Bushytails Pre-School

Bushytails Pre-School Kingsthorpe Village Primary School, Knights Lane, NORTHAMPTON, Northamptonshire, NN2 6QL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/12/2014 13/12/2011

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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

 Staff treat the children with kindness and respect. As a result, children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure, which effectively supports their emotional well-being.  Safeguarding procedures are secure and security within the pre-school is given high priority.  Management and staff effectively work in partnership with parents, schools and other professionals. This results in an integrated approach to children's care, learning and development.

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It is not yet good because

 The provider has not accurately recorded information about the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed and Ofsted has not been notified of recent changes to the committee. This compromises the effective management of the pre- school.  Staff do not always use information from their observations to shape the children's further learning experiences. Consequently, the planning of activities is not always sharply focused on children's precise learning needs.  The supervision of the staff is not sufficiently robust. This restricts opportunities to improve the staff's personal effectiveness and results in inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, such as at story time.

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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 had a tour of the premises during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the two playrooms and the playground of the adjoining school.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the nominated representative of the committee and the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with children and the staff at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children and discussed the setting's self-evaluation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Bushytails Pre-School opened in 1960 and is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from a portable cabin within the grounds of Kingsthorpe Village Primary School, in the village of Kingsthorpe, Northampton and is managed by a committee of parents. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. Children have access to areas of the school grounds for outdoor play. The pre-school employs nine members of childcare staff. Five members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The pre-school opens from 8.45am to 11.45am and 12.30pm to 3.30pm, with a lunch club on Monday to Thursday from 11.45am to 12.30pm. Children are able to attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 43 children attending who are in the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old

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Information about the setting

children. It is able to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 ensure that Ofsted is notified of changes to the committee and an accurate record of information is maintained about the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed

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must:

 ensure ongoing assessment is consistently used to inform the planning of challenging activities that are fully matched to the children's learning needs, and therefore, helps them to make the best possible progress

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must:

 ensure supervision of the staff is fully effective in order to provide consistent coaching to support their continual personal effectiveness.

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

 review the organisation of story time sessions to ensure all children are fully engaged and benefit from the learning experiences offered.

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who attend

Children enjoy their time at the pre-school and happily participate in the range of activities and learning experiences provided. For example, children seek out their friends to share experiences in the hairdresser's role-play area, and work together to build a large train track for their trains. Children's personal social and emotional development is given high priority at the pre-school. As a result, children are developing the confidence to express their own preferences and their ability to deal with new social situations. For example, children proudly stand in front of their parents and other friends to perform their well- rehearsed Christmas songs, such as Jingle bells and Twinkle, twinkle Christmas star. Their facial expressions and body language demonstrate their delight and enthusiasm. Staff are currently embedding new procedures to record the children's development. They now primarily use hand-held tablets to record children's achievements. Staff regularly complete

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who attend

and assess their observations of the children as they play. Consequently, the staff have a suitable overview of the children's development in order to monitor and track their progress. However, staff do not always effectively use this information to shape further challenging learning experiences, based on the children's next steps and interests. Some staff are less confident when discussing and planning children's precise next steps. This is because the staff have primarily focused their priorities on recording their observations and assessments of the children's achievements onto their hand held tablets. This has resulted in less emphasis on the day-to-day planning of challenging activities for children to ensure they can make better progress.

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who attend

Staff understand that young children become familiar with their environment through relating and communicating with others and engaging physically in their experiences. As a result, children develop appropriate foundations in their learning and development in readiness for school. Staff build on the children's interests as they play and suitably shape their teaching strategies, language and questioning techniques accordingly. For example, staff support children to complete more complex number puzzles while encouraging them to count and recognise written numerals. In addition, staff play board games with the children to further support their mathematical development. As a result, children learn to listen to instructions, take their turn and older children are beginning to develop some simple calculation skills. Staff support all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to develop their listening and speaking skills. They

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who attend

engage the children in conversations, which encourages them to think and use language to respond. For example, older children describe the features of their Christmas tree and talk about recent visits to see Father Christmas. In addition, staff uses sign language and introduce new words during the context of the children's play. Children handle books carefully, showing an interest in the illustrations. However, there are some variances in teaching and staff are not always successful in engaging all children during group story time. This is because occasionally the size of the group and the choice of story is not always appropriate for all children. As a result, the children's attention is not always sustained and learning opportunities are not fully maximised during this time.

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who attend

Parents are warmly welcomed into the pre-school. Communication throughout the pre- school is friendly and purposeful. Staff encourage parents to provide information about their children's starting points on entry. This information is then used to aid the settling-in and initial assessment process. Parents can talk to their child's key person daily and receive consistent updates on their child's progress. For example, parents receive regular written summaries of their child's progress throughout the year, can access their child's learning journal and are invited to regular consultation evenings. Additionally, staff make suitable use of the progress check completed for children between the age of two and three years, so that they are aware of their progress at this stage. This is shared with the parents and agreed next steps are planned.

