St Clare's Catholic Primary School

Greenslade Pre-School Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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115259 Unique Reference Number 09 October 2007 Inspection date Deborah Jane Starr Inspector

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Pound Lane, Nailsea, North Somerset, BS48 2NN Setting Address

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E-mail

Greenslade 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Greenslade Pre-school Playgroup was registered in 1972. The pre-school operates from purpose built premises on the site of Kingshill C of E Primary School and North Somerset Inclusion Service, in Nailsea, North Somerset. Children have access to an enclosed outside play space. The pre-school opens from 09.00 to 11.45 and from 12.30 to 15.00 Monday to Friday term time and for designated weeks during the summer holidays.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school is registered to provide care for a maximum of 24 children at any one time. There are currently 47 children from two years to under five years on roll. Of these, 37 receive funding for nursery education. The pre-school supports children with learning difficulties and disabilities and children for whom English is an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs eight members of staff, of these six hold appropriate early years qualifications. The playgroup is managed by a parent committee.

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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 well-established good hygiene routines and clear policies and procedures which are shared with parents. For example, children are protected from the spread of infection through clear exclusion policies and the risk of cross-infection through the use of individual paper towels and encouragement to blow noises when they have colds. Parents are well informed about what action they should take through the provision of additional written information leaflets. The majority of staff hold current paediatric first aid certificates and are able to offer good care should children have accidents. The recording of accidents is appropriate and systems are in place to support the safe administration of medication, although they lack some detail.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical health is well promoted through planned and spontaneous daily sessions. Children benefit from the regular use of the school hall, the hard covered surface surrounding the premises and nature walks around the school grounds. Staff set up equipment or play large group games that promote specific developmental skills, both inside and outside. For instance, children follow instructions to move their bodies in a variety of ways to express the mood of classical music, whilst moving rhythmically knotted ribbon garlands they have made themselves. Children develop co-ordination and persevere at activities when shaking a large parachute, tossing leaves in the air and whilst mastering the skills of peddling. Children demonstrate their awareness of space when marching and skipping to an exercise CD and manoeuvring themselves around others whilst riding trikes, cars and scooters.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a variety of healthy and nutritious snacks and drinks. Children's individual dietary needs are taken account of and discussed fully with parents. Snack times are social events with staff sitting with small groups of children. Children's understanding of nutritious and healthy foods is promoted further through cookery, art and craft activities and discussion during snack time. Children develop competent self-care skills, they pour their own drinks at snack time and easily access jugs of fresh water throughout the session from a low-level table.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children enjoy the freedom to learn and play in a safe and secure environment because staff have a good understanding of safety issues. Annually reviewed written risk assessments, safety checks prior to outings and daily written and visual checks make sure that all areas to which children have access do not present hazards to them. Regular checks of the wide selection of good quality toys and equipment ensure they are safe and age and developmentally appropriate. Children practise regular evacuation procedures. Staff guide children effectively to develop an awareness of their own personal safety and use every opportunity as it arises to promote children's understanding further. For example, walks to and from the school hall, dancing and exercising to music and when showing shin pads worn during football practise. Children understand how to keep themselves safe when carrying scissors and the dangers of sharp knives.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Planned activities focused on road and home safety and visits to the local fire station promote children's awareness further and their understanding of people who help them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected from harm and their welfare safeguarded through good procedures. For instance, security at the entrance; all visitors are required to identify themselves and sign

