Chadlington Little LearnersOfsted inspection, 26 Apr 2006

Chadlington Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

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Chadlington Playgroup

Unique Reference Number EY305915 Inspection date 26 April 2006 Inspector Gillian Little

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Chadlington Playgroup

Setting Address Chadlington Bowls Club, Church Rd, Chadlington, Oxfordshire, OX7 3LY

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E-mail

Registered person Chadlington Playgroup 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Chadlington Playgroup is run by a parent management committee. It opened in new premises in 2005 and operates from the Bowling Club in the village of Chadlington, near Chipping Norton. A maximum of 24 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The playgroup is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during term time with occasional sessions during school holidays. Sessions are from 09:15 until 11:45 with the option of a lunchtime club until 13:00 on Tuesday and Thursday. All

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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 children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 20 children aged from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 12 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from Chadlington and local villages. The playgroup does not currently have any children on roll with special educational needs or those who speak English as an additional language. The playgroup employs three staff. The manager holds a recognised early years qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children’s health benefits from satisfactory hygiene procedures as the premises and equipment are clean and there are appropriate facilities in place for nappy changing and hand washing. Children learn to wash their hands and staff explain why this is important, which develops their understanding of good hygiene. Children receive a satisfactory diet and have regular meals and snack times. They enjoy helping themselves to plates of chopped up fruit but this increases the risk of cross-infection. Some children stay for lunch club and bring their own lunchboxes from home, which staff store safely in the kitchen. Water is available for children throughout the day and they can choose from milk, squash or water at snack times. Children effectively learn about healthy eating as staff encourage them to talk about food, such as the impact of too much sugar. Children enjoy and benefit from physical activity as they have regular opportunities

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Helping children to be healthy

for outdoor play. Children use space well, avoiding collisions and showing respect for each other. They have sufficient opportunities to practise physical skills, such as throwing and catching a ball or balancing on small plastic stilts. However, the organisation of the outdoor space limits opportunities to develop physical skills further. For example, children have to wait a long time in a line for a turn on the climbing frame and their time outside is sometimes unnecessarily restricted. Satisfactory procedures are in place to ensure that children receive appropriate care in the event of an accident or illness. For example, documentation regarding children’s health needs and consents for emergency treatment are in place.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are able to play comfortably in a suitable environment, which has the appropriate facilities and space for their needs. For example, the playgroup sessions take place in a modern community building with a large, bright main room with

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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 adjacent kitchen and toilets. Children are able to explore their surroundings safely under close supervision and staff check the identity of visitors to the premises. Children play safely outdoors as the area is enclosed and free from hazards. Children’s risk of injury is low as staff generally assess risks appropriately and take suitable precautions to prevent accidents. However, the procedure of staff having hot drinks while sitting with children at snack time increases the risk of scalding. Satisfactory fire prevention and evacuation procedures help to keep children safe in the event of an emergency. For example, the playgroup practises fire drills each term. Children stay safe when away from the premises as staff have appropriate procedures in place, including increasing the adult to child ratio. Children are able to

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

play with a good range of suitable and safe equipment, which staff set out ready for children on their arrival. However, children’s chairs are rather low and do not support their backs. Children’s risk of harm from others is reduced as staff have an adequate understanding of their roles in child protection. Staff lack confidence in this area but will be attending further training imminently.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children under three show a keen interest in what they do and are able to develop a broad range of skills, as there is a good range of activities available. For example, they enjoy making collages, listening to stories and playing with older children in the shop. They are able to explore activities freely, choosing what they would like to do and selecting additional resources where necessary. They receive good levels of support from staff who offer them achievable challenges, such as building a train track. They engage in meaningful discussions, which help to extend their thinking, such as talking about filling a container in the sand pit. The planning of activities is appropriate for this age group and staff carry out regular observations of children’s progress. Children of all ages generally show good levels of concentration and behaviour although too much emphasis on the timetable and circle times sometimes results in

