Foulsham & Bintree Playgroup

Foulsham & Bintree Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

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Foulsham & Bintree Playgroup

Unique Reference Number EY268018 Inspection date 28 June 2005 Inspector Pauline Margaret Todd

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Foulsham & Bintree Playgroup

Setting Address New Frost Hall, Clay Pit Road, Foulsham, Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 5RW Telephone number mob 07979051220

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E-mail

Registered person Foulsham & Bintree Playgroup Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Foulsham and Bintree Playgroup are well established and have been operating from their present premises since 2003. They are committee run with charitable status. The group holds session in a room at the Frost Hall which is situated in the centre of the village of Foulsham, Norfolk, close to the town of Dereham. A maximum of 16 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The group is open each weekday from 9.00 until 11.30 during school term times. All children share access to a secure

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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 enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 23 children aged from almost three to five years on roll. Of these 13 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local area. The playgroup currently supports children with special educational needs. The group employs five staff. Three hold appropriate early years qualifications. Two staff are working towards a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children learn the importance of good personal hygiene through everyday routines and are becoming increasingly independent in their personal care. They confidently wash and dry their hands after using the toilet and before eating. Children are protected against the spread of infection because staff follow satisfactory procedures to maintain the cleanliness of the premises and equipment on a daily basis. Children's health details and medical requirements are clearly recorded to maintain their good health and staff follow effective systems to ensure children who are unwell are appropriately cared for. Children are aware they need to put on suncream and hats before going outside to play in the hot sunshine to promote their welfare. Children recognise when they are thirsty and ask staff for a drink but they cannot help themselves to water as they wish, or pour their own drinks at snack time, to be

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Helping children to be healthy

able to use their initiative and develop their independence skills. Children eat food in adequate quantities for their needs but the arrangements for snacks do not promote healthy eating. Children benefit from the excellent, spontaneous use of the outdoor play area during sessions to encourage them to use their bodies and undertake physical exercise. They demonstrate good control, co-ordination, and spatial awareness when using bikes, pushing prams and running. Children have many opportunities to develop their physical capabilities. For example, they hop, jump using hoops, and throw balls. They do not however use challenging climbing apparatus and construct with large equipment on a regular basis. Children develop good manipulative skills through routine use of scissors, spatulas, and small world toys. They show an awareness of their own needs with regard to rest and relaxation and lie comfortably on the

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a bright, welcoming room which has colourful displays of their art work on the walls to add warmth to the surroundings. There is sufficient space to offer a range of play experiences and activities, indoors and outside,

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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 although the room soon becomes cluttered and disorganised and does not continue to offer a stimulating and challenging environment to promote children's learning. Children are kept safe because staff are very vigilant and use adequate risk assessments to reduce potential hazards indoors and outside. The procedures for fire safety are simple and clear, and staff have a good understanding of their roles to ensure children's safety in an emergency. Children use a wide range of safe, good quality, developmentally appropriate resources. These are easily accessible from low storage units and trays to encourage self-selection and independence. However, the children do not return equipment after use and staff do not support them in picking up items from the floor to encourage responsibility and to keep the environment tidy. There are sufficient toys, furniture,

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

and equipment to enable children to undertake activities, play, and eat together. Children's welfare is satisfactorily safeguarded and promoted by staff holding current first aid certificates and having an understanding of child protection procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children have very good opportunities to play freely and extend their own ideas and they enjoy playing outside with the sand and dressing-up clothes. They choose from a range of planned and free play activities to promote their development. Staff talk and listen to the children and ask them questions to make them think. They position themselves at the child's level to encourage good early communication skills. Children are building up close and caring relationships with staff who are friendly and approachable. For example, children call to staff to share their experiences. However, they do not intervene to maintain an appropriate noise level, or effectively support the children to take part in meaningful, good quality play at all times. Nursery education The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Staff have reasonable knowledge of the early learning goals to help children make progress in all areas of learning. Children arrive

