The Links Primary School

Holway Community Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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143077 Unique Reference Number 12 June 2007 Inspection date Elaine Douglas Inspector

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Holway Primary School, Shakespeare Avenue, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 2JA

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E-mail

Holway Community Playgroup Registered person Integrated Type of inspection

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Type of 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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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?

Holway Community Pre-school is managed by a voluntary committee of parents. It opened in the 1980's and operates from a classroom within Holway Park Primary School on the outskirts of Taunton. Children have access to an outside play area which is shared with the reception class at the school. They also have use of the school facilities. Children come from Taunton and a wide catchment area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 20 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The group is open each school day during term times from 09:00 to 15:00. There are currently 42 children from age two to under five years on roll. Of these 36 children receive funding for nursery education. The group supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group employs six staff. Of these, four hold level 3 qualifications, one is working towards a level 3 and one is working towards a level 6 qualification. The group receive support from the local authority. They have close links with the school, which most of the children go on to attend.

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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's health is promoted through the staff using the Foundation stage curriculum to plan a range of activities, to support the development of their large muscles skills. For example, they ride bikes, propel scooters, climb and balance. Children throw and retrieve a ball when playing skittles, and enjoy running after the bubbles being blown. Children benefit from also accessing the school facilities to be physical.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop good healthy practices through activities and their daily routines. They help themselves to fresh drinking water and wash their hands independently. They are provided with liquid soap and paper towels, to prevent cross contamination. Children are able to access tissues and know to dispose of them independently. Children enjoy a range of nutritional snacks, for example, brown bread with spreads and fresh fruit. Parents are encouraged to provide healthy packed lunches.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is protected through good nappy changing procedures, staff wear gloves, and wash their hands and the child's afterwards. Tables are cleaned and tablecloths used for snack and lunchtime. Children play in clean, well ventilated premises. All health documentation is effectively recorded, including children's dietary requirements. A good system is in place to ensure staff are aware of any allergies and this is checked for any cooking activities. All staff have current first-aid qualifications, or are booked on to a refresher course. A good supply of first-aid equipment is easily accessible. Very good information is available for both staff and parents to protect children from illness. Parental consent is sought for staff to seek emergency advice or treatment, and to apply sun cream or plasters. Good information is provided for parents if a child should have a head injury.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are kept safe within the setting by vigilant supervision and procedures. Good daily risk assessments are carried out by a designated member of staff, any potential hazards are addressed to minimise any risks to children. Staff continually assess their procedures and make changes to keep children safe. For example, when staff identify that the collection of some children at lunch time could potentially cause a risk to those not being collected, they change the procedures to remove the children to another area. Children have good space to play and are well supervised when using the school toilets. Shelving is secured to the walls and children can safely access some resources. Toys and equipment are well maintained and appropriate to the children's ages and stages of development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children develop a good awareness of their own safety. For example, one child comments on why a child shouldn't drink while they have a mouth full of food, as they may choke. They take part in practising the emergency evacuation procedures when ever the school have their fire drills but this has not been recorded. Fire equipment is checked regularly. Children use tools, such as scissors and knives safely and under supervision. Good equipment is accessible for helping staff to lift children safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded by the staff's good knowledge of signs and procedures to follow in the event of concerns about a child. Policies are up to date and in line with the Local

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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 Safeguarding Children's Board guidelines. Good information is sought on emergency contacts and authorisation for the collection of children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children of all ages are well supported in taking part in all the activities. They enjoy warm, caring relationships with staff and respond well to their interaction. The group take children who are approaching their third birthday and these children are fully involved in all aspects of the older children's learning. Staff monitor and record the children's development and have an awareness of the Birth to three matters framework, so they are able to support the children effectively.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children learn through varied, stimulating, first hand experiences. Staff skilfully extend children's understanding through demonstration, good open-ended questions and supporting children to solve problems for themselves. Staff are clear about the learning intentions for activities and how to extend them to cover all areas of development. For example, while playing with the basketball, staff encourage children to keep account of their score and then record it on paper; the older and more able children write recognisable numerals. Children benefit from staff making good use of daily routines to teach. For example, they ask children if they have enough cartons of milk for the number of children at the table. The inviting environment supports children in becoming independent as they are able to make choices and select some resources for themselves. Staff make regular observations