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

Children and their families are warmly welcomed into this friendly pre-school. This is further enhanced by the implementation of the key-person system, which provides consistency for the child and their parents. Staff respect the children's individual personalities and treat them with kindness. As a result, children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure, which effectively supports their emotional well-being. For example, children naturally seek comfort and support from the staff if they are feeling upset and happily include them in their play. Care is taken to gather relevant information about children's care needs at the start of the placement. A gradual settling-in process ensures each child's emotional security. This is because parents are welcome to stay and help settle their child, and staff take time to find out about each child's preferences and routines. For example, information is exchanged to ensure that specific dietary needs and

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

preferences are catered for and that any medical needs are known and accurately met. This effectively promotes continuity in the children's care. Staff understand the importance of emotionally preparing and supporting older children as they move onto Reception class at school. Staff talk positively to the children about making new friends and the new activities they will participate in. In addition, transition documents are shared and Reception teachers are encouraged to visit the children in the pre-school environment during the summer term.

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

The pre-school environment is safe and generally clean. Children have adequate opportunities to independently select additional resources for themselves. This is because some of the resources are available in accessible low-level drawers. Staff understand how to safeguard children. A suitable number of staff hold paediatric first-aid certificates and accurate records are maintained of any accidents or any medicines administered. Staff appropriately support the children to develop a sense of their own personal safety. For example, children are taught road safety during outings around the local community. Furthermore, children are encouraged to take appropriate safe risks on the apparatus in the adjoining school playground. Staff build the children's self-esteem and confidence through their praise and encouragement. They appropriately support all children to play and learn together and develop control over their actions. For example, staff remind

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

young children to be kind and caring towards one another and explain why certain behaviours are not acceptable. As a result, children are beginning to accept the needs of others, to share and take their turn.

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

Children are appropriately supported to develop their understanding of the importance of healthy exercise and a healthy diet. For example, children willingly explore the apparatus in the adjoining school playground. They walk along the wobbly bridge, chase their friends and play games together, such as What's the time Mr Wolf? Healthy snack options are provided and snack time provides opportunities for social development. Additionally, staff use this time to encourage good manners and to further develop the children's self-care skills and their sense of responsibility. For example, children wash their own hands, pour their own drinks and independently select their choice of snack.

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provision

Management and staff understand their role and duty to protect children from harm. They understand the indicator signs of abuse and written safeguarding procedures, local guidance and appropriate contact details of professional agencies are in place to support staff practice. Recruitment procedures are secure. Appropriate checks are carried out to ensure staff suitability for their roles and responsibilities. For example, references are taken up prior to staff beginning at the pre-school and a Disclosure and Barring Service check is obtained. However, the provider has not accurately recorded information about how the identity checks and vetting processes have been completed for every member of staff. For example, the manager has not recorded Disclosure and Barring Service check reference numbers and the date the disclosures were obtained, including details of who obtained it. Additionally, while the impact on the children is minimal, the management

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provision

committee has not told Ofsted about recent changes to some members of the committee. The provider has, therefore, failed to meet the legal responsibilities of the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Risks assessments are regularly reviewed and daily visual checks are carried out to ensure the environment is safe and secure. For example, staff ensure that the fire exits are clearly identifiable and the doors are free from obstruction and can be opened from the inside. Additionally, the premises are secure and staff carefully monitor the arrival and departure times of the children, to ensure they are only collected by authorised persons and that they do not leave the premises unnoticed.

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provision

Management and staff demonstrate they are committed to the continual development of the whole provision. Self-evaluation, including obtaining the views of parents, is used to highlight strengths and some areas for improvement, such as the development of the outdoor area. The recommendation raised at the last inspection has been met. The manager is beginning to use cohort tracking documents to monitor children's progress and any gaps in the delivery in the educational programmes. This has been effective in identifying that children were not progressing as quickly in one area of their mathematical development encompassing shape, space and measure. As a result, staff have introduced a wider range of activities to enhance this aspect of their learning. Management and staff hold appropriate levels of qualifications according to their post. The manager completes annual staff appraisals and has recently introduced some peer-on-peer observations.

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provision

However, arrangements for the supervision of staff are currently informal and irregular. Consequently, opportunities for the staff to receive coaching to enable them to improve their personal effectiveness are not sufficiently robust, reflected in the weaknesses practice with regard to planning and the organisation of story time.

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provision

Management and staff develop effective partnerships with external agencies in order to secure appropriate interventions for children to receive the support they need. For example, appropriate links have been established with Portage professionals to support children's development. As a result, children are making progress in relation to their starting points. Furthermore, management and staff develop effective partnerships with the adjoining school. Children are invited to attend the nativity performance and enjoy observing the newly hatched chicks at the adjoining school. These experiences broaden children's knowledge and support transitions into school. This is because the children develop a familiarity with the adjoining school environment and begin to develop relationships with their future teachers. Management and staff develop positive relationships with parents. They show a genuine interest in the children and their

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provision

familiars. Parents are aware of who their child's key person is and some useful information is displayed on the noticeboard. In addition, parents have access to all policies and procedures that underpin the running of the pre-school. Parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection commented positively about the care and learning provided.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure Ofsted is informed of changes of circumstances as soon as they occur and no later than 14 working days after the changes occur (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  ensure Ofsted is informed of changes of circumstances as soon as they occur and no later than 14 working days after the changes occur (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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 EY271062 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 856106

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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 43 Name of provider Bushytails Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 13/12/2011 Telephone number 07765970912

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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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