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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 a visitors' book and the collection policy; which requires parents to authorise those allowed to collect. Staff have a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and understand the need to record all concerns about children. Clear reporting procedures and staff's good knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities ensures children are protected. Parents are informed through easy access to the written child protection policy and the local procedures on display in the entrance hall.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children make excellent progress because staff skilfully help children settle, become confident and are supported to make choices. Young children benefit from close attention in small groups due to high staff ratios and participate in activities that are adapted to provide appropriate challenges. Children enjoy a rich and varied range of activities that stimulate their leaning and development in all areas. Staff are knowledgeable, sensitive to children's individual needs and offer them opportunities to develop good learning through both adult-led and child-initiated activities. Children's language skills are significantly enhanced by excellent interactions between staff and children. Staff carefully plan the environment to enable children to access resources and make independent decisions about their own learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding; children make significant progress in all areas of learning. Staff have a thorough knowledge and understanding of child development, how children learn and the Foundation Stage curriculum. They effectively build upon information gained when children join the setting and their early observations, to provide activities and opportunities that support each child to make progress and thrive. Planning for learning and development is highly effective and well-informed. Frequent observations, assessment and evaluation of each child's achievements and progress linked to the stepping stones, ensure their next steps are clearly identified and planned for.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff skilfully help children make connections between their learning, understanding and experiences and ask open-ended questions that help children develop their own thoughts and ideas and that promote problem solving. Staff thoughtfully plan the environment to promote children's independence and to enable them to consolidate and extend their experiences. For example, children follow good hygiene routines by washing hands prior to commencing a cookery activity. They eagerly take turns to count out and measure ingredients to make current buns. They use scales and recognise number calculating the weight. They look at recipe books and understand that print has meaning and are introduced to new words, such as 'yeast'. Children recognise that there are two packets of yeast and that they only need one. They offer solutions as to how the foil packet can be opened and select an appropriate pair of scissors,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

hold them safely and effectively use them to open the packet. Children's sense of smell is stimulated as they are encouraged to smell the contents and offer a range of suggestions as to what it might be. Children are intrigued by a bread making machine and are keen to investigate how it works. They recognise familiar letters in words such as' front' and 'back' and understand that this relates to the position in which the container must be placed. They ably explain that when the staff member needs to wear glasses to read the instruction booklet, this is because her eyes need help to see. Children enthusiastically press the buttons to start the machine and observe regularly how the gentle heat of the machine causes the dough to change and expand. Children enjoy eating their current buns at snack time.

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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 Children express their imaginations vividly through their role play that is effectively supported through interesting props. They re-create a bakers shop and co-operatively play together, using an extensive range of paper bags and play items that could be purchased. Children eagerly write orders on a notepad and consider which sized item fits into which bag. Children draw their own pictures of current buns and proudly display them on the outside of their shop. Children delight in singing the song 'Five current buns' in large group time and use their fingers to subtract one number at a time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff skilfully use every opportunity to develop children's understanding. For example, during snack time, children resolve problems of number and size when fruit is cut and shared and explain that it is not hygienic to put shoes on a table. Nature walks in the grounds of the school offer opportunities for children to develop an awareness of their own safety when looking at berries and leaves.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are highly valued and respected by caring and passionate staff who are committed to ensuring that each child's needs are identified and met within the setting. Staff ensure that they gain skills necessary to create a fully inclusive environment such as Makaton and have undertaken 'Elkan' training to sharpen their skills of communication. Children are individually welcomed into the group at the start of the day and sensitively encouraged to speak in the larger group. Children's achievements are celebrated by the whole group and the nurturing of their self-esteem ensures they grow in confidence. Children develop a strong sense of belonging and sense of value. They eagerly contribute their own work to wall displays of drawings and paintings. All children make significant progress due to the high expectations of staff. An integrated approach with a wide range of local professionals and agencies such as educational

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Helping children make a positive contribution

psychologists, speech therapists and local opportunity groups and proactive liaison between staff and parents ensure that children with learning difficulties and disabilities and those with specific individual needs receive the best possible support to make progress. The supportive atmosphere enables children to gain confidence and thrive. Children learn to respect difference as they learn about their own community and the lives of others through well-planned innovative activities that reflect the diversity of the wider world. They regularly celebrate a wide range of festivals, such as St. Andrew's day, Japanese Children's Day, and the Queen's birthday through stories, imaginative play, art, crafts, food, dance, music and dress. Parents willingly share experiences of their own cultural heritage and support themes for example, by supplying a diverse range of musical instruments. These experiences enrich children's lives and enhance

