First Steps Preschool

First Steps Pre-School Scout and Guide Centre, Longwick Road, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, HP27 9HN

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 October 2015 21 May 2015

p.1

3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

p.1

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

 Managers have placed emphasis on improving planning. However, this is still not precise enough to ensure children make good progress, particularly when implementing adult-led activities.  Staff do not fully extend children's play experiences, particularly for those who enjoy learning outdoors.  Overall, children listen well. However, at times, staff do not plan large group activities well enough to fully support children's listening and attention skills.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Children play happily at the pre-school and enjoy activities across all areas of learning.  Staff have a secure understanding of child protection issues and how to safeguard children in their care.  Staff share information and develop trusting relationships with parents and other people involved in the children's lives. Parents speak highly of staff and feel their children are prepared well for school.  Children behave well and caring staff offer plenty of praise and encouragement to build on their confidence and self-esteem, and promote their emotional well-being.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

Due Date

 ensure staff precisely identify learning intentions for adult-led activities to extend children's engagement and build further on their existing knowledge. 09/12/2015

p.2

Due Date

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

p.2

Due Date

 extend play experiences across all areas of learning for children who prefer to learn outdoors  review the organisation of large group times to further improve children's attention and listening skills.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the hall and garden.  The inspector had discussions with children, parents and staff.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at observation files, tracking systems, the self-evaluation form and a selection of policies and children's records.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The management team is committed to making improvements. Since the last inspection, effective self-evaluation has focused on implementing action plans, which have resulted in successful and steady improvements. Safeguarding is effective. All staff and committee members have completed suitable checks. Staff carry out comprehensive risk assessments, which means that children play safely and securely on the premises. The managers closely monitor the quality of teaching and, although this is taking time, it is steadily improving across the staff team. Staff have regular opportunities to build on their personal development through training and meetings with managers. For example, staff attended behaviour management training and shared what they learned. This enabled everyone to support children more successfully. Managers monitor staff's assessment of children's progress and use tracking systems to help identify and narrow gaps in their

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. They work closely with parents to establish children's starting points and plan activities linked to children's interests. Since the last inspection, staff have made solid progress in developing the quality of their teaching and the management team is fully aware of the need for further improvements. However, on occasions, staff do not always ensure that all activities are precisely planned to extend children and build further on their existing knowledge. For example, as children painted autumn leaves, they only had a choice of blue or green paint. Also, the arrangement of large group times does not always fully support children's attention and listening skills. Children develop early writing skills; for example, as they use notepads and check lists when hunting for bugs. They develop their understanding of technology and focus well as they use equipment independently.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children develop a sense of belonging, for example, as they find their name card on arrival and develop close relationships with their key person and all staff. Children demonstrate they feel safe and secure. They increase their physical skills outdoors, for example, as they ride and steer scooters, and balance on apparatus. However, staff do not fully extend and support all areas of learning for children who enjoy exploring outdoors. Children follow suitable hygiene practices, such as handwashing before they have healthy snacks. They develop some independence as they make choices about what they want to play with and begin to pour drinks. Children learn to keep safe, such as when they practise the fire drill.

p.3

Outcomes for children require improvement

Children make steady progress from their starting points. Staff help children to prepare adequately for the next stage of their education.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 116702 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 1015931 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 26 Name of provider First Steps Playgroup (Princes Risborough) Committee Date of previous inspection 21 May 2015 Telephone number 07762326772 or 01844 275467

p.4

Setting details

First Steps Pre-School registered in 1995. It operates in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire. It is open from 9am until 3pm on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from 9am until 1pm on Tuesday and Friday, during term time only. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. It employs eight members of staff, six of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 2 or level 3.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

Setting details

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 reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Setting details

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

Setting details

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

p.5