Chewton Common Playgroup

Chewton Common Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

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Chewton Common Playgroup

Unique Reference Number EY313787 Inspection date 23 March 2006 Inspector Lorraine Sparey

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Chewton Common Playgroup

Setting Address Highcliffe County Junior School, Greenways, Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 5AZ Telephone number 01425 273029

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E-mail

Registered person Helen Dow Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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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.

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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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Chewton Common Playgroup opened in new premises 2005 and operates from 2 rooms within Highcliffe Primary School. It is situated in Highcliffe, close to shops and other amenities. A maximum of 26 children aged from 2 to under 5 years may attend the playgroup at any one time. There are currently 62 children on roll, of whom 41 receive funding for nursery education. The playgroup is open each weekday from 09.00 to 12.00 and

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 from 12:30-15:00 during term times only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. Children come from the local area. There are 8 staff who work directly with the children, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from Dorset Sure Start.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a range of healthy and nutritious snacks, such as fruit. On occasions food is linked to specific themes, for example, children delight in eating breakfast from around the world. They choose from French, Spanish and English breakfasts. Children benefit from a scheme to offer them a carton of fresh milk each day. Children often help themselves to water which is available throughout the session and ensures children are never thirsty. Children know when, and understand why they need to wash their hands. They automatically wash them after using toilet facilities. Children know why they use wipes to clean their hands before snack or cooking activities. A child tells an adult "because we could get germs in our tummies". Effective procedures implemented by staff ensure children are protected from the risk of cross infection. Children use hand dryers and baby wipes. Children's parents and carers are contacted if they become ill

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Helping children to be healthy

during the session and they are isolated and cared for separately to reduce the risk to other children. The majority of staff hold a current first aid certificate and clear procedures ensure children are dealt with correctly and promptly if they have an accident. Parents are required to acknowledge entries in the accident record. Children enjoy excellent opportunities to play in the fresh air. They can choose to play in the well-organised and well resourced preschool garden. Children benefit from regular yoga and exercise sessions, contributing to their overall fitness and wellbeing.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a welcoming, safe and secure environment. They freely and safely access a broad range of good quality toys and equipment. All resources conform to British standards and there are effective procedures to ensure they are well maintained and suitable. Children choose freely from a wide range of age appropriate toys that are safely accessible on a daily basis. This increases children's safe choices in their play. Children benefit from being able to safely explore all the play areas including the garden. Staff complete comprehensive risk assessments to identify any hazards, which are immediately addressed. Staff undertake daily checks to ensure all areas remain safe for the children. However, a minor safety issue in the garden poses a risk to children's safety. Regular opportunities to practise the fire evacuation procedure means staff and children are familiar with how to exit the building quickly and safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Children learn to take responsibility for their own safety through the "golden stars" rules and clear explanation by staff. Children playing in the woodwork area tell an adult they need to wear the goggles to protect their eyes from dust and the nails hitting them in the eye. Staff demonstrate clear knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. They are all able to identify possible signs and symptoms of abuse and are clear on the procedures to follow if they are concerned about the child. This helps them in their role of supporting children from harm and neglect.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children relish their time in the setting. They are confident, happy and very eager to participate in activities. They show high levels of concentration when completing activities. Children's self-esteem is developing very well. They benefit from the extremely positive interaction from the very committed staff. They are encouraged to develop their own ideas. A child asks a member of staff if he can put on a show. The staff member encourages him to think about what he needs to do first. The child confidently states "I need an audience". He was encouraged to develop his idea resulting in him producing tickets and inviting some staff and peers to watch the show. Children enjoy using a broad range of high quality toys and equipment. They independently select from the resources available. If they have a specific idea they want to follow staff provide the resources to allow this. A wide range of creative

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

materials including paint, glitter, feathers and foam pieces are available at all times. This enhances children's creative development. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Staff work extremely well together to provide children with an exciting and stimulating environment. They make very good use of the outdoor area and the local community. A local smallholder brought two sheep and several hurdles to the setting and the children were able to observe them in the garden for several days, for example. Staff use innovative and inspirational ideas to enhance children's learning which results in the children making rapid progress in their learning and development. Staff are very knowledgeable about the Foundation Stage curriculum. Effective planning ensures all children are challenged whilst ensuring activities are achievable for all the children regardless of their ability.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are very enthusiastic and highly motivated in their learning. They are very confident as they separate from their carers, and immediately become immersed in their chosen activity. Children develop strong relationships with the staff and their peers, often seeking them out to join in their play. Some 4-year olds invite one of the adults to join in with their "Wee Willie Winkie" game. They confidently explain the rules and object of the game, take turns to throw the dice, and move to the top of the stairs. Children are very independent in their personal skills. They put on their own coats, boots or shoes when going outside to play. They pour their own drinks and show consideration to their peers. A 4-year old automatically helps a younger child to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 put on their dressing gown and helps them to find their sister, who was playing outside. Children were wearing pyjamas to link into their theme. Children have excellent language skills. They engage in complex conversations with their peers and the adults. Some 4-year olds play a game with a member of staff. They hide an object and give instructions to the staff member on how to find it by giving clues, and are very excited when the member of staff was near the object. Children listen intently to stories and excitedly anticipate what happens next. They confidently handle books correctly and use them for both reference and enjoyment. For example, children use reference books to look at how horseshoes are fitted. Children confidently count to 12 and others beyond to 20. Staff are highly skilled at

