William Farr Pre School Ltd

William Farr Pre-School St. Marys Primary School, School Drive, WELTON, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN2 3LA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/11/2014 08/01/2014

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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

 Children engage in a range of interesting and stimulating activities. They are keen learners and are confident to lead their own play and be involved in activities that are of interest to them. Consequently, they make good progress as teaching is good.  Staff support children's safety and welfare as a priority. They undertake regular training and adapt and change things to enhance safety at all times. They also support the children to learn about how to keep themselves safe.  Parents actively take part in their children's learning. They positively praise the pre- school staff for listening to their opinions and sharing frequent and relevant information about their child.  Assessment is detailed and accurate and is used effectively to monitor all children's progress. Gaps in learning and progress are identified quickly and early intervention is immediate and effective in supporting all children to meet their full potential.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always respond to children's spontaneous requests appropriately to ensure that they are able to follow a line of enquiry that is of particular interest to them.

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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 activities in the main playroom and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation and held a meeting with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and a selection of policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the setting's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.  The inspector interacted with children throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

William Farr Pre-School was re-registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a mobile classroom within the grounds of St Mary's School in Welton, Lincolnshire and is privately managed. The setting serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from one playroom, with use of facilities within the school. In addition to an enclosed area available for outdoor play, the setting has use of the school grounds. The setting employs eight members of childcare staff who all hold early years qualifications; seven at level 3 and one at level 2. Sessions are from 9am to 3.30pm, Monday to Wednesday, and 9am to 12 noon Thursday and Friday, during term times. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 42 children attending who are in the early years age group. The setting provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a

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Information about the setting

number of children who speak 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:

 ensure staff consistently respond to children's spontaneous requests to enable them to follow lines of enquiry in their play that are of a particular interest to them.

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who attend

Children make good progress due to the time and interest given to them as individuals by a committed and knowledgeable staff team. Staff use their knowledge of the children to plan an interesting and challenging range of activities, linked to children's interests. Detailed observations are completed frequently and staff complete a half termly assessment. This enables them to see a complete overview of how all children are progressing, where there are gaps and what their next steps in learning are. In addition, the manager collates the information so that she can pinpoint how groups of children are progressing. From this, she identifies those children that require extra support and after discussions with parents, referrals to appropriate agencies are made if necessary. Assessments are accurate and ensure that every child's learning needs are met. Staff have detailed discussions with parents when children first attend and use this information to

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who attend

assess children's starting points and begin to plan for future learning. As a result, children make very good progress towards the early learning goals, including children with English as an additional language or special educational needs and/or disabilities. The staff demonstrate a secure understanding of the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, ensuring this is carried out at an appropriate time and shared with parents. The environment is set up to enable children to independently access resources as everything is clearly labelled and stored at low level. Staff help children to move resources from one place to another, which enhances their play. For example, the manager moves toys from the mat to enable a group of girls to have a tea party. They then move some play food from the role-play area and set up the doll's house chairs and table for their teddies to eat from. Their play continues and they are able to engage in an in-depth

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who attend

imaginative story together. Children in the writing area access paper, pens and scissors. This area is of particular interest to these children and they spend a great deal of time drawing pictures. They are able to write their names and draw complex pirate maps with an 'X' to mark the spot. Staff value this interest and talk to the children about how the map can be used, questioning the design, the directions and what the treasure is. This supports the children to think through and reason their ideas and enables them to articulate their thought processes. Stories provide further opportunities for communication and language development and also support developing literacy skills. Staff read stories with enthusiasm and involve the children in thinking about what might happen next. They ask them to look for clues in the pictures to explain what is happening. For example, a staff member reads the title of the story about a birthday party. She asks the children to

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who attend

look at the picture and think about what clues there are about it being a birthday party. The children talk about the party hats, balloons and gifts on the table. However, staff miss times when they could further support children's interests. Children in the outdoor area ask for water to play with and are told it is too cold. Although the staff member explains why they cannot have water in the water tray, there is no alternative offered to support the children's interest. The children were then unable to follow this line of enquiry or interest in their play.

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who attend

The children engage in activities to celebrate festivals throughout the year. These activities are planned to enhance children's development, based on their next steps in learning. Staff ensure all activities meet the needs of the older and younger children. Children are currently writing letters to Santa Claus. They use their scissor skills to cut out from magazines the pictures of toys that they would like to receive. Older children also draw pictures and write their names on their letters. This develops their pencil control and they begin to form recognisable letters. During a complex baking activity the children are thoroughly engaged and keen to offer their help in mixing, weighing and controlling the large mixer. They smell the ingredients and taste many of them, enabling them to use descriptive language or to simply say if they like them or not. They recognise numerals on the digital scales and on the speed dial of the mixer. They follow a sequence to make the

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who attend

mixture and then carefully fill their individual pots with spoons. Staff are deployed well in the room to support the activity and be available for those who find concentrating for so long on one task difficult. All areas of learning are covered through the daily sessions and children are keen and engaged; they practise the skills they will need to prepare them for the move to school. Parents are given a Home link book which details what each child has been doing during their sessions and invites parents to respond with learning the children have been doing at home. They are asked to contribute to a theme each week, such as a colour of the week, by bringing in items from home. This ensures that parents actively contribute to the learning and development of their children.

