Sandcastles Pre-school

Sandcastles Castle Primary School, Barrington Street, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 6QR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/01/2015 10/02/2011

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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 promote the good health of all children effectively.  Staff plan suitably challenging and interesting activities to engage children and help them make good progress, in particular, for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Children settle in quickly and develop positive relationships with staff and other children, due to the caring environment that staff establish.  The manager and staff team routinely reflect on the quality of the setting and teaching, to ensure good outcomes for all children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although staff provide some opportunities for children to use writing implements during outside play, resources are not consistently available for children to practise their early reading or writing skills.  On occasion, staff do not maximise opportunities to engage children in small self-care tasks, to support them to become more independent.

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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 children's play both indoors and outside.  The inspector and manager completed a joint observation.  The inspector talked with some parents, children and staff.  The inspector held discussions with the manager.  The inspector sampled a range of documents.

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Information about the setting

Sandcastles in Tiverton, Devon, registered in 1992. The setting moved into new premises in January 2010, still on the Castle School site. There is a room available for children under three years which can be split to accommodate babies, and a main playroom for children over three years. Children have access to outdoor play areas. There are currently 88 children on roll in the early years age group, attending at different times. The setting also provides care for children aged five years to 11 years of age. The provision is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The setting is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year. The setting offers before and after school care from 8am to 9am and from 3.30pm to 6pm for children attending Castle School. A play scheme operates during school

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Information about the setting

holidays, which is open to all children in the community. There are 18 members of staff, 16 work directly with children. Of these, 15 hold relevant early years qualifications. The setting provides care for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language.

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

 increase the range of outdoor literacy resources further to engage children in stimulating activities that extend their early reading and writing skills

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

 enhance opportunities for children to undertake small self-care tasks to further support their personal and physical development.

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who attend

Staff sit with children and interact with their chosen activity to extend their thinking and play. For example, a staff member sat with a child playing with construction toys. They discussed what the child was doing and made suggestions together, making sounds for the flying vehicles he created. Staff plan purposeful learning experiences through small group activities to enhance children's mathematical and language skills. This helps them to meet individual children's development needs, in preparation for the next stage in their learning, including moving to school. Staff further support children to develop their mathematical skills by counting the number of children present during registration. They support children to develop their communication very well. From a young age, children attempt to repeat the sign language that staff role model. Staff surround children with language, to familiarise them with key words and appropriate sentence structure. Children

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who attend

develop an interest in books because staff ensure that there is time to look at them in groups and individually each day. Staff extend children's knowledge of letters and sounds. They routinely help children to identify their written name. This all helps to develop children's literacy skills.

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who attend

Staff provide a good range of age-appropriate resources. They are stored at low-level and are easily accessible, both indoors and outside. As a result, children make independent choices in their play and develop new interests. However, on occasion, there are fewer opportunities for them to develop early writing and reading skills outdoors. For example, although children enthusiastically choose to play at the sand table, staff sometimes overlook other equipment to offer children a greater selection of resources.

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who attend

Staff take time to get to know children and their parents when they start. Parents attend settling in sessions with their children to become familiar with staff and complete informative records. These outline their child's likes, dislikes and interests, which helps staff to plan activities that support children to settle well and engage in well-matched learning experiences from the beginning. Staff make regular observations of children's achievements and record this information in individual learning journeys. This helps them to plan new and challenging experiences that meet their individual needs and as a result, children progress well.

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who attend

Staff regularly summarise children's progress. This allows them to highlight children's strengths and areas for further development and to put plans in place to support their needs accordingly. For example, where necessary, staff provide additional support for some children to enhance their communication and language, and personal, social and emotional skills. This meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Learning diaries are available for parents to view whenever they wish. Staff work in partnership with parents, and as a result, fully support children in their overall development. Staff encourage parents to share information from home or any new interests their child may have, which helps them to further support children's changing interests. Similarly, staff form links with other settings that children attend, to enable complementary learning.

