Bailgate Pre-School Playgroup

Bailgate Pre-School Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

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Bailgate Pre-School Playgroup

Unique Reference Number 253500 Inspection date 08 July 2005 Inspector Melanie Arnold

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Bailgate Pre-School Playgroup

Setting Address Methodist Church Hall, Bailgate, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN1 3AR

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E-mail

Registered person Bailgate Pre-School Committee Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional 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 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Bailgate Pre-School is committee run and opened approximately 25 years ago. It operates from the Methodist Church Hall in the Bailgate area of Lincoln. Facilities include toilets, a kitchen, a large hall and a smaller room for story or group time. A maximum of 24 children may attend the setting at any one time. The setting is open weekday mornings, with the exception of Tuesdays, from 09:15 to 11:45, term time only.

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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 There are currently 36 children aged from 2.5 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 28 children receive funding for nursery education. Children generally come from the local area to attend the setting. The setting currently supports a number of children with special educational needs, and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The setting employs five staff. Two of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. One of the staff is working towards a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children benefit and enjoy accessing a good range of resources to promote their physical skills. Although children do not have access to an outdoor area, they benefit from good daily opportunities to promote their physical development while inside. For example, children enjoy dancing to music, completing actions to nursery rhymes, riding on bikes or climbing on the climbing frame. They are beginning to understand about health and bodily awareness as staff discuss with them what they should do when they are hot or cold, the reasons they may be feeling tired and the reasons why it is important to wash their hands after visiting the toilet. Drinking water is freely available to children throughout the session and they independently access this to meet their needs. Snack time is a social occasion where children enjoy sitting and chatting to one another. Children take it in turns to offer the

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Helping children to be healthy

snack out, encouraging good manners as they go round. However, limited healthy, nutritious options are available for children to select at snack time so they are gaining less of an understanding of the value of good nutrition as they generally only have biscuits to choose from. Children are healthy because of good hygiene routines and practices implemented and encouraged by the staff. Children are developing good self care skills through the daily routine as they independently access tissues to wipe their noses, disposing of them correctly in the bin, independently wash their hands after completing messy activities, before snack and after visiting the toilet. Therefore, children's health is promoted well.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children enjoy playing in a well organised environment, where they access a good range of appropriate resources to meet their needs. Toys and resources are thoroughly checked regularly to ensure they are safe for children to use. Children are also kept safe because of the settings informative risk assessments, which identify potential hazards and detail steps taken to minimise these risks. They also benefit from taking part in regular fire practices, where they learn what to do in an

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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 emergency. Children remain safe and secure at the setting because good security procedures are in place. Staff monitor access to the premises to ensure children do not come into contact with unauthorised people. Children are well protected by staff who are fully aware of the possible indicators of abuse or neglect. Staff also have a clear understanding of procedures to follow should they suspect child abuse, which ensures children's welfare is maintained at all times.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy their time at the setting. They arrive happily and are eager to participate in all activities. They confidently select resources from the good range on offer, helping to develop their independence and decision making skills. Staff are deployed effectively enabling them to support children's play and learning appropriately. Children's language skills are well supported by staff as they listen and value what the children say, developing good conversations with them. Staff's good use of open ended questions also helps to promote children's thinking skills appropriately. Children feel settled and relaxed in their environment because of the staff's caring nature. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage enabling children to make sound progress. Their development within mathematics, physical development and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

personal and social development is generally good. However, children make only satisfactory progress within knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and language and literacy because limited opportunities are provided for them to freely develop these skills well. Assessments are completed charting children's progress, although systems for linking observations to these assessments have yet to be fully established. Children are not always fully supported or challenged effectively to move them onto the next steps in their learning as planning lacks relevant detail. Staff's use of effective questioning techniques helps to develop children's thinking skills. Children are confident, enthusiastic to learn and enjoy their time at the setting. Children are settled and behave well while at the setting. They arrive confidently and independently select activities to complete. Children listen and respond well to staff

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

who use effective praise and encouragement to develop their self-esteem. They are developing good self care skills as they independently wash their hands after activities and learn to wipe their own noses appropriately and dispose of the tissue correctly in the bin. Children's understanding of numbers is well supported by staff who effectively incorporate mathematical language into the everyday routine. For example counting how many times children jump on the trampoline, counting how many children are present at group time and counting how many beads a child has used to make a tower. Children are beginning to show an awareness of size and quantity as they can effectively describe items which are bigger or smaller than each

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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 other and they also state correctly which side is heavier or lighter when using the weighing scales. Children benefit as they access a good range of resources to promote their physical skills. They confidently negotiate large climbing apparatus and ably climb up, over or underneath it. They show an awareness of space as they negotiate around each other when playing in the cars and on the bikes. Children confidently handle tools and malleable materials with increasing control and co-ordination. For example skilfully rolling play dough into a ball or a long sausage shape, using rolling pins effectively and cutters appropriately to make shapes and patterns in the play dough, or using paint brushes. Children communicate effectively with their peers and the staff, and confidently

