Hickling Pre-School

Hickling Pre-School Hickling Village Hall, Main Street, Hickling, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 3AQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/12/2014 22/06/2010

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early years provision

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

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This provision requires improvement

 An effective key-person system is in place. Therefore, children are confident and settle into pre-school well.  Staff are aware of their responsibilities to supervise children and protect them from abuse and neglect. Consequently, children are protected from harm.  The pre-school has strong links with the local school, supporting a positive transition for children, when the time comes to move onto the next phase in their education.

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It is not yet good because

 Teaching is variable and not always focused enough to extend all children's learning. Consequently, children are not yet making good progress in their learning and development.  Staff do not always make the best use of resources. Consequently, children are not always provided with good quality learning experiences that keep them motivated and engaged.  Supervision sessions are not in place to support and coach staff to help them improve their knowledge and understanding. As a result, the quality of teaching is not consistently good.  Staff occasionally lack consistency when managing children's behaviour. Therefore, not all children learn to behave appropriately.

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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 inside and outside.  The inspector conducted a joint discussion with a pre-school manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the provider of the pre-school, the manager, the staff and the children.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and discussed the pre-school's self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parent's spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

The Hickling Pre-school was registered in 1967 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a village hall in the Rushcliffe district of Nottinghamshire, and is managed by a committee. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from one main hall and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The pre-school employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and two at level 2. The pre-school opens each weekday during school term time. Sessions run from 9.15am to 12.00 noon, with a lunch club continuing until 1.00pm, on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays sessions run from 9.15am to 3.15pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 25 children attending who are in the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early

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Information about the setting

education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 improve the quality of teaching methods used by the staff such as questioning and modelling techniques, to extend and reshape children's learning so that children receive consistently good support during activities to help them make good progress

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must:

 put in place effective supervision arrangements to support all staff and enhance their practice, so that they develop the skills and knowledge required to provide quality teaching and learning experiences.

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

 make effective use of resources, indoors and outdoors, in order to ensure children are provided with good quality learning experiences, which keep them motivated and engaged

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

 ensure staff consistently provide children with clear and consistent messages of how to behave appropriately, including positive messages of what is expected of them and why some behaviour is unacceptable.

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who attend

Staff generally know their key children well and can talk confidently about their immediate likes and dislikes. Staff seek information from parents when children start attending and ask for ongoing information about their achievements and interests at home. They use this information to identify children's starting points and to inform the planning of activities for them individually. Since the last inspection, the staff have improved the planning, assessment and observation process. Management and staff have worked closely with the local authority to develop the new system. As a result, most staff demonstrate a secure understanding of how to identify individual children's needs and next steps in their learning. Staff complete observations and have a general overview of the children's development in order to monitor and track their progress. Consequently, they plan adult- focused activities that concentrate on children's next steps in their learning and

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who attend

development. For example, they introduce stepping-stones to develop children's physical skills for balance and co-ordination. This means children make some progress towards the early learning goals. Staff understand the requirement to complete the progress check for children between the ages of two-and-three years, so that they are aware of their progress at this stage.

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who attend

Children take part in group activities that enable them to take turns in conversation. For example, staff talk to children about the days of the week and the weather, and children speak to staff about their findings. This supports children's listening and attention skills well and provides a sound foundation for their social skills and knowledge and understanding of the world. Staff sit with the children and warmly engage them in conversation. However, they sometime they miss opportunities to extend children's learning. This is because some staff have weak teaching skills and do not ask open-ended questions or encourage children to use their imaginative or critical thinking skills. Consequently, children's progress is not as rapid as it might be. Children enjoy outdoor play. For example, they use a selection of bats and balls to practice their hand to eye co- ordination skills. Children enjoy being physically active indoors. For example, children

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who attend

climb, balance and slide on the indoor climbing equipment. Books are plentiful and readily available so children can look at them independently. Varied writing materials and paper give children ample opportunities to extend their skills in making marks.

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who attend

Children are engaged in fun activities, such as potato printing and painting. They enjoy the process of creating pictures and talk through what they are doing. Staff ensure there is less emphasis on the finished product and more emphasis on the enjoyment of expressing themselves creatively. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities particularly well and the children develop trusting relationships with their key person. Positive relationships with parents and carers results in a steady two-way verbal flow of information about the children's education, care and welfare. This is particularly evident in those children who have special educational needs/disabilities. Parents are involved in their children's learning and staff provide opportunities for parents to extend their children's learning at home. For example, parents borrow, play at home hints and tips. This means there is a joint approach to promoting children's individual care

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who attend

and learning, and this helps children to make progress.

