The Children's Ark

The Children's Ark The Childrens Ark, Church Road, Pendeen, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 7SE

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 October 2016 8 August 2013

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 The management team supports a very strong sense of community. Its uncompromising efforts greatly improve outcomes for all children. For example, the team organises workshops for parents and carers, such as first aid, emotional coaching, and activities that focus on science, and arts and crafts. This very successfully encourages parents to support their children's welfare and progress at home.  The safeguarding lead is extremely vigilant in safeguarding children. She acts immediately in response to any potential concerns, communicating and sharing these with other agencies promptly. This supports families extremely well to receive the input they need to ensure children thrive.  Highly sensitive, nurturing and knowledgeable staff expertly support children's social and emotional well-being. For example, they recognise when children need extra support, and reassure them, helping children to re-focus and feel safe to resume their

p.1

This provision is outstanding

activities happily. Young children beam with pride as they successfully walk across balance beams while holding a member of staff's hand.  Staff work extremely effectively with parents, giving them very clear ideas about how to support their children's learning at home. They actively encourage parents' contributions to their children's assessments, which enable staff to plan extremely well for children's needs. Children make excellent progress from their starting points.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 develop ways to increase children's role in helping to plan for their learning.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and those recorded in the provider's feedback records.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and the outdoor play areas.  The inspector held discussions with the nominated person and manager, and staff.  The inspector checked documents relating to the suitability checks and qualifications of staff, and sampled documentation regarding planning and children's progress.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The management team secures excellent improvement by actively seeking and acting on areas to develop, such as the outdoor area. This has led to the provision of cosy reading areas, and boards for drawing and writing, greatly increasing literacy learning for children who prefer to learn outside. The manager very effectively supports staff to put the knowledge they gain from training into practice. This has resulted in excellent improvements in children's communication and social development. Safeguarding is effective. All involved in the nursery attend training on how to support vulnerable families. They are exceptionally alert to identify children at potential risk of harm, including from extreme views. The manager diligently analyses records of children's progress to ensure the educational programmes cover all areas of learning thoroughly. Staff miss opportunities to include children in helping to plan for their own learning.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Highly effective partnerships ensure that parents and staff have a very comprehensive knowledge of children's progress. Staff very quickly identify those children who need additional support, and provide excellent activities and measurable targets to secure children's rapid progress. These include sensory experiences that involve children who prefer physical activities. The excellent partnerships enable all involved to ensure those children at risk of falling behind catch up with others. Staff very skilfully extend and develop children's imaginative play. Their enthusiastic participation in role play expertly engages children. For example, as staff and children pretend to swim in the sea, staff encourage children to name sea creatures. When children 'see' sharks, they swim back to their 'ship' and staff encourage children to do a headcount to check that all are safe.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff establish extremely close relationships with the children, and very skilfully and sensitively teach them about different emotions. Older children confidently talk about what makes them happy or sad, secure that staff will respond supportively. Children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff involve children very successfully in establishing and understanding rules. These are on display, and older children refer to them, for example, to remind others to use 'indoor voices' when noise levels rise.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children are eager learners and enthusiastically explore their environment, share their knowledge and confidently express their ideas. Older children recognise their names and eagerly attempt to copy them. Younger children develop excellent resilience and physical skills. Children have excellent social, communication, literacy and mathematical skills that prepare them exceptionally well for future learning, including going to school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY457353 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 1063244 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 57 Name of registered person The Children's Amazing Rural Kids Limited

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 August 2013 Telephone number 01736 787167

p.4

reference number

The Children's Ark is managed by a voluntary committee. It opened in 2006 and re- registered as an incorporated charity in 2012. The nursery operates from purpose-built premises at the rear of Pendeen Primary School, in the village of Pendeen, Cornwall. The nursery opens from 8am to 5pm on weekdays for 48 weeks of the year. It receives funding for the provision of early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 14 childcare staff. Of these, the manager has early years professional status, one member of staff is a qualified teacher, one has an early education foundation degree, eight have a level 3 early years qualification and one is working towards this qualification.

p.4

reference number

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

reference number

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

reference number

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

reference number

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

p.5

reference number

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

p.5