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of children's progress and record these against the stepping stones of the Foundation stage curriculum. However, staff do not record the links between children's assessments and planning, to identify individual children's future learning; although key workers know their children well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy a range of adult-led activities, which they all have opportunities to take part in. They are encouraged to do as much as they can for themselves and are praised for their efforts, consequently they are proud of their achievements and want to attempt new skills. Children confidently select which activities to engage in, both inside and outside, and staff are effectively deployed to support their learning and move to where the children show interest. Children enthusiastically join in with whole group activities, such as singing and are confident to approach staff to join their games.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are beginning to be sensitive to others and respect each others needs. They welcome each other and use sign language, so all are included. Children are aware of times to sit quietly and listen to others, while being eager to take part in conversations. Most children help to take care of the environment and use 'please' and 'thank you' appropriately. Children display high levels of curiosity and concentration. For example, one child experiments with cornflour, they notice how it goes hard when using the spoon to pick it up and then it goes runny as it trickles through their fingers. Children have regular access to sand, water and paint. They display good imagination as they play with the role play resources and make up their own games. Children make good or better progress towards the early learning goals considering their starting points and abilities.

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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 effectively supported in accessing the whole provision. Good information is sought from parents to enable staff to meet children's individual needs. Children gain a positive awareness of people's differences through sensitive discussions and appropriate activities. They play with a range of resources which provide positive images of cultures, gender and disabilities. There are good systems in place to identify and support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are extremely confident. The good settling-in procedures are individual to each child and consequently they are happy and settled. There is a busy but calm environment. Staff provide good role models and so most children are well behaved, helpful and polite. Staff praise appropriate behaviour and give clear reasons as to why some behaviour is not acceptable, this supports children in gaining an awareness of expectations and consequences of their actions. 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. Children's welfare is protected by parents having daily access to the groups policies and procedures. The Ofsted poster is displayed and parents are made aware of the procedures to follow should they have a complaint. Parents are welcomed into the group and encouraged to be involved in their child's learning. Parents receive good information on the Foundation stage curriculum and the role of the key worker. Planning is displayed and parents can access their child's development records at any time. Parents provide initial information on their child's stages of development and have daily opportunities to discuss any issues with staff.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care and welfare is enhanced by the very well organised documentation. The operational plan is set out under the 'outcomes for children' which makes it a clear working document for staff. Parents sign their children in and out of the premises providing accurate records of who is responsible for the children at any time. Children's files are effectively used by staff to provide appropriate care. All necessary documentation is in place and has been regularly reviewed to ensure it is in line with current legislation and guidance.

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Organisation

Children are cared for by qualified, experienced staff who work well as a team, identifying their own strengths and weaknesses. Staff are very effectively deployed and the flexible routines meet children's individual needs and keep children safe. For example, although the outside area is shared with the reception class, the staff organise the snack time to coincide with their playtime. Very good recruitment and induction procedures ensure children are only cared for by suitable staff. The committee has good information to ensure they are clear about their roles and responsibilities. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The management and leadership of the nursery education is good. The pre-school leader and deputy work directly with the staff and children, providing good role models and steering the work of the setting. The new committee are dedicated to their responsibilities and the chair of the committee regularly meets with the staff. Good systems are in place to monitor teaching and identify individual development. A new system is in place to evaluate activities. Provision is regularly monitored and actions set to ensure ongoing improvements. For example, plans are

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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 in place to install climbing and balancing equipment in the garden, and to improve the labelling of resources for children to make independent choices. The pre-school leader has already identified the need to improve the assessments and looked at ways of doing this.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the group were set an action to conduct a risk assessment of the premises with particular attention to door security. They were also set two recommendations to keep Ofsted informed of changes to staff qualifications and to manage children's arrival in line with their own policy.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since that inspection the group has implemented risk assessments which they carry out to identify any actions to be taken to minimise risks to children, the gates to the grounds are kept locked until staff let parents in and at least one member of staff monitors the main door to ensure children only leave with an appropriate adult. There have been no changes to staff qualifications since the last inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection no key issues were raised. The staff were asked to consider monitoring their new assessment system.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since that inspection the group have continued to use the same assessment system which is linked to the stepping stones of the Foundation stage curriculum. Although this system gives clear evidence of children's development staff have found it too time consuming and are now looking at different ways of recording the children's achievements, while ensuring relevant information is maintained.

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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 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 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): • increase the opportunities for children to practice the emergency evacuation procedures and keep appropriate records

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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 the planning and assessments to identify future learning for individual children, in conjunction with their parents

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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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