Treehouse Pre-School

Treehouse Pre-School Winslow C of E Combined School, Lowndes Way, Winslow, BUCKINGHAM, MK18 3EN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/01/2015 01/10/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Leadership and management are inspirational. Self-evaluation of the pre-school is a strength. The managers make extremely accurate evaluations and use highly effective planning to drive high standards for all children.  Teaching is excellent. All staff focus thoroughly on the children and have very high expectations for all areas of their learning. They use their detailed knowledge of children's achievements and areas for development to stretch them and provide exciting and enriching activities.  The pre-school supports children's personal, social and emotional development extremely well, because all staff respect the children as individuals. They respond to them with respect and concern, building their confidence and independence.  Staff expertly promote children's communication and language development. They model good language and use skilful questioning and teaching to promote higher level thinking skills.

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff quickly identify children with additional needs, they seek help promptly and provide meticulous support to promote learning and development.

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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 rooms in the pre-school and outdoors.  The inspector carried out a joint observation and discussion with the manager.  The inspector met with a number of parents and carers to seek their views.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined some children's developmental records, planning documentation and a selection of policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager of the setting and spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Treehouse Pre-School was registered in 2007. It is managed by a voluntary parent committee and is sited in a building within the grounds of Winslow Church of England Combined School, Winslow, Buckinghamshire. The pre-school operates from 8.50am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, term time only. The provider is registered on the Early Years Register and the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 60 children on roll. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four. The pre-school supports children with special education needs and/or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language. There are nine staff, of whom eight, including the leader, hold relevant early years qualifications. One member of staff is a qualified Early Years teacher.

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

 develop further existing good links with school, to more precisely measure the impact of structured pre-school educational programmes on ensuring children are ready to start school.

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who attend

Teaching in the pre-school is excellent and promotes outstanding support across all areas of children's learning and development. The high quality experiences and resources, both indoors and outside, provide motivational opportunities for children to play and explore. For example, children are excited as they enjoy using magnifying lenses and torches to explore the opaque pebbles, foils, silver, lights and glitter in the investigation station. Children of all ages have excellent opportunities for physical play, using wheeled toys and balancing apparatus. They also enjoy painting outside using large paint brushes, as they have access to the garden area at all times. Two-year-olds benefit from high quality resources and space. There is a wide range of interactive toys for them to explore. Children learn about the wider world through a highly impressive use of technology, as the pre-school has linked with a pre-school in Australia.

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who attend

Staff have a very detailed knowledge of the children and use this highly effectively to support their learning and development. Observation and assessment systems are exemplary. Staff are able to confidently explain where individual children started when they entered the pre-school, where they are now and what they need to learn next. This progress is recorded for parents to see in well-presented, comprehensive and meticulously kept folders. Highly effective activity planning stems from children's individual interests and supports their future learning. This knowledge and planning ensures that children make excellent progress in relation to their starting points.

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who attend

Staff have high expectations and provide a wealth of opportunities for children to play, explore, investigate and problem solve. One of the strengths of the teaching is that staff identify and make excellent use of unforeseen opportunities to promote learning and development. One example seen was a member of staff encouraging the children to count as they selected and placed fruit into their bowl at snack time. This unplanned teaching was worthwhile, enjoyable and meant that teaching time was not lost.

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who attend

Staff provide planned, adult-led and exciting activities including well-presented stories, active outdoor play, and stimulating and varied group sessions. These activities engage all the children successfully. They show great enthusiasm and confidence for their play and learning in the pre-school. These positive attitudes towards learning prepare the children extremely well for school. During group times all staff participate enthusiastically and support the adult leading. They act as role models to the children and enrich the activities offered. This adult involvement encourages the children to participate. The presence of all of the staff means that staff notice quickly any individuals requiring extra attention. They act promptly to offer support without disturbing the flow of the session. Planned group sessions focussing on recognising letters and sounds, and story times are regular features of the programme. As a result of these, the children are developing significant skills in

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who attend

listening and attention, early literacy and mathematics that are extremely valuable when they move on to school.

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who attend

Staff form exceptionally strong links with parents and carers and give them excellent daily information about children's learning and progress. Communication slips, daily discussions and regular meetings ensure that parents have abundant opportunities to be involved in their child's learning. Staff also very competently complete the required progress checks for two-year-old children. The manager has set up a play library, which fully engages parents in this highly effective partnership of learning. There are excellent induction systems to help new children settle quickly into pre-school routines. During discussions, parents express their overwhelming pleasure with the high quality support, care and dedication of the pre-school staff.

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who attend

Overall, staff are very conscientious and thorough in the attention they give to the children. They are extremely skilled in engaging children in very well planned activities. Their highly imaginative use of stories, songs, rhymes and unplanned opportunities helps children to progress quickly.

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

The pre-school staff provide exceptionally good support for children's emotional well- being. Children of all ages settle quickly and are extremely happy within the pre-school's warm, nurturing environment. The relationships between children and their key persons are outstanding. Staff have an excellent knowledge and understanding of the children within their care. Staff offer children who are less confident, or who have just started at the pre-school, sensitive individual support. For example, they play with them in the home corner as they join the group. Overall, the staff team demonstrate a thoughtful and highly effective approach to supporting children's emotional well-being and confidence. This ensures that children are ready to learn through imaginative and exploratory play.

