Little Sutton First School

Broomhill Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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127056 Unique Reference Number 19 July 2007 Inspection date Christine Lynne Hodge Inspector

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Broomhill Road, Dartford, Kent, DA1 3HT Setting Address

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E-mail

Broomhill 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?

Broomhill Playgroup opened in 1970 and is committee run. It operates from a hall with a kitchen, toilet facilities and a large outdoor play area owned by the Scouting Association in a residential area of Dartford. The playgroup serves the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The play group is registered to care for a maximum of 35 children aged from two and a half to five years at any one time although they prefer not to take any more than 28 children per session. There are currently 44 children on roll. This includes 23 funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group is currently supporting two children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group opens Monday to Friday, term time only from 09.30 to 12.00. A rising fives session also operates on a Thursday afternoon. There are currently nine staff who work with the children throughout the week. Two staff hold an Early Years qualification to NVQ level 3 and three staff hold a level 2 and two staff are working towards a level 3.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting receives support from an Early Years Advisory Teacher. They are managed by a parent committee and are members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance (PLA).

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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 promoted throughout the setting. Staff ensure that the premises are clean and suitable for use each day before children arrive. Children are learning good personal hygiene by washing their hands after going to the toilet and before snack time. An effective sick child policy which requires sick and infectious children to remain at home, together with good hygiene procedures help to protect children from the spread of infection. Children are suitably cared for in the event of accidents as at least one member of staff holding a current first aid qualification is on the premises during playgroup hours. A fully stocked first aid box containing emergency contact numbers is readily accessible and parents have provided consent for staff to seek emergency medical advice/ treatment. Accident and medication procedures and records are appropriately maintained.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children take part in daily activities that promote their all round physical skills. For example, running, balancing, climbing and skipping to help promote their large motor skills. They use a range of resources such as pencils, scissors, puzzles, sewing activities and various construction to promote their fine motor skills. Children are learning about healthy eating through healthy snacks. They can help themselves to drinks of water throughout the free play sessions. Although they are still offered a biscuit at snack time children are also provided daily with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables such as carrot and cucumber sticks as an alternative with milk. The pre -school children supply their own packed lunch and although the playgroup does not have a written policy regarding healthy options, parents tend to supply children with a healthy lunch.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in an old scout hall which is in need of refurbishment. However, staff work hard to make the environment welcoming to children by displaying lots of posters and pictures around the hall and by setting out the activities and play resources in an attractive manor. Although the group are allowed to use the outside play area which has a large expanse of grass they do not have any control over its upkeep and on the day of the inspection some rubbish had been left out overnight. The garden is used for a large group activity and staff ensure children's safety by risk assessing the situation providing appropriate levels of supervision. Furniture, equipment and play resources are in good condition and meet the needs of the children attending. The group has good procedures in place for the safe arrival and collection of children. The front door is kept locked throughout the session and a high safety chain is in

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

place for extra security. Daily safety checks are carried out before children arrive and regular fire drills help to keep children safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are suitably protected as all adults working with children have been appropriately vetted and staff demonstrate a sound understanding of child abuse and their role for recording and reporting concerns. However, their knowledge and written policies are based on the old Area Child Protection Committee procedures rather than the new Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. This could inhibit their ability to make a referral should it be necessary.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, confident and enjoy their time at the play group. They take part in wide range of well planned activities that promote their enjoyment and all areas of their development. These include sand, play dough, construction, role play, small world, puppets, books, art and crafts and physical play on the balancing beam. Although the Foundation Stage is used to plan activities for all children attending the group, staff ensure that the session and activities are adapted to suit the needs of the younger children. For example, at group time and story time children are divided into smaller groups according to their age and ability. Younger children thoroughly enjoy listening to the Three Bill Goat Gruff's story as staff use puppets to enhance their interest and a sewing activity is adapted so that all children can take part. A social skills activity is used to help children learn skills such as doing up buttons and zips. Children are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

