Youlgrave Playschool

Youlgrave Playschool

Inspection report for early years provision

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Youlgrave Playschool

206915 Unique Reference Number 06 July 2006 Inspection date Karen Ann Byfleet Inspector

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Youlgrave Playschool

Youlgrave Scout and Community Hall, Alport Lane, Youlgrave, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1WN

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E-mail

Youlgrave Pre-School Playgroup Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of 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

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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.

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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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Youlgrave Pre-School Playgroup operates from the Scout and Community Hall in Youlgrave. The playgroup serves the village of Youlgrave and the local rural community.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 16 children on register, of which 10 are in receipt of funded education. Children attend a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports children with special educational needs.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group opens five days a week during school term time only. Sessions are from 09:15 until 11:45.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are five part-time staff who work with the children of which one is currently undertaking a National Vocational Qualification training course in Childcare and Education at level four.

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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 The setting receives support from a Derbyshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership development worker.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children stay healthy and have satisfactory opportunities to learn about their personal hygiene through the daily routines. However, this is not consistently applied. Older more able children are independent in using the toilet and hand washing facilities and younger children are supervised by the staff, to ensure they develop knowledge of the routine. Prior to snack children rinse their hands in a bowl of soapy water which is placed on a chair within the main play room. Children who become unwell during the session are sensitively cared for by the staff and parents informed. An exclusion policy for childhood illnesses is in place and shared with parents, protecting children from the spread of illness and infection. Any medication administered to children is appropriately recorded and written permission is obtained from parents. Accidents are entered into the record book and staff are aware of the need to obtain parental signatures

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Helping children to be healthy

Children sit together in small social groups at snack time and enjoy a healthy, varied range of fresh fruit and vegetables. Staff are aware of any special dietary requirements children have and respect parental wishes around these. Children are offered regular drinks of fresh water throughout the session and are able to independently pour these themselves. At snack time they are offered a choice of milk or squash.

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Helping children to be healthy

Through daily routines, children are developing their physical skills. For example, they actively participate in physical games and exercise such as moving in a variety of ways to music, using wheeled vehicles and the climbing frame. Planned topics such as 'My Body', enable children to learn about various areas of health and personal care, for example 'caring for our teeth'.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are warmly greeted by staff on their arrival and the displaying of children's contribution to art work gives them a sense of belonging within the setting. The premises are kept secure and ratios of staff and children are maintained, sustaining children's safety during the sessions. Although no outdoor play facility is available, staff ensure children have opportunities to engage in physical activity as they bring equipment, such as wheeled vehicles inside. Clear boundaries are laid out with cones and staff talk to the children about the safety issues, such as not riding into tables as they may hurt themselves or someone else. Children are beginning to develop a sound understanding about other safety issues. For example, when they are looking at a book about road safety with staff, they talk about the importance of seat belts in cars and how to cross the road safely. Equipment is clean and well maintained and staff check for suitability of

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

toys and activities prior to setting them up. A risk assessment of the premises however, is not carried out, enabling staff to identify and monitor any hazards. Emergency evacuation procedures

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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 are in place, practiced with the children once a term and recorded in the register. Helping children to develop a further understanding of how to stay safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded as staff have attended training in child protection and have sound knowledge and understanding of the setting's policy and procedure.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is inadequate. Children enter the setting and separate from their parents and carers with confidence. They seek out their friends and actively engage in the activities which are set out for their arrival. Although staff plan activities around topics, the grouping of children is inappropriate as the activities do not accommodate children's differing stages of development. Staff have recently attended some in-house training in relation to the 'Birth to Three Matters' framework and intend to incorporate this in the near future in order that all children will benefit from the activities planned.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is inadequate, with children making limited progress towards the early learning goals. They are developing relationships with staff and their peers and are developing some independence skills. Children's concentration levels are limited. The activities are inadequately planned by the staff to ensure children have opportunities to initiate and engage in purposeful tasks, appropriate to their stage of development. For example, during circle time, children show little interest and become disruptive to the rest of the group. Some children show their feelings for others and have awareness of other's needs, for example by offering a drink of water to a younger child. Children's work is attractively displayed around the room, giving them a sense of achievement and helping to raise their self esteem. Children enjoy looking at books, are freely able to access them and show respect for them, turning pages

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

one at a time and reading from front to back. Children communicate well, greeting each other at circle time. Some children are able to greet in both English and French. Through name plates the children are able to recognise their own name and some are beginning to form letters of their name as they add it to their paintings. Displays are labelled, providing children with access to written words. However, this is limited and children have few opportunities to engage in activities, other than the books, where they can explore a varied range of written words and practice any writing for a purpose. Each day time is set aside for a mark making activity, where they use implements such as, pencils, scissors, felt pens and chalks. Other than this, children are unable to freely access writing materials at any other time during the session.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's mathematical development is limited. They count, with staff, the number of children present during circle time and some children are able to count confidently to ten in both English and French. However, counting activities are not extended to such times as snack time in order to encourage the children to count out plates and cups. Although activities such as peg boards and threading are made available, staff do not fully engage with children or challenge them appropriately for example, by asking them to follow or make up patterns, in order to move them on in their learning. Inappropriate planning and delivery of activities limits children's learning. The delivery of spontaneous activities limits children's learning, for example when

