Brinscall Playgroup

Brinscall Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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309248 Unique Reference Number 17 May 2007 Inspection date Christine Fraser Turner Inspector

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c/o Hillside Methodist Church, Parke Road, Brinscall, Chorley, Lancashire, PR6 8QB

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Setting Address

01254 830 682 and 01254 831 667 Telephone number mob 07947 425 587 E-mail Abbey Village and Brinscall Playgroup Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Setting Address

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?

Brinscall Playgroup is privately owned. It opened in 1974 and operates from a large hall and adjacent room in Hillside Methodist Church in Brinscall, near Chorley, Lancashire. A maximum of 25 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The playgroup is open Monday to Thursday from 08.45 until 16.00 and Friday from 08.45 until 12.15 during term time. The group also offer holiday care Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10.00 until 15.00, according to the demand for care. All children share access to a secure enclosed play area. There are currently 58 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these 33 children receive funding for nursery education. The playgroup employs seven staff. There are five of the staff, including the manager that hold appropriate early years qualifications. The playgroup works with the local authority.

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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 good. Children are protected from infection and are well taken care of if they have an accident or become ill because staff follow current and appropriate health and hygiene guidelines, policies and procedures. Parents are well informed about the playgroup's sickness policy and staff share relevant information on common child health related topics with parents, by putting books out on the registration table.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children follow simple good health and hygiene practices and wash their hands appropriately, for example, before eating or after gardening. They are well nourished through the provision of healthy snacks, such as fruit or bread sticks. Children know what the snack for the day is because it is clearly displayed on a large card both in pictures and in writing. Children learn what foods are good for them and know it makes the body healthy, for example, 'it gives you muscles.' Drinking water is readily available to all children throughout the session because children have ready access to their own bottle of water. Children's health and dietary needs are met effectively because staff work well with parents. However, the medication record lacks clarity.

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Helping children to be healthy

A wide variety of planned physical activities help children to develop their physical skills, for example, climbing using the large climbing frame, jumping on the trampoline, balancing on the balance board. Children enjoy music and movement as they join in enthusiastically with well known dances.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a welcoming, secure, safe indoor, child friendly environment where toys are readily available to children. They benefit from staff creating different areas of learning where children are able to play together. The noticeboard in the entrance hall keeps parents well informed about what is happening in playgroup.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a good range of suitable and safe equipment. They benefit from toys being presented in interesting ways, for example, the interest boxes in the quiet area. Children are able to make their own choices for play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn to keep themselves safe and avoid accidental injury as they walk round the room with staff to say what is right and wrong in playgroup, for example, picking things up off the floor. They keep themselves safe on outings by learning about road safety and talking about 'stranger danger'. They also learn about crossing the road in safe places, such as zebra crossings.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded because staff have a good understanding of their role in child protection and are able to put appropriate procedures into practice when necessary. Parents are informed of the playgroup's child protection policy.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled in playgroup. They are confident to choose their own activities from the wide range of readily available resources where children gain first hand experiences though staff using their knowledge on how children learn. They gain self-esteem as they each have a turn to share with the whole playgroup and parent 'a day in the life of' a named child', what they have done for one day. Children are involved in a broad range of planned activities and spontaneous events, which support their development and learning. However, the planning does not yet include specific reference to children under three because staff are not fully confident in using the 'Birth to three matters' framework. Children and staff make positive relationships with each other and children frequently show staff what they have done, for example, on the paint easel.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children benefit from staffs good knowledge of the Foundation Stage. They benefit from well organised areas of learning where staff's effective use of additional resources helps to extend children's learning. Pictures in the construction area and catalogues from builders merchants make the construction area a popular place with the children. Writing has been introduced into most areas, such as a clipboard in the construction area and children write for a purpose in the opticians as they make appointments.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children concentrate well on their self-chosen activities, such as the mark making area where they readily access other resources to enhance the activity including glue and scissors. Focus activity plans show clear learning objectives for the activity, including differentiation for younger and older children. Staff make good use of what children can already do and identify individual next steps for learning but this information is not yet carried through to the planning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children recognise their name as they self register as they arrive at playgroup. Children speak confidently as they recall what they have been doing, for example, what it was like to wear glasses and why they were needed. They have good access to books that give information on a wide variety of topics. Children are learning about initial sounds and bring items from home into playgroup relating to letter of the week.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are familiar with numbers and are beginning to use them appropriately in discussion, for example, children know how old they are and older children are beginning to be able to write recognisable numbers. They learn about subtraction as they sing number songs, they are able to recognise and name two dimensional shapes. Staff plan interesting activities that encourage children to look closely at things and ask questions, for example, observing large ice cubes containing different coloured materials and staff were readily available, supporting children's learning by asking children questions. Children learn about how things grow as they plant and care for seeds and create their miniature gardens. They use their imagination well as they join in group singing, for example, imagining that they are in a boat then singing 'Row Row, Row Your Boat'. Children create their own pictures using a wide variety of readily accessible

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

tools and media, such as paint, additional types of brushes, chalks and glue. For example, one child chose to add splatters to her picture by using a tooth brush.

