St Osyth Preschool and Nursery CIC

St. Osyth Preschool CIC 64 Mill Street, St. Osyth, CLACTON-ON-SEA, Essex, CO16 8EW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/11/2014 02/12/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Staff clearly understand their responsibilities regarding child protection and the procedures to follow. As a result, children are safeguarded well and kept safe.  Staff are warm, caring and attentive to children. Consequently, children form secure attachments with staff and are happy and confident and settle well.  Staff establish positive partnerships with parents and effective links with other settings and professionals, promoting a cohesive approach to children's welfare and learning.  Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive appropriate additional support at an early stage, in order to support their development.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff preparing and handling food do not have training in food hygiene, to ensure they maintain good standards of hygiene to promote children's health.  On occasion, staff do not ensure that older children are offered sufficiently challenging experiences to engage and interest them, to inspire their continued learning and development.  Managers and staff do not ensure that there is an adequate supply of clean bedding and that sleeping facilities are always best suited to the ages of the children.  Management's monitoring and self-evaluation is not always rigorous enough to ensure that weaknesses are identified, and promptly and effectively addressed.

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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 observed activities in the two playrooms and the outdoor area, and interacted with the children when appropriate.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff and the manager at appropriate times throughout the inspection and discussed activities with them.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a discussion with the manager and undertook joint observations with her.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's development records, planning documentation, the setting's self-evaluation form, a selection of policies and children's registration records.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff.  The inspector also took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

St. Osyth Preschool CIC was registered in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is managed by two directors. The nursery operates from spacious, converted premises in St Osyth, Essex. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 6. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 8am until 6pm, for 50 weeks a year. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 63 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 ensure all staff involved in preparing and handling food receive training in food hygiene to ensure good health and hygiene practices are observed to maintains children's health

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must:

 ensure that older children are encouraged and motivated to learn and discover by providing inspiring activities and experiences, which challenge them and ignite their own ideas, encouraging them to become active learners and critical thinkers.

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

 improve the sleeping arrangements, including the use of clean bedding, for younger children, in particular those under the age of two years, to enable them to sleep comfortably and undisturbed

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

 improve the rigour of self-evaluation, to ensure that any areas identified for improvement are promptly and effectively addressed.

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who attend

Children have freedom to play outside or indoors, enabling them to choose their preferred environment. Staff ensure that all the areas of learning are covered, both indoors and outside, through a broad range of activities and experiences. Children are making progress and enjoy their time at the nursery. However, on occasion, some activities, such as group story time or the role-play area in the room for children aged three to five years, lack sufficient challenge to engage and inspire the older children, and their interest wanes. Managers explain they have identified these areas for improvement. However, they have not yet fully implemented ideas to provide more challenging activities and inspiring resources, to ignite children's interest and extend their learning. Staff work closely with parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to support their particular needs. They use input from other professionals to help target support and gaps

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who attend

in children's learning and development are gradually reducing.

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who attend

Staff establish each child's starting points through discussions with parents and their own observations. Children are allocated a key person, to support their individual learning and development. Staff use learning journal development books to record and monitor children's ongoing progress. They use photographs and written observations to monitor children's achievements. They identify and use any next steps in a child's development to inform future planning and teaching. Staff offer parents regular feedback about their child's progress and parents may view their child's learning journal at any time. Staff seek parents' input about their children's learning at home. Parents' comments and contributions are added to the wow tree display or included in their child's learning journal. The learning journals are fully updated towards the end of each term and shared with parents. Staff are in the process of revising the way they record termly summaries, to

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who attend

demonstrate more clearly children's progress in each area of learning. Staff complete the progress checks for children between the ages of two and three years, to ensure they are progressing within the expected range. Staff share and discuss these summaries with parents.

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who attend

Children delight in playing in the outdoor area, which is inviting and offers a variety of engaging experiences. They explore natural materials and different textures, such as wood shavings, leaves, sand, play dough and water and a newly-established mud kitchen. They investigate the rainwater pond with an adult, who extends their learning through conversation and exploring the contents with them. Children are gaining competence with their physical skills and coordination. For example, they competently manoeuvre tricycles and ride-on toys and some of the younger children accurately use a racket to hit a ball thrown to them by a member of staff. They concentrate as they explore volume and develop their pouring skills at the water tray. Children work together to build a large tower with foam bricks. A member of staff skilfully suggests, and helps them to begin to recognise, that a double layer of bricks is more stable. However, she understands not to

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who attend

hinder their enthusiasm when they resume building a single column. Indoors, the book areas are well stocked with an appealing range of stories and picture books, encouraging children's appreciation of books and helping them to recognise that text has meaning. Some books are well worn as children have firm favourites, which they delight in hearing and re-telling themselves. Staff use children's interest in particular books to encourage conversations and broaden their vocabulary. They have many opportunities to make marks and practise pre-writing skills, for example, as they use crayons or skilfully use the small paintbrushes. Staff play alongside children to encourage them to focus and to extend their learning. They talk freely to children and are attentive to their conversations.

