Diamond Pre-School

Diamond Pre-School Oakway Infant School, Oakway, WELLINGBOROUGH, Northamptonshire, NN8 4SD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/11/2014 06/11/2009

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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

 Staff have a very good understanding of how children learn and develop, and skilfully plan exciting activities to motivate them. Consequently, all children are developing the skills and dispositions they require to prepare them for their next steps in learning.  Children are effectively safeguarded. Robust systems are in place to ensure all staff working directly with children hold appropriate qualifications, are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their role and have had appropriate checks carried out.  All staff have high expectations of all children and work extremely closely with parents, other professionals and agencies to ensure all children make good progress in all areas of their learning.  Management and staff work effectively together to ensure children receive a good quality early years experience and to develop a strong culture of continuous improvement.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is opportunity to further support children who speak English as an additional language by displaying their home language in their everyday play and learning environment.  Staff do not always readily involve themselves in the children's play in the outdoor area, to extend the children's learning to its full potential.

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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 compulsory part 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 had a tour of the premises during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play and activities both indoors and outside, including adult-led and child-initiated activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector interacted with children and spoke to staff and some of the parents at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and the planning documentation.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and two directors of the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of all staff working with children and the nursery's self-evaluation form.

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Information about the setting

Diamond Pre-School was registered in 2009 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register and is privately owned with charitable status. The pre-school is situated on the site of the Oakway Primary School in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. The pre-school operates from a purpose-built, single-storey building and is located to the rear of the children's centre. Children have access to a large playroom, associated facilities and an enclosed outdoor play area. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It is registered. There are currently 30 children on roll, all of whom are within the early years age range. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff, all of whom hold qualifications at level 3. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday, during term time only, from 8.45am until 11.45am and from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for three- and four-

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Information about the setting

year-old children and is able to support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. The pre-school receives support from the local authority.

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

 complement the key words and phrases that parents have provided to support children who speak English as an additional language and use these effectively in their play, for example, display them in their play environment for them to observe

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

 maximise opportunities to fully support and extend children's learning when they are playing in the outdoor area.

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who attend

Staff demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. An effective key-person system is in place and as a result, the staff know children extremely well. They work very closely with parents from the start, for example, going on home visits, so that they can obtain detailed information about children's interests and what they can do. This information is used effectively alongside initial observations by the key person to assess children's starting points in learning. Staff plan and assess children's learning accurately according to children's needs. They use their observations to plan next steps for learning and provide purposeful activities and experiences, through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated play. As a result, children make good progress in relation to their starting points and develop effective skills and attributes to prepare them for school.

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who attend

Teaching is good and in some cases, very good. The pre-school is welcoming, well organised, and equipped with stimulating age appropriate resources that children are able to access independently. Consequently, children are successfully challenged and demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning. Staff have high expectations of all children and give high priority to developing their communication and language skills to ensure that they all, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good levels of progress in this area. Phonic sessions are provided and children enjoy taking part and engage enthusiastically with the props provided. Staff introduce descriptive words into children's play and reinforce words through modelling and repetition. Children who speak English as an additional language are appropriately supported because staff work together with the parents to seek key words and phrases to

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who attend

help communication. However, staff do not always use this information to fully support children's developing skills in English, by displaying words and phrases within their everyday play. Staff successfully use their knowledge of children's interests to provide a balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities, to extend learning. For example, using children's interest in doctors, staff create an exciting, themed, role-play area where children show great pleasure in dressing up as doctors to look after babies. Children can easily access a wide range of writing materials. Staff encourage all children to make marks with various media, such as shaving foam and paint. This develops children's literacy skills to a good level and prepares them well for their future learning at school. Children enjoy playing in the very well-resourced outdoor area. For example, children dig and explore in the large sand area, ride bicycles, climb the wooden apparatus and use the water pump to

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who attend

fill buckets and create puddles to splash in. However, occasionally the staff do not readily involve themselves in children's play in the outdoor area. Consequently, their learning outdoors is not extended to its full potential. Children confidently count, recognise numbers and talk about colours. They learn about volume and capacity and have access to a good range of resources to support their skills in the use of information and communication technology. These include a touch screen computers and an interactive white board.

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who attend

Partnerships with parents concerning teaching and learning are excellent. This is because parents are fully involved in their child's learning. Parents have instant access to their child's development records and actively comment on their child's learning in the pre- school. In addition, parents are provided with information everyday about the activities their children have participated in through verbal discussion at the end of the session. Furthermore, staff show commitment to supporting parents to extend children's learning at home. They provide library bags for children to take home; this encourages parents to read with their children, therefore, supporting their child's early reading skills. Consequently, parents and the pre-school work effectively together ensuring children make best progress.

