Rolleston Primary School

Begbroke Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Begbroke Playgroup

134305 Unique Reference Number 05 October 2006 Inspection date Gillian Little Inspector

p.1

Begbroke Playgroup

Village Hall Annex, Begbroke Lane, Begbroke, Kidlington, Oxfordshire, OX5 1RN

p.1

E-mail

Begbroke Playgroup Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Begbroke Playgroup is run by a parent management committee. It opened in 1979 and operates from two rooms in the annex of the village hall. It is situated in the village of Begbroke near Kidlington. A maximum of 14 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The playgroup is open Monday to Friday from 09:15 to 11:45 during term times. All children share access to an outdoor play area.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 13 children aged from two years to under five years on roll. Of these, three children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a catchment area covering the local rural community and surrounding areas. The playgroup does not currently support children with learning difficulties or disabilities, or children who speak English as an additional language.

p.2

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 The playgroup employs two staff. The manager holds an appropriate early years qualification

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

and the second member of staff is working towards a qualification.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are able to play in a reasonably clean environment as staff clean the premises regularly, store food safely and ensure children have their own towels for hand drying. Children learn to wash their hands before snack time but share water in a basin which increases the risk of infection.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children have good opportunities to engage in activities to encourage physical development. For example, they enjoy free access to the outdoor area where they practise hitting balls with bats, bouncing on a trampoline and pushing shopping trolleys. They enjoy moving to music, encouraged by staff, and are able to develop fine motor skills, such as scooping up lentils with a teaspoon.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children receive a healthy diet and have regular snack times. They enjoy a variety of fruit, such as bananas, apples and fruit cocktail, as well as savoury biscuits, such as breadsticks. Water is available from a drinks trolley at all times and milk and juice is available at snack times. Staff are aware of children’s special dietary requirements to ensure that children receive appropriate food and drinks.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Satisfactory procedures are in place to ensure that children receive appropriate care in the event of an accident or illness. For example, most medical documentation is in place but the group does not obtain written permission from parents to seek emergency treatment for children. This risks delaying treatment for a child in the event of an emergency.

p.3

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 appropriate facilities and the space for their needs. For example, two good sized rooms are available with space for a range of activities as well as an outside play area. Children’s risk of injury within the premises is minimised as staff assess risks appropriately and take suitable precautions to prevent accidents. For example, they are vigilant with hot drinks at snack time. The outdoor area is free from hazards but is not very secure. Staff supervise children adequately and teach them not to go beyond the boundaries, but are not rigorous about having a member of staff outside at all times. In addition, security on the front door is not always monitored. Staff ensure that the door is locked during session times but do not directly supervise parents and visitors entering the premises at the beginning and end of sessions. This increases the risk of strangers entering

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

the premises and of children leaving unsupervised.

p.3

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 Satisfactory fire prevention and evacuation procedures help to keep children safe in the event of an emergency. For example, fire equipment is in place and staff regularly practise drills with the children. Children are able to play with a good range of suitable and safe equipment, which staff regularly clean and check for damage. Children stay safe when away from the premises as staff have effective procedures in place such as supervising children carefully and issuing labels with the child’s name and group’s contact number. Children’s risk of harm from others is minimised as staff have a good understanding of their roles in child protection.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, settled and develop confidence and self-esteem. Staff support them effectively as they settle into the playgroup, helping them to separate from their parents and carers with some confidence. Children enjoy the calm and friendly atmosphere generated by the staff’s kind and relaxed approach. They have lots of time to play freely so that they can explore their ideas and interests. They develop good relationships with staff and other children, learning to share resources and play co-operatively. Children under three enjoy similar experiences and activities to those receiving nursery education, as staff effectively adapt activities to suit all children. Staff use their observations of children’s development to inform their future planning, enabling all children to make good progress.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children show a keen interest in exploring a variety of activities, concentrating for short periods alone and for extended periods when staff support them with ideas and discussion. For example, children playing in the “birthday party house” extend their play when staff suggest that they write invitations and think about who to invite.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy talking about their home lives and bringing items in from home. Staff effectively show that they value such contributions by asking questions, extending discussions and praising children for their efforts.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop confidence in speaking to others as a group. For example, at snack time staff encourage each child to contribute to the discussion. Children develop a love of books as staff read stories with expression, engaging children well. Children have good opportunities to play with a variety of materials and containers, such as filling toy lorries with rice, which helps them to develop an awareness of volume and capacity. They begin to learn about numbers and simple calculation as staff use everyday opportunities to support their learning. For example, staff ask children how many stars they have left to paint.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy finding out about the world around them as staff plan stimulating topic work and outings to engage their interest. For example, children learn about their local community through a visit to the village church at Harvest time and enjoy exploring conkers gathered from a walk. Children love “Bex Bear”, the playgroup’s teddy, who travels home and on holidays with them. Staff encourage parents to take photos of Bex on his travels which they then put in albums to broaden the children’s understanding of the world. Staff effectively use everyday opportunities to develop the children’s knowledge, such as pointing out squirrels on the field,