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

Staff have very high expectations for the children's personal independence and self-care skills. As a result, children's personal development is excellent. For example, two of the younger children playing together share well as they push cars down the ramp. They are rewarded with praise from the member of staff says 'you are playing really nicely together' 'well done' and 'really good sharing.' During a group singing session staff encourage children to sing the songs, sensitively supporting those who are reluctant to respond. All children thrive on the positive praise from the staff, which significantly supports their self- esteem.

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

Staff support children's independence in self-care routines very effectively. Older children persevere extremely well when putting on their coats and boots for outdoor play. Younger children are becoming aware of the importance of hand washing routines and all children are encouraged to independently access their snacks at snack time. They take their own cup and bowl, select the correct number of pieces of fruit or bread. In addition, they learn to pour their choice of water or milk. Consequently children become self-reliant, self- confident and socially aware, preparing them exceptionally well for their future learning.

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

Staff place an extremely high focus on children's health and well-being. Snacks are healthy, and enjoyed by the children. Parents receive daily information about their children's routines at these times. Children are developing a very good understanding of healthy foods because staff discuss this with them at snack and lunchtime. Children have excellent opportunities to enjoy fresh air and exercise each day in the exciting and stimulating outdoor area.

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

The pre-school environment includes an abundant range of exciting resources. The staff team set these up so equipment and toys are easily accessible to the children. This arrangement helps the children lead their own play and become independent as learners. The children confidently move from room to room and choose their own activities. They interact with any of the staff as they wish. At other times, they participate in highly impressive and varied adult-led sessions. They learn to be a member of a group by sharing and waiting their turn, with sensitive staff support. Staff make sure that children play in safe environments by executing daily checks to make sure there are no hazards to their safety.

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

Behaviour in the nursery is excellent. Staff are very observant and notice when children need to be distracted or given adult attention. These preventative strategies minimise instances of less acceptable behaviour. This approach means that the pre-school is a calm and positive place for the children, so they get the most from the rich experiences and wealth of opportunities staff provide.

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provision

The leadership and management of the pre-school are inspirational. The manger leads and manages the provision with passion and acts as a motivational role model for the staff. She engages enthusiastically with the children and quietly directs staff to ensure that activities meet the needs of all of the children present. This continuous coaching ensures that standards of teaching remain consistently very high and, as a result, the staff work extremely effectively as a team.

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provision

The manager implements the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to a high standard. There are stringent procedures to ensure that safeguarding children has the highest priority within the pre-school. The manager ensures that new staff are fully informed about their responsibilities for safeguarding the children. This thorough induction makes an extremely strong contribution to ensuring children's safety because staff understand their individual roles and responsibilities. During discussions, staff competently explain the procedures to take should they have concerns about any child. Policies and procedures are clear and comprehensive. They provide useful guidance to staff and promote children's welfare further. The manager regularly reviews all policies and procedures and ensures that parents have access to this documentation. Rigorous recruitment systems ensure the suitability of new staff to work with children.

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provision

Staffing ratios are good and children are supervised extremely well at all times. Staff risk assess all areas daily and meticulous records are kept for registration, accidents and medication to further ensure children's welfare. Staff always inform parents about any incidents that occur while their child is in pre-school. Robust drills for emergency evacuation take place regularly. These systems ensure children's well-being is paramount and create an environment that is welcoming, safe and stimulating.

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provision

The manager has detailed knowledge of all the children in the pre-school, gathered from records, regular planning meetings and her own day-to-day work with the children. She speaks passionately and knowledgably about her work with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, explaining how she obtains support for them.

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provision

The manager works relentlessly to ensure all children's needs are well met. Discussions with key persons, and documented records, indicate that children are making excellent progress in relation to their starting points. The pre-school staff work closely with local authority advisors, parents and outside professionals to obtain necessary support. For example, they pursue referrals and diagnosis for individual children. The manager has exemplary systems to review the educational programmes, including regular monitoring of planning and assessment documentation. This ensures equality for all children and also ensures that they receive excellent provision for their learning and development needs. Supervision and monitoring procedures are highly effective. The manager frequently observes staff as they interact with children, which promotes outstanding practice. Regular staff appraisals and supervision meetings thoroughly identify professional development

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provision

Robust processes of self-evaluation demonstrate the manager's sharp focus on the pre- school's development. Self-evaluation accurately reflects the strengths and areas for further development for the pre-school, to ensure the best outcomes for children. Self- evaluation includes input from staff, parents, children, outside agencies and the committee. For example, the manager plans to buy additional cameras for children to use so that they can focus on, and share, the experiences or activities they like and dislike in the setting. This means they will be more involved in the daily planning.

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provision

All recommendations from the last inspection have been successfully addressed. An excellent and systematic process of assessing and monitoring children's progress is embedded practice within the pre-school. Staff appraisals and rigorous training programmes have resulted in highly impressive teaching practices and extremely positive learning experiences for the children.

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provision

The manager and staff have strong and supportive relationships with parents and families. Parents value the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the pre-school. Some have long standing relationships with the provider who has cared for all the children in their family over a number of years. There are strong links with the school. Staff and children regularly visit the school and comprehensive transfer booklets provide excellent information on children's learning and development achievements. This enables the smooth transfer for children between their educational phases. However, the pre-school does not take advantage of these strong links to gain feedback on how well educational programmes are helping children to settle into school. The pre-school receives highly effective input from a foundation stage consultant. A local authority advisor visits regularly for further support and guidance. Overall, the provider runs a setting that is an extremely welcoming and a

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provision

highly stimulating place for families and children. Here, children thrive and make significant progress.

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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 EY358828 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 987809 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 60 Name of provider Treehouse Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 01/10/2010 Telephone number 01296 712 333

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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

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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