Puddleducks Pre-School (Colchester) Ltd

Puddleducks Pre-School (Colchester) Ltd Kendall Primary School, Recreation Road, COLCHESTER, CO1 2HH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/12/2014 24/03/2010

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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 have a secure knowledge of how children learn. Teaching strategies are effective which mean children make very good progress and in particular with their language development.  Children form warm relationships with their key persons, who are extremely attentive to their needs. This means children make positive emotional attachments and settle quickly.  Staff have established very strong partnerships with parents, agencies and other early years professionals. As a result, information is effectively shared and children settle quickly as they are offered continuity of care.  Children are protected from harm as all staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children and ensure children's safety is robustly maintained.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The accessibility of some resources means that younger children cannot always independently self-select toys to support their spontaneous play.  The routine at mealtimes is not always efficiently organised. This means children's learning is not fully maximised at this time and occasionally children become bored.

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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 in the playroom and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation of children's activities with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager, and spoke to children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and some written policy documents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plans  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Puddleducks Pre-school (Colchester) Ltd was registered in 1995 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated within the grounds of Kendall Primary School in Colchester, Essex, and is privately owned and managed. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from purpose-built premises and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The pre-school employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 to level 6, including one member with Early Years Professional status. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during school term. Sessions are from 8.30am until 3pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 53 children on roll 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

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Information about the setting

children who speak English as an additional language and 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:

 enhance the already good care practices by reviewing the organisation of mealtimes to reduce waiting times and maintain children's emotional well-being

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

 focus more precisely on developing ways for younger children to access and select resources to ensure that all children can choose resources independently to support their spontaneous play.

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who attend

Children are provided with a challenging and exciting educational programme. They are offered a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning opportunities. This means their continuous progress is supported to a high standard and they consistently make good progress. All staff members have a secure understanding of how to promote the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are offered a variety of quality resources both indoors and outdoors. The playroom and outdoor learning environment is set out with designated areas for learning. For example, children's creativity is supported as they use a variety of art materials to express themselves. They access resources to support their early writing skills and children show sustained levels of concentration as they write their name and use envelopes to post their letters. Children have immense fun as they experiment using a mixture of ingredients to

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who attend

see what happens. Staff are skilful when speaking to children and encourage children to think critically and ensure they have time to respond. They introduce new words, such as 'gloopy' and 'texture'. Children have lots of opportunity to role play real-life situations. For example, children take care of their babies and cook dinner using the play house and make good use of the dressing-up props. Children thoroughly enjoy using sensory materials to explore and discover things for themselves, for example, they are fascinated as they use shells to listen to the sea. They find treasure in boxes and enjoy feeling the different textures of fabrics. While some resources are accessible to support children's spontaneous play, younger children are not able to consistently self-select. This is because not all toys are accessible at their height or stored where they can see them so that they know what is available. This means that younger children have fewer opportunities to

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who attend

initiate their own play and learning spontaneously as they have to ask for the resources they require. Staff support children's interests and promote opportunities for effective learning. For example, activities are presented on the floor or on low tables or in trays, so that all children can use them comfortably.

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who attend

Staff have high expectations for children in their care and effectively support them to make progress based on their initial assessments when starting pre-school. Staff interact effectively, are very caring and know children well. They are softly spoken and give children lots of eye contact, get down to their level to play and listen to what children have to say. Children's language development is extremely well promoted to a high standard. This includes support for children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Good use is made of visual prompts throughout the pre-school. Following the last inspection, staff have improved the support offered to children learning English as an additional language, as their home language is fully embraced within the pre-school. For example, staff ensure they have knowledge of key words in the child's home language. Text is displayed in different

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who attend

languages and children's popular stories are offered in dual languages. Parents are encouraged to come to stay and play sessions and read to children in their home language. Children participate in interactive stories where they have to listen to instruction and learn new words and signing also helps children to communicate.

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who attend

Parents are positively encouraged to be involved in their children's learning. They are encouraged to share their child's progress at home, by contributing to the children's progress records. Observations and assessments, including the required progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, are accurately recorded. These are supported using samples of children's work and photographs. Staff have established excellent links with other agencies and professionals, to ensure a shared approach to care for children who attend more than one setting. The manager has been extremely pro- active establishing positive working relationships, as she understands the importance of a shared approach. This means that children receive timely interventions and consistent support. This also means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive very good support to ensure that the achievement gap closes quickly.

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who attend

Children progress well and are effectively developing the skills they need for their future learning and eventual move to school. The manager is very knowledgeable in her understanding on how to support children moving to new settings. This is because she is actively involved in a new initiative in Colchester called The School Readiness programme and works closely with the local schools. Children take part in physical education classes. They learn to and practice dressing themselves in sports kit and plimsolls. Children learn to listen to and follow simple instructions. For example, they participate daily in language bite sessions where they listen to new words that are introduced and respond to staff requests, such as 'show me a little stretch'. Children use a comfortable book area to enjoy stories and share books with their friends. They sit on cosy cushions and select stories of their choice developing a real love of books and understanding that text has meaning.

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who attend

Staff offer lots of praise for their efforts. Children's achievements are celebrated, for example, as their pictures, writing and art work are displayed within the playroom. Children's mathematical development is supported well. Children concentrate and use sand and water to explore volume and capacity as they fill pots. They talk about shapes including three-dimensional shapes and learn new mathematical words, such as 'octagon' and 'hexagon'. In addition, they enjoy singing favourite number songs. Number lines are displayed indoors and outdoors.

