Cities in Schools at Unit 302

Bathampton Play Group

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Bathampton Play Group

133004 Unique Reference Number 04 October 2006 Inspection date Sue Vernon Inspector

p.1

Bathampton Play Group

Village Hall, Holcombe Lane, Bathampton, Bath, BA2 6UL Setting Address

p.1

E-mail

Bathampton 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 good. 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?

Bathampton Play Group is a voluntary committee-run pre-school group which has been registered since 1977. It is held in the modern church hall of Bathampton village, on the outskirts of Bath. The group uses the main hall and the adjacent room with access to a kitchen, toilets and an enclosed outdoor area. A maximum of 24 children may attend the group at any one time. The group is open on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 9.15 am to 12.00 pm in term time only.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 16 children aged from two to five years on roll. Of these, ten children receive funding for early education. The group employs three members of staff, two of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Effective procedures are in place to promote children's health and wellbeing. The group has a written sickness policy that is shared with parents. This makes parents aware why infectious children are not accepted and so protects children from possible cross-infection. Children are well cared for if they become ill during sessions and are collected by their parents/carers. Children use good hygiene practices within the daily routine such as hand-washing before eating and using tissues to wipe their noses. Clear records of medication administration are kept and shared with parents which ensures consistency for the children.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Staff work with parents to support any special dietary requirements and children enjoy regular drinks of water or milk, both at snack time or during play. Parents are encouraged to provide healthy snacks in lunch boxes. Staff use topics on healthy eating with fruit and vegetables to help children learn about why fruit is good for their health.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy developing their physical skills through regular exercise both indoors and outside in the enclosed garden. They develop large muscle skills using scooters and tricycles. They climb with confidence, bending and crawling through the climbing frame. Indoor obstacle courses help them throw and catch using bean bags. Children manipulate tools well. They use scissors during collage work and shape-cutters with play dough. They express themselves confidently, using paint brushes with water outside or small rollers with paint indoors.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a bright, clean, safe environment where risks have been assessed and minimised effectively. This enables children to move around safely during play, for example moving between floor play and table activities. Children learn about taking responsibility for their own safety, for example by being reminded to walk rather than run on the wooden floor to prevent slipping. Fire safety routines are in place to support children's safety. Fire drill procedures are displayed and are known by the staff. Evacuations are practised regularly and suitable fire equipment is in place and maintained.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from a good range of safe play equipment and resources that promote children's development. The room is well-planned and set out with play resources before children arrive. For example, construction sets are displayed on mats and creative painting is ready on the floor, using long sheets of paper. This enables children to move quickly into play. Staff have good awareness of the child protection policy and the procedures to be followed if any concerns arise which promotes children's welfare.

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

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children confidently explore the well-prepared play activities as they arrive at the group. They move smoothly into play and are familiar with the daily routines, such as helping to tidy toys away before snack time. This builds their self-confidence. Staff have warm relationships with the children as they know them well. Staff plan an interesting variety of activities that help children have fun whilst learning through play. For example, children enjoy measuring and mixing ingredients to make bread which they enjoyed kneading, baking and eating. Staff work closely with the children to help them engage in the play activities, for example helping children hold scissors to cut pieces for a collage display. Positive praise and support encourages children to persist well, such as when trying a variety of paint roller sizes to paint on a roll of floor paper.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff use their secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage stepping stones to plan an effective learning programme for funded children. They use good open questions in order to prompt children's thinking such as 'why do think conkers have prickly covers?' Regular observations are used to monitor children's learning and although they are not currently fully linked to records, this does not impact greatly on the progress children are making.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident speakers and enjoy using new vocabulary to describe their experiences such as smelling bread dough and saying it is 'yeasty'. They develop independence by helping collecting and putting toys away. Children enjoy counting opportunities within the daily routine, such as when lining up to go outside to play. They use simple maths language when comparing quantity and identify some shapes such as triangles. Books are valued and enjoyed by children both at story time and independently. Children enjoy mark making and attempting to write their names on their work. Some link letters to phonetic sounds with staff support and recognise their name cards on the table at snack time. Children learn about changes in the natural world through projects such as studying tadpoles and mixing ingredients in bread making and cooking. They have some opportunities for learning the value of technology as they programme toys

