Crabtree Pre-School

Crabtree Pre-School The New Community Centre, Faircross, Hermitage, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 9TL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/12/2014 21/10/2008

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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

 Children are settled and content at the pre-school. They enjoy a variety of activities, which give depth and breadth across the seven areas of learning.  Staff promote children's care and welfare needs very well. Children are happy in a safe environment and enjoy strong relationships with the nursery staff.  Staff assigned to the care of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities support these children well.  Partnerships with parents are strong. The staff exchange daily information with parents to promote continuity of care.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 At times, older children over-direct play which results in some younger children not always being fully included.

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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 in the indoor areas and in the garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection, during and after activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation, including progress records and planning documents, and discussed these with staff.  The inspector and manager conducted a joint observation.  The inspector spoke to available parents at inspection.

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Information about the setting

The Crabtree Pre-School is registered on the Early Years Register. The pre-school registered in 1991. It operates from the Community Centre on the Faircross estate in Hermitage, near Thatcham, in Berkshire. The pre-school is open during term time only, Monday and Friday from 9.15- 1pm. Then on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9.15am to 4pm. Children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor area. There are currently 20 children on roll in the early years age range. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. All children share access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area. The setting employs five staff, and four of these hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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

 enhance older and younger children's relationships together, so they can learn to share.

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who attend

Children in the pre-school are making strong progress in their learning and development. The staff work well together and have strong understanding of their role in providing good quality care and learning for all the children. Staff assigned to the care of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities support these children well. As a result, this enables them to enhance and support outcomes for children.

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who attend

Staff support children's communication and language development very well. They interact with children purposefully and promote critical thinking through effective questioning. For example, during a craft activity staff ask children what they will need to make wheels for a dustbin lorry. Children's listening skills and attention is well supported through individual and group story times. Overall, staff are skilful in allowing the children time to lead their self-chosen activities and know when to stand back. For example, as children explore the world mat and play imaginary with the animals. This demonstrates good quality teaching. Children have free access to art materials, which promotes their creativity successfully. For example, they explore with scissors, tape, pens and sand to make different marks and create objects.

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who attend

Children happily play with staff during adult-led and spontaneous activities. For example, when outside the children pretend to be fishes as staff drive the boats for the fishing trips. Children have good opportunity to advance and promote their physical development as they join in with action songs, and ride bicycles and tricycles in the garden. This productively promotes the children's moving and handling skills. Staff support children's mathematical knowledge and development very well. As they provide accessible mathematical resources and activities, such as sorting and counting coloured objects into bowls. In addition, their knowledge with shapes and sizes as they complete puzzles, and fit together the road tracks.Children's readiness for school is promoted well through routines and role-play, such as changing shoes on arrival and before going outside, and during dressing up. This helps children learn to manage fastenings and buttons with

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who attend

support from staff. This supports their good skills for the future as they become independent in their self-care.

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who attend

Staff complete regular observations and assessments on children during their play, then skilfully link next steps for learning into the planning. This advances the children learning and development effectively. Parents have regular meetings and informal discussion with their child's key person, this keeps them well informed about their child's learning and enables parents to continue the learning at home. Good methods are used to enhance working relationships and share experiences from home. For example, the pre-school uses 'bamboo' the bear which children take home and record what they are doing with him for a shared show and tell. This successfully supports continuity in care at home and at the pre-school.

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

Children arrive confidently and assertively into the pre-school. They demonstrate that they are happy and feel safe within the pre-school as they separate from their parents/carers with ease. They welcome visitors with confidence and engage purposefully with them as they look at books together. This shows that they are self-assured and developing their confidence. The key-person approach is well embedded at the pre-school and the staff know the children well. Good settling-in procedures and home visits assist the key person's awareness of the children coming into their care. This allows for children's interests to be met and planning made individual. Overall, children's self-esteem is fostered and their confidence increases because they receive a good amount of praise and encouragement from staff. Most children behave well, however, at times, some older children over direct the play of younger children. This has a slight negative effect on

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

younger children's play and exploration. For example, in the 'baby clinic' some children are told to get out of the clinic as they have not been called yet, and others are left waiting on the chair until the 'doctor' is ready. Staff do not always respond quickly enough to help children to be more sensitive to the needs of others.

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

Children health and well-being is suitably supported as they play in a clean, well-organised environment. Staff support children's good health and well-being through effective hygiene practices, and good discussion on how to support their health. Staff use opportunities such as meal times to develop the children's independence. For example, children confidently self-select their snacks and are encouraged to open the packaging on the lunches brought from home. This supports children's self-help skills. All toys and resources are of good quality and are effectively used to enhance children's development. Staff all have paediatric first-aid training, and this helps them to act accordingly in the event of illness or an accident. Children are developing a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Staff remind them to use their 'walking feet' inside and they regularly practise the fire drill. In addition, the children learn how to use tools safely, such as

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

tweezers and scissors. Children have daily opportunities to be active in the outdoor area.

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provision

The leadership team and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare, and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This enables them to meet the requirements well and offer good quality teaching and learning to children. The staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities with regards to safeguarding children, and they have all undertaken safeguarding training. Good procedures are in place to safeguard the children. For example, risk assessments are undertaken prior to children's arrival, help to identify and address potential hazards to ensure children's safety. Secure recruitment procedures are followed and all staff and committee members are checked to ensure their suitability is appropriate to be with and work alongside the children. Good policies and procedures are in place, this includes comprehensive procedures of the safeguarding processes. These are

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provision

all available to parents to enable them to understand the pre-school's responsibilities and duty of care.

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provision

The staffing team work well together and provide a calming environment for the children to play and learn. Their practise is well promoted by the effective support, monitoring and appraisals systems offered by the leadership team. Self-evaluation systems are successful and valuable in indentifying strengths and areas for future improvement. The leadership team have been proactive in making improvements since their last inspection and have addressed all pervious recommendations made by Ofsted. This demonstrates good leadership skills and a strong drive for making continual improvements.

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provision

Parents benefit highly from verbal communication and a good range of information available to them. For example, they have a wealth of information available to them on the various notice boards within the pre-school and they receive a weekly bulletin. Parents' views and suggestions are well incorporated in the shape of the pre-school through their roles on the committee and through the use of questionnaires. Parents spoken to at the pre-school were praising and gracious about the staff, environment and the opportunities available to their children. The pre-school has developed strong links with other professionals involved in children's care. This promotes a consistent approach to meeting children's care and learning needs.

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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 110718 Local authority West Berkshire (Newbury) Inspection number 835862 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 20 Name of provider Crabtree Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 21/10/2008 Telephone number 01635 204387

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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

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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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