Tysoe Children's Group Limited

Tysoe Children's Group Inspection report for early years provision

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EY284242 Unique Reference Number 15 June 2007 Inspection date Anne Felicity Taylor Inspector

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The Old Fire Station, Main Street, Middle Tysoe, Warwick, CV35 0SR Setting Address

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E-mail

Tysoe Children's Group Ltd (4761827) Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School 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?

Tysoe Children's Group opened in April 2004. It is a community facility for children and adults, which operates from the old fire station in the village of Tysoe, Warwickshire. It serves the village, other local villages and the surrounding rural area. There is a pre-school room with quiet area and a hall for the children, with all the appropriate facilities. There is a large enclosed playground, partially covered, for outdoor play and a garden area with secure access to the local recreation ground.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 53 children from two to 10 years on roll. This includes 24 funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions and full day care. The setting is able to support children with learning difficulties, children with disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting opens five days a week from 08:00 to 18:00 on 50 weeks a year. During term time, children aged two to four years are offered pre-school sessions from 09:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 16:00 with a lunch club from 12:00 to 12:45. There is a toddler group on Wednesday morning. For pre-school and primary school children there is a before and after school club which operates

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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 from 08:00 to 09:00 and 15:30 to 18:00. There is a walking bus for going to and from school. In school holidays there is a holiday club for pre-school and primary age children from 08:00 to 18:00.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Five part time staff work with the children. All the staff hold or are working towards appropriate early years qualifications. The children learn through play and the pre-school and the local primary school are part of the Foundation Partnership Scheme.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children have marvellous opportunities to develop their physical skills, spend time outside and explore the outdoor environment. They benefit from an outdoor classroom under the veranda where they enjoy making music, completing models from recycled materials and experimenting with water. The garden offers sand and soil play and challenging climbing and balancing activities. Children are lively and enthusiastic as they take part in bat and ball games with staff, and develop skills pedalling and manoeuvring wheeled toys, for example, wheel barrows. This daily outdoor play adds enormously to the children's health, well-being and learning.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children throughout the setting have easy access to toilet facilities and therefore they develop independence. Liquid soap and paper towels are available. Pre-school children learn the importance of good personal hygiene routines with the consistent encouragement and supervision of the staff. Staff offer support and gentle reminders about hand washing following outdoor play and before eating. Policies are in place and these are all easily available to parents, for example, the health and safety policy. Parents are always well informed about any accidents that happen during the session as there are good procedures for accident recording. Effective medication policies are in place ensuring medication is stored and administered safely. Most staff are first aid trained and therefore children are cared for well if they have an accident or become ill. First aid supplies are easily available.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good procedures are in place for the care of younger children. Clear routines are in place for the changing and disposal of nappies, ensuring children are clean and comfortable. Children needing a sleep have travel cots with individual bedding in a quiet area. Children sleeping are monitored regularly ensuring they are kept safe.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well-nourished, enjoying a variety of snacks and drinks during the session, for example, bread sticks and dried fruit and a choice of milk and water. Children have a self-service area for snack. However, effective use of it is limited as all children do not access the snack and some use it as a play area. Children learn about healthy living and eating as they discuss topics and through general conversation with staff. Parents are encouraged to store food in lunch boxes safely through reminders in the newsletter to use ice packs. Staff have completed food hygiene training and food is stored and prepared safely. A snack and a freshly cooked tea are available during after school care and older children contribute their ideas to the menu. They are offered an interesting and varied menu, for example, a snack of crackers and fruit and a cooked meal of spaghetti bolognaise and yoghurt. Parents are consulted regarding different

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Helping children to be healthy

diets and preferences ensuring children's individual needs are met. Meal times are happy social occasions with the children chatting to friends and staff.

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Helping children to be healthy

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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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a clean, secure, and well-maintained environment. Play areas are bright and interesting with easy access to lots of equipment ensuring that children settle down quickly. Displays of their work and photographs of activities enables the children to talk about what they have completed and achieved, effectively boosting their self-esteem. Children benefit as they access different learning areas, each with a wide range of appropriate equipment, encouraging independent choice and learning, for example, the maths area. Procedures are in place for staff to check and clean all equipment and toys regularly, ensuring it is all suitable and safe. Risk assessments have been completed and staff review, amend and add to them when necessary, for example, when the group goes on a trip. Staff deployment is in place for children to have easy access to the outdoor classroom and play areas. Staff are vigilant about