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

express their needs. Most children recognise their names and staff are beginning to encourage children to link sounds and letters. Children enjoy reading books to themselves and they generally enjoy listening to stories, although on occasions grouping of children is not fully effective to allow them to listen intently. Children are beginning to write some recognisable letters, however, staff are not providing children with appropriate opportunities to develop these skills further. Limited opportunities are currently provided for children to freely practise writing skills as they do not have access to a mark making area. Children show an understanding of a sense of time as they are aware of the days of the week and can describe past events. Children's knowledge of the wider world is promoted generally well through activities and people of interest visiting the setting. They confidently use an appropriate range of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

information and communication technology resources to promote their skills. However, children's design and making skills are not fully promoted as they are unable to freely explore different ways of cutting, joining and building for their own purposes as a wide range of objects, resources and tools are not freely accessible to the them. This also impacts on their creative development, as they are unable to independently explore media and materials, for example by feeling the textures of different fabrics, or choosing materials for a collage. Children enjoy playing with musical instruments and they confidently sing nursery rhymes from memory. Children use their imagination in play and enjoy independently accessing the painting easel where they are free to express themselves.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children relate well to staff who provide appropriate care to meet their individual needs. Their understanding of the wider world is promoted well as they access an appropriate range or resources reflecting diversity and they also enjoy playing in the role play area, which is set up to reflect different scenes, for example, a shop, a post office, or a home. Themes covering multicultural events are completed and people of interest are also invited into the setting to provide children with further opportunities to develop their knowledge of the wider world. Children's behaviour is good. Their self-esteem is promoted well as staff use effective praise and encouragement. Children are beginning to learn right from wrong as staff are

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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 consistent in their approach and they use discussion and explanation strategies to ensure children understand the reasons why something is good or why something is not appropriate. Children enjoy playing with their peers and they share generally well together. Friendships have been developed as children look to find their friends and enjoy informing each other what they are doing and chatting and laughing together. Children arrive at the setting and show enthusiasm and eagerness to get involved with the activities on offer. They are confident and happy in their environment. This results in children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development being fostered appropriately. Staff ensure they are aware of children's special educational needs and requirements enabling them to provide appropriate care. Children make progress because the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

settings special needs co-ordinator works well with outside agencies and parents to ensure children are supported appropriately in play and can develop their skills. Children with English as an additional language are also supported appropriately ensuring their needs are met. Partnership with parents is generally good, children benefit from the setting working well and forming an effective partnership with parents. Parents are positive about the setting with many using the provision for siblings year after year. They are kept regularly informed of their child's care and forth coming activities through appropriate information displayed on notice boards and in newsletters. Staff also complete a portfolio for each child as an informative keep sake for parents, showing their child's progress through their craft work, pictures and photographs. Open afternoons are held once a year to enable parents to discuss their child's progress with staff and to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

also view their assessment records and portfolio. Staff communicate well with parents daily to ensure relevant information is passed on regarding their child's care. An informative brochure is available to parents containing information on the settings practices and it also details brief information on the foundation stage curriculum and the six areas of learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's needs are met through a well organised, caring environment. Their decision making skills are promoted effectively as they independently select resources from the generally good range provided. Leadership and management of the setting is satisfactory. The manager is committed to continually develop the educational provision offered and has just started to use assessments for identifying areas that have not been covered sufficiently. This results in improved learning opportunities being provided for children. The setting is also currently working on ways in which they can improve the information provided for parents relating to the Foundation Stage curriculum to ensure parents are fully informed of how the setting promotes the six areas of learning. However, areas for further development that have not been fully identified include, planning, which lacks information regarding how

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Organisation

children are supported or challenged appropriately enabling them to move onto the next steps of their development. Children are also unable to select a wide range of resources independently to fully support their learning in knowledge and

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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 understanding of the world, creative development and communication, language and literacy. Children receive a good standard of care because staff work well as a team and communicate effectively with each other. Children's well-being is maintained appropriately because the setting has effective recruitment and induction procedures. They further benefit from staff developing and keeping up to date with current child care practices as they attend relevant training courses. Children's needs are met well because records are completed appropriately and policies and procedures are generally informative, although some do lack relevant information. Overall, the setting meets the needs of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection several recommendations and actions were raised in relation to all areas. Satisfactory improvements have been made within these areas, which ensures children's well-being is maintained. An operational plan containing relevant policies is now in place and staff are aware of procedures to follow with regard to child protection ensuring children remain safe. A member of staff has received training with regard to special educational needs and is now the co-ordinator for the setting. This ensures children's individual needs are met appropriately. Children are also kept safe as the setting has introduced effective risk assessments to identify risks and steps taken to minimise these. Planning is now in place to ensure children benefit from activities relating to the six areas of learning, however further information is required within the plans to ensure children are supported and challenged

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Improvements since the last inspection

appropriately. Observations and assessments are now in place to chart children's progress, although observations have yet to be linked to the areas of learning.

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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 satisfactory.

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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 To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure children's health is fully promoted through the provision of nutritious snacks • ensure policies relating to behaviour management, child protection and equal opportunities contain relevant information

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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): • ensure plans identify how children of all abilities will be supported and challenged to reach their full potential • increase opportunities available for children to freely practise mark making and design and making skills using a wide range of different textures and joining materials

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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