The Griffin School

Griffin School Inspection report for early years provision

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161965 Unique Reference Number 16 March 2007 Inspection date Catherine, Louise Sample Inspector

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154 Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 3SA Setting Address

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01722 416282 Telephone number griffinschool@btconnect.com E-mail Christine Hind, Gillian Taylor Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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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 satisfactory. 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?

The Griffin School was registered in 2001. It operates from premises on the edge of Salisbury and serves families from a wide area. A maximum of 56 children may attend the setting at any one time. The school is open each weekday from 08:00 until 18:30 for 51 weeks of the year. It offers nursery sessions in addition to before and after school care and a holiday club.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 250 children aged from 2 to 11 years on roll, including 60 children who attend the nursery. Of these, 28 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The school currently supports a number of children who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The school employs 24 staff to work with the children. Of these, 10 staff hold teaching or appropriate early years qualifications and 7 are working towards a qualification.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are learning about good hygiene practice. Staff explain why children should not suck the doll's dummy and talk about why they should not eat food that has dropped onto the floor. There are signs displayed reminding children to cover their mouths when coughing and to wipe their noses. Children's hygiene needs are met well. They follow thorough hand washing procedures before eating and after using the toilet and use soap and paper towels to prevent cross infection. They have made their own posters to remind others to "Wash the germs away". Younger children's hygiene needs are met through appropriate nappy changing procedures.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have sufficiently healthy food and drink. They have fresh fruit at snack time and a home-cooked meal for lunch. For example, they enjoy roast pork with Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and broccoli. The cook is aware of children's dietary needs and provides a vegetarian option. Children have sandwiches and cakes for tea. They are learning about healthy eating in some ways. For example, a poster about eating "five a day" is displayed. However, children are allowed sweets when they come in from school and this sends mixed messages about sensible eating.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are protected appropriately from illness and infection. Parents are advised of common childhood illnesses and exclusion periods for particular infections. Posters showing how to resuscitate children are prominently displayed. Several staff are first aid trained and there is always a trained member of staff on outings. Accidents and medication are both recorded fully. There is a clear procedure for the administration of medicines. However, there were two unlabelled bottles of medicine on top of a shelving unit during the inspection. Staff were unaware of these and did not know to whom they belonged. Children are helped to keep fit through regular exercise. For example, they go swimming once a week.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are learning about how to stay safe. They talk about what happens if you break glass and older children are able to describe what they have to do during a fire drill. Staff remind children about rules relating to safety such as keeping their seatbelts on in the minibus.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children can generally move about the setting safely. The building is secure and no-one can enter without permission. Windows are fitted with restrictors and sockets are covered. Toys and equipment are checked regularly by staff to ensure that they are safe and remain fit for purpose. Fire evacuation procedures are displayed and fire risk assessments have been made for all areas. General risk assessments have also been made but are not always reviewed on the due date. Children's safety is compromised by staff leaving the kitchen door open at all times. There are hazardous materials stored in an unlocked cupboard under the sink and the cooker is in use for varying periods every day.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety outside is ensured through effective measures. Children's outdoor play is carefully supervised and children are aware of the rules such as not climbing on top of the monkey bars. Outings are risk assessed in advance and staff are issued with guidance and a checklist of what they need to take with them. Children's safety on the minibuses is ensured since they are fitted with children's seat belts and staff manage children's boarding skilfully.

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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 Children are aware that they must walk in a crocodile formation when on outings and follow staff's instructions carefully.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is protected through the staff's clear understanding of child protection issues. At least half the staff have attended relevant training and have a sound awareness of the possible indicators of abuse. They know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child and the setting has a named member of staff responsible for any child protection issues.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident. They chat happily to staff and other adults and move around the setting with confidence. They take pride in their achievements. For example, a child proudly tells staff that they have done a puzzle all by themselves. They are encouraged to become independent. Nursery class children visit the toilet by themselves and dress themselves after swimming. Children benefit from praise and encouragement which boost their self esteem. Staff admire children's work and offer high levels of support during activities such as swimming.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from a wide range of stimulating activities and age appropriate resources. They have enjoyed themed activities during which they played in an African hut and pretended to fly in a hot air balloon. The school is particularly well resourced. There are toys and equipment for all ages including dance mats, computer games and a pool table for the children in the out of school club. Younger children play with attractive and stimulating resources including a wooden post office for role-play. Children have good opportunities to make choices since resources are stored at low level for easy access. All age groups have plenty of opportunities for free play as well as taking part in planned activities. Younger children are not always able to fully express their creative ideas due to adult intervention in arts and crafts activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Teaching and learning is good. Children are motivated to learn and settle well to activities. They have good relationships with one another and work together to do jobs such as carrying boxes of toys. They have many independent skills and are well behaved. They are learning about other cultures and ways of life through themed activities. For example, they have been finding out about America and doing related art activities. They also use a wide variety of multicultural resources. They are finding out about the world around them through outings and discussion. They are observing change by planting seeds and making jellies. They make frequent use of information and computer technology. They use the computer and also use more unusual technology such as metal detectors. They also use a variety of different materials for construction.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Most children are confident speakers who talk about what they are doing and use speech during role-play. They have good opportunities to mark-make and develop early writing skills. They enjoy listening to stories and looking at books. Print in several languages is displayed around the classrooms and children have written their own signs about hand washing. They know that it is important to wash away germs. They are also finding out about the effect of temperature on their bodies and talk about their muscles. They do a variety of activities to develop both their gross and fine motor skills. For example, they go swimming weekly and use scissors and cutlery. They move confidently and proudly show staff how they can hop, skip and balance.

