Woodcross & Manor Playgroup and Breakfast Club

Club

Inspection report for early years provision

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Club

224923 Unique Reference Number 13 December 2006 Inspection date Jasvinder Kaur Inspector

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Club

Manor Community Centre, Ettingshall Road, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV2 2RQ

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E-mail

Wolverhampton City Council Registered person Childcare Type of inspection Sessional care, Out of School 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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Woodcross & Manor Playgroup opened in 1984, the Breakfast Club opened in 2002. They operate from one room and the dining hall at Woodcross Community Centre, Wolverhampton. A maximum of 25 children may attend the playgroup and 16 children may attend the breakfast club at any one time. The groups serve the local and wider surrounding areas. The playgroup open five mornings and Wednesday and Thursday afternoons each week during school term times and also opens for two weeks of the school summer holidays. Sessions are from 09:05 until 11:30 and 13:00 until 15:00. The breakfast club opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 07:30 until 08:45.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 16 children from two to four years on the playgroup roll and 12 children from four to 11 years on the breakfast club roll. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The playgroup currently supports children with learning difficulties and also supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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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 employs four members of staff. Two of these staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 3. One staff is working towards NVQ level 3 qualifications. The setting receives support from the area Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a wide range of activities which contribute to their well-being. They develop their physical skills through regular outdoor play and have access to a range of toys such as bikes, scooters, pedal cars, rickshaw, tunnel, small trampoline, climbing frame and soft balls. They enjoy a relaxed and social atmosphere at snack times. They benefit from a healthy and nutritious breakfast and snacks. They are developing an awareness of healthy eating through arranged theme activities and wall displays. There is a selection of healthy options of food such as fresh fruits and vegetables, toast, sandwiches and breakfast cereals. Milk, juice and a variety of squashes are provided and fresh drinking water is readily accessible to children. This means children gain good understanding of the value of nutrition and regular fluid intake.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children learn the importance of good personal hygiene through well organised activities and routines. They wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating. Younger children are encouraged to flush the toilet and to use soap while washing their hands. Accident records are well maintained and shared with parents. Staff are well aware of the importance of keeping a record of medicines administered to children. However, staff do not obtain written parental consent for seeking emergency treatment or advice. This means it is not certain that children will receive appropriate care in an emergency. There is an effective procedure in place when children are ill to protect other children from the spread of infection. This contributes to promote children’s good health.

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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 safe and secure environment. With its wide range of children’s art and craft work and positive visual aids at children’s eye level the premises are welcoming to parents and children. Staff make good use of available space to meet the children’s needs. They are encouraged to learn about safety through planned and free play and learning activities. Safety issues are discussed with children. They are aware of the prohibited areas in the hall such as the food preparation corner. The hall is well organised so the children can move freely and safely. They enjoy easy access to the appropriate resources, enabling them to be independent when selecting activities.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a good system of security to ensure children remain on the premises. Children are supervised at all times including while paying a visit to the toilets in the community centre. Staff carry out daily safety checks around the area which reduces the risks to children. There is a good system of recording attendance of children, staff, volunteers and visitors. This ensures children’s safety.

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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 The children are well protected as the manager and all staff have a good knowledge and understanding of their role and responsibilities in child protection. They are able to put appropriate procedures into practice in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, enjoy coming to the setting and have a positive attitude to learning. Newcomers are comforted by staff if they get upset. Children are confident in selecting resources and activities of their choice. They have access to a selection of resources, for example books, toys, jigsaws, large and small lego, dressing up clothes, shapes and large equipment for role play such as the kitchen and home corner. This helps them to advance their learning skills. They make good progress through planned activities and free play opportunities. They are involved in first-hand learning experiences and enjoy planting watercress seeds. They develop their mathematical thinking throughout the session. For example, they count teddy bears in a story book and use language of comparison such as ‘big’, ‘bigger’, ‘small’ and ‘smaller’. Most children recognise numbers and some of the colours.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children have a good relationship with the staff and peers. They interact with them continually and develop their communication skills. For instance they sing songs from memory and the younger children join in by responding to the sound with body movements. All children enjoy listening to stories and asking questions. A wide selection of art and craft materials helps children to be creative. They make festive cards, decorations and calendars for the New Year with enthusiasm, and enjoy hand printing, gluing, sticking and cutting. Children are confident about seeking help and the support of staff, who offer assistance appropriately and are effectively involved in children’s play and learning. This means children make good progress in most areas of learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children have a sense of belonging. They learn social skills and enjoy being with, and talking to, adults and other children. Older children enjoy reading stories to younger children. They develop their knowledge and understanding of the wider world through appropriate resources and activities, such as dressing up clothes, toys and books, and celebrating different festivals all through the year. Children are treated and respected as individuals. Their special requirements are discussed with parents and met sensitively. Staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure children’s special needs are met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children appear to be happy, confident and well mannered in response to the clear boundaries set by staff. They are praised for good behaviour. In group activities they learn to play together, sharing and taking turns with toys and equipment. Behaviour management is discussed with parents, who take an active part in fundraising for the playgroup and are invited to the annual Teddy Bear picnic and Christmas party. Information is shared with parents on a regular basis

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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 through verbal communication and well documented policies. This creates a welcoming environment for parents and children.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children benefit from an organised and comfortable environment. The space is appropriately organised to enable children to have quiet, restful periods as well as more active and energetic play. The setting has suitable arrangements to protect children and the staff have undertaken relevant vetting procedures. The staff are encouraged to attend appropriate courses to update their knowledge and understanding of childcare issues. All staff hold first aid certificates which are regularly updated.

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Organisation

Policies and procedures are shared with parents to keep them informed of their child’s care provision. Documents are stored appropriately to ensure confidentiality. However, staff have not provided a written statement of the procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer. This leaves children open to risk. Additional documentation is made available to parents relating to the staff’s qualifications and training, and information about the service provided.

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Organisation

Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection the playgroup staff agreed to ensure accident records are fully completed and confidentiality maintained, obtain written parental permission for seeking emergency medical treatment for children and include reference in the child protection policy of the procedure for staff to follow in the event of allegations of abuse or neglect.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The accident records are now well maintained and kept securely to ensure confidentiality. This means children’s needs are met regarding this issue. However, the staff have still not obtained written permission from parents for seeking emergency treatment. They still need to provide a written statement of the procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer. This means children’s needs are not fully met. These issues are raised as recommendations in this report.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1st April 2004 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.

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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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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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure written parental permission is obtained for seeking emergency medical treatment for children in the playgroup • ensure the playgroup child protection policy includes procedures to be followed in the event of allegations of abuse being made against a member of staff or volunteer.

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The quality and standards of the care

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 care

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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