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

supervision and safety when children are playing outdoors.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The comprehensive vetting procedures and induction that are in place for all staff ensures that the children are cared for by suitable and experienced staff. The children's safety is a priority and the required staff ratios are always met. Effective security systems ensure that all visitors are monitored and accurate registers of staff and children are kept. Children develop an awareness of safety issues as they discuss safety rules, for example, not to climb on the fences. Fire evacuation is practised with all the different groups of children, ensuring every one is familiar and comfortable with the procedure. Evacuation and fire safety procedures are recorded.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected from abuse or neglect. Staff have attended child protection training and policies and procedures are in place. Senior staff have a comprehensive understanding of child protection issues including the referral process. All staff are aware of the signs to look for and the procedure to follow.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident and secure within the setting with staff knowing them and their families very well. They display warmth and affection for staff, with staff reciprocating appropriately. Play areas are attractive, bright and welcoming with a broad range of quality activities set out for their arrival and therefore children settle down quickly. The children's interest and knowledge is encouraged as they choose play in the different learning areas. Children benefit from the knowledge staff have of them and good use is made of ongoing assessments and input from parents to inform planning. Staff are skilled at planning the next steps for a child's development. Children are becoming confident communicators, discussing their families, and chatting to each other as they play. They are keen and excited to take part in all the activities available.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are progressing well through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. There are some outstanding aspects of learning including the children's personal, social, and emotional development, which is the foundation for their learning. Staff are skilled at exciting the children's interest to try new activities and encourage them to persevere and concentrate. Children understand the pre-school rules and staff are consistent in reinforcing and explaining the need for good behaviour. Children have a busy routine and behave well. Effective strategies are in place to develop the children's ability to share and take turns. Children are becoming aware of the feelings of others as they show

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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 concern for a child who is hurt. Children are able to move freely to many activities, both indoors and outdoors, and to make choices. This means that there is a good balance between adult and child-led activities, encouraging successful learning. Children are offered lots of opportunities to become involved with daily routines, gaining many independence skills and boosting their self-esteem. For example, the 'child of the week' helps to prepare for snack and checks the temperature of the room, plotting it on a graph. They take their shoes off and put on Wellington boots before outdoor play, and help to clean the painting table. Children completing independent tasks are not always monitored sufficiently and therefore they do not all learn well from the experience, for example, the self-service snack. Parents appreciate the opportunities they have

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to take an active part in the life of the setting and in their own child's learning. They contribute to the initial assessment of their child during settling in visits and are able to be part of the parent rota. The children develop strong links with the local community as they enjoy regular visits to school and welcome the reception teacher to the pre school.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children appreciate the wide variety of books available to them and they are learning how to use books for facts and for stories. They enjoy looking at books in the comfortable book area, on their own and with friends. They are learning to treat the books carefully. Children join in enthusiastically with 'Mr McGee and the Biting Flea' and anticipate what the caterpillar will eat next as the pages turn for 'The Hungry Caterpillar'. Their use of language to express their thoughts and to extend their vocabulary is significantly enhanced as they make a tape recording of their memories and thoughts after a farm visit. Speaking and listening skills are a priority and children speak confidently as they share their news at registration time. They are learning to be considerate when listening to others. Children are beginning to link sounds to letters well as they select the days of the week. Name cards are used very little and therefore progress in

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

name recognition is limited. Children make good use of the well-resourced graphics area making their own books and developing early writing skills. This is developed further as they ‘read and write’ during imaginative play. Older children write some well formed letters.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The maths area in the pre-school is very interesting and therefore children often initiate their own play and learning, for example, they count and match large dominoes. Children are offered many opportunities to count during routine activities, for example, as numbers of children are confirmed at registration. They see and begin to recognise numbers as they are displayed clearly around the pre-school area. Children develop an understanding of simple sums as they sing 'Ten White Bottles', with the added benefit of numbered bottles hanging up outside. Children develop a good understanding of measurement as they monitor their own height and look at the growth of their beans and sunflowers. They also create very long patterns as they measure ribbon. They plot the room temperature on a graph. Children learn about volume as they play and experiment with water, supported effectively by staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from excellent opportunities to explore and investigate using the natural learning environment. They are developing an exceptional understanding of growing, developing and change as they plant and look after vegetables and flowers and make porridge and taste it. The time spent in the outdoor classroom and in the garden excites the children's natural curiosity to experiment, for example, they create funnels and fountains using recycled materials in water. They dig enthusiastically in soil and sand. Children relate with wonder about the caterpillars that they looked after, which turned in to colourful butterflies and flew away to live in the garden. They enjoy looking at photographs of a visit to a local farm to see young animals and are gleeful as they describe how the farmer cleaned their boots with a hose pipe. These experiences extend their knowledge and understanding of the local community and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

environment. They develop an awareness of time as they discuss the make up of their families and events at home and have opportunities to learn about others through a range of festival