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

restlessness and a lack of interest. This lack of flexibility sometimes prevents children from exploring their activities fully and they are then reluctant to sit attentively in a group situation. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children show confidence on their arrival at the playgroup, relating well to each other and helping younger children in their activities. They have good opportunities for independence, such as pouring their own drinks at snack time and putting on their own coats. Children enjoy listening to stories and staff prepare these well, sometimes with additional props to bring the stories to life. Children respond well to simple instructions and generally listen with interest to group discussions. Staff extend children’s interest and vocabulary

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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 effectively through careful questioning and discussion, using words such as “spiky, prickly, rough, and smooth”. Children have good opportunities to build with construction toys and to explore sand and water to develop their spatial and fine motor skills. For example, they become engrossed in finding out how cogs work or pouring water from a teapot. Children have some opportunities to develop number and writing skills but staff do not make sufficient use of everyday situations to promote these areas of learning. Children show a keen interest in the world around them and staff are very aware of children’s individual interests. For example, children showing an interest in garden plants receive additional resources from staff, such as a watering can and plastic tools, which helps to extend their play effectively. Staff are proactive in encouraging

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children’s interests, such as showing them how to make footprints with water and discussing how reflections are distorted in the cloakroom taps. Children are able to develop their creative skills freely, making “bubble machines” from construction toys and using musical instruments to accompany a song. Staff have a satisfactory knowledge of the Foundation Stage ensuring that children make sufficient progress towards the early learning goals. Older and more able children, however, take part in the same activities as younger children, which limits opportunities for challenge. Staff make regular observations of children’s progress and have individual plans in place for each child but do not link these to their planning to differentiate successfully between different abilities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children have equal access to appropriate toys and equipment and staff treat all children with equal concern. Staff know children well, such as their home lives and toileting requirements, which ensures that they are able to meet individual care needs successfully. Children have some opportunities to learn about different festivals, such as Diwali, Christmas and Bonfire Night. They have access to a few resources reflecting differences in society and the playgroup are developing this area. There are currently no children with special needs on roll but the playgroup has appropriate training and policies in place. Children learn about responsible behaviour as staff use appropriate methods, such as reminding children of rules and encouraging them to be considerate. Children benefit from the staff’s positive and consistent approach to behaviour management. For example, children receive lots of praise for small

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Helping children make a positive contribution

achievements and earn stickers for special effort. Social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is therefore fostered. Partnership with parents is satisfactory. Children benefit from appropriate continuity between the home and the playgroup as staff develop positive relationships with parents. For example, parents receive lots of verbal feedback from staff and have the option to meet at the end of each term for more detailed information on their children’s progress. Monthly newsletters keep parents informed about general information and parent helpers receive helpful guidance about their role in the playgroup. Children regularly take home library books to share with their parents,

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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 which encourages parental involvement in their education.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Leadership and management is satisfactory. Children are able to make satisfactory progress as staff have an appropriate sense of purpose and have suitable skills and experience. Staff turnover is very low which ensures good consistency for children and for the playgroup. The manager of the group has a recognised childcare qualification at the appropriate level and the committee are supporting other staff to gain suitable qualifications to meet the National Standards. Appropriate monitoring procedures are in place, both in-house and from external organisations, to maintain consistency and identify areas for improvement. The committee have a comprehensive development plan in place to identify strengths and weaknesses of the playgroup and they use this well to address areas for improvement. Good links are in place with the local school to ease the transition from playgroup for the

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Organisation

children. Appropriate recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure that all adults are suitable to work with children. The playgroup maintains the adult to child ratio at all times to ensure children receive appropriate care. Staff, parent helpers and committee members all work well together, although they sometimes overlook opportunities for flexibility with the timetable. Documentation, policies and procedures are in place and work appropriately in practice. The committee are aware of the need to update policies and procedures on a regular basis. Staff are aware of the Birth to three matters framework and are beginning to implement this in their care of younger children. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted 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 satisfactory. The registered person meets

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND 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 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 satisfactory.

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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): • consider ways to reduce the risk of hot drinks • ensure that there is sufficient flexibility within the timetable to allow children to explore activities fully and to prevent children becoming restless (also applies to nursery education) • continue staff training to ensure that 50% of staff are appropriately qualified.

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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): • increase everyday opportunities for children to develop skills in writing and number • ensure that more able children are sufficiently challenged.

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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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