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and work through games on a laptop computer. A good variety of textures and media such as sand, dough, dry tea leaves help children explore their senses. They use their imagination in creative play, making insects with play dough and a selection of plastic wings, legs and eyes. Children express themselves using a variety of fabrics and textures to create an autumn collage and show good manipulative skills to make models from boxes and construction kits. Music exercise tapes or a basket of musical instruments are offered to enable children to freely express themselves to music. Children enjoy familiar rhymes and rhythms such as when singing songs about conkers or being bakers.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Information is gathered from parents in order that staff are aware of each child's individual needs. For example the group support any special dietary requirements. Any special needs are

p.4

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 noted and supported in order to ensure all children can have equal opportunities to enjoy their play. For example, staff work with speech therapists in order to help children with speech problems. Both boys and girls are encouraged to try all play opportunities and some toys are available, such as puzzles and dolls that help children learn the value of diversity.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff use positive methods for promoting and managing good behaviour such as giving consistent praise and encouragement. This helps to build children's self-esteem. Children behave well and enjoy working together such as when putting toys away before snack time. They share and take turns, for example when mixing ingredients in cooking. However, younger children are not always managed successfully and sometimes do not settle to activities. This disrupts the concentration of other children involved in play. Staff are good role models, promoting friendliness and good behaviour.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Good relationships with parents are built through sharing detailed information about the routines and policies of group before children start. Policies are reviewed and updated though some detail is not in place. Both parents and children benefit from settling-in visits. Staff are very approachable and good verbal feedback on the child's experience is offered daily. This helps parents feel included. The contribution of parents as helpers during sessions is valued and this enables them to feel more involved. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children celebrate festivals both from their own culture such as Christmas and from others. They ate noodles and tried Chinese calligraphy during Chinese New Year. Children learn to respect each other, sharing and taking turns well.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents in nursery education is satisfactory. General information on the early learning goals is offered when a child starts but this is not built on when children start receiving a funded place and therefore start on the Foundation Stage. An outline of topics is displayed on notice boards but does not include full details on the curriculum or learning aims. There are few opportunities for parents to be involved in the partnership in learning. Parents know they can ask about progress and meet with staff to look at their children's work but they are not encouraged to contribute to children's records.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is good. The organisation of the group supports children's care. The use of the premises is well-planned in order to meet the care and play needs of the children attending. For example, low tables and chairs are set out ready with puzzles or play dough and a quiet area with mats and cushions is prepared near the book corner. Resources are stored nearby which enables toys to be rotated and a good variety of play opportunities to be offered.

p.5

Organisation

Appropriate systems are in place to ensure the suitability of staff and staff ratios are met. Staff are supported in continuing to develop their skills by attending further training and professional development sessions. Policies and procedures are in place which detail the running of the group. These include a good staff induction process which supports consistency for the staff team. Regular staff meetings and an appraisal system are used and linked to staff development.

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 Leadership and management for nursery education is good. The voluntary committee support the staff team in developing their skills which enhances the quality of the play experiences offered to the children. Staff and committee meetings are held regularly to discuss issues and the staff team are able to evaluate the delivery of the Foundation Stage curriculum. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection, the group was asked to extend their knowledge of the their health and safety policy, the child protection procedure and appropriate behaviour management methods. Staff have reviewed the health and safety policy and apply it. They have attended child protection training and are secure in their awareness of the child protection procedures. These improvements support children's safety. Overall, staff deal with behaviour in a positive way and use praise, distraction and discussion to encourage good behaviour.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection, the group was asked to develop the range of books offered and increase opportunities for using mathematical language and linking numbers to numerals. The book display has been extended and staff encourage children to describe quantity within play opportunities. There is some linking of numbers to numerals for example using number mats. The group was asked to develop opportunities for children to learn about other cultures. Children now have some books, dolls and puzzles as well as doing topics about festivals to find out about different cultures.

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

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.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.6

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 parents are made aware of the complaints record

p.6

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 • ensure children of all ages are appropriately managed in order to become fully involved in activities.

p.6

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): • extend the links between planning, evaluations and children's records in order to ensure all children are consistently moved through the stepping stones • develop opportunities for parents to contribute to their children's learning.

p.7

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

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