Sudbrooke Pre-School Playgroup

Sudbrooke Pre-School Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

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Sudbrooke Pre-School Playgroup

Unique Reference Number 253555 Inspection date 28 September 2005 Inspector Gill Ogden

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Sudbrooke Pre-School Playgroup

Setting Address Sudbrooke Village Hall, Scothern Lane,Sudbrooke, Lincoln, Lincs, LN2 2SH Telephone number 01522 754047

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E-mail

Registered person Sudbrooke Pre-School Group 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 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Sudbrooke Pre- School was registered in 1987 and operates from the village hall in Sudbrooke, Lincolnshire. It uses the main hall, the bar area and the toilets and kitchen. An outdoor play area is available to the rear of the building. The group is managed by a parent committee and serves the local and surrounding communities. It is open during term time only from 09:15 to 11:45am on Mondays and 09:15 to 12:00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. An additional session runs from

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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 12:30 to 15:00 on Monday afternoons, in the spring and summer terms, for the older children. A maximum of 24 children aged from 2 to under 5 years of age may attend the pre-school at any one time and there are currently 21 children on roll. Of these, 11 children receive funding for nursery education. None of the children attending have special educational needs. Six core staff work with the children. Two are currently training towards an appropriate early years qualification and another two are due to start training shortly. The pre-school is a member of the Pre- School Learning Alliance and has close links with the local school that most of the children will go on to attend.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children stay healthy because staff follow appropriate health and hygiene routines. For example, tables are cleaned with antibacterial spray prior to being used for food. Children understand simple good health and hygiene practices such as washing their hands after using the toilet and are beginning to know why it is important to do so. Staff are clear about exclusion for some illnesses so children's risk of catching infectious diseases is minimised. Children are always offered fruit at snack time, which they enjoy, as well as a biscuit, toast or breadstick, so they are nourished well. Topics, such as one on vegetables, give them added opportunities to learn about good food. They have plenty of drinks, especially in hot weather, but are not able to access them freely for themselves. Staff work closely with parents to ensure any special dietary needs are met appropriately. Children enjoy physical exercise at each session. They have easy access to the

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Helping children to be healthy

outdoors so get fresh air as much as possible. There is plenty of space indoors for them to run around freely when appropriate and they heartily enjoy taking part in activities such as circle games.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a welcoming, secure and safe indoor and outdoor environment. For example, activities are set out so that children can easily see what is on offer, the outer doors are kept locked and the outside play area is checked before use. Staff follow clear policies which support their everyday practice and all the necessary safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, is in place. The toys and play equipment that children use are maintained in good condition. Children are encouraged to keep themselves safe by following rules like lining up before walking carefully outside. In the event of a child having an accident, there is always a

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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 currently trained staff member in attendance. Children are protected through comprehensive child protection procedures being in place for staff to follow and parents knowing the group's responsibility in this area. However, the latest national guidance document is not available.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy attending the group. When they arrive they are enthusiastic about getting involved in activities that are set out for them, they know the routines and they relate well to the staff. As a result they feel comfortable, secure and supported to take part according to their developmental stage and ability. Their confidence and self-esteem is built on by staff praising them for their achievements and through staff and their peers listening to and taking notice of them. They soon develop friendships, play co-operatively together and learn about acceptable behaviour. However, fully effective planning of activities for children under three is not yet in place. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children make progress in all the areas of learning. They settle quickly into activities and show good concentration and perseverance especially in activities such as small world play. They confidently show

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

off and talk about their 'treasures' at register time and listen to others talking about theirs. Children chat to each other and staff during activities and develop their vocabulary and understanding of the sounds and shapes of written letters, such as 'c' for 'cannon'. They enjoy listening to stories and using pencils, paint and crayons to practice their mark making skills. Children count well and recognise numerals up to 10. Activities such as fitting puzzle pieces together, matching colour sequences with beads and using Compare Bears to judge size, amount and colour, all contribute to underpinning their mathematical understanding. Children develop an understanding of the use of technology by using a computer with increasing skill and concentration. They develop a concept of time and place by recalling events in their lives such as family activities and visits to the local church. They observe changes by growing

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

seeds and baking and investigate the natural world through seeking out insects outdoors. Children develop their hand-eye co-ordination and small hand skills well through activities such as threading, holding and drinking from cups, using scissors and dressing up. They use their imaginations in role play activities and express themselves freely through painting. They enjoy singing and other musical activities regularly. Overall, staff have a satisfactory understanding of the foundation stage curriculum and are keen to improve it. Planning reflects all aspects of the different areas of learning but it is not sufficiently related to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals to support easy monitoring. Assessment systems are in place to track children's progress but they are not used effectively to inform the planning for their next steps.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. All children are cared for by staff who work with parents to meet their individual needs and ensure they are included fully in the group. Children feel a sense of belonging and their self-esteem is promoted as a result of staff showing interest in them and their families and through their work being displayed for parents to see. Children learn about their own and differing cultures through appropriate activities. They are encouraged to show respect for each other by staff encouraging good manners. Staff work hard to give every child appropriate support but the special educational needs co-ordinator has not yet attended any training specific to her role and none of the staff have any significant experience in adapting the learning environment for children with additional needs. Children behave well as a result of staff acting as good role models and consistently prompting children to maintain appropriate behaviour. For example, staff use positive

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Helping children make a positive contribution

language such as 'please walk' rather than 'don't run' to encourage children to take responsibility for their own behaviour. The children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. The partnership with parents is good. Parents comment positively on their children's care, the way they are involved in their learning, and the information provided. Parents receive a 'parent pack' when their child first starts attending that includes useful information about the group's overall purpose and the policies and procedures that contribute towards this. There is a section on the foundation stage curriculum that clearly explains the different learning areas. Parents are involved well in the assessment of their children's progress by completing the 'all about me' profile, sharing information regularly with staff and having opportunities to look at records. Displays in the entrance include details of what children are learning and how parents

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Helping children make a positive contribution

can usefully contribute, for example, through helping children to choose items to bring in that have names that start with the letter of the week.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are looked after by staff who have all been vetted as suitable and who are committed to providing the best care and learning for children. Recent changes in staffing has resulted in some committee members taking on staff roles and although they are inexperienced they are eager to learn. A good adult:child ratio is maintained but the way staff are deployed is not always fully effective in the best interests of the children. All the necessary documentation is in place to provide a framework for the care of the children. The leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory. The organisation of the space and play resources is not yet fully effective in supporting children's learning. The staff and committee has a clear vision for the future but current practice is somewhat confused as result of the mixed roles of some members. As a result of this some systems, such as that for staff appraisal, is

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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 currently on hold until roles are clarified. However, the current situation has pulled people together as a team which has a positive impact on the children. Overall the needs of the children who attend are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the group was asked to improve some elements of health and safety, and resources. As a result of these, records for the administration of medicine are now clearer and so the overall framework for children's care is strengthened. Children also now have more resources in terms of books, dolls and play people that help them develop a positive attitude towards all members of society. The last nursery education inspection raised two key issues. One concerned the organisation of resources, staff deployment and the use of imaginative play to support children's learning. Some progress has been made regarding the use of imaginative play but overall organisation of the space and resources remains an issue and so a further recommendation is made. Good progress has been made on including parents more in their children's learning and assessment.

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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 satisfactory.

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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 children can access drinks freely • acquire current national guidance regarding safeguarding children to ensure relevant policies and procedures are up to date • review the provision for children under three, for example by using the 'Birth to three matters' framework

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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): • review planning so that it relates more clearly to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals and better reflects the results of children's assessments • review the organisation of space and resources so that they support children's care and learning more effectively (also applies to care).

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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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