Whitley Lodge Under Fives

Whitley Lodge Under 5's Whitley Lodge First School, Woodburn Drive, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, NE26 3HW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/11/2014 27/02/2009

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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

 The small and friendly staff team is sensitive to children's emotional needs and well- being. They display a warm, caring attitude and provide a calm yet stimulating environment where children thrive.  The quality of teaching is good. Staff engage well with the children to enthuse them and motivate them to learn. As a result, children make good progress in their learning.  Staff are well-informed about their responsibility to safeguard children. They are aware of the signs of abuse and know who to contact if they have a concern about a child in their care.  Staff manage children's behaviour well. They provide clear instructions and children have a good understanding of what is expected of them. Consequently, they are happy and settled at the pre-school.  Parents and staff work together very well to plan and meet children's individual and specific needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Occasionally, staff intervene too quickly to help children and do not provide them with the resources and time to further enhance their problem-solving and physical skills.  The pre-school has not fully developed the outdoor area so that children who prefer to learn in the outside have access to a wide range of activities and resources which cover the whole educational programme, with particular reference to mathematics.

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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 observed activities taking place in the pre-school room and the outdoor play area.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussion and completed questionnaires.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the managers and spoke to children and staff members during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

Whitley Lodge Under 5's opened in 1993 and is managed by a trusteeship. It operates from a classroom within Whitley Lodge First School in Whitley Bay, Newcastle. The setting serves the immediate locality and also the surrounding areas. The setting opens from 9am to 12pm, Monday to Friday, and from 12.35pm to 3.05pm Monday and Thursday, as demand requires, term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children are cared for across one room and have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 25 children in the early years age range. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are currently four members of staff working directly with the children, all of whom have an appropriate early years qualification at level 3. The setting receives support from the local authority. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register.

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

 maximise opportunities to extend children's problem-solving and physical skills by providing consistent opportunities and resources for them to learn through having a go themselves

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

 strengthen the monitoring of and provision for those children who prefer to learn actively outside so that they can access all aspects of the educational programme including, activities which foster their mathematical skills.

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who attend

Staff demonstrate a good level of understanding of how children learn and develop. They plan a wide range of activities which cover all areas of learning and are based on the children's interests and next stage in learning. As a result, activities engage and enthuse children and help them to acquire the skills required for the next stage in their learning. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals, if appropriate, from the start to ensure that they have a good understanding of what children can do and are interested in prior to them starting at the pre-school. Staff complete individual learning journal files for each child, containing assessments, examples of their work, observations and photographs, as evidence of learning. These are accurately matched to the guidance document Early years outcomes and are tracked over time to demonstrate progress. In addition, effective procedures are in place to complete and share with parents the

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who attend

progress check for children aged between two-and-three years. This means that any gaps in children's learning can be quickly identified. Effective strategies engage parents in their children's learning in the pre-school. They have access to and contribute information to their child's learning journal which keeps them well-informed of their child's progress. In addition, parents are encouraged to complete 'news' sheets to share important information and examples of children's learning at home. This information is used very well by staff to support children and extend their learning. For example, they use the information to encourage new children to talk about what they have been doing at home. This means that there is a shared knowledge about children and a complete picture of their progress is obtained.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is consistently good. As a result, children make good progress, based on their individual starting points. Children's communication and language development is supported well. They are confident and talk freely with adults and other children. This is because staff use many different opportunities to model language through talking, singing and reading to children throughout the day. For example, as staff read to children they skilfully combine language, such as 'round and round' and 'up and down' with actions. This helps children to develop a secure understanding of their meaning. Staff support children to achieve the next steps in their learning by following on from their interests. For example, children's interest in a story about sharks and telescopes prompts staff to plan activities around this. The children use recycled materials to make their own telescopes which they decorate using stickers and coloured pens. This supports their

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who attend

physical skills, for example, staff model to younger children how to peel the stickers from the sheet. Children show perseverance as they concentrate on doing this for themselves and remain engaged in the activity for extended periods of time. However, on occasion, there are missed opportunities for children to further expand on their physical and problem-solving skills. For example, staff give solutions for children when stickers fall off without encouraging children to consider how they can stop some stickers from falling off and providing the resources for them to do this for themselves. Nevertheless, children clearly love the activity and are delighted when they take their telescopes outside to search of the animals they have read about in the story.

