Carlton Pre-School

Carlton Pre-School Village Hall, The Moor, Carlton, BEDFORD, MK43 7JR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 April 2015 23 November 2011

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Staff engage children in discussions where they ask them to predict what might happen and offer solutions to problems. As a result, children develop good thinking skills and are confident to test out what they know.  From the very beginning, children and families are made to feel welcome at the pre- school. Home visits and All about me books bridge the gap between the pre-school and home. These activities enable children to enjoy a positive experience, which boosts their emotional security when they join the pre-school.  A culture of reflective practice enables the leadership and management team to hone in upon areas for development. Consequently, self-evaluation is a powerful tool for driving improvement in the pre-school.  Parents are integral to the pre-school's success. They initiate fundraising activities to extend the range of activities that support children's learning. The committee members

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This provision is good

work together effectively to provide a good-quality provision.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not place a sharp focus upon the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. Although completed, it is not always a precise review and consolidation of children's learning at this time.  Staff do not always evaluate the quality of their training. As a result, they do not explore diverse opportunities to enhance their professional development and increase their knowledge and skills further.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 enhance the process for completing the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, for example, by devising a single format that includes all relevant and specific information, and raising the profile of the purpose of the assessment with parents  extend upon the programme of professional development to include more diverse opportunities to extend staff knowledge and evaluate the effectiveness of training undertaken.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with children, staff, a parent and the chairperson of the committee during the inspection.  The inspector observed children's activities in the outdoor area and inside the hall at the pre-school.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including policies and procedures, evidence of the suitability of staff and children's development records. The inspector read the self-evaluation document.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and the chairperson of the committee. The inspector and manager carried out a joint observation of snack time.

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who attend. This is good

Staff are attentive and support children's good progress in all areas of learning in readiness for school. The outdoor area is particularly enticing for young children. They use all of their physical skills to explore differing types of materials, such as sand and water. Children use their imagination in the outdoor role-play area and learn to take turns during group games and songs. Children's greatest pleasure is to play with the pre-school rabbits who roam freely in the play area. Staff teach children about how to be gentle and kind to them, and by understanding the feelings of the rabbits, children also learn about their own feelings and those of others. This promotes their personal, social and emotional development well. Staff undertake regular, informative assessments of children's learning. They share these as summaries with parents, who are encouraged to give their own observations of what children can do. However, there is less focus upon the progress

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who attend. This is good

check for children between the ages of two and three years. Staff do not fully appreciate the value and uniqueness of this check. As a result, it is not always a precise summary of learning to date and parents are not made fully aware of its purpose.

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good

The children develop very close relationships with staff. When very young children tire and fall asleep, staff stroke them gently and reassure them. This promotes their feelings of security and contentment. Children play outdoors and grow produce to eat. They also care for the pre-school animals. This deepens their understanding about foods and the natural world. Strict hygiene practices teach children about how to promote their good health after enjoying hands-on learning. Children behave well as staff use egg timers to help them to gain a concept of time when sharing resources. Children become competent and independent as staff give them small tasks, such as cleaning the tables for snack time and serving the food.

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provision is good

The pre-school carries out suitability checks for new staff. This, along with good understanding of child protection issues, helps to safeguard children. There is a supportive programme of supervision, which helps staff to feel confident in their role. The staff are keen to develop their knowledge through training. The manager has undertaken a foundation degree, and by doing so, has built upon her skills and uses these to monitor the programme of learning. However, some training is less effective in supporting the pre- school's specific needs. Staff do not always evaluate their experiences, so they do not identify that the training has not met their objectives. Nevertheless, the committee and staff know their responsibilities to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children make consistently good progress and parents are very happy with the pre- school. Close working with other settings and professionals means that all children's needs

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Setting details

Unique reference number 219170 Local authority Bedford Borough Inspection number 865781 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 22 Name of provider Carlton Pre-School Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 23 November 2011 Telephone number 01234 720194

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Setting details

Carlton Pre-School was registered in 1993. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff, including bank staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including the manager who holds a foundation degree. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 1pm. On a Tuesday, there is an afternoon session from 1pm until 3pm. The pre- school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Setting details

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

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

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Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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