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

introducing counting and numbers in everyday play opportunities. Children confidently solve simple number problems. A 4-year old immediately recognises that they need to throw a number four on the dice to reach the top of the stairs in their game. Children demonstrate an excellent understanding of mathematical language and confidently use it appropriately in their play. They have an excellent understanding of shapes and are keen to demonstrate their knowledge, pointing them out within their environment. A 3-year old points to the clock and says "that's a circle". Children are highly skilled and confident when using the computers. They complete a variety of interesting programs and delight in changing to more advanced levels. A 4-year old successfully negotiates a maze using the arrow keys and the mouse, collecting objects to create a snowman. Children understand the concept of time and staff frequently use clocks to inform children when it is snack time or tidy up time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy exploring how clocks work and enjoy setting the alarm. Children prepare the ground and plant their own seeds and bulbs in the pre-school garden. They are encouraged to care for the plants and vegetables, watering them and measuring their growth. Children harvest the vegetables when they are ready and prepare them for tasting and using in creative activities, such as vegetable printing. Children's imaginative skills are significantly enhanced by the excellent resources provided by staff to stimulate children's interest. Children become immersed in their play. Staff provide a wide range of resources to support children's role play. For example, opticians, children use a range of different glasses experimenting, a child commented to an adult "you look much bigger". Children have daily access to a wide range of interesting creative resources, such as feathers, coloured foam pieces, paint, and glitter. Staff are skilled at developing children's own ideas and creations.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are excellent at negotiating space and demonstrate a secure understanding of respecting personal space. Children are very adept at using tools such as scissors, hammer and nails. They are exceptionally good at balancing and climbing, skilfully moving over and under the large caterpillar in the garden.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children develop a strong sense of belonging in the setting. Children recognise

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 themselves in laminated photographs placed around the rooms and in the garden. Children delight in showing their friends and adults their photos. One child excitedly points to the photographs on the tree saying look that's me and that's my mummy. Children's self-esteem is developing very well. Children's creative work is displayed to show that staff value their achievements. Children develop a strong sense of community through a variety of visits such as, going on the train to visit the shoe shop, and visiting the local television studios. Their understanding of the wider world is enhanced by a wide variety of resources that provide positive images of all members of our diverse society. Children are extremely well-behaved. They show consideration to their peers and are

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Helping children make a positive contribution

keen to work cooperatively at tidy up time. Older children help the younger children, for example, one of the children went indoors to find a tissue for a younger child. They are extremely polite, using please and thank you. At snack time children said please and thank you in Spanish and French, linked in with the theme of food around the world. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children with special needs are well supported by the qualified and experienced staff. For example, several staff have attended training in sign language. Staff work in partnership with parents and outside agencies to ensure children are able to reach their full potential. Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. Parents receive detailed information regarding the setting which covers the ethos of the group, policies and procedures. They are invited to take an active part in their child's learning. Parents'

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Helping children make a positive contribution

skills are valued and used in the pre-school themes and projects. For example, during a recent theme of Hey diddle diddle a parent visited and played the violin to the children. Initially, when children first join the group, staff work very closely with the parent to gather important information on the child's individual needs. All parents feel valued and welcomed.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from the well-organised staff. The space and resources are used effectively to create an inviting and stimulating environment for all the children. Children can freely move between indoors and the garden which provides a range of different play and learning opportunities. However, minor hazards in the garden create a small risk to the children's safety. High staff ratios means children are extremely well supported. All documentation is accurate, meets regulatory requirements and stored securely to maintain confidentiality. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Leadership and management is outstanding. The registered provider is very proactive in ensuring that the children receive high-quality learning opportunities. Staff work exceptionally well together and are very committed to training to increase their skills and maintain their exemplary practice. The registered provider implements

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Organisation

effective procedures to evaluate the nursery education provision. Rigorous

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 recruitment and induction procedures ensure all staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities and work to the exceptional standards. All staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and genuine interest in providing consistently high standards of care and education.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints since the last inspection. 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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.

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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): • ensure the procedures to keep the play areas safe for the children are effective and address minor hazards in the garden.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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