Little Ducklings Pre-School

Little Ducklings Pre School Little Ducklings Pre-School, Holbein Close, BASINGSTOKE, Hampshire, RG21 3EX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/12/2014 14/10/2011

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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 place high value on getting to know individual children and their families and on developing strong relationships. As a result, children settle quickly into the pre-school and become confident in their new environment.  Staff skilfully identify children's current interests and fascinations to promote their learning, in particular their communication and language skills.  Staff work hard to ensure children learn to play together well. Therefore, children demonstrate positive personal and emotional skills.  Self-evaluation is strong. Staff reflect on the activities they offer and the routines of the pre-school to ensure they meet children's and families' needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always make use of opportunities that arise during routines and activities to develop children's understanding about the link between the spoken and written word.  Strategies to engage parents in their children's learning are not always completely successful.

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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 undertook a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation including children's observation and assessment information, records of staff suitability and policies.  The inspector observed activities in the indoor and outdoor environment.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Little Ducklings Pre-school first opened in 2007 and re-registered in January 2011 when it moved to new premises. The pre-school is operated by a voluntary committee. The pre- school is situated in Black Dam, Basingstoke and operates from purpose built premises that are accessible at street level. An enclosed outside area is available for outdoor activities. The pre-school is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 53 children on roll in the early years age group. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm, term time only. Children attend a variety of part-time and full-time hours. Children currently attend from two years nine months to five years. The setting receives funding for the provision of early education to children aged two, three and four-years-old. Children mainly attend from the local area. The pre-school supports children who learn English as

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Information about the setting

an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school employs 11 members of staff, seven who work directly with the children on a day-to-day basis and three who work as bank staff. One member of staff is office based. The pre-school manager holds Early Years Professional Status and eight other members of staff hold recognised childcare qualifications. The pre-school has close links with local schools and with staff from the Children's Centre.

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

 strengthen the educational programme for literacy by ensuring staff use all opportunities to use print in the environment to teach children about words and sounds

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

 develop strategies to engage all parents more in their child's learning in the pre- school.

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who attend

Staff provide a welcoming and friendly environment for children and their families. As a result, children quickly become confident and readily engage in the activities on offer. Staff arrange resources so they are easily accessible for children. They label many resource boxes with words and pictures so children are able to see what is available. This supports children to make informed choices from resources that enhance their learning. Staff are well qualified and have a secure understanding of how young children learn. They observe children as they play and use this, together with their professional knowledge, to continually develop the environment and to plan experiences that meet children's learning needs. For example, a recently developed cosy area provides children with an opportunity to relax, reflect or look at a book quietly, alone or with a friend. When staff observed that children did not always use this area as they intended, they enhanced

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who attend

it with signs to indicate it is a quiet area. Consequently, children are learning how to use this area for quiet play. Staff have developed a book area with soft furnishings so that children and staff are able to sit and share books together. They have provided words in the indoor environment for example, supermarket and fast food chain logos that children might encounter on a regular basis. This helps children to understand that print carries meaning. However, staff do not always refer to written words during activities and routines, and as a result, they miss opportunities to draw children's attention to the link between the spoken and written word.

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who attend

Children demonstrate high levels of personal and emotional development and engage happily together in activities for sustained periods. This is because staff place an emphasis on teaching children how to play well together. Staff support children's growing confidence and skills in communication. They talk to them about their activities and topics that interest them. As a result, children make good progress, which prepares them well for the next stage in their learning. Staff gather initial information from parents about what children can do and what they are interested in through home visits and meetings. They use this information, together with their observations and interactions, to assess children's level of development. This means planned activities and learning experiences are successful in ensuring all children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress.

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who attend

Partnership with parents is strong in supporting children to settle quickly. Staff work well with parents so they understand their home culture and can meet children's individual needs. Parents value the opportunity for informal discussions at the start and end of the day. They are pleased to receive information about their child's experiences from the communication book that travels with their child daily. However, staff only make children's learning journals available to parents on request, which limits their opportunities to share in their child's current level of development. Staff provide ideas for home learning activities, with resources and ideas, which some parents use. Some parents provide information about their child's achievements at home in the form of wow moments. Although staff have considered some ways in which to engage all parents more in their child's learning, these are not fully successful.

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

Children form strong attachments to their key person because staff provide genuine affection and warmth. Staff offer parents a home visit, which they welcome as a valuable opportunity to share information about their family life and children's needs. If their child is initially unsettled, parents are confident when staff quickly distract them because they are knowledgeable about each child's favourite toys and activities. Parents are pleased to receive a phone call to reassure them once their child is settled. As a result, children enter the pre-school confidently and separate very happily from their parents. Staff continue to work flexibly with parents and other professionals to meet the changing needs of children and their families. For example, staff work with parents to make good use of Bert, a special doll, to support children through new experiences within the pre-school and in their wider lives.

