Springboard Opportunity Group - Weston

Springboard Opportunity Group - Weston

Inspection report for early years provision

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Springboard Opportunity Group - Weston

EY337966 Unique Reference Number 16 November 2006 Inspection date Rachael Williams / Elaine Douglas Inspector

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Springboard Opportunity Group - Weston

Ashcombe Children's Centre, Stepping Stone Walk, Earlham Grove, Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset, BS23 3JW

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E-mail

Springboard Opportunity Group Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Springboard Opportunity Group - Weston has been registered for many years. It now operates from new purpose built premises at Ashcombe Children's Centre which is part of Ashcombe County Primary School, North Somerset. Some children may attend both settings. Children have separate accommodation within the children's centre which consists of a large and small playroom, a soft-play room and a sensory room. There is also a parents/meeting room, accessible toilets, a shower room and a food preparation area. The children have access to a fully enclosed garden area and they share a central all-weather play area with others.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting is open from 09.15 to 11.45 and 13.00 to 14.45, term-time only, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Children attend for a variety of sessions within those hours. At present there are 35 children on roll; of these 15 children are in receipt of early years funding.

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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 manager is supported by seven members of staff who work directly with the children. Most have level 3 early years qualifications. Staff are also supported by regular volunteers.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group are supported by Springboard and the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are introduced to a healthy lifestyle through the provision of nutritious snacks such as, bread sticks and hummus and a selection of fruit. Children have the opportunity to explore the fruit using their senses when playing the 'in the box' game. Snack-time is a sociable occasion where children's independence is encouraged as they are supported to cut the fruit themselves. Staff have good knowledge of children's individual dietary needs, however, these are not displayed confidentially. There is a good exchange of information with parents when introducing new foods such as, cereal.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from staff's good knowledge of hygiene. Older children are becoming aware of routines through regular reminders and use of visual aids to support hygienic hand washing arrangements. They have access to warm water and liquid soap to wash their hands and use paper towels to dry them. There are good, hygienic nappy changing arrangements to ensure children are protected from cross infection. Nappies are changed according to children's needs and children are encouraged to wash their hands with staff after having their nappies changed.

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Helping children to be healthy

The premises are well maintained and, on the whole, children benefit from a clean environment. However, non-mobile and crawling children are not fully protected from cross contamination, as shoes are worn, which transfers germs from outside onto rugs and carpeted areas where they lie. Children are protected from illness and infection through clear arrangements to ensure their well-being. For example, there is clear information to support children's medical needs through well-written individual health care plans.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from daily opportunities to the active in the well-equipped soft play room and within the central area where they are able to crawl through mirrored, wooden structures and play spontaneously in the sand with a range of tools. Children enjoy regular walks within the local environment such as, to the local cafe or to the forest to further develop their physical skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. A warm, vibrant environment ensures children are settled in a relaxed setting. Space is organised well to provide a range of interesting experiences which are closely supervised by vigilant adults. For example, children's well-being is safeguarded when using the soft play area as staff deploy themselves effectively, shoes are removed and equipment is rearranged to ensure children's safety. Children benefit from a good range of equipment and furniture which is regularly

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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 assessed to ensure their individual needs are met. Toys and resources are easily accessible and stored safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's well-being is further safeguarded through staff's very good knowledge of child protection issues. Staff are confident to record existing injuries and incidents confidentially, are aware of possible signs of abuse or neglect and the procedures to follow. Relevant contact details are easily accessible to maintain children's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from a very secure environment for instance, an intercom system is used for entry into the room and effective collection arrangements have been established. Appropriate risk assessments have been established which identifies potential hazards and actions to be followed. However, the sliding door poses a tripping hazard to the children and staff. This has not been sufficiently addressed to alleviate the risk. Daily risk assessments shows staff awareness to ensure room safety such as, equipment checks and hygiene checks in the toilet facilities. However, although a check list has been established for the central area it is not consistently completed before use.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Staff use the Birth to three matters framework well to provide younger children with a wealth of experiences to develop their senses and independence. For example, children are well supported in the sensory room through excellent communication by staff. Staff make the sounds of the fireworks as pictures are projected onto the wall and relate it to the children's home experiences of firework parties. Staff consistently praise the children for instance, when a child uses her hands to represent the flashing of the lights or holds her head up to make eye contact. Children thrive in this environment and respond well to the various stimulating equipment such as, using their senses in response to the vibradome.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given many opportunities to develop freely and imaginatively. For example, a two-year-old thoroughly enjoys using his hands to explore paint whilst another uses the brush to create a spotty pattern. Staff are good at providing appropriate challenge for each child for instance, swirling paint around on the plate and making dots which the child is able to imitate successfully both on the plate and transferring it on to their leaf shaped paper.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children thrive during their registration time as they are fully involved. For example, a photo is placed on the cotton reel and children roll it to each other. They are able to make decisions about how to move for instance, stamping feet and nodding head, when singing the hello song. Younger children are beginning to use Makaton well to support their singing, responding well to staff and enjoy listening to them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good progress towards most of the early learning goals because staff understand their individual abilities; they provide appropriate activities and very effective interaction to support them in their development. Children are actively encouraged to do things for themselves and become as independent as