sociable and are developing good relationships with adults and each other.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the Foundation stage and that children learn through play. Adults work well together as a team to plan a wide range of purposeful activities which are clearly linked to the stepping stones. They provide good support to children to extend their play and learning. They encourage children's language development and thinking by asking open ended questions. An effective key worker system together with good systems for recording children's progress enables staff to plan for children's next steps in learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's personal, social and emotional development is progressing well. Children are confident in making independent choices about their play and when they want to have a drink. They are developing good concentration and self help skills. For example, taking themselves to the toilet pouring out their own drinks and getting dressed and undressed for physical activities. Children are well behaved and play cooperatively together in small and larger groups. Children have good listening and language skills and use these to negotiate their own play in the role play area. They confidently talk about real life situations such as going to school and holidays they have been on. Children enjoy listening to stories and looking at books. They have some opportunities to practise emergent writing and several children can recognise and write their own names. Children take part in a range of activities that support them in developing early

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

maths skills. Children are counting and recognising numbers and shapes through daily activities, although opportunities are missed at snack time for extending maths concepts. They learn about the wider world through topics and visits from the community police officer, fire brigade and local nurse. They take part in planting activities and learn about birds and insects. The weather, days of week and seasons are discussed daily at group time. Children have access to some V-Tech electronic toys but opportunities for learning about information technology are limited. Children show good spatial awareness and take part in various activities on a daily basis to promote their all-round physical skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children and families are welcomed into the pre-school. Children's individual needs are well met because the group operates an effective keyworker system and parents are asked to complete a comprehensive "getting to know you" form prior to children starting. Children are learning about diversity and disability through positive image play resources such as dressing

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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 up clothes, books, puzzles and dolls together with posters and pictures displayed around the hall. They take part in activities which celebrate different festivals such as Diwali and the Chinese New Year and parents are invited into the group to talk about their different cultures. Children with English as an additional language and children with learning difficulties and disabilities are well supported with in the group. The SENCO works with parents and other professionals to identify children's special needs and puts into place individual play plans if necessary.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and act as good role models. They are kind and caring and treat children with respect giving lots of praise and encouragement to promote their self esteem. As a result children are happy, confident and well behaved. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good. Information about the Foundation Stage is given to parents at induction days and open evenings as well as in the play group's prospectus. The playgroup operates an open door policy and staff are available to talk to parents at any time. Parents are provided with a comprehensive prospectus containing good information about the group. There are good systems in place for keeping parents informed about events and planning although this does not include any information about the Birth to three matters framework.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Rigorous recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that all adults working with children are suitable to do so. All but one member of staff hold an appropriate childcare qualification or are working towards one. Children benefit from being cared for by a committed staff team who work well together to provide a safe and stimulating environment. Good organisation of play space, equipment and resources enable children to move around confidently and freely and to make independent choices. All legally required documentation for the safe management of the provision is in place and includes a comprehensive operational plan and a full set of policies and procedures. However, the child protection policy is currently out of date.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The play leader and deputy work well together to support the staff team through regular staff meetings and training. They have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and all staff are involved in planning. The session and activities are regularly evaluated and staff are working continuously to improve and develop the quality of care and education for children by working with the Early Years Advisory teacher and attending relevant training.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection the play group was asked to ensure that the times of children arriving or leaving the group other than core attendance times are recorded and to ensure that procedures are in place for the safe collection of children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There is now a system in place for recording children's arrival and departure at times which are not the core attendance times. A password system has been introduced for persons collecting children other than the usual parent or carer. Only authorised persons may collect children. As a result the safety of children has improved.

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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 previous inspection there have been no complaints 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): • ensure that staff's knowledge and written policy/procedures for safeguarding children are in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures (LSCB) • provide parents with information about the Birth to three matters framework • implement a planning programme with systems for observation and assessment that supports children under three years, in line with the Birth to three matters framework.

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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 use of snack time to increase children's independent skills and extend their maths development • provide children with more opportunities to develop their early writing skills and to extend their understanding of information technology

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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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