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

Children arrive at the pre-school keen and eager to learn. They settle quickly and happily leave their parents. This is because of an effective settling-in process. Good information is provided for parents regarding the importance and role of the key person. Details and photographs of the key groups are displayed for parents to see and within the children's progress files. Information is exchanged with the key person before children attend to ensure staff know them well. For example, parents complete documents detailing their child's individual needs. Assessments are made regarding children's abilities on entry and their language development is assessed, which includes an assessment of their home language. This promotes continuity and consistency in care. Children confidently approach staff for help and reassurance as they have formed close attachments with them. Children enjoy cuddles while listening to stories. They are comfortable with visitors to the pre-

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

school asking many questions about their visit and engaging them in their play. Children are effectively supported emotionally when it is time to move on to school. Very good working relationships have been established with the host school. Teachers from the host and other local primary schools are invited to visit children at pre-school so that children can become familiar with them. Activities are planned and children visit their new school with their key person to ensure they are emotionally prepared for their next stage of learning.

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

Children play in a stimulating and most welcoming, bright and clean learning environment. Children understand the clear boundaries and expectations that are reinforced by staff, who are positive role models. Overall, children's behaviour is good. Some children demonstrate challenging behaviour and this is managed effectively. They receive good support and strategies in place, such as the use of a sand timer, help children understand how to take turns. Children receive plenty of praise and staff have a consistent approach to managing behaviour so that all children receive clear messages. Good communication with parents means children receive a consistent approach. Training is completed to refresh staff's knowledge on how best to manage behaviour positively and ensures that the behaviour management policy is consistently implemented.

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

Staff teach children ways to keep themselves safe and healthy. For example, children enjoy fresh air and exercise daily as they make independent choices as to where they play. They make good use of the outdoor environment. The provision of all weather playsuits and boots mean children can use this rich learning environment throughout the year. Children enjoy many activities to support their physical development. They have fun negotiating space using ride-on toys. They learn how to safely evacuate the building during fire drills so that they know what to do in the event of an emergency. Children are supported by staff to develop their independence skills, for example, children confidently take care of their personal needs. This is because they can access the toilet independently. Nappy changing procedures are good to ensure children are protected from cross-infection. Children know to wash their hands and talk about germs. They

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

independently choose when they want to eat snack as healthy nutritious snacks are offered at snack time, which is regarded as a social occasion. Children are learning to use knives safely as they are closely supervised when cutting up fruits for snack. A lunch club is offered and children enjoy this time to eat their packed lunch bought from home. This is regarded as a social occasion and staff sit with children. However, lunchtime is not always efficiently organised and this means some children become bored as they spend sometime waiting for their friends to finish. In addition, learning opportunities are not maximised at this time.

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provision

The manager and her team of staff are committed and dedicated to provide children with a quality provision. They are all fully aware of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Detailed policies and procedures are in place and promote children's safety, health and well-being. These are effectively implemented and regularly reviewed and updated. All documentation relating to safeguarding supports the efficient running of the pre-school. Risk assessments are thorough and evaluated to ensure they are effective. A robust policy is in place to ensure safe recruitment and all staff complete appropriate checks to ensure they are suitable to work with children. Staff are clear about their roles and are deployed effectively; ensuring children are supervised at all times. For example, staff are vigilant as children flow freely from indoors to outdoors to ensure ratios are maintained and all children are offered a good level of support. All staff members fully

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provision

understand their responsibility to protect children from harm and give safeguarding high priority. They are fully supported by the manager and have completed safeguarding and first-aid training to ensure they know how to respond effectively to any incidents or accidents.

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provision

Effective monitoring of staff performance and regular supervision meetings provide opportunities to discuss possible training needs and enhance teaching practice. Staff work well as a team and morale is high as a result. The staff feel valued because they are able to discuss their own professional development. The manager monitors all aspects of pre- school practice, including the educational programme and how effectively all children, as well as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported and progressing. All staff contribute and monitor the planning process to ensure children's next steps in learning are fully considered. Because of accurate monitoring, any gaps in learning are quickly identified. Appropriate support is put in place to ensure individual groups of children or groups of children are accurately tracked and fully supported.

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provision

Partnership working with parents is promoted and well established. They are encouraged to be closely involved with their children's learning. Staff routinely invite parents to contribute to their learning records. Parents are warmly welcomed into the pre-school and can stay and play. Regular newsletters, notices and daily discussions ensure parents are kept updated about what is happening at pre-school and information is regularly updated on the pre-school website. Parents have daily opportunities to discuss children's progress but are also able to arrange more formal meetings if required. Parents speak very positively of all aspects of the pre-school. Comments include how well their children progress in their language development and in particular those children who speak English as an additional language. Parents comment that they are 'extremely happy with every aspect of the provision' and that 'staff are friendly, approachable and supportive'. Relevant

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provision

and useful information is shared informally with the Reception teachers at the host school. The pre-school also prepare a leaving profile of the children's abilities in preparation for their next stage of learning. This means teachers are prepared and ready to support the children as they move to full-time education.

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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 EY400272 Local authority Essex Inspection number 860149

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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 53 Name of provider PuddleDucks Pre-School (Colchester) Ltd Date of previous inspection 24/03/2010 Telephone number 07807 938 106

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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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