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

Staff place a strong emphasis on supporting children's emotional and physical well-being. They visit children and families in their home before children start, which enables them to establish good relationships with them in familiar surroundings. It also ensures staff understand children's preferences and they are aware of any dietary or medical needs. This is combined with programmed settling-in sessions at the pre-school to help make a smooth move from home. Subsequently, children settle quickly and form strong attachments with their key person, giving them confidence and enabling them to become independent learners. The key-person system works extremely well and staff work very closely with parents to ensure that children have their individual needs met well. As children become ready to move on to school, the management and staff liaise closely with staff in reception. They invite them into the pre-school to meet children and spend time

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

with them and the key person, in a familiar environment.

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

The safe, stimulating and well-resourced environment supports children's all round development and emotional well-being. Children have an individual coat pegs and drawers, which successfully supports children's sense of belonging. Staff are appropriately deployed and know how to deal with safeguarding issues, in order to ensure children's ongoing well-being. Furthermore, they develop children's awareness of safety and how to stay safe. For example, they are reminded to be careful, as the climbing equipment may be slippery outside because of the rain. Children are confident and their behaviour is very good because staff have clear expectations and are good role models. Their calm and consistent approach encourages children to be kind and caring to each other. Children learn about sharing and taking turns. For example, children play on the outdoor equipment together, sharing and taking turns on the bicycles. Staff praise their positive

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

behaviour and as a result, children learn to cooperate with each other. Staff are kind and attentive towards children and offer lots of praise for their efforts and achievements. This helps to motivate children in their learning and boosts their confidence.

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

Children are supported well in developing a healthy lifestyle. The outdoor area allows children opportunity to be active and enjoy exploring. They can engage in physical play while experiencing fresh air and challenge. Children develop an awareness of good health and hygiene through staff supporting them with daily routines. For example, they teach children to wash their hands before snacks and after using the toilet. Children are progressing well as they are encouraged to be independent through a wide range of opportunities. They are asked to put on their own coats and select their own wellington boots before they splash in the outside water area. Staff also give children responsibilities for wiping down the tables and preparing snack. Children are provided with healthy snack choices. A self-service snack time involves children looking for their name to put into a basket, selecting a plate and then sitting around a table. Children are confident in pouring

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

their own drink of milk or water and choosing their own snack. Additionally, staff successfully use this time to encourage good manners and gain an understanding of the children's likes and dislikes as they talk to children about what they are eating and ask them what they like best.

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provision

The manager has an excellent understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There are robust systems in place for recruitment, induction and vetting procedures to ensure children are cared for by suitably trained, experienced and qualified staff who fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Children are safeguarded well in the setting because the manager and staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and know what to do if they have concerns about a child. An effective range of written policies and procedures are implemented successfully to ensure children are well protected. Children's safety is further promoted as there is robust security in place for entry to the nursery and all doors are locked securely. This ensures that only authorised visitors are able to enter the premises. Risk assessments are completed and checks are

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provision

carried out to ensure the indoor and outdoor environments are secure.

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provision

Leadership and management is good. This is because the manager works effectively with staff and has a good overview of the teaching and learning programmes. For example, the manager monitors the quality of teaching through observing staff practice and providing individual feedback. Staff's professional development is highlighted through effective supervision and staff meetings, which are conducted regularly, so that staff are given the opportunity to attend training and develop their professional skills. The staff team work together to continually reflect on ways to improve the quality of the provision and implement change to ensure children continue to make consistently good progress. Clear focus and vision for improving the setting is apparent through the comprehensive self- evaluation. This was a recommendation at the previous inspection, which has now been met. It is evident that effective evaluation and staff training has had a very positive impact

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provision

upon the pre-school. For example, a large proportion of children who attend the pre- school have been identified with speech and language difficulties. As a result, a member of staff has been trained to coordinate and develop the educational programmes to support children's language development to ensure that they have the best possible opportunities to make good progress.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff chat openly with parents and fully include them in this welcoming nursery. Staff establish effective partnerships with them through parent consultations and regular discussions. Parents receive a good range of information about the organisation of the pre-school at the start of the placement and useful information is displayed on the noticeboards. For example, photograph displays for parents show what children learn while at the pre-school. This also provides opportunities for parents to learn for themselves what benefits children gain from the activities provided. Parents are complimentary about the service the nursery provides. They comment on how they feel their children are making good progress and how well staff work closely with them and fully appreciate any advice and guidance. Partnerships with other professionals are equally as strong and contribute significantly to children's well-being and development. The

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provision

manager and staff are proactive in seeking expert help and support from education professionals and external agencies. For example, staff work alongside health professionals, and speech and language therapists to ensure that children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and their families receive the support they need. This results in children's needs being met effectively through efficient and effective multi-agency working.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY392356 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 873989

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 30 Name of provider Oakway Day Nursey Date of previous inspection 06/11/2009 Telephone number 01933678714

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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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