Dinnington Pre-School

Dinnington Pre School Dinnington Resource Centre, Laughton Road, DINNINGTON, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S25 2PP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/12/2014 14/09/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff use consistently good and sometimes outstanding teaching during interactions with children to extend their learning and develop their thinking skills. As a result, children make good progress in their learning and are very well prepared for school.  Staff make regular observations of children and communicate effectively with parents so they know individuals very well. Consequently, staff can quickly identify any concerns about children and plan appropriate interventions.  Children are very confident, settled and extremely independent at the pre-school because expert staff provide a highly stimulating environment and skilfully build emotionally secure attachments with children.  Staff regularly attend detailed safeguarding training and use their expert knowledge to implement excellent procedures so that children are protected.  Staff are supported by an effective professional development programme that improves

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This provision is good

their knowledge and understanding. As a result, children benefit from continually improving quality of teaching.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff occasionally do not assess children's learning as precisely as possible because procedures to moderate assessments are not yet embedded in practice. Consequently, assessments do not identify the most challenging next steps in learning for all children in order to raise their progress to the highest levels.

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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 children's activities in the playrooms and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the nominated person, manager, staff, key persons and children throughout the inspection.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents, including a sample of policies and procedures, children's records, planning and assessment and evidence of staff suitability.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers.

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Information about the setting

Dinnington Pre-school opened in 1965 and was re-registered in 2003. It now operates from the Dinnington Resource Centre, in a suburb of Rotherham. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The pre-school serves the local and wider communities and is on the Early Years Register. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff; all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9.15am to 12.15pm and 12.45pm to 3.45pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 39 children attending who are in the early years age group. The pre-school 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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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 develop and improve methods to moderate staff's assessments of children, so that these are more precise and used effectively to identify exact next steps that will provide the most challenge for all children and promote their rapid development.

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who attend

Staff at the pre-school use a wide range of high quality teaching strategies effectively to extend children's learning and develop their thinking skills. Leaders work hard to ensure that all staff have a very good understanding of how children learn so that they can use the best possible approach to support children. Staff model how to do new skills, for example, using oven gloves in the role-play kitchen. At other times they provide a narrative to what they are doing to help children understand what magnifying glasses do as you move them. Staff are especially skilful at supporting learning through interactions with children as they play. They know when they can challenge children by asking them open-ended questions that make them think about what they are doing. For example, children playing with programmable toys are asked where they want the robot to go and how they will make it go there. Staff know the individual children well and understand

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who attend

when other questioning approaches are more appropriate so that quieter children are sensitively engaged by simpler questions. Staff have a strong focus on supporting children's communication and language skills. They listen carefully to children, repeating key phrases to reinforce learning and asking questions that promote conversations during role play. The pre-school has clear expectations about the skills children will need when they move onto school. Staff support children to recognise their names and encourage them to begin to form letters in their writing books. Resources that promote children's understanding of number are used effectively by staff to teach children to recognise numerals and practise writing them in a small tray of sand.

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who attend

Staff make regular observations of children that detail their interests and achievements. They use these to plan the activities and additional resources they provide for children in each of the seven areas of learning. As a result, children receive a broad and interesting educational programme. Staff know the children really well because they work in partnership with parents. They discuss children's learning with parents, such as their favourite stories, and parents also share information about what their child is learning at home. As a result, staff can quickly identify any issues and work with parents to implement suitable interventions. For example, staff seek referrals to other agencies when necessary and use consistent strategies agreed with parents to support children's behaviour. Staff make regular assessments of children's progress and track this over time. These show that the majority of children make good progress as a result of the good

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who attend

quality teaching and curriculum the pre-school provide. However, assessments of learning are not always moderated effectively. Consequently, staff are over cautious on occasions and so not all assessments are precise and sharply focused. This means that for some children, planning does not always identify exactly what is needed to fully challenge their learning. As a result, not all children make really rapid progress from their starting points.

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who attend

The pre-school provides a carefully planned and well-presented range of resources so that children enjoy a rich and varied curriculum. For example, a building site activity outside includes real life tools, sand, pebbles, wooden bricks, dressing up and small world vehicles from popular television shows. Staff support children to combine the resources, using the real trowel and level, to build with the bricks. Children are able to request their favourite toys and enjoy playing together with superhero figures. Staff support children to access computer programmes effectively and teach them to use the mouse and keyboard.

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

Children settle exceptionally quickly at the pre-school because extremely sensitive staff work very hard to support them to form secure emotional attachments. Parents report how happy children are to arrive at the pre-school and that staff are highly skilled at settling children and reassuring parents. Staff start to build relationships with children and their parents when they attend for visits together. They learn from parents about children's preferences and dislikes so that staff can use children's favourite toys and stories to help them feel welcome and settled. During visits, staff encourage parents to send children to their key person for help and support. As a result, children learn to trust their key person and quickly form secure relationships. This forms a truly secure base from which children are able to explore and staff expertly promote the children's independence in routines and learning. For example, children going outside are not told to put on their

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

coats but asked what they need to go out in the cold. When they can not find their coat, staff cleverly support them by asking them what colour it is. As a result, children are taught not only to resolve the current problem but are learning strategies that will support them to solve future problems.

