Bebington Pre-School Playgroup

Bebington Pre-School Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

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Bebington Pre-School Playgroup

Unique Reference Number EY302164 Inspection date 06 July 2005 Inspector Ron Goldsmith

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Bebington Pre-School Playgroup

Setting Address c/o Stanton Road Primary School, Stanton Road, Wirral, Merseyside, CH63 3HW Telephone number 0151 643 9484

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E-mail

Registered person Bebington Pre-School 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 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?

Bebington Pre-school Playgroup operates from a detached classroom unit in the grounds of Stanton Primary School, in a residential area of Bebington. It has a separate entrance and car park. The playgroup was registered to provide care in this building in 2005. It consists of one playroom, a kitchen, a small reception area and three toilets. A maximum of 13 children may attend at any one time and there are 25 children on

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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 roll at present. The provision is open each weekday from 09.15 until 15.00 during term time only, operating one session in the morning period and one in the afternoon. The children have access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area. The centre supports children with special educational needs and those children for whom English is an additional language. A total of five staff work with the children, four of whom hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. They are supported by a voluntary management committee and are members of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a healthy and nutritious diet as they eat regular, freshly prepared snacks. Their special dietary needs are well met through regular exchange of information between parents and staff. Children maintain a comfortable body temperature by being able to easily access drinks from a water jug, which is freely available. Children's health and hygiene is well promoted by staff who wipe down surfaces and talk to children about the importance and choice of healthy food. Children wash their hands before meals, and younger children are assisted in doing this. Children have good opportunities to play outdoors, getting regular exercise and fresh air. The older children are developing good control and skill in manoeuvring wheeled toys safely and confidently, but the outdoor play resources offer limited challenge for more able children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are protected from hazards due to the staff's understanding of procedures concerning safety. Children learn to manage their own safety as staff teach them about potential hazards, such as falling if they climb on chairs. They are kept safe in the event of a fire or emergency, due to effective procedures for evacuation. They are secure in the provision, as doors are locked and staff monitor access closely. The child protection co-ordinator ensures procedures are up to date and that staff understand their responsibilities. Children play, eat and rest in a safe and attractive environment. They enjoy the results of the staff's hard work to ensure that the new building is welcoming for children and parents. There are some good displays, and furnishings, which help to make the environment comfortable for them. Children make choices from a wide variety of accessible resources, all of which are clean and in good condition, and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

which promote their development in most areas.

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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 and settled and enjoy warm interactions with staff members. Children are each assigned a key worker to foster links between the setting and home. Children in the setting enjoy a varied range of activities, including singing, stories, building, role play and play dough. Children are able to make connections in their learning as they freely explore sand and different textures. They represent their ideas and feelings in a variety of ways, through the use of a wide range of creative materials, such as paint, gloop, water, junk modelling, or playing singing games. They develop their physical skills by using wheeled toys, climbing on slides or playing with balls and hoops. They listen to stories with enjoyment and sometimes recite numbers in songs or when playing. Children make good progress in all areas of development, due to the staff's lively and effective interactions with them, as they talk

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and play, or as staff respond encouragingly to their communications. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good progress towards the early learning goals, as staff use their sound understanding of the Foundation Stage Curriculum to plan themed activities for each month. Staff record children's achievements in activities under each area of learning. Staff address all areas of learning, and provide appropriate resources for most of these aspects. However, children rarely select books independently and children are not always allowed to finish activities at their own pace. Children show a strong sense of belonging as they greet each other and staff on arrival. They are engaged in their play as they select and carry out their activities and they speak confidently to share their experiences and listen to stories with interest. They confidently recognise different shapes, count to ten and beyond. At snack time

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children count in French, shouting out the numbers excitedly. In practical activities children are developing mathematical ideas to solve practical problems, using the vocabulary involved in adding and subtracting and in language which compares quantities. Children explore and find out about the environment and features of the world they live in. They enjoy activities such as visiting the post office, growing plants and having people from the wider community, such as the police, making visits to the setting. Children handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control. They are increasingly aware of keeping healthy and the aspects which contribute to this, such as the food they eat and the importance of exercise. Children behave very well and they are becoming increasingly independent. They are confident and skilled in the use of technology, moving the computer mouse with good

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

control. They use their imagination well in play, for example, when acting as firemen, when role play is for extended period or baking when using the play dough. Children develop good hand eye coordination as they throw, catch and roll balls, beanbags and hoops.

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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 Staff extend and support children's imaginative play with appropriate interventions which helps children get the most from activities. Staff demonstrate a good working knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage. Planning and assessment is good and covers short, medium and long term learning, but is not always used effectively to link planning for the next steps of children's development. Observation and assessment is carried out by all staff members who are actively involved in the assessment process and is linked to a key worker system.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Due to the good partnership with parents children settle well. Staff liaise closely with parents to gain individual information such as likes and dislikes, or familiar home routines. The individual needs of children are well met and there are good opportunities for informal exchanges of information. As a result of this children are cared for in accordance with their parents wishes. Children have good self esteem due to the staff team's realistic expectations of the children and the positive reinforcement they receive. The setting has effective arrangements to care for children who have special educational needs. Children behave well and are learning to understand the difference between right and wrong as they negotiate over toys and play equipment. They are beginning to work harmoniously with each other as they share small tasks. Staff provide clear guidance for children by way of gentle reminders, for example, to listen while information is

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Helping children make a positive contribution

shared at circle time, which helps them begin to accept the needs of others. Partnership with parents is good. Parents receive good information about the curriculum, which enables them to support their child's learning at home. Children benefit from the close partnership with parents. They receive information about the setting, which includes details of the educational programme. Parents are kept informed about activities on a daily basis via staff verbal feedback and via a home link work book. Children with special needs are supported well through effective liaison between staff, parents and external agencies. They are able to participate in activities with their peer group as staff ensure that there are appropriate resources and equipment to support this. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered appropriately.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Overall, the nursery meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides care and nursery education. Children make good progress in all areas of development, due to the lively and effective interaction of staff with them, as they talk and play, or as staff respond encouragingly to the communications of children.

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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 Children benefit from the staff's strong commitment to improvement and development. The organisation of staff and resources enables all children to make good progress. There are procedures in place to monitor the effectiveness of the delivery of the nursery education curriculum. The quality of leadership and management is good. There are effective procedures to deputise in the manager's absence and staff clearly know and understand their roles, working effectively together as a team. The manager liaises closely with staff to ensure the aims and objectives of the setting are achieved. Staff development and training is ongoing in order to further develop their understanding of the care and education of young children. Regular staff meetings and planning identifies individual roles and responsibilities to

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Organisation

ensure children's educational needs are met. However some policy documents are incomplete and there is no formal appraisal system for staff. All staff work hard to maintain a high standard.

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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 all policies and documentation, including the operational plan, are clear, follow regulatory guidelines and are shared with parents and staff • develop a staff appraisal system that allows staff to build on good practice

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The quality and standards of the care

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 nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • continue to develop planning and assessment procedures to ensure that staff are clear about learning objectives and how to use information to effectively plan what children need to learn next.

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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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