p.4

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 much to the children’s delight, or explaining to them that the toys are wet because of the rain. Children also enjoy a good range of creative activities, developing their skills in art, music and pretend play.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and work well together to plan a stimulating curriculum. They make regular observations of the children’s development and use these to plan the next week’s activities in line with the abilities of each child. However, written records of children’s progress are inconsistent as they are not all up to date.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children become aware of wider society as they have access to a good range of resources and activities reflecting diversity. For example, each year the staff turn the home corner into a Chinese restaurant to help the children learn about Chinese New Year. Children have equal access to appropriate toys and equipment and staff treat all children with equal concern. Staff know children very well, finding out information through informal conversations with both parents and children, and are therefore able to meet children’s individual needs effectively.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

There are no children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities on roll but the group have appropriate procedures and staff training in place to identify, assess, monitor and support such children.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are able to play a productive part in the setting as they learn to share, take turns and care for each other. They learn about responsible behaviour as staff act as good role models and use consistent and effective methods to manage behaviour. For children receiving nursery education, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from good continuity between the home and the setting as staff develop positive and professional partnerships with parents and carers. Staff greet parents warmly and ensure that they feel welcome in the group. Staff take time to talk to parents about their children’s time in the group and keep them up to date with events and issues through regular newsletters. For children receiving nursery education, partnership with parents and carers is good. Welcome meetings, regular discussions and a display of planning help parents to understand the Foundation Stage curriculum. Children’s profiles are shared informally so that parents can see their children’s progress and are aware of the next steps in learning. Initiatives, such as taking home books and having parents come into the group to talk about their jobs, effectively encourage parents to become involved in their children’s education.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Staff have appropriate skills, experience and qualifications to support children in their care and are committed to professional development. Areas of weakness are often quickly addressed to improve outcomes for children. The playgroup maintains the adult to child ratio at all times to ensure children receive adequate supervision. Most documentation, policies and procedures are in place and work appropriately in practice. A record is maintained of children’s attendance,

p.5

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 but this is sometimes completed retrospectively, which increases the risk of confusion in the event of an emergency such as a fire. The committee work well with the staff and provide good levels of support but have not notified Ofsted of new members, which is mandatory in regulations. However, staff ensure that children are not left unsupervised with anyone who has not had appropriate checks so the risk to children is minimal. Appropriate recruitment, vetting and induction procedures are in place for new staff to ensure their suitability to work with children.

p.5

Organisation

Children are able to make good progress in their development and learning as staff have a strong sense of purpose, plan a good range of activities and use the available time well. However, written assessments for younger children are not yet related to the Birth to three framework, although staff are sourcing training in this area.

p.6

Organisation

The quality of leadership and management for nursery education is good. The manager works well with the chairperson who has expertise in early education and they work together to effectively identify strengths and weaknesses in the educational programme. For example, a recent focus on planning ensures that all areas of the curriculum are successfully covered. The group have made effective improvements to most areas identified as weaknesses at the last inspection, although they still need to improve consistency of assessments. The manager successfully involves and motivates other staff in the provision of the educational programme and has a strong commitment to meeting children’s individual needs.

p.6

Organisation

The playgroup meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection the group were asked to develop opportunities for early word recognition through everyday opportunities. Children now learn to recognise their names on their drawers and pegs. They are beginning to recognise other words listed around the room.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

The group were also asked to develop opportunities for children to express themselves through musical instruments. A large box of traditional and electronic instruments is now available for children to explore freely. They enjoy making up tunes and they respond well to the sounds.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

The group were also asked to develop systems to identify areas for staff development and to monitor and evaluate the nursery provision. The manager and the chairperson work closely to achieve this. They are aware of weaknesses and have a commitment to improvement which benefits the children by effectively developing the education programme.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

The group were also asked to develop consistency of observations and assessments to inform future planning. The staff use regular observations to decide on the next steps in learning

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 appropriate for each child but do not ensure that all children’s written records are updated regularly.

p.6

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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.7

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): • obtain written consent from parents to seek emergency treatment or advice • ensure that children are able to use clean water for hand washing • monitor and review security at the front door and in the outside play area • ensure that Ofsted are notified of any significant events or changes • ensure that registers are completed each day • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the Birth to three framework to support observations and assessments of children's progress.

p.7

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 that assessments of children's progress are regularly and consistently updated.

p.7

The quality and standards of the nursery education

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

p.7

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

p.7