage their own lunchboxes well. All children have plenty of opportunities for fresh air and physical play in the outside areas. These are exciting and

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

appealing, offering safe challenges and support children to take risks as they use the equipment. Children learn how to keep themselves safe as they move about because the simple 'rules' are reinforced at circle times and with gentle reminders from staff as required. Children can sleep or rest on the cosy beds in a quiet area as they need to. Staff provide clean bedding for each child and monitor the sleep area to ensure children are undisturbed.

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provision

Leadership and management effectively supports all staff in delivering high-quality care and very good teaching for all children. All aspects of the learning and development requirements are very well understood. The manager goes to great lengths to ensure that every staff member has a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. She uses interesting, wide-ranging resources and guidance documents to provide training materials and information for staff at regular staff meetings and during their individual supervision meetings. Staff willingly take on responsibilities and specialist roles within the setting and are keen to attend any training courses which refresh or add to their knowledge and skills. The committee are very supportive and value the staff as a resource worthy of investment. The manager and deputy oversee the planning and carry out monitoring of staff performance and the children's development records, to ensure consistency and high

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provision

All children are fully safeguarded and well cared for. The manager has attended training to enable her to be the designated person with a lead role in child protection and safeguarding. All staff are able to identify and respond to any signs or symptoms of abuse or neglect. Comprehensive policies and simply explained procedures give parents a clear understanding of how the setting protects children. Robust and rigorous recruitment and induction procedures ensure that only suitable adults have contact with children. Regular appraisals check the ongoing suitability of staff and identify any training needs. Most staff have a paediatric first-aid qualification which enables them to respond to children's minor accidents appropriately. The manager and committee have responded very thoroughly to all recommendations and actions set at the last inspection and have used these as a basis for developing practice at the pre-school. The resulting improvements have had a

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provision

significant impact on the quality of care and learning outcomes for children. For example, the high staff to child ratio allows children to have plenty of high-quality interaction and support, and gives staff the flexibility to employ a variety of teaching methods, such as small group and individual teaching. Staff have a generous weekly allowance of time to enable them to complete records for their key children and to effectively plan for the next steps in their development. The pre-school management have plans for the future which are realistic and achievable and result from an overall highly reflective approach. All staff contribute to the self-evaluation by providing comments and ideas which they wish to be considered.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are very effective in supporting individual children's care and learning needs. Parents report that they find staff very approachable and feel well informed about their child's progress. The manager is passionate in her desire to ensure that all parents are fully involved. She has introduced many initiatives in response to parents' ideas and views gathered through surveys and questionnaires. These include well-thought-out information and resource packs to support potty training, reading with children, information about areas of learning and information for parents of children who speak English as an additional language. This is a real strength of the pre-school and positively benefits children. Where children require support from outside professionals, this is secured and used in partnership with parents. Staff have links with other settings attended by children and liaise with them to share vital information to ensure a continuity

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provision

of care and learning. Children's transition to school is managed well. The pre-school has several feeder schools with varying arrangements, such as visits before children start. The pre-school staff support children in different ways, to ensure they feel confident and ready to meet the changes ahead.

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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 EY316234 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 966264

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 70 Name of provider Happy Tots Pre-School Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 23/01/2014 Telephone number 01473 290290

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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

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’.

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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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