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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 possible. They receive good one to one interaction; staff have high expectations of the children and continually praise them for all their efforts. They use a combination of sign, facial expressions, visual aids and clear instructions to ensure all are included. Staff effectively use the Foundation Stage curriculum to plan a wide range of interesting activities. Guidance cards assist staff in ensuring they support children in getting the most from an activity. For example, how role play can be used to gain an awareness of cultures and beliefs, to use talk in imaginary situations and to encourage their independence. Written plans show the learning intention for activities. However, there is an incomplete system to ensure all the early learning goals are covered, to ensure children have opportunities to progress towards them all equally. Observations

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

are made of each child's development under the areas of learning and staff effectively use this information to plan their future development; every child has an individual educational plan, which is reviewed regularly. Staff have implemented a new system to record children’s development against the stepping stones. However, this has not yet been completed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy their welcome session, when they greet each other and get to know each others names. They develop high self-esteem as staff marvel at their achievements and consequently children persist with activities to their own satisfaction. Children develop independence through their daily routines, getting aprons and washing their hands. Children assist with their snack time and are able to select resources for themselves, this enables them to extend the activities and develop their creativity. For example, one child uses a pair of scissors to carefully cut out her printed pattern. Staff reinforce the children’s words and respond to any vocalisations, which encourages the children’s communication skills. Children access writing resources and enjoy looking at books individually. Older and more able children recognise written numerals and count objects confidently up to five. Children use mathematical language in their play and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

routines, such as having a big drink and playing with the small animals.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children explore and investigate. For example, they look in a box and use their senses to explore fruit. They respond to smells and express their likes and dislikes. The older and more able children develop an awareness of peoples cultures and beliefs through celebrating festivals, such as Diwali, Hanukah, Eid and Chinese New Year. They learn about their own environment through discussing the weather and taking part in activities about frogs, birds and insects. Children experiment with a range of sounds and lights. They enjoy using their sensory room and regularly take part in music and movement sessions. Children regularly explore paint and other textures. For example, children squeeze the paint between their fingers and use their hands to make marks on the paper.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are very settled and confident within the setting as close and caring relationships have been established. Children are respected for their individuality and are developing good self-esteem as staff have excellent knowledge of their individual needs and consistently praise their achievements. Positive images within the setting ensure that children are developing an awareness of the diversity in our society. Regular outings within the local environment such as, to the cafe, supports children's knowledge of the natural world and the wider community effectively. Children behave well as staff are very good role models and focus on the positive

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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 behaviour. Behaviour is monitored efficiently through behaviour management plans which are shared with parents to ensure continuity. Children are becoming more aware of expectations and boundaries through consistent support from staff and visual aids. For example, children are aware that when they are playing in the water they wear an apron.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All children receive excellent support in the fully inclusive setting. Abundant resources and effective organisation of the provision ensures activities can be adapted to include all children. Children are well supported in accessing mainstream early years education as they receive one-to-one support. Children are rigorously supported by outside agencies, such as, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists. All staff are very experienced and confident to support children with special educational needs effectively through the regular exchange of information. Well-written Individual Education Plans ensure that children thrive. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is outstanding. Children’s development is significantly enhanced by the excellent relationships that have been established. Parents receive a wealth of relevant information about the setting through the abundantly resourced parents room. Excellent arrangements have been established to ensure there is a regular exchange of information which ensures that staff can meet children's individual needs and plan effectively for their development, for example, through a home link book for parents who do not attend the session, daily key worker discussions, home visits and annual reviews. Parents are fully involved in the setting for instance, play plans are established with the parents to ensure continuity at home. Workshops are well attended to further support children such as, Makaton and parenting skills. There are excellent opportunities for parents' views to be aired through suggestion boxes and parental

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are well cared for by a team of qualified, experienced and enthusiastic staff who are skilled at meeting the children's individual needs. Relevant recruitment and induction procedures ensure that children are cared for by adults who are suitable and have been appropriately screened. However, relevant documentation for staff qualifications and first aid training are not readily available.

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Organisation

An accurate daily register records children's, staff's and volunteer's attendance to ensure that children are closely supervised and that ratios are maintained. Children receive excellent support from a consistent key worker. A comprehensive range of policies and procedures are used effectively to provide high-quality care and education. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides, effectively promoting their good health and safety in a supportive environment.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. A strong management team and highly committed staff work well together to ensure that children and families are effectively supported. Regular meetings ensure consistency and are used effectively to identify training needs in order for staff to develop their skills to continually improve the care they provide for children. The setting is well monitored by the management who are pro-active in regularly assessing the provision

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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 identifying areas for improvement such as, their planning to sufficiently address all areas of learning.

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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.

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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 complaint 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 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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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): • develop further hygienic procedures to protect non-mobile and crawling children • ensure children's safety in regard to consistently risk assessing the central area and tripping hazards from raised grooves for the dividing doors • ensure staff records are available for inspection and that children's dietary needs remain confidential

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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): • continue to review and monitor planning and assessment to ensure all the early learning goals are sufficiently covered

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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 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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