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children respond extremely well to the high expectations of staff and their behaviour is very good. They show care and concern for each other and benefit from sensitive explanation about how their behaviour impacts upon others. Children are happy and settled and quickly become engrossed in the wide range of activities, leaving little time for boredom or undesirable behaviour. Parents are warmly welcomed by staff and actively encouraged to spend time in the group. Parents enthusiastically give high praise for the care and learning experiences given to their children. Parents are well-informed of their children's experiences and welfare through frequent discussion with staff; both formal and informal; easy access to policies and procedures, frequent newsletters, a wealth of clearly displayed notices and social events and a daily update of activities. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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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 The partnership with parents is outstanding. An effective open-door policy alongside frequent opportunities for parents to be involved with their child's learning and to comment upon the provision brings about a highly effective partnership with parents. Information from parents, combined with early observations from staff provides the starting point of each child's developmental assessment. Individual discussion with the leader and key worker alongside comprehensive written information helps parents understand how their children are supported to make progress in their development. Regular one-to-one feedback throughout the year focussed on children's achievements within the six areas of learning ensures parents are well-informed. Parents are actively encouraged to be fully involved with their own child's

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Helping children make a positive contribution

on-going learning. For instance, by helping within the group, access to clearly displayed information about the learning intentions of themed activities, a daily activities board and suggested activities to support learning at home. Parents are actively encouraged to share information about their own children's achievements outside of the group.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The well-qualified and experienced staff team create a secure, stimulating and attractive environment. Their use of posters and wall displays effectively contributes to children's learning. High staff ratios and well considered deployment of staff ensures children are fully supported in their play. Children are encouraged and enabled to make decisions about their own learning through easy accessibility to a wide range of activities and resources. Robust and rigorous recruitment procedures, regular checks and on-going support of staff ensures they are suitable to work with children. Staff training needs are clearly identified through annual appraisals and children benefit from staff's commitment to develop their knowledge and skills through training; both internally and externally and to cascade their learning to colleagues. The enthusiasm, skills and commitment of the staff is fully supported by the parent committee through access

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Organisation

to training and recognition of the need to give staff non-contact time to enable clear planning for children's next steps. Staff meet frequently to review and evaluate their practice and have a clear understanding of their strengths and weakness and areas they wish to improve.

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Organisation

Staff demonstrate a good understanding overall of the National Standards, as reflected in their knowledge of policies and procedures and most aspects of their practice. Consequently, children's wellbeing is promoted and safeguarded. Most documentation is appropriate, accurate, well-organised and maintained confidentially and securely.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is outstanding. A highly effective monitoring system of planning and individual assessment records ensures that all children move forward appropriately at their own pace. The management team and staff use their thorough knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum to effectively plan interesting activities that excite and challenge children in all areas of learning.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the provider was requested to make the following improvements:

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Improvements since the last inspection

to extend the group's outings policy to ensure that it clearly details procedures to be followed when planning and carrying out outings, including routinely taking children's information and consents to seek emergency medical treatment or advice, as appropriate.

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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 This recommendation has been considered fully and steps taken to improve the provision. Clear written procedures are now in place and staff carry with them all necessary written consents and information in conjunction with a mobile telephone, first aid kit and a change of clothes.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection the provider was requested to make the following improvements: to increase children's opportunities to operate simple equipment and programmable toys, to enable more able children to complete simple computer programmes and to further develop other use of spontaneous and planned observations, using a variety of techniques to show children's progress across all areas of the curriculum, and encourage parents to take an interest in their children's progress.

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Improvements since the last inspection

These recommendations have been considered fully and steps taken to improve the provision. Children have access throughout the session to a wide range of appropriately challenging computer programmes that are well supervised by staff. Children develop skills such as dragging to ensure they become competent in manoeuvring the computer mouse. Children access a varied and interesting range of simple equipment and programmable toys such as a listening centre, CD player, remote control cars and 'bee bots'. Staff observe and record children's achievements through visual observations and use frequent photographic evidence to illustrate children's progress. Parents are actively encouraged to be fully involved with their own child's learning as identified in this report.

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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 outstanding.

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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): • obtain written parental acknowledgment when medication is administered.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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 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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