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

The staff provide a warm and welcoming environment. Children are very happy, well settled and have formed sound emotional attachments to their key person and all the staff. Children's all-round development and emotional well-being is supported. As a result, children feel secure and cared for. Staff seek detailed information from parents about their child's routines and needs, which helps them to provide support for them during the settling-in period. Overall, children behave appropriately. They show they understand some rules, such as sharing and taking turns when using the toys. However, some staff are not consistent in using positive reinforcement to help children to learn about the expectations for their behaviour. For example, staff use stern voices, saying 'don't run', as opposed to asking the children to walk. In addition, some staff remove children from situations without explaining what is expected of them. This means that children do not

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

always learn how to behave appropriately or how to play together in an acceptable manner.

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

Children learn to use the toilet independently and they know they need to wash their hands after using the toilet in order to prevent the spread of infection. Children serve themselves with their own milk and water at snack time. As a result, they develop suitable independence and self-help skills. Furthermore, children put on their coats for outside play and some older children use the bathroom without support from staff. Children are encouraged to be physically active and they access outside play every day. This aids their continuing well-being. Safety within the pre-school is good. Children cannot leave unattended and the secure entrance prevents anyone entering without the knowledge of staff. All visitors are required to sign in and out. An emergency evacuation plan is in place and fully understood by staff.

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

Children develop an awareness and understanding of how to stay safe by practising regular emergency evacuation procedures. Children can independently access a range of suitable resources and materials. However, the range of activities and resources does not always fully challenge and motivate the children. For example, staff choose the toys and resources to put out before children arrive at the pre-school. There is little regard given to changing the resources throughout the day if children appear disinterested with the toys on offer. This means that children occasionally wander aimlessly or fight for what is on offer, for instance the bats and balls outside. Staff foster children's sense of security well as they prepare to move on to school. For example, the pre-school dedicate one afternoon a week to a Steps to School session where children take part in fun learning experiences such as phonics and numbers, in preparation for school. In addition, the manager invites

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

teachers to visit children at the pre-school. This provides an opportunity for children to meet them in a secure and familiar environment, and also enables staff to share children's achievements with their new teachers.

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provision

Staff have a suitable knowledge of child protection issues and the provider ensures that they implement safeguarding policies and procedures effectively. Staff attend safeguarding training and are fully aware of the possible signs of abuse, what to do and who to contact should there be any concerns. Risk assessments are in place to ensure that all areas children access, both indoors and outdoors are safe and suitable. All staff hold current paediatric first-aid qualifications. This enables them to respond to any minor accidents and children's medical needs swiftly, both on the premises or on any outings with children. All the required records, policies and procedures are in place and up-to- date, including the recording of medication and accidents. This helps to secure the children's safety and well-being. Recruitment procedures are secure, which ensures only those suited to working at the pre-school are selected. For example, prior to staff

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provision

beginning at the pre-school, the provider takes up references and a maintains a record of their individual Disclosure and Barring Service checks. Additionally, new members of staff follow an appropriate induction procedure.

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provision

In order to address children's welfare needs the provider and manager ensure that staff keep their first-aid, food hygiene and safeguarding knowledge up to date. The manager works directly with staff and children on a daily basis and has a clear overview of all aspects of the pre-school. She monitors all children's progress because she uses a tracking document to assess and collate their achievements. This means that the manager and staff can identify any children that are not making expected progress. The committee, manager and staff are working hard to make changes and improve practice. They have addressed recommendations raised at previous inspections and have identified strengths and weaknesses within the pre-school. In addition, with feedback from parents and local authority support officers, they have identified priorities for continued improvement. For instance, the provider has accurately identified the lack of staff supervision sessions as a

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provision

weakness. Staff do not receive consistent ongoing support and guidance to help them develop their skills and this has led to inconsistencies in practice and teaching that is variable in quality. This means children do not make good progress in their learning and development, overall.

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provision

The manager and staff develop positive relationships with parents. All staff are approachable and show a genuine interest in the children and their families. The pre- school keep parents fully informed by displaying forthcoming events and topics planned for their children, through noticeboards and newsletters. Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection comment positively about the care and learning provided. Staff have good links with the local school and organise regular visits to prepare the older children for the move into full time education. The pre-school has established wider partnerships with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage, such as nurseries. This helps to ensure children receive continuity in their care and learning if they attend more than one setting. The staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Partnership working with external agencies and professionals such as the local authority

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provision

and speech and language therapists, is in place and helps to ensure all children are supported to reach their full potential.

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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 253426 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 871522

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 25 Name of provider Hickling Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 22/06/2010 Telephone number 07788932829

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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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