Print this pageOfsted Report 2007
Inspection report for early years provision
| Unique Reference Number | EY259648 |
|---|---|
| Inspection date | 26 November 2007 |
| Inspector | Margaret Davie |
| Setting Address | C/o Baptist Church, Glade Road, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1DY |
|---|---|
| Telephone number | 07939 825749 |
| Registered person | The Trustees of Kingfisher Preschool |
| Type of inspection | Integrated |
| Type of care | Sessional care |
About this inspection
The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage.
The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.
The key inspection judgements and what they mean
- Outstanding:
- this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality
- Good:
- this aspect of the provision is strong
- Satisfactory:
- this aspect of the provision is sound
- Inadequate:
- this aspect of the provision is not good enough
For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.
THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION
On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:
The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.
The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.
WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?
Kingfisher Pre-school opened in 1993. It operates from the main hall in the Baptist Church in Marlow. A maximum of 30 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday from 09.15 to 12.15 in term time only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.
There are currently 39 children from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 20 children receive funding for early education. Children all come from the Marlow area. The pre-school currently supports children with learning difficulties and also children who speak English as an additional language.
The pre-school employs six members of staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications and two are working towards a qualification.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION
Helping children to be healthy
The provision is satisfactory. Children are developing appropriate hygiene practices because the pre-school takes positive steps to help them learn how to prevent the spread of infection. They know they need to wash their hands 'because of the germs', and are encouraged to wash them whenever they use the toilet and before eating. These routines help children to learn about good personal hygiene.
Children receive suitable care in the event of a minor accident or illness. The pre-school has an illness policy to exclude children who are ill to ensure the health of the whole group. A good number of staff have an appropriate first aid qualification and the first aid box is easily accessible. Parents are asked to give prior written permission to administer any medicine to their child and to countersign all records of administration. This helps to support children's continuity of care. An accident record is maintained, however some parents have not been asked to countersign the accident book which poses a potential risk to children's good health.
Children benefit from opportunities for regular physical activity. They enjoy using the compact but well organised outdoor area where they develop their large muscles on equipment such as the trikes and balance and climbing equipment. The construction area helps them develop hand-eye coordination as well as other skills, when using the large range of play tools. Children also benefit from many opportunities to develop their fine motor skills when playing indoors. For example, they bead and thread and use small equipment such as craft tools. During poor weather children enjoy musical movement sessions, however because all children take part in this activity together, the challenge for the older children is sometimes limited.
Children are provided with nutritious snacks of fresh fruit and vegetables and a drink. Tables are nicely laid and staff use the occasion for friendly chat. This helps children develop good eating habits. Children can always have a drink of water if they are thirsty, however the manner in which water is made available for them does not prevent the spread of germs, as children often share cups.
Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
The provision is satisfactory. Children play in premises which are safe and secure. Families are given a warm welcome when they arrive and the play room is very appealing for children, with a wide range of activities already set up. Children are protected by a good range of safety measures. For example, the entrance door to the pre-school is always locked so that all visitors can be greeted by a member of staff. A record of all visitors is kept so that staff are aware of who is on the premises. Children are protected from accessing areas such as the kitchen and entrance vestibule by gates and staff supervise them carefully when they use the toilets.
Children use toys and equipment which are safe and suitable for use by young children. For example, low tables and chairs give children easy access to activities and a small desk and chair of suitable height lets them comfortably access the computer. Toys and equipment are regularly checked to ensure they are clean and remain safe for children to use. The outdoor area is totally secure and therefore provides a safe area for children to play. It has recently been improved by staff to make it more interesting for children, for example by setting up a bug corner where they can look for insects.
Staff have an understanding of the procedures to be followed to safeguard children. For example, they have local contact numbers to hand should they wish to report a concern about a child in their care. However the child protection policy does not contain procedures to be followed in the event an allegation is made against a member of staff, which compromises the welfare of children.
Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is good. Children are happy and well settled in the pre-school. They are enthusiastic and involve themselves in activities as soon as they arrive because toys and resources have been attractively set up for them. Children make appropriate progress because staff recognise their individual needs and develop caring and trusting relationships with them. Children's play is very well supported with lots of meaningful talk about what they are doing which helps them to learn to express their own ideas and to communicate effectively. Children develop a good level of self confidence and show curiosity in their surroundings.
Children's relationships with each other and with staff are good. For example, they share toys in the home corner when they serve each other meals. They move around the pre-school freely, selecting toys and activities which interest them and manage routines with growing confidence. For example, they know they get a few minutes warning when tidy up time is coming up and watch the clock carefully, ready to start tidying toys away in readiness for group time and a snack. Children develop a good level of self esteem because staff are very caring and always take time to praise them. Staff clearly enjoy the company of the children, talking and playing with them and supporting their progress in all areas of development. Young children learn to communicate positively with their peers in small group activities.
Nursery Education
The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good progress because staff clearly understand the Foundation Stage curriculum and plan experiences to support their development in all areas of learning. Staff go to great lengths to provide children with activities which interest them. For example, staff made story sacks in their own time, which the children can borrow to take home.
Children's learning is well supported by their key worker. Observations clearly track children's progress to help them reach their full potential. Progress records are very thorough, well organised and contain lots of detail, clearly showing how children are achieving their targets. Children's learning is enhanced because staff generally plan activities which meet their needs and extend their learning appropriately.
