Great Shefford Under Fives

Great Shefford Under Fives Village Hall, Station Road, Great Shefford, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 7DR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/01/2015 03/12/2009

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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 provide flexible planning so that they can follow children's current interests. This helps children to make good progress in their development.  The manager and staff are extremely enthusiastic about the outdoor learning environments. This benefits children's awareness of safety and provides excellent physical challenges.  Staff implement a highly effective settling in procedure for new children. This helps to promote their emotional wellbeing remarkably well.  Staff have strong links with parents and other providers such as the local schools. This helps them to build consistency in learning and care.  Staff are excellent role models. Children behave well and learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not consistently use skilful questions to encourage children to express their own thoughts and ideas through language.  Staff do not always provide further challenges for children's mathematical development, with particular regards to quantities, adding and subtraction.

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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 compulsory part 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 activities indoors and outdoors.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector talked with staff, some children and the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector scrutinised a range of relevant documentation relating to safeguarding, suitability records, policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

Great Shefford Under Fives opened in 1971 and operates from the village hall in Great Shefford, near Hungerford in Berkshire. It is a voluntary organisation with a management committee. They are registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for children aged between two and eight years old. Currently there are 17 children on roll, aged between two and five years old. The pre- school receives government funding for free nursery education for three- and four-year- olds. The group opens on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during school term times. Sessions are between 9.30am to 12 noon and from 12 noon until 2.30pm. . There are five members of staff that work with the children. The manager holds an Early Years Professional Status and three other staff have relevant early year's qualifications at level three.

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

 enhance the opportunities for more challenging experiences to promote children's mathematical thinking and understanding, with particular regards to adding and subtraction

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

 enhance questioning techniques to encourage children to express their thoughts and ideas through even more language.

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who attend

The educational programme is good. Staff provide flexible planning so that they can follow children's current interests. This helps children to make good progress. Staff use precise observations and assessments to monitor children's progress across all areas of learning. They complete the required progress check for two-year-old children, sharing both these and termly reports with parents. This helps staff to identify any gaps, delays or particular strengths in children's development. Parents state that staff provide them with good ideas of how to continue children's learning at home.

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who attend

Staff use lots of positive language with children and narrate their play, which helps them to develop their vocabulary and speaking skills. For example, they introduce new words to children such as 'crunchy' and 'soft'. However, staff do not consistently ask skilful questions to encourage children to express their own thoughts and ideas through language. For example, during story times, staff ask children to wait to ask their own questions and do not always help children to explore their thoughts further through questioning. Staff provide plenty of opportunities to encourage children to count and recognise numbers. Some children are confident counters. However, staff do not always make good use of purposeful activities to extend their mathematical skills and understanding. For example, they do not always encourage children to add and subtract or guess quantities. Children have plenty of chances to practise their writing skills. Staff

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who attend

provide good access to tools and resources such as chalks and paints. Staff use group times to help children to benefit from a choice of activities that matches their stages of development.

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who attend

Staff build strong links with other providers such as the local schools. They share resources and training sessions and meet regularly to share information about children's progress. This helps them to provide consistency in children's learning and smooth moves between learning environments.

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

Staff implement a highly effective settling in procedure. They carry out home visits and children and parents attend several settling in visits. They seek copious amounts of information from parents to identify children's starting points, which helps them to plan support and develop each child's individual needs. Staff provide new children with toys of interest on arrival and nurture their well-being and security exceptionally well. For example, they offer regular cuddles for reassurance. This all helps children to settle in extremely quickly and promotes their emotional well-being remarkably well. Children build close relationships with each other because staff model excellent social skills to the children. Staff use games enthusiastically to help children learn to take turns and model how to share resources. As a result, children learn to behave very well and engage in play with others.

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

The pre-school promotes healthy lifestyles extremely well. Staff provide inspiring sessions for parents and children to learn about healthy eating and suggestions for nutritious lunches. They share information on how to provide children with a balanced diet and discuss healthy options with children during mealtimes. In addition to this, staff play games with children which challenge their knowledge on food choices.

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

The manager and staff are extremely enthusiastic about the outdoor learning environment. They do not have an enclosed garden but they make excellent use of the local community such as the park, field, and wooded areas. They provide children with excellent chances to challenge themselves and take small risks. For example, children learn how to climb trees safely and have a go at flying kites in the wind. Staff deploy themselves exceptionally well to ensure that they can closely monitor children's safety. They have highly effective systems in place to help teach children how to keep themselves safe. For example, children state the rules they must follow when outside and highlight ways to minimise risks.

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provision

The staff team is well-established and staff work well together. They draw on their years of experience to help ensure they meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The manager has recently introduced a tracking system to improve how they monitor children's progress and identify early support children may require. Staff safeguard the children very well because they prioritise their safety. They have a thorough understanding of their roles and responsibilities and what to do if they have a concern about a child's welfare. Robust procedures are in place for the recruitment and vetting of staff, which helps ensure all adults working with children are suitable to do so. The manager carries out regular supervision and coaching for staff. This helps to provide continuous professional development and identify any support needed. Staff share ideas from training such as outdoor learning courses to inspire their colleagues and parents and

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provision

The manager evaluates the pre-school provision well. She identifies the strengths and any areas for development by seeking the views of children, parents and staff. Staff regularly meet with other providers, which provides them with good opportunities to reflect on their practice and share ideas for future improvements. The pre-school staff and manager have built strong relationships with parents. Parents speak highly of them and the learning opportunities that are provided for their children. They commented on how pleased they are with the progress their children have made.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 507899 Local authority West Berkshire (Newbury) Inspection number 842247 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 17 Name of provider Great Shefford Under Fives Committee Date of previous inspection 03/12/2009 Telephone number 07765508867

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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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