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

happy and keen to participate. They are confident, pleased to see their friends and some friendships are being formed. For example, they play together sociably in the shop and sand tray. Children develop a sense of time and place as they discuss their families and plan a party for their grandparents. Children demonstrate a sense of achievement and proudly say "I done it". Children communicate well verbally and use facial expressions. They are confident to talk in front of a large group and are able to take turns to speak and listen to others. They enjoy rhymes and stories and children ask for their favourites. They have many opportunities to draw and more-able children try to write their own names on their work. Children are beginning to count. For example, child says he is 4, and use their fingers to count household members. Pegboards and puzzles are used to make shapes and patterns. Children learn about

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

living things, and a wormery, and tadpoles (now frogs) are available on the theme table, and they plant flowers in the garden. Children use the camera, tape recorder, and telephone as they play, and have free use of the computer which they use

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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 confidently and independently. They learn about diversity through planned activities and use the local community to visit places of interest. Children use their imagination extremely well in role play as they pretend to be kittens and dogs. Children utilise their senses as they play. For example, they feel the texture of the sand and dressing-up clothes, and taste food at snack time. Staff are not extending children's learning or exploiting opportunities as they arise through everyday activities and routines. For example, by counting mugs at snack time, using the sand activity for measuring, and stories, and party invitations to sound out words. Staff spend most of their time managing and supervising the children and not engaging them in the learning process or challenging them sufficiently.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff observe children regularly which contributes to their overall assessment programme to ensure children make satisfactory progress. A good system is in place to use these observations when planning the curriculum. Plans include what the children are intended to learn but do not show how the activity is adapted or extended to suit all children, how children will be grouped, and the open-ended questions to be asked, to enable staff to make best use of the activity to promote learning for all children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children develop good self-esteem and confidence because the staff give them regular praise and encouragement. For example, drawing activity. Children with special needs are warmly welcomed into the setting and given appropriate support to promote their welfare and development. Children are helped to develop a positive attitude to others, by the use of resources which reflect positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender, and disability. This approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Children are becoming aware of the boundaries for behaviour and know what is expected of them. The quality of the partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Children benefit from the good relationships which have developed. There is a useful exchange of information at the beginning and end of the sessions to promote children's well being. Parents help at sessions and serve on a management committee to participate in

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Helping children make a positive contribution

their child's pre-school experience. They find the staff friendly and approachable and gain information from the notice board about activities and childcare practices. Parents are not fully aware of the early learning goals as limited information is available to them in the group's prospectus. There is no formal opportunity to share what they know about their child or be involved in their child's assessment programme to act in partnership with staff to teach and support their children.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The playgroup follows effective recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that

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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 staff and committee members are suitable to provide care for children. Good team work encourages all staff and volunteers to work together to promote children's welfare and development. Staff are appropriately qualified and take part in regular appraisal sessions to enable them to identify training and development needs to keep their practices up-to-date. The induction procedures are displayed to ensure all new staff and helpers are aware of their duties and responsibilities. The key worker system helps new children to settle into the group and provide adequate continuity of care. Documents are available, accessible, and stored confidentially to ensure the safe management of the provision. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed to meet current guidance and reflect practices. The certificate of registration is

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Organisation

displayed to give reassurance to parents. The quality of leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory. The new committee members are not fully aware of their roles and responsibilities to effectively promote the good learning of children. They have started to assess their strengths and weaknesses to make improvements and will use this to monitor and evaluate the provision for nursery education and partnership with parents. Overall the needs of the children attending are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, the playgroup has satisfactorily reviewed their policy document and up-dated their procedures for the recruitment and induction of new staff to ensure all those involved are suitable to care for children. The group has been able to ascertain that staff qualifications are level 3 to meet requirements. The key issue raised regarding the use of number in everyday situations to promote children's mathematical development remains outstanding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • encourage children to help themselves to drinking water and provide snacks that promote healthy eating • make good use of staff, space and resources to create a challenging environment

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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): • improve planning to show how activities will be adapted or extended to suit all children, how children will be grouped, and open-ended questions to be asked • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals to exploit opportunities as they arise and engage children fully in the learning process • provide parents with further information about the early learning goals, encourage them to share what they know about their child, and keep them well informed about their child's achievements and progress

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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