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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 measuring the height of two sunflowers a piece of string is used. However, children are not given further opportunities to extend their knowledge of measurements through the use of other resources. Children are learning about different cultures and beliefs through specific activities relating to festivals and they have opportunities to become involved in local occasions such as, the well dressings. They have opportunity to explore how things work, such as, what makes a bicycles wheels turn, through practical activities. However, staff's inappropriate use of time limits what the children are learning form such an activity. Children are able to construct. They build up the train track independently although, in other areas of technology they are limited. Most creative activities are pre-prepared by the staff which provides limited

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

opportunities for children to select resources, tools and techniques.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have access to a climbing frame and are beginning to negotiate this safely and with control. They show an awareness of space and can move around obstacles. They are learning about health and bodily awareness through routine tasks. Children explore different medias such as play dough and with paints they have some opportunities to mix their own colours. Children enjoy and participate with enthusiasm in music and movement activities, using imaginative ways of moving to the music. However, they have limited opportunities to engage in other imaginative play or to express their ideas and thoughts such as, role play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have little knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage curriculum. They do not identify in their planning of activities the learning objectives or how children are to be suitably challenged in order to move them on in the next steps of their learning. Activities are delivered by staff to large groups of children with differing needs and levels of concentration which contributes to children becoming disruptive and loosing interest.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Their work is attractively displayed, giving them a sense of belonging and helping to raise their self esteem. They are generally well behaved and polite, although, during large group times, some younger children do become disruptive as staff aim activities too high for their level of understanding and their lack of interest in the subjects. The setting support children with learning and physical disabilities well. The setting's co-ordinator works closely with other agencies and parents to ensure children are provided with suitable resources and activities and is engaged in devising individual education plans for these children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. They are provided with an information booklet which outlines the setting, staffing and policy statements. Staff have formed friendly relationships with the parents and carers and information is exchanged daily about what the children have been doing. Parents are provided with brief information about the terms topic and are invited to contribute with any items that may be useful. However, plans showing the learning objectives of the activities planned are not displayed where parents can see them.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is inadequate. Although most documentation is in in place it is not all kept confidential. A complaints procedure is in place and contains the regulators contact information. However a complaints log is not yet in place. A daily register of children's and staff's attendance is maintained, although no record is kept of visitors to the setting. The setting is led by a committee made up of parents of children and they meet with the staff to discuss any issues which may arise. Recruitment of staff is conducted by the committee and the manager of the setting who also conducts yearly appraisals to monitor staff's training needs.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of funded education is inadequate. Staff have an incomplete knowledge of the foundation stage, a limited range of teaching and an insecure knowledge of how young children learn. Assessment and planning is inadequate. Time and grouping of children is not used appropriately. There is too little to capture children's interest and activities are not well enough matched to children's needs to provide a suitable level of challenge. The management do not regularly evaluate their practice to ensure improvements have been made since the last inspection. The provision does not meet the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Limited improvements have been made since the last inspection. Although staff carry out daily risk assessments of the toys and resources, they do not yet carry them out on the premises to identify and minimize any risks. Sufficient staff do now hold relevant first aid qualifications, ensuring appropriate first aid treatment can be given to children if required. Resources and activities provide equality of opportunities for the children, they all have equal access to the activities. However, they are not all aimed at the differing ages and abilities of the children who attend. Positive images of a diverse society are promoted through books, toys and topics. Children who attend with any physical or learning disabilities are well cared for. The manager is the setting's co-ordinator and liaises regularly with outside agencies to ensure appropriate care is provided. Staff exchange information with parents on a daily basis and parents are given

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Improvements since the last inspection

a yearly report on their children's progress, keeping them informed of what their children have been doing. Hand washing procedures are still not consistently applied. Children wash their hands in running water after using the toilet. However, they all use a bowl of soapy water to wash their hands prior to snack, increasing the risk of cross infection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals and the stepping stones has not been increased sufficiently in order for them to effectively assess children's development, plan activities which are appropriate for the differing ages and abilities of children attending or evaluate how children are learning. Children have more access to music activities which they enjoy. However, their opportunities to be individually creative is limited.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been on complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection.

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Complaints 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 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care, the registered person must take the following actions: • improve children's development records and use them to plan a range of activities which are appropriate for their stage of development and based on their individual needs • ensure a complaints log is put in place and that all documentation is kept confidential. These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education, the registered person must take the following actions: • improve staff knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage curriculum • improve planning in order to identify children's next steps for learning • improve the planning and delivery of focussed activities to ensure children's interest is maintained and that clear learning objectives are identified • provide children with more opportunities to practice writing for a purpose. These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice. The Department for Education and Skills and the local authority have been informed.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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

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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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