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

Children benefit from staff who are warm, kind and caring. They show interest in each child and the key-person system is effective in enabling staff to know each child in detail. Children settle easily into the setting as time is taken for them to get to know the staff and environment before they are left for the first time. Relevant information is gained from parents about their child before they start, including their current interests and their development. Staff are able to use this to plan activities and have resources available that are familiar and enjoyable. The move into pre-school is managed so that not all of the two-year-olds begin at once. This means that staff have time to support them emotionally as they begin their new experience. Children's emotional development is further developed as they have key-group time each morning, after being welcomed into the session. This means they get to spend time in a small group, which develops their sense of belonging

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

and supports them in making relationships. The children gravitate to staff for cuddles and to ask for help and support, which staff are always willing to give. Children's self-esteem is developed as staff choose a helper of the day. Their responsibility is to help with snack time, lead children over to the toilet and generally be given small 'jobs' during the session. This has been effective in helping some children become more confident as they are elevated to the position of leader and aspire to the role.

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

The children have good manners. Older children are able to share resources with their peers and wait for their turn. Staff are sensitive to the younger children's development in this area and offer calming words to ease confrontations. However, they still deliver the message that appropriate behaviour is expected, and intervene if necessary. For example, younger children using the dough both want to use the serrated edged scissors. A staff member calms their calling out and then suggests that one continues to use them and the other child goes to the scissor box to find another pair. Both children achieve the desired result and the staff member role models an acceptable and fair outcome. Although children have to use the toilets in the school building they are confident in their self-care skills and are able to inform staff in plenty of time to be able to use the facilities successfully. A parent described her child's potty training as a difficult process at home,

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

however, after starting at the setting she was dry within a month. She dedicates the main success to the patience and encouragement of the staff. The staff have recently taken advice from a health food consultant and have changed the snacks in the setting to ensure they are very healthy and where possible, low in sugar. Children independently pour their own drinks and put their dirty pots in a bowl afterwards. They decide when to come to snack and register themselves as present; this encourages them to become confident decision makers and to be aware of their own care needs.

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

The children have free choice between indoor and outdoor play every day, weather permitting. The resources cover all areas of learning and provide children with the ability to take some risk and challenge their physical development. For example, children are able to jump from a climbing frame onto a mat but staff talk to them about bending their knees when they land to ensure they don't hurt their legs. Another child asks for support and a staff member holds their hands to enable them to attempt the same activity but at a level comfortable to them. There are a good range of resources throughout the pre-school and the group use the local environment to enhance learning activities. For example, they have a raised flower bed in which they grow vegetables each year. They also use the school's wooden climbing train and outdoor classroom and walk into the village when possible. The children attend assemblies within the school, and services at the local

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

church. These help the children to learn about their immediate environment and be a part of their community. Children's emotional development when moving from one environment to another is skilfully supported by the sensitive staff who prepare them well.

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provision

The manager has a thorough understanding of the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Actions set at the last inspection regarding two breaches of requirement have been immediately and thoroughly implemented. While they are only minor changes, the manager is aware of the positive effect they have had on children's safety and welfare. This immediate response, and the manager's ability to reflect, is indicative of her strong leadership and are the main factors in the increase in the quality judgement at this inspection. Children's safety and welfare are further protected as all staff regularly receive safeguarding training. They are confident in following the policies and procedures to identify and report concerns to the designated officer. Posters around the setting, polices given to and discussions with parents ensures that they are also aware of the pre-school's duty of care for children. Recruitment procedures are robust so that

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provision

suitable people are employed to work with the children. Thorough risk assessments of the environment, activities and routines ensure children can learn and play safely. The manager has attended a recent training course about health and safety and has again, reflected on best practice. She has adapted the fire safety procedure to make it more effective and less daunting for the very young children.

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provision

The team of staff are very dedicated and work hard to provide children and their families with a good quality provision. The manager is passionate about providing the best start for the children. This ethos is evident in the efficient way the pre-school is run and the busy and vibrant environment. Regular meetings are the core way in which the staff plan and organise future activities. These meetings bring together all of the key persons' observations and assessments of the children, ensuring that all staff have an input into meeting the needs of the children. The manager has very effective tools to evaluate children's progress, with an overview of how each child and groups of children are progressing. Any gaps in learning or areas for improvement are identified quickly, and next steps developed to support learning or referrals made to further agencies where needed. The special educational needs co-ordinator manages the links with other

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provision

professionals, parents and the child's key person, ensuring effective early intervention support is in place. Staff attend regular training. Some is core training, such as first aid, safeguarding and food hygiene, which supports children's safety and welfare. Other training is determined at the staff's supervisions and appraisals, and meets a need in the setting or an interest of the staff member. Staff disseminate information at their meetings and implement strategies that they feel will help the children to progress and develop. For example, a staff member recently attended training regarding supporting boys learning as there are currently a majority of boys in the setting. This intuitive reflection and self- evaluation means the pre-school continues to improve and keep abreast of childcare issues. They have high expectations for the children they care for and maintain their traditional place as a community pre-school.

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provision

Children start life at the local school, confident and surrounded by a familiar environment and staff team. The pre-school transition process is a daily routine and children benefit from the excellent links formed with the local school. They use the toilet facilities in the school daily and link up with the school for festivals, special occasions and celebrations throughout the year. In addition, nearer the time of starting school the children spend several sessions in their new classrooms and their teachers come to visit them in pre- school. A parent stated that when her child had some fears related to moving on to school, the pre-school acted quickly to plan activities and discussions that allayed those fears. Parents spoken to at inspection felt that they were supported as a family, as staff seek out and listen to their views. The Home link book is a very effective two-way communication tool and parents like to receive this after each session. They can access

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provision

their child's assessment records at any time, though regular open mornings are arranged to enable staff to talk through them as well. Parents are active participants in their children's learning and development as a great deal of information is shared with them.

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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 EY295032 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 962784

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 42 Name of provider William Farr Pre-School Ltd Date of previous inspection 08/01/2014 Telephone number 07759 937556

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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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