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

Children show close relationships with their friends and happily choose to sit next to other children within their age room during lunchtime. Attachments between children and staff are strong. The staff team work hard to ensure all children settle quickly into the nursery. Upon arrival each day, staff greet children warmly by name, and they sing to each child individually during registration, which makes them feel welcome and increases their self- esteem. Staff know children well and this helps them to provide experiences and resources that interest each child. For example, a member of staff remembers that a child has a dislike of the animal toys so instead provides sensory balls, which captures the child's interest. Children's emotional development benefits from these secure attachments, and they show they feel safe and secure through their positive behaviour. Meal times are a social occasion and children are developing good table manners, waiting

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

patiently for their turn to take food from plates at snack time and to pour their drinks. Staff model the good behaviour they expect from children. They routinely use praise to encourage children and build their self-esteem, sometimes with the use of stickers, which children respond to enthusiastically. Staff encourage them to undertake small self-care tasks within the nursery routine, such as pouring their drinks, which they manage competently. However, sometimes staff miss opportunities to develop their independence further, such as consistently encouraging children to chop soft fruit, and to put on their own coats and aprons.

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

Staff use mealtimes to promote healthy eating with the children, reminding children to eat their sandwiches before selecting their treats. Staff are aware of any allergies children have. They provide parents with information to remind them of foods that should not be included in their children's packed lunches, such as nuts, to promote the health of children with food allergies. Children understand the need to wash their hands at appropriate times to prevent the spread of cross-infection and manage this task independently. Staff encourage younger children to brush their teeth after meals. This all promotes children's understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. Staff record the presence of children, staff and visitors, which helps them to maintain the safety of all individuals during emergency evacuations. Children practise this procedure regularly with adults; they learn how to leave the premises quickly and safely in the event of an emergency.

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provision

The manager and deputy work well together and there is a strong sense of teamwork at the nursery. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities, and consequently, routines run smoothly. They monitor and track the progress of individual children. This helps them identify all children's next steps in learning and successfully plan to support their progression. This helps children gain the skills they will need to be ready for school.

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provision

Management and staff have a secure understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They regularly review policies and share these with parents. This helps staff and parents to understand the procedures and routines. Management and staff have a clear understanding of the importance of safeguarding children and reflect this in their practice. This includes completing appropriate checks on all staff to ensure they are suitable to work with children. Management and staff ensure the premises are safe and secure. They complete daily checks of the premises to minimise hazards and to keep children safe. All staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications and appropriate training in child protection and first aid. Consequently, they promote children's welfare and safety well.

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provision

Management implement appropriate arrangements to recruit new staff and ascertain their suitability to work with children, through checks and references. New staff quickly identify their roles and responsibilities through an induction. Staff benefit from regular supervision meeting and appraisals, where the manager identifies their professional development needs so they can build on their strengths and improve their practice. Staff observe each other's practice and share strengths and areas for development in a supportive way that promotes reflective practice. Consequently, staff learn from each other and identify an action plan to help them build upon their skills.

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provision

Management and staff work together to monitor the outcomes for children and complete a detailed self-evaluation to set out changes they will implement to enhance practice further. For example, the setting now provides snack for all children to ensure they access nutritious food during the morning, which promotes children's health. Additionally, staff have recently introduced a new system of recording children's skills and understanding upon entry to the setting, to clearly monitor the progress they make from the start.

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provision

Management send out parent questionnaires twice a year to explore ideas that parents may have to improve the setting. This feedback is summarised and shared with parents, so that they can clearly see the consensus and any action that management intend to take as a result. The completed questionnaires are very positive. Parents state that staff form excellent relationships with their children, they arrive at the nursery excited to see their friends and the staff. They say that their children make good progress in their development and that staff regularly inform them of their children's achievements, and involve them in their children's experiences at the setting.

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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 106024 Local authority Devon Inspection number 987830 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 137 Name of provider Sandcastles Committee Date of previous inspection 10/02/2011 Telephone number 01884 257546

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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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