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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 good. Children are cared for by staff who work effectively with parents to meet individual children's needs and ensure that they are fully included in the life of the setting. Children benefit from staff using the information from the 'all about me' booklet to help children settle easily into the setting. They learn about their local community as they undertake walks, for example, to look at the local gardens.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children work harmoniously together as they play alongside each other and they are able to resolve their own minor disagreements. Children behave well because staff have provide a wide range of interesting activities. They benefit from good activities and resources which help children to value diversity. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents receive good quality information on the playgroup in the brochure for parents which also includes information on the Foundation Stage and how to make a complaint. Parents are well informed about their child's day through news letters and copy of timetable and plans are on display. Staff are available at each session to give feedback to parents on their child's day.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents and carers offered positive feedback on the playgroup saying that it offered 'first class nursery education ' and a 'first class start'. Playgroup staff are proactive at seeking parents views through the distribution of parental questionnaires. Parents are encouraged to become involved in their child's learning through sending in items relating to the topic or letter of the week and by supplementing what children learn in playgroup through suggested activities that parents can do at home with their child. Children also share library books with their parent and carers. Parents receive an 'evaluation' of what all children have learnt throughout the topic. Parents receive liaison sheets each term on their child but are not involved in planning the next steps fro their child's learning with staff. A final report is given to parents as their child leaves playgroup to attend school.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from recruitment and vetting procedures that contribute to children being protected and cared for by staff with knowledge and understanding of child development. Staff have a strong commitment to ongoing development through training. Children benefit from new ideas being introduced to the playgroup as a result of staff training and seeing new ideas, for example, each child now has an individual space to store their own work. The adult-child ratio positively supports children's care, learning and play. Good use of time, space and staff deployment contributes to children's health, safety, enjoyment and achievement and ability to take part in the setting. Policies and procedures work well in practice to support the smooth running of the playgroup. Most record systems are used well to meet children's needs.

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Organisation

The quality of leadership and management of the nursery education is good. Children benefit from the managers clear vision for nursery education where children are active learners and are able to choose their own learning. They benefit from effective monitoring of the nursery education to ensure that all areas of learning are covered. Staff are able to identify their own areas of strength and areas for further development for nursery education and take positive steps to improve. Staff training is encouraged through the sharing of current information on

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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 available training and through the use of the staff appraisal system to identify individual training needs.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous care inspection the provider agreed to ensure half the staff hold a Level 2 qualification in childcare; complete an operational plan that includes an effective induction procedure; develop staff's knowledge on child protection issues; ensure children have access to activities resources that promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice; ensure there are effective procedures for appointing staff.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children now benefit from all staff, apart from two, holding a Level 2 or above childcare qualification. A detailed operational plan, that includes an induction procedure is now in place. Children are now cared for by staff who have increased their knowledge on child protection issues through training and are aware of their responsibility to keep children safe. Staff have increased resources and planned activities that promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice. Procedures are in place to ensure that the playgroup only appoint suitable people to care for children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection the provider agreed to increase the availability of the resources in everyday activities to enable children to spontaneously attempt writing for a variety of purposes, learn to recognise and order numerals, encounter people and natural objects to provide real life situations; review the organisation of groups to enable children to increase their speaking and listening skills; provide more challenging activities for children to develop and practise their balancing skills.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Resources are now readily available to enable children to spontaneously attempt writing for a variety of purposes. Staff now make numbers more visible through the introduction of number in the room, such as on the back of chairs and in number songs. Children now have ready access to number lines to assist them with the order of numbers. They now benefit from staff planning opportunities to meet people through topic work, such as a visit from the nurse or the police officer and have introduced more natural objects for the children. Following a review of the grouping of children, they are now organised into smaller groups according to age, for example, at story time story. Children now benefit from an increase in equipment that provides challenge to children when they are developing and practising their balancing skills.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that require 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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Complaints 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

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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): • review the current method of recording medication to provide more clarity to the record • develop planning to include children under three using the 'Birth to three matters' framework.

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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): • further develop the use of the identified next steps for learning for individual children and include in the 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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