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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 celebrations. Children display skill using everyday technical equipment as they complete appropriate computer programmes, taking turns and helping each other.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are offered a variety of creative activities to stimulate their imaginations and enabling them to express their feelings with confidence. They enjoy 'having a tea party' outside and 'blowing out the candles on the birthday cake'. They take their 'babies' to the 'clinic', discussing many areas of health and care with staff as they play. Children experiment making music outside, singing along spontaneously and marching. Children use their senses to investigate the sensory area, touching natural materials and commenting on feel and texture, for example, stones and pine cones. They create pencil-drawn plans as a reference for creating castles from recycled materials using a wide variety of materials and tools. Outside the children use their imaginations and design skills to create caves with branches as part of a theme about bears.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's activities are monitored and evaluated. Staff adapt learning to meet the needs of the individual child, ensuring that children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language are given appropriate consideration. Children are encouraged to persevere and are proud of their achievements. They concentrate for long periods, consolidating their learning. They are becoming increasingly independent. Staff praise and encourage the children, who are happy and comfortable in the learning environment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals and within their family context. They develop very positive attitudes to others following the strong example set by all the staff. They are beginning to be considerate and show concern for others. They learn about the wider world through interesting themes and discussions, for example, the celebration of festivals and food tasting. Children have access to a range of play resources and books that show positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability. They have strong links within their own community, visiting the school regularly and enjoying visits from the health visitor and the local fire engine and fire officers.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's individual needs are met, with staff knowing the children and their families well and constantly exchanging information with parents. Staff have effective procedures which ensure accurate observations and the recording of each child's progress and achievements. Staff have experience of children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language and there are comprehensive arrangements in place to meet their needs. The children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered effectively. Children are encouraged by staff to take turns, share and to be helpful. They take pride in being 'child of the week' as they complete tasks, checking that the snack table is ready and monitoring the room temperature on a graph. The children begin to understand right from wrong through the consistent boundaries being set and the age appropriate methods staff use to manage behaviour,

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Helping children make a positive contribution

for example, distraction and explanation. Children respond positively to the praise offered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. New children and parents develop confidence in the setting as they take part in settling in sessions and provide information about individual needs and requests. Children benefit from the strong, open relationships between parents and staff, effectively developing the involvement of parents in all aspects of their child's care and learning. The key worker system is generally effective. However some parents are not sure who their child's key worker is, which may limit the exchange of information. All the required policies and procedures are in place and available to parents. However, parents are not given contact

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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 information about the regulator in the complaints procedure and therefore are unable to contact the regulator easily. Comprehensive information about the curriculum and daily activities are displayed for parents and are in the parent's information leaflet and regular newsletter. Parents are fully involved in the setting as they help with the care and maintenance of the building and volunteer as helpers for the walking bus. They enjoy joining their children for outings and visits. Parents feel well supported by the flexible care offered by the setting.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The good organisation of the setting helps all the children to develop well and have lots of fun. The leadership and management is good. Staff continually monitor and review practice in the setting, always evaluating care and learning to meet individual needs. Staff are encouraged to complete short courses and to add to their qualifications, ensuring a thorough knowledge of developments in early years. Staff display a good knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and 'Birth to three matters' which they use to plan a wide range of interesting activities. The premises are well-organised. All the indoor and outdoor space is laid out to maximise play opportunities for children.

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Organisation

Children benefit from the qualified and experienced staff who offer a variety of skills. They complete a comprehensive induction and have a staff hand book. The welfare of the children is the highest priority in the pre-school and all staff work well to meet all the needs of the children. The ratios of staff to children are good enabling the children to receive a lot of individual attention, including those settling in and children needing extra support.

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Organisation

The parents of children receiving nursery education feel fully involved in their child's learning, for example, they are well-informed about the curriculum. Effective procedures and policies generally support the staff in working successfully with parents and carers. Children benefit as their family is welcomed and involved with the life of the setting. The staff and management work as a team to continually monitor the effectiveness of the nursery programme. Overall children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last inspection the nursery was asked to ensure all accident records are signed by parents and that staff registers are completed. It was also asked to review the policies for complaints and child protection and to develop strategies to keep parents informed about daily events and activities. The nursery was requested to ensure fire evacuation records and completed risk assessments are available on the premises.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Good progress has been made in most of these areas. Children and staff are kept safe because staff registers are completed, regular fire drills take place and are recorded and comprehensive risk assessments are in place. Clear procedures to record accidents and ensure parents sign the accident record are in place ensuring parents are always informed. Notice boards and exchanges with staff generally keep parents informed about activities and events. However, some parents are not aware of who their child's key worker is and therefore this has been carried forward as a recommendation. The child protection policy is sound ensuring children are kept safe, but the complaints procedure does not contain details of the regulator. Therefore this has been carried forward as a recommendation.

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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

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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): • review the written complaints procedure with regard to the inclusion of details of the regualtor • encourage the effective exchange of information between parents and staff with regard to parents being aware of which staff member is their child's key worker.

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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 organisation of children and staff deployment to enhance children's learning opportunities during self-service snack time • provide further opportunities for children to recognise and write their names.

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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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