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

The pre-school provides a superb, highly stimulating environment that staff are proud of, parents appreciate and the local authority lead teacher recognise as high quality. It is expertly planned so that resources are presented attractively and are readily accessible to all children. This allows children to effectively lead their own play and combine resources to extend their own learning. For example, the drawing table is located near the register board so children can easily find their name card and copy this onto their picture. Staff continuously monitor the environment and make adjustments to ensure that learning opportunities are maximised according to children's needs. For example, for the younger children now attending, staff have moved baby dolls to a lower shelf so that they are within easy reach and have provided equipment, such as wheelbarrows, to allow children to transport items. Staff skilfully support children to make the most of the resources by

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

making suggestions. For example, children who have lost a toy are motivated to keep looking because staff suggest they go on a treasure hunt with the torches.

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

Staff are skilled at using every opportunity to promote children's independence and their understanding of risks. For example, children are taught to spread their own crackers at snack time and staff challenge children to explain why they should not put the knife in their mouths. As a result, children develop an excellent understanding of how to manage their own risks because they have been taught to think for themselves. The pre-school provides children with a varied choice of food at snack time and staff help them to make choices. They talk to children about their favourite foods and stimulate conversations in the role-play kitchen about what they cook at home. Consequently, children are developing a detailed understanding of healthy foods. Staff have high expectations of children and support them to develop good hygiene routines, practise good manners and manage their own personal care needs.

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

Staff have received detailed training to help them understand children's behaviours and develop effective strategies to teach children about how to handle their emotions. They use their expert knowledge to acknowledge children's feelings when they are upset, which creates a supportive environment. As a result, children are able to freely express how they feel and staff use this to help children learn to amend their behaviour. Staff form very effective partnerships with parents so that they are able to discuss and implement strategies to consistently support children's behaviour. Children are extremely confident because staff work hard to develop their self-esteem. All children's contributions are carefully and sensitively listened to so that they feel valued. For example, quieter children develop confidence to talk to staff and more boisterous children are positively encouraged to play cooperatively with other children. Children confidently ask staff to help them make

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

models from boxes and possible resources are clearly presented so that they can easily choose the shapes and colours they would like. Overall, children are extremely well prepared for starting school because of staff's skilful support at developing their personal, social and emotional skills.

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provision

Managers and staff have a secure understanding of their responsibility to safeguard children. All staff have regular training to update their knowledge and confidently describe what would cause them concern about a child's safety and well-being. There are clear policies in place so that staff and parents know how concerns are dealt with and the procedures staff should follow to report issues. The manager has good systems in place to ensure that new staff and students are suitable to work with children. Recruitment procedures are rigorous and include references, health checks and vetting processes. Staff make regular declarations about their ongoing suitability. The majority of staff have valid first-aid qualifications and work together in one large room. As a result, they can respond quickly and appropriately to emergencies. Daily checklists are used to ensure the environment is safe for children and the manager regularly reviews the accident records

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provision

so that risk assessments can be amended if necessary. Consequently, children are safe to play and explore.

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provision

Staff receive good quality professional development that allows them to continuously improve the quality of their teaching. They are encouraged to observe each other's practice and regularly discuss what good practice looks like at meetings. For example, the manager has worked hard to help staff to understand how to support children's thinking skills by asking the right types of questions as they work with them to solve problems. Staff work as a team and leaders provide ongoing feedback and support to staff about the quality of their practice as well as providing detailed supervision and appraisal meetings. Through these systems, staff are supported to identify training that will further develop the outcomes for children. For example, staff attend training about how to enhance the environment and effectively support two-year-olds in the pre-school. The manager reviews children's development records and staff's planning to ensure that they are providing a

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provision

broad range of experiences across the different areas of learning. Staff make regular assessments of children which are collated by the manager so that she can track the progress of all children. This shows that children make good, but not rapid, progress during their time at the pre-school and that gaps for those working below expected levels for their age are beginning to close. The manager has introduced new systems to moderate staff's assessments to help them confidently make precise and focused judgements of children's progress. However, this is not yet embedded in practice and occasionally staff are not able to maximise how they use assessments to effectively plan really challenging next steps in learning for all children.

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provision

The pre-school works in partnership with a range of other agencies and professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They communicate effectively with parents to discuss concerns and make referrals as necessary. Staff act on information from the speech and language therapist and use shared strategies to support children to learn how to correctly pronounce letter sounds. Support workers from the local children's centre work with the pre-school to help children and families access the support they need. The pre-school has close relationships with a number of local schools and teachers. Staff work hard to prepare children for school and support their transfer. For example, teachers visit the children at the pre-school and staff share detailed information about children's progress and achievements.

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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 EY216729 Local authority Rotherham Inspection number 869729

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 39 Name of provider Dinnington Pre-School Limited Date of previous inspection 14/09/2009 Telephone number 01909 569 158

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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