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

Staff are aware of potential harm to children. They are able to describe what they would do in the event of a child protection concern. They are vigilant as they follow procedures to keep children safe within the setting. They keep the main door to the premises locked and check the identity of visitors. They have reflected on and developed safe procedures for when children arrive and leave at lunchtime. Staff make a note of the number of adults and children in the setting on a notice board in the main room, which they update as children arrive and leave. This ensures all adults are aware of the number of children present at all times.

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

Staff are good role models, they respond consistently and have high expectations of children's behaviour. Agreed rules displayed in the entrance hall mean parents are fully aware of the expectations for children's good behaviour. Staff ensure sufficient resources and space are available so that children do not become frustrated in having to wait for favourite resources. Children have enough space to move freely around other children so they do not disturb their play. Staff are highly skilled in teaching children how to play well together and respect each other. For example, two very young children are playing near each other and in danger of knocking over a tower, which one of them has built, which causes anxiety and potential conflict. A member of staff talks to them, helping them to resolve the situation happily. As a result, children develop strong friendships.

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

Children learn about self-care through regular routines as they wash their hands before snack and after using the toilet. Staff are able to identify children who might need extra support so they receive just enough help to develop their growing independence. Staff remind children to push their sleeves up with plenty of encouragement. This helps children learn to manage their own personal hygiene and makes hand washing a pleasant experience. Staff are vigilant in ensuring that tables are cleaned and all children wash their hands before they eat. This cuts down on the risk of germs spreading. Staff teach children to be independent during snack time. Children look to see if there is a place at the table. They find their nametag and place in on the table before they wash their hands. They select what they would like to eat and drink from a caf style table and take it to their place. Staff encourage them to pour their own cereal and drink and provide support when

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

needed. There are readily accessible notes of children's food allergies and cultural food preferences so staff can ensure they meet these. Children learn about healthy lifestyles as staff talk about food choices as they eat their lunch. For example, they encourage children to eat their sandwiches first, saying, 'you need to eat it so that you get lots of energy'. Children have opportunities for fresh air and exercise and freely choose to play outside during the session

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provision

The manager has a clear understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding, welfare and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She attends regular network meetings with other managers to ensure she is aware of the latest information about good practices. She discusses the implications of any changes to statutory requirements with staff. This means they all work consistently together as a team. The manager is clear about her role in safeguarding children as the designated officer. She remains up to date through attending termly meetings with other designated officers and shares new information at staff meetings to ensure all staff remain up to date. The manager is knowledgeable about what to do if they have any concerns about a child so she can follow the appropriate steps to take to safeguard children.

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provision

Robust recruitment procedures, induction and ongoing checks ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Staff have regular appraisal and supervision meetings which are well documented. They improve their knowledge and skills through sharing key messages from training, which has a positive effect on practice. The manager has plans to enhance her monitoring role to ensure they share best practice and that the quality of teaching is consistently high. Staff are deployed well. A rota displayed on the wall indicates daily responsibilities for each staff member. At lunchtime, parents arriving to collect their child, wait at the side door whilst parents arriving with their children, go to the front door. A member of staff at each door welcomes parents. They share general information about the children and ensure that no child leaves the premises unattended or with another adult.

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provision

The manager successfully monitors the educational programmes. Staff use observations of children's learning to identify their level of development. The manager collates this information onto a termly overview and identifies implications for practice and provision. This informs planning, which they evaluate and update following children's responses and changing interests. This results in a flexible curriculum that is responsive to children's current needs and interests. Therefore, children make good progress overall in their learning and development. Self-evaluation is a real strength of the setting. For example, through recent observations of children's responses to the activities offered, the manager realised that there was too much emphasis on Christmas. She introduced a focus on block play to help the children with negotiation skills and imagination. As a result, children have engaged well and she has observed a positive effect on their social skills in particular. A

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provision

development plan is in place that captures identified areas for improvement and sets out a realistic timeframe and potential impact on children's experiences.

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provision

The pre-school has very close links with the adjoining school. Teachers visit the pre-school and invite children to the school several times in the term before they are due to move to school. Staff make links with teachers from other schools. They use a variety of strategies in partnership with staff from the schools to support children's successful transitions, for example, they provide a display of photographs, school uniforms for dressing up, and photo albums from the schools. This prepares children well for their move to school.

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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 EY424761 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 823110 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 53 Name of provider Quackers Afterschool Club Committee Date of previous inspection 14/10/2011 Telephone number 01256 413794

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Setting details

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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