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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 Children enjoy imaginary play using role-play equipment including a post office. They have weekly music sessions and also explore sound by using musical instruments. They use a wide range of media and materials with which to express themselves. Children use mathematical language and sing number rhymes during their play. They are learning to recognise numerals and have good opportunities to count to 10 and beyond. They are developing an interest in number problems as staff ask them to work out how many children need a glue stick. They regularly use resources, such as scales and puzzles, which help them learn about shape and measurement.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff interact well with children and manage their behaviour effectively. They have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage of learning and what children can learn from different activities. They record observations of the children's progress and use these to assess the next steps that individual children need to take. Planning takes account of these steps and is closely linked to the early learning goals. Staff provide good challenges for older and more able children by asking probing questions and using more complex resources.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children actively contribute to the setting. They set out the cups at snack time and older children make their own sandwiches at teatime. Children can choose what activities they want to do and older children contribute to planning for the out of school club and set their own ground rules. Children play a positive role in the community by taking part in charity events such as Children in Need.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are well behaved. They willingly follow instructions and have good manners. For example, a child apologises when he knocks something over. Older children establish ground rules for the out of school club such as respecting each other. Staff remind children that they should share and that friends should not fight. They use time out if necessary and work with parents if a child's behaviour becomes an issue.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are learning about wider society through using a wide range of multicultural resources. These include books, dolls, small word figures and globes. They take part in activities that help them learn about other cultures. For example, discussing the Chinese Moon Festival and Ethiopian New year and doing related art projects.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are cared for well. There is a special needs co-ordinator who works with parents and other agencies to ensure children's needs are fully met. Another member of staff is currently completing specialist training and does one to one work with children if necessary. Staff provide high levels of support for children to ensure that they are included in all activities. For example, staff help a child to select and carry out an activity. The provider has strong links with local health visitors who often refer children with additional needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from an effective working relationship between the parents and staff. The school aims to promote a friendly relationship with parents and families. Parents are asked to sign a 'Parents in Partnership' agreement and receive good quality information about the setting including a termly newsletter. Staff and parents exchange information through regular discussion and parents are encouraged to tell staff of any significant factors that may be affecting their child.

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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 Partnership with parents is good. Parents complete an initial profile of what their child can do and are encouraged to support their child's learning by helping them to do activities that are sent home. Parents receive verbal feedback about their children's progress and also receive twice yearly written reports. They are aware of what children are doing through a calendar of events. However, planning is not displayed which means that parents cannot see details of what their children are learning. There are termly parents evenings at which parents can see their children's records of progress and discuss them with staff. The head teacher holds regular meetings about the Foundation Stage of learning and also holds a meeting about the primary school application process.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children benefit from a well organised environment. The building is divided into different areas for different age groups. For example, older children have sole use of the top floor for the out of school club. The environment is welcoming with colourful murals and child-sized furnishings. Staff consider ways to make the environment work more effectively. For example, the after school children now enter through the front door to avoid the nursery children that are leaving at the same time through the conservatory.

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Organisation

Children benefit from having suitable staff. The school has appropriate recruitment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Applicant's references are followed up and any medical concerns discussed. All staff have been CRB checked except one who is currently in the process of being cleared. There is a formal induction procedure and an annual appraisal system to ensure staff's continuing suitability. Children's care and education are enhanced by having appropriately trained staff. There are three trained teachers and most staff have at least a level 2 qualification or are close to completing relevant training.

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Organisation

Children's welfare is enhanced through the keeping of all necessary records, policies and procedures. The policy and procedure document has recently been updated and reflects current legislation. It is made available to all parents. All necessary records are kept accurately. For example, the register shows the exact times of children's arrival and departure. There is a detailed record of complaints which shows how complaints have been investigated and resolved.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Staff work well as a team and attend weekly meetings to discuss children's education. Planning for three and four year olds follows the same themes but the teacher for each group does their own planning. Staff are not fully encouraged to contribute their ideas to planning. The head teacher monitors the effectiveness of the educational provision and states that she is always trying to improve some aspect of it. She is able to identify it's strengths and weaknesses and makes plans for the future. For example, she is planning to take part in a quality assurance scheme. Planning is evaluated for future reference and to ensure that all areas of learning are covered.

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Organisation

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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the provider was required to review and update the organisation of the administration and the policies and procedures. It was also required to review the

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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 organisation of some activities and the deployment of staff. It was required to review the nappy changing facilities and ensure that staff use consistent behaviour management strategies.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The provider has reviewed the policies and procedures and these now meet current legislation and, therefore, promote the safety and welfare of the children. The provider has also reviewed the organisation of activities and staff deployment and this ensures that children do not have long waits between activities and are well supported by staff. The nappy changing facilities have been reorganised to ensure that children can be changed safely. Finally, staff have a full understanding of behaviour management strategies and apply these consistently. As a result, children are well behaved.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection the provider was required to ensure that children have good opportunities to learn about the wider community by using more resources that positively portray people with disabilities. It was also required to provide children with more opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world by finding out how things happen and why things work.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The provider has a variety of books and small world figures that show positive images of disability. This enhances children's understanding of wider society. Children use a variety of resources, including interacting cogs, that allow them to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made by 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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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 satisfactory. 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): • ensure that risk assessments are regularly reviewed and that children cannot access the kitchen • ensure that medicines are stored appropriately • ensure that children have more opportunities to express their creativity without adult intervention

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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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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): • explore ways of making planning more accessible to parents • develop opportunities for staff to contribute to planning

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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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