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who attend

Staff support children's understanding of mathematics. For example, they encourage and extend a child's sorting game with some coloured and different sized bears. The older children's interest in dinosaurs is skilfully used by an adult to encourage them to weigh them in the balance scales, to find the heaviest and the lightest. Older children learn about living things and delight having the opportunity to watch and handle the nursery hamster when he is let out of the cage. Staff explain how to handle him gently so as not to harm him.

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

Staff work closely with parents to sensitively introduce children to the nursery. They get to know children very well, through discussions with parents and their own observations, to support children's individual needs. Consequently, children settle well and are happy and confident. The child's key person liaises closely with parents to offer continuity of care. They complete a two-way daily diary, which offers parents an outline of their child's welfare, in addition to verbal feedback. There is consistency of regular staff and children establish positive relationships and secure attachments with their key persons. This supports children's emotional well-being. Staff sensitively settle the younger children to sleep in buggies or, occasionally, on a sofa bed. However, they do not provide separate bed linen for each child, to promote good hygiene and minimise the risk of cross-infection. Children are not always able to sleep undisturbed, as there is no designated sleep area.

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

Staff are well deployed, indoors and outside and they are vigilant to ensure children's safety. Children are encouraged to learn how to keep themselves safe through reminders and clear explanations from staff. For example, they are reminded to use their walking feet indoors.

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

The spacious premises is well resourced and offers designated areas indoors, such as, a craft area, cosy book corner and a physical play area. Children's independence and exploration is encouraged, as the resources are readily accessible. Children have daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise, as they freely access the outdoor area, promoting their health and physical development. They are encouraged to put on their own coats, with adult support if required, to encourage their independence. Outside, children have space to move freely and develop their physical skills and competence on the outdoor equipment. Staff display examples of the children's artwork, helping them feel valued. Staff are positive role models of behaviour, treating children with kindness and respect. Children are generally well behaved. They are learning how to manage their own behaviour, for example, to share or wait their turn, with support and explanations from

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

Children benefit from healthy and nutritious foods provided by the nursery, such as fresh vegetables, humus, ham and pitta bread. They are offered a tempting selection of substantial snacks and they are encouraged to try a variety of tastes and textures. Staff encourage parents to provide healthy foods in children's lunch boxes, to help them develop a preference for healthy options, and recognise that this is an area for ongoing promotion. Children are offered some opportunities to develop their skills and independence, for example, as they pour their own drink. Children are managing their own personal needs well, according to their age and stage of development. Staff's reminders to children, and consistent routines, promote their understanding of good hygiene habits and toilet training. Older children independently use the toilets and wash their hands. Children's growing independence is supported by staff who balance this with

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

monitoring their safety and offering help, if required. Children are well supported with their transition from the toddler room to the pre-school room, and when they move on to school. This helps to ensure they are emotionally well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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provision

All staff have attended safeguarding training and understand their responsibility to protect children from abuse. Since the previous inspection, the lead practitioner for safeguarding has undertaken specific designated person training. Staff securely understand safeguarding policies and procedures and ensure they are well applied in practice. Robust recruitment procedures work well in practice to ensure staff suitability and all staff have Disclosure and Barring Service clearances. Staff are encouraged to attend training and ongoing professional development is promoted. However, the management has not ensured that all members of staff involved in preparing and handling food have received training in food hygiene. This is a breach of the legal requirements, which could affect children's health. Risk assessments are undertaken and staff continually reappraise the premises to ensure it is safe and secure. Staff regularly practise the emergency evacuation

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provision

routine with children, to ensure it works effectively and that everyone is familiar with the process.

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provision

Management and staff aspire to improve and develop the nursery, and to provide good quality play and learning experiences for children. The action from the previous inspection has been addressed regarding safeguarding training. The recommendation, with regard to improving resources outside, has also been addressed. Staff have monthly appraisals and there are regular staff meetings to promote improvement. However, managers do not sufficiently monitor staff training needs, to ensure all the required training is undertaken to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Managers monitor staff practice and the educational programmes through observation, discussion and by reviewing the learning journals. However, on occasion, the quality of teaching does not sufficiently enrich the learning environment for older children, to maximise their learning. Managers value and encourage staff and parents' input to inform self-evaluation and have

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provision

completed a self-evaluation form. Many areas identified for improvement have been addressed, such as increased resources outside. However, some areas requiring improvement, such as staff training in food hygiene and the quality of teaching and learning for older children, have not been promptly addressed.

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provision

Staff establish very positive and trusting partnerships with parents. They encourage open communication, which benefits children's learning and welfare. Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection are very happy with the quality of care provided and how their children were helped to settle. They find staff friendly and approachable. Parents value the warm and caring approach staff have with their children. They express that their children are learning well and have become significantly more confident and independent, since attending the nursery. They receive regular feedback about their child's well-being and learning and development, verbally and through daily diaries. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive any additional support required from an early age, to meet their individual needs. Staff work closely with parents, seeking and heeding advice from other professionals if required, to provide a cohesive approach to enhance

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provision

children's progress. Strong, close and purposeful links are established with local schools children's centre and. Children's transition on to school is very well supported. Reception teachers are welcomed to visit and older children are sometimes escorted on introductory visits to their future school.

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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 EY451581 Local authority Essex Inspection number 962544

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 63 Name of provider St. Osyth Preschool CIC Date of previous inspection 02/12/2013 Telephone number 07958047058

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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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