Holymoorside Pre-School

Holymoorside Pre-School Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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206796 Unique Reference Number 15 May 2007 Inspection date Karen Ann Byfleet Inspector

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Village Hall Holymoor Road, Holymoor Road, Holymoorside, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S42 7EB

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E-mail

Holymoorside Pre-School Playgroup Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of 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

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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?

Holymoorside Pre-school is registered to provide sessional care. The setting operates from within the village hall and serves the local community and surrounding area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 34 children from two years to four years on roll who attend a variety of sessions. Of these 15 are in receipt of funded education. The group opens four days a week during school term only. Sessions are from 08:45 until 12:30, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Five staff work with the children and all have a relevant early years qualification. The setting receives support from 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's health is well maintained. They know and understand daily routines and are independent in their personal hygiene with regard to toileting and hand washing. Staff help to re-enforce children's understanding of being healthy through a range of activities including ring games, such as 'Here we go round the Mulberry Bush'. Children's health and welfare is safeguarded as all staff are trained in first aid and a sick children's policy is in place which is shared with parents and helps to ensure children are protected from illness and infection. All relevant documentation is in place with regard to accident recording and the administration of medication.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with healthy, nutritious food and drinks. They enjoy a good variety of snacks such as cereals, toast, pasta and an assortment of fresh and dried fruits. Drinking water is available to the children throughout the session, at their request and they are offered a choice of water or milk with their snack. Children's individual dietary needs and requirements are met as staff discuss these with parents and record them. A list of any requirements or food allergies any children have is kept where staff have confidential access to it.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a full range of physical games and activities. They have access to a good range of large equipment for developing their climbing, balancing and co-ordination skills and have regular access to the outdoors. Staff plan and provide a good range of indoor physical play, which the children clearly enjoy participating in, for example, ring games, dancing to music and moving to music in a variety of ways such as 'waddling' like penguins and 'slithering' like snakes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The setting provides a clean, warm, welcoming environment for children and adults. Space is very well used and children have sufficient space to move around in comfort and safety. Children are able to freely self-select from the wide range of suitable, age appropriate toys, games and resources which are well maintained and in good condition. All the children show lots of interest and enjoyment in the fun and challenging activities which are planned and provided. Daily risk assessments of the premises and toys are undertaken by the staff to ensure children's safety is maintained. The kitchen, where all snacks are prepared, is located next to the play area and children do not have unsupervised access to this.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The premises are secure and children are unable to leave them unsupervised. The main door to the building is kept locked and there is an effective system for managing access to the premises. Locks are fitted along with an alarm. A policy for lost or uncollected children is in place and understood by all the staff and any incidents are recorded appropriately. The children are fully aware of how to stay safe in an emergency as evacuation drills are practised regularly. Staff use the various exits, ensuring children are aware that there is more than one means of escape and all practises are recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is promoted well as staff have a good awareness and understanding of child protection. They are familiar with signs of abuse and how to ensure any concerns are dealt with confidentially and the procedures to follow. Any incidents concerning the welfare of children

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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 are well recorded. All staff have attended training and the manager is fully aware of the Local Safeguarding Children's Board procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled within the setting, making them feel secure. They form good relationships with their peers and the adults caring for them. They seek out their friends and play well together in small groups, learning to take turns when playing games. They are developing good social skills during group activities and the younger children are developing their independence as they are learning to access resources for themselves. Staff plan and provide a wide range of worthwhile, challenging activities for all the children. They have attended training in 'Birth to three matters' and implement this well, taking the different ages and abilities into account, enabling them to meet children's individual needs and provide opportunities to help them develop their emotional, social and intellectual capabilities. Observations made by staff of the children's learning and development are used to help them plan the next steps in

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals and show great interest in the exciting range of activities which are well planned. Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. They have attended training and update their skills regularly through workshops provided by the local authority. A key worker system is in place and enables staff to observe and monitor children's development. They use these observations well to plan the next stages of learning for the children, taking their individual needs into account and showing the differentiation on the planning. Staff take time to talk to and listen to the children. They interact well in children's play, ask appropriate questions to encourage their thinking and development and value what the children have to offer. Staff give lots of praise to all the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children for their efforts and achievements, helping raise their self- esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy group activities such as circle time. They listen with interest and willingly join in conversations, offering their thoughts and ideas and confidently speaking out. For example, during a discussion about where paper comes from and the different types of wood, the children actively offer their ideas for items around the room that are made of wood. Their language skills are developing well as they use a variety of words to describe. They use words such as rough, hard, scratchy and smooth to describe the various wooden items displayed on the interest table. Through a good range of activities and resources available to them the children confidently use words and practise writing for a purpose. They have telephones, diaries and appointment books which they access through role play situations. The children are encouraged to write their own names and all are able to recognise their names through name cards which staff have

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

produced. The younger children have picture prompts which are taken off as the children develop in their skills of recognising their name. A good range of picture and story books are always accessible to the children which they enjoy looking at independently or in small groups. During circle time staff use reference books to re-enforce information about current topics. For example, they show a book about different types of trees and engage the children in conversation about wood and where it comes from.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children willingly help tidy away the tables ready for snack time and they co-operate well with each other in their chosen activities. For example, as they build up the train track together.

