Stowey Bears Preschool

Stowey Bears Pre School Nether Stowey C of E VC Primary School, Mill Close, Nether Stowey, BRIDGWATER, Somerset, TA5 1NX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 May 2015 18 October 2010

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3

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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3

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

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3

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Requires improvement The setting does not meet legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 There have been changes to the committee. Most new committee members have not completed the process to notify Ofsted of these changes. Consequently, Ofsted does not have up-to-date information about all of those responsible for the setting.  Although children are free to use a variety of resources that develop their skills in using everyday technology, these sometimes lack challenge for older children. For example, some children quickly complete the levels of the learning programmes on the laptop with ease.

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It has the following strengths

 The quality of teaching is consistently strong. Staff have an extremely good understanding of child development, which they use most effectively in monitoring children's progress.  Children of all ages and abilities make extremely good progress in relation to their starting points. This is because staff use their detailed observations to plan activities that stretch and challenge children, and that reflect their individual interests.  Children enjoy a positive learning environment where staff meet their individual needs extremely well. As a result, all children are very happy and content.  Well-established systems of staff supervision and performance management, combined with a strong emphasis on staff training and development, result in a very skilled and confident team.  Strategies to engage parents in children's learning are successful, meaning that they are very well informed about their children's progress and achievements.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 ensure the management committee understands the requirement to promptly inform Ofsted of any changes to its members, and knows the correct process to follow to do this.

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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

 extend technology resources to provide greater challenge for older children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children engaged in activities and their interactions with staff.  The inspector held discussions with parents, children and staff.  The inspector held meetings with management, including committee representatives.  The inspector sampled regulatory documentation relating to safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.  The inspector tracked children's play and sampled their learning records.

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who attend. This is good

Staff encourage children effectively to explore and expand on what they know. For example, children chose a book for a member of staff to read to them, which included a visit to the dentist. She quickly engaged children in a discussion about how they care for their teeth. Children identified things that are bad for their teeth, including cakes and 'sugary, fizzy drinks', and talked about the importance of cleaning teeth properly. Staff recognise the value of outdoor learning experiences, and that some children prefer to be outside. Therefore, they equip the outdoor space very well to support all areas of learning, and children are free to choose where they play. Some older children do not find the educational games on the laptop to be particularly challenging. However, they patiently show less confident friends how to complete these, and demonstrate very good skills in navigating their way around the laptop. The extremely good emphasis on developing

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who attend. This is good

children's confidence, communication and independence, means that they are well prepared for the next stage of learning, including the transition to school.

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good

Extremely effective settling-in procedures, including home visits, result in children quickly developing strong bonds with staff. As a result, they are emotionally secure and show high confidence and self-esteem. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive positive support, and staff establish good relationships with other professionals in order to meet their individual needs. Children enjoy being physically active. They have an extremely good understanding of how to conduct themselves safely, and they make their own risk assessments. For example, children wanted to do forward rolls. They talked to staff about the number of safety mats that they needed to prevent hurting themselves, and made sure that they were clear of other children.

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provision requires improvement

The setting has not notified Ofsted of all changes to the management committee as required. However, new committee members have completed Disclosure and Barring Service checks to confirm their suitability. They do not work directly with children, and staff supervise children at all times. Consequently, there is no direct impact on children's safety or how well the staff safeguard them. This is because staff are clear on safeguarding procedures. Strong systems of self-evaluation result in action plans for continuous improvement. Management monitors the success by the benefits to children. For example, introducing sign language has helped the behaviour of children who struggle to express themselves verbally. Staff use their knowledge from training well to make improvements in how they promote children's critical thinking skills through their effective questioning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY409802 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 831783 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 48 Name of provider Stowey Bears Pre-school Committee Date of previous inspection 18 October 2010 Telephone number 01278 734 636

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Setting details

Stowey Bears Pre-School is run by a parent committee. It registered in its current premises in 2010. The pre-school is based in the children's centre in the grounds of Nether Stowey Primary School, in Nether Stowey, near Bridgwater, Somerset. Children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The setting is open from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, term times only. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school employs seven members of staff. One member of staff holds Early Years Professional Status, one has a foundation degree, three hold a level 3 qualification, one a level 2, and one member of staff is unqualified.

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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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