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who attend

Inside, children's counting skills are promoted well, for example, staff ask children to count how many children are present and then encourage them to think about how many tubes or plates they will need. The staff help children to begin to understand simple mathematical language as they use language, such as 'more and less' as they play. However, for those children who prefer to learn in the outside area, opportunities to continue to develop in all areas of learning, in particular their mathematical and counting skills, are not as well supported. However, the outside area does provide children with ample opportunities to be physical. For example, the children enjoy climbing, playing on ride on toys and exploring the mud using magnifying glasses.

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

The small and friendly staff team provide a warm and welcoming environment for all children. They take time to work with parents and other settings, to obtain as much information as they can about children prior to them starting in the setting and use this information well to help children to settle. For example, they ask new children to choose a rhyme to sing as they know that this is a favourite activity. This helps children to develop secure attachments with the staff and their key-person and results in children who are happy and settled in their care. Staff also obtain all required information to meet children's welfare needs, such as diet and medical requirements. This ensures that children's emotional needs and well-being are fully met. Children are also well prepared for the move to nursery or school. This is because the staff support them to develop their self- care skills, such as putting on their own coats. In addition, they make very good use of

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

photographs of local settings and the teachers to help familiarise children with the staff and the setting they will move to.

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

Staff demonstrate warm and caring attitudes towards the children and provide a calm environment. They encourage children to be kind to each other and give them gentle reminders, for example, they talk about using 'kind hands'. Children show their good understanding of positive behaviour as they help their friends with activities and proudly exclaim, 'I am sharing'. Children are supported well to develop their independence and self-care skills. For example, they independently access cups and pour themselves drinks of water. As a result, children develop good levels of self-esteem and confidence. They behave well and develop respectful relationships towards each other, staff and other adults.

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

The management and staff teams place high emphasis on children's safety. They are deployed well, maintain high levels of supervision at all times and are aware of hazards that may be harmful to children. For example, staff ensure that external gates and doors are kept locked and they talk to the children about the importance of not putting items in their mouths. Planned activities, such as visits from the local police and paramedics further help children to develop an awareness of how to keep safe. Children follow good hygiene routines which supports their understanding of how to keep healthy. Staff support younger children to wash their hands while older children manage their own hygiene needs very well. They show their understanding of keeping healthy, for example, they explain that they must wash their hands so they do not get 'poorly tummies'.

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provision

Children are safeguarded because the management team has a good understanding of the importance of taking all necessary steps to keep children safe and well. Staff have had suitability checks and understand their role in protecting children. Management and staff have attended relevant safeguarding training and have a secure understanding of how to respond to possible signs of abuse. In addition, they are confident of procedures to take should they have any concerns regarding a child's welfare. Children are further safeguarded as the pre-school has robust procedures in place for staff recruitment and induction. This ensures that all staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities within the pre-school. Ongoing risk assessments and daily checks ensure that all areas of the premises are safe and suitable for children. For example, staff record on the wall when they have carried out appropriate checks and highlight any hazards.

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provision

Effective procedures are in place regarding the administration of medication, including obtaining written consent from parents and developing an individual care plan for children. Procedures for managing accidents are equally effective and staff ensure that all accidents are recorded appropriately. These effective practices combine to ensure that children are safeguarded well.

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provision

The management team has responded well to the recommendations raised at the previous inspection. For example, information regarding complaints is now displayed in the entrance and shared with parents prior to children starting at the pre-school. Their improvement plan, alongside comprehensive self-evaluation which takes into account the views of parents, supports the pre-school in ensuring continuous improvement. The small staff team works well together. Staff feel supported by the management and are helped to improve their knowledge and practice through discussion and training. Effective supervision and appraisal systems are in place. This provides support and training for staff and allows them to discuss any issues of concern. The management monitors the education programmes to ensure that children make good progress across all areas of learning and benefit from a broad range of experiences. Children's progress is also

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provision

monitored individually to ensure that any gaps in learning and development are closing.

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provision

Staff have developed good partnerships with parents, other settings and outside agencies. They also receive support from the local authority development advisers. An informative welcome pack ensures that parents have a good understanding of how the pre-school works. In addition, a wide range of information, such as certificates, insurance and what children have taken part in each day is displayed for parents to see. Feedback from parents about the pre-school is very positive. They praise the 'warm and nurturing' staff and state they can see the progress that their children are making since starting the pre- school. Although there are currently no children on roll with special educational needs and/or disabilities staff know where to access support and training when they require it. This means that all children have their individual needs met well by the pre-school.

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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 310255 Local authority North Tyneside Inspection number 867931

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 25 Name of provider Whitley Lodge Under 5's Committee Date of previous inspection 27/02/2009 Telephone number 01912972002

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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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