Theydon Bois Preschool Group

Theydon Bois Pre School Group Scout Headquarters, Loughton Lane, THEYDON BOIS, Essex, CM16 7JY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 June 2015 8 November 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 Requires improvement 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:

 The quality of teaching is variable. Staff do not always plan group activities, such as circle time, effectively to ensure that the learning experience is purposeful or meets the individual needs of all children.  Self-evaluation is not fully effective, because the weaknesses in practice have not been identified by the management team.  Staff do not always make best use of the garden to support children whose preferred learning environment is outside.  Staff do not have always regular opportunities to attend training sessions, in order to extend their knowledge of how children learn.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff have a secure understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. Therefore, children's safety and welfare is consistently protected.  Staff work closely in partnerships with parents. They give parents specific information about their children's next steps in learning, and ideas of how they can support these further at home. This promotes continuity of learning.  Staff promote children's independence skills well, for example, children learn to peel their own fruit at snack time.  Staff invite the Reception teachers to visit the pre-school and meet the children moving on to school. This helps children to become familiar with their new teacher and begin to develop a bond with them.

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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 that learning experiences during group activities are planned to be interesting and challenging, and that staff effectively support children's individual needs, and promote their enjoyment, taking account of their varying ages and capabilities at all times.

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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

 strengthen the arrangements for self-evaluation, so that that any weaknesses are quickly identified and addressed  extend the use of the garden further by giving children the opportunity to access it freely, so that those who learn more effectively outside are able to flourish  improve the opportunities for training and development, so that staff are able to develop their knowledge of how children learn, in order to strengthen the quality of their teaching.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children taking part in a range of activities, and spoke with the staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with one of the pre-school leaders and held a meeting with both leaders.  The inspector checked evidence of Disclosure and Barring Service checks and suitability, qualifications and training of staff.  The inspector looked at a range of policies, procedures, children's assessments and the pre-school's self-evaluation form.  The inspector spoke to some parents and has taken into account of their views.

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who attend. This requires improvement

The quality of teaching is variable. Staff plan circle time for both the morning and afternoon sessions, without taking into account children's varying abilities and interests. The group sizes are too large, and therefore, children are often unable to share their thoughts and opinions. In addition, taking part in circle time sometimes has a negative impact on children's enjoyment, because it is too long and their own initiated play is interrupted. This leads to some children being bored during this time, and as a result, they do not consistently progress well in their learning. Nevertheless, during free play, staff respond to children's ideas. They provide a wide range of interesting activities that engage children and promote their learning. For example, children learn about road safety, as they take it in turns to control the traffic lights while their friends ride the bikes and cars. Staff communicate well with children and support them to develop good speaking skills. This

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who attend. This requires improvement

helps to prepare them for future learning in school. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work closely with the parents and other professionals to reduce the gaps in children's learning and promote their progress.

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good

Children are happy and enjoy their time at the pre-school. They develop close attachments with the staff and are keen for them to join in with their play. Staff praise children for their achievements, which raises their self-esteem. This helps children to be confident and motivated to learn. Staff promote children's good health. They include information about nutritious foods in the pre-school welcome pack, so that parents know what to provide in their children's lunchboxes. Children have daily opportunities to play and exercise, outside in the fresh air. Staff provide a wide range of toys and resources in the outdoor environment to capture children's interests. For example, there is an exciting water play feature in the garden. However, staff do not consistently use the garden to its full potential. Opportunities for outdoor play are not always organised in an effective way that supports those children, who prefer to learn outside, to flourish.

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provision requires improvement

The learning and development requirements are not fully implemented. The management team identify some aspects of the pre-school that need improving. For example, they have purchased some indoor equipment to promote children's physical development. However, self-evaluation is not yet fully successful, because the management team have not recognised the weaknesses in teaching. Staff have regular supervision meetings, which gives them the opportunity to discuss their strengths, and areas for improvement with their line manager. All staff, except one, hold an early years qualification at level 2 or above. However, the majority of these were completed a considerable period of time ago. At present, there are not always opportunities for staff to complete training sessions to develop their knowledge of how children learn further. As a result, this sometimes has a negative impact on the quality of teaching.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 404638 Local authority Essex Inspection number 869024 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 58 Name of provider Theydon Bois Pre School Committee Date of previous inspection 8 November 2010 Telephone number 01992 815164

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Setting details

Theydon Bois Pre School Group was registered in 1999. The pre-school employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Sessions are from 9am until 12 noon on Tuesday. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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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