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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 Good mathematical activities are planned and provided for the children. They are confident in threading and colour matching, count reliably up to 10 and can recognise numbers and shapes. However, staff do not make the most of all opportunities to extend children's skills in using number and counting in practical ways such as at snack time. Children have many opportunities to explore their natural environment, helping to raise their awareness of living things, road safety and people who help us. Through well planned topics and themes the children enjoy opportunities to grow plants and flowers from seed, nurture them and then taste the results. For example, they have grown cress and then used it to make their own sandwiches for snack. Visitors to the setting provide good information for the children and provide links with the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

local community. For example, they have had visits from the police who talk to them about road safety. The children engage in a variety of activities which help to raise their awareness of the wider world, such as cooking, dressing up and books. They enjoy and are adapt at using information technology, as they are confident in the use of the computer and have good mouse control and follow on screen instructions well. Creative and physical development is promoted well. Children enjoy a varied programme of activities. They independently access drawing, chalking and modelling activities, use scissors with confidence and control and a range of tools for mark making, joining and fixing. However, they have limited opportunities to explore colour and texture such as painting activities where they are able to mix their own paints and experiment with colour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are treated with equal concern and their individual needs are met through the well planned activities, as staff take account of their capabilities and stages of development. However, there is a lack of opportunities for the children to further develop their self help skills, such as at snack time when children are not always encouraged to help with the serving of snacks, pouring their own drinks or the clearing away. Good systems are in place for ensuring any children who attend with a physical and/or learning disability are provided with appropriate care. A policy, which is understood by all staff and a designated staff member for special needs is in place. Staff manage children's behaviour well. They are consistent in their approach which is in line with the setting's policy and procedure. Through role play situations, small world toys and visits into the local area, children are learning about their own community. Their knowledge

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and understanding of the wider world is developing well. They engage in topics which promote various worldwide celebrations and have access to resources, such as books, small world figures, computer games and puzzles, which promote positive images of diversity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Staff and parents have formed good professional and friendly relationships. A weekly rota has been drawn up for parents and carers to volunteer their help within the setting. They help with the tidying away of the resources at the end of each session as the room has to be cleared and resources stored in the secure outdoor storage unit. Staff complete development records in all areas of children's learning and these are shared regularly with parents. All parents and carers are encouraged to participate in their children's learning and are given ideas by the staff on how they can extend their children's learning at home. An information pack is given to all new parents and carers and provides information such as, staffing, fees and the setting's aims and objectives. Plans of daily activities and the snack menus are displayed, providing parents with good information. Staff exchange information

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Helping children make a positive contribution

with parents about the children's development on a regular basis and when children leave the setting, parents are given detailed written information about where their children are in their

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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 stage of learning to pass on to school. A complaints procedure is available to all parents which includes the address and telephone number of the regulator.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. They are developing their independence in their personal hygiene and have equal access to resources. They are cooperative and are beginning to learn about their own and the wider world through planned activities and visits made into the local community.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are happy and relaxed within the environment and they receive appropriate levels of support from the staff, which makes the children feel safe and secure. There are sound recruitment and vetting procedures in place which ensures that they are only cared for by suitable adults. All the required policies and procedures are in place, enabling the provision to safeguard the children who attend. However, although incidents are recorded they are not always confidential. A daily register of children and staff attendance is in place and well maintained along with a visitors book. Children's records and staff details are stored securely and are available for inspection. There are clear systems in place for recording accidents which promotes children's welfare. All staff hold relevant childcare qualifications and first aid certificates and have a positive attitude towards training, which enables them to continually

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Organisation

Leadership and management of nursery education is good. The committee keep in touch with systems and policies through regular meetings with staff and discuss any issues such as fundraising events or the reviewing of policies and procedures. Regular meetings between the staff are held to discuss planning and evaluate the setting's progress. The manager ensures staff are well deployed throughout the session, they interact well in children's play and ensure the children are well supervised. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection two recommendations were raised with regard to National Standards 7, health and 13, child protection. Three were raised in relation to nursery education. The setting has addressed the issues and has made good improvements which ensure the care, well-being and education of the children attending is well maintained and promoted.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Two members of the staff team have undertaken training in food hygiene. One staff member is responsible for the preparation of snacks for the children and through following good hygiene practice ensures the good health of children is promoted. The child protection policy has been updated and includes procedures for the setting to follow if an allegation is made against any staff member and all staff have a good understanding of the procedure.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Improvements in nursery education have been made as staff monitor and record children's development and use the observations made of their learning to plan the next stages of learning through the Foundation Stage by using the stepping stones. A good variety of activities and opportunities are planned and provided which enable children to use writing for different purposes such as using diaries, shopping list and appointment books within role play situations.

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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 Although children are developing their independence in their personal hygiene, some improvement is still required in providing more opportunities for the older, more able children to develop their self help skills.

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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 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 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): • provide more opportunities for children to further develop their self help skills through daily routine tasks • ensure all incidents are recorded confidentially.

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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 extend children's mathematical development through more practical activities • plan and provide more opportunities for children to freely explore and experiment with colour.

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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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