Children develop good personal, social and emotional skills. They move around the setting with confidence and play cooperatively with other children. They show care and consideration for each other, for example when an older child helps a younger one find his way to the toilet. They serve each other meals in the role play area, encouraged by a member of staff, to practise their counting skills as they stack up plates. They help with simple routines in the pre-school such as tidying away their plates after snack time. This helps children to learn to take responsibility.
Children clearly enjoy listening to stories and participate fully in the reading experience. For example, children count the number of crocodiles in a story and practise their initial letter sounds. They develop good speaking and listening skills when chatting about special family members whose pictures are on the pre-school's 'I love you' board.
Children enjoy making models with various construction materials and sing simple songs with enthusiasm. They are challenged while practising their counting skills, for example delivering Postman Pat's letters to addresses numbered one through 14, and learn to make simple calculations when counting one or two more in group time activities.
Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is good. Children are well known by staff. A good deal of relevant information is gathered from parents to ensure children settle quickly and their individual needs are known. All children are treated equally and with a good deal of care. As a result they are happy and develop self confidence. Children develop positive attitudes toward diversity through planned activities such as the celebration of Diwali, observing posters of people from around the world and playing with toys that depict a range of cultures. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.
Children with learning difficulties who attend the pre-school make appropriate progress because the staff liaise carefully with parents and outside agencies to ensure they are getting the individual attention they need. Parents praise the way in which the pre-school has identified areas where children may need additional support and the caring way in which they have sought and provided additional guidance.
Children behave well. They follow the pre-school's short list of rules, which encourage them to share and take turns, be kind and listen to one another. Children are given individual adult support if they have been unable to meet expectations. In this way they are gaining an understanding of right and wrong which is appropriate to their ages and maturity. Children demonstrate good manners, always singing the please and thankyou song before snack time.
Children benefit from the friendly, professional relationships staff develop with their parents. A detailed enrolment pack is given to all families which contains copies of the pre-school's policies, aims and expectations. Parents also get regular information about how well their children are doing and have access to their child's developmental records at all times. Partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of nursery education is good. Parents are provided with a good range of information about the Foundation Stage curriculum, planning and topic work. This ensures they can involve themselves in their children's learning at home if they wish. Formal feedback sessions are regularly held so that parents can discuss their child's progress with staff.
Organisation
The organisation is satisfactory. Children play and learn in a setting that is appropriately organised. Space is well used, allowing children to play safely and move around freely. Good use is made of the smaller room to provide separate group time for the younger and older children. This ensures that older children are challenged appropriately in their learning. However, the organisation of some indoor physical development sessions occasionally limits the amount of challenge for the older children. Children are cared for by suitably qualified staff who are clearly focused on meeting their needs.
Most required documentation is in place for the care of children and ratios are always observed to ensure children get the support they need. Attendance records are properly completed and medication records are countersigned by parents as required. However, some accident records have not been countersigned by parents and this poses a potential risk to children's continuity of care. Children's welfare is potentially as risk because the pre-school's child protection policy does not contain procedures to be followed in the event an allegation is made against a member of staff.
Leadership and management of nursery education is good. The manager has a clear vision and aim for the setting. Staff work well as a team to improve teaching and learning. They give freely of their own time to ensure that progress records are detailed and clearly show how well children are doing and where there are any gaps in their learning. This ensures they make good progress toward the early learning goals. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.
Improvements since the last inspection
At the time of the last inspection the pre-school was asked to improve the complaints policy to include the name and relevant information about the regulator, to improve the anti bullying policy to ensure that it is relevant to the setting and to improve documentation concerning accidents, visitors and fire evacuations. The pre-school was also asked to develop children's literacy skills by encouraging them to write their names in the correct format, to recognise letters and to link these sounds as well as to increase children's opportunities to explore simple calculations, counting beyond ten and to have access to using information technology.
Children's welfare is protected because the pre-school has reviewed its policy to ensure that parents are now informed of the contact details for the regulator in case they want to make a complaint. The pre-school has also reviewed its anti bullying policy to ensure it is relevant to the children it cares for. Accident records are not always countersigned by parents, which poses a potential risk to children's good health. Therefore this recommendation remains outstanding. Documentation has been improved to ensure that a record is kept of all visitors and of all fire drills.
Children's literacy skills are good because the pre-school has improved resources to make writing easier, improved labelling, introduced phonics and introduced an alphabet box to provide interesting objects for the children to discuss. They get regular opportunities to explore simple calculations and count beyond 10 in group activities, for example, while delivering Postman Pat's letters addressed to numbers up to 14. Children's confidence in using information technology has improved because they have regular access to the pre-school's computer and to other resources such as simple audio equipment to listen to stories.
Complaints since the last inspection
Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.
The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.
THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION
On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:
The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.
The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.
WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?
The quality and standards of the care
To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):
- review procedures to ensure children do not spread germs when they help themselves to a drink
- ensure accident records are always countersigned by parents
- update the child protection policy to include procedures to be followed in the event an allegation is made against a member of staff
The quality and standards of the nursery education
To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):
- ensure all children are appropriately challenged during whole group activities
Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk