Church Gresley Playgroup T/A Church Gresley Pre-School

Church Gresley Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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206743 Unique Reference Number 13 November 2007 Inspection date Linda Gail Moore Inspector

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Scouts Hut, Park Road, Church Gresley, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 9QE

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E-mail

The Trustees of Church Gresley 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?

Church Gresley Playgroup opened in 1970 and operates from the scout centre in South Derbyshire. The playgroup is open five days a week during the school term times. Morning sessions are from 08:45 to 11:45 and afternoon sessions are from 12:15 to 15:15. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children access a main play hall and quiet room, all share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 86 children aged two to under five years on roll. Of these 23 children receive funding for nursery education. The setting supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and who have English as an additional language. The playgroup employs eight staff. There are three full-time staff members and five part-time staff working with the children. All staff have a qualification in early years to National Vocational Level 2 or 3. Staff receive support from an Early Years Development Officer from the Derbyshire Early Years Service.

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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 through good health and hygiene procedures. These are consistently practised by staff, for example, wiping down tables before and after serving food, wearing gloves when changing nappies and wiping down the changing mat in between use. All staff have completed Food Hygiene training. These measures all help to reduce the risk of cross contamination. Staff complete daily checks of all areas prior to their use by the children, to ensure they are clean and safe. Children learn the importance of good personal hygiene through the routine and activities. They know to wash their hands before snack time and after using the toilet. A step is available to enable children to do this independently and staff are on hand to support and ensure they use soap and dry their hands afterwards with paper towels. This helps to prevent the spread of infection. Staff respond sensitively to children if they are ill and

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Helping children to be healthy

any accidents are clearly recorded and monitored. Staff are well informed about individual children's healthcare needs, with detailed documentation and consents in place to support this. An appropriately stocked first aid kit is easily accessible and all staff have attended first aid training to ensure they are aware of the correct procedures in a medical emergency.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished and have their individual dietary requirements met. Snacks offered consistently feature healthy options such as, fresh fruit and vegetables and a drink of milk. All children have ongoing access to fresh drinking water as a water dispenser is available throughout the session. Children learn to recognise when they are thirsty and this helps to stop them becoming dehydrated. During snack time children sit at tables with staff to talk and share food, this makes snack time a sociable and enjoyable occasion. Their independence skills are generally promoted, as they are given opportunities to pour drinks, spread and cut food. Children learn about the importance of healthy eating though discussion and activities. They demonstrate their understanding during role play where they discuss which foods are good for you and how this has a positive impact upon our bodies.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from regular opportunities to participate in physical play. They make good use of the indoor and outdoor area where there is plenty of space for physical activities. They enthusiastically use a range of equipment including a basketball net, cars, bikes and hula hoops. They develop climbing and balancing skills as they negotiate a variety of equipment such as a small climbing frame, see-saws and planks on a soft mat. Here they are able to be creative as they imagine the planks are bridges over water and if they fall off the crocodile will get them! They also enjoy music and movement sessions. These activities encourage a positive attitude towards exercise.

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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 welcoming and safe environment which helps them to feel secure and comfortable. As a result, they settle quickly and grow in confidence. The premises are safe, the main entrance door is kept locked during the session, this prevents unknown persons gaining unsupervised access to the premises. There is an effective system for managing children’s arrival and departure times. Staff ensure children are safely delivered and collected by authorised persons. Parents are required to give their written consent before their child can be collected by another person. Well-implemented policies and procedures are effectively followed to promote children's safety in the setting and when on outings. Staff check rooms and the 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 play area before each session, as the premises are used by other groups. This ensures the premises are always safe before use. A full risk assessment is carried out that identifies potential hazards and any action to be taken, such as replacing the temporary outside fencing with a more robust permanent one. Frequent emergency evacuations are practised with the children and staff to ensure everyone concerned knows what to do in the event of a fire.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The premises are well maintained and spacious, providing good opportunities for a wide variety of play. The main play area is welcoming for when children arrive as it is laid out with a variety of play equipment and activities. This creates a stimulating and child-friendly environment. Notice boards display children's art work, photographs and useful information for parents. Children benefit from having access to two indoor play areas. The main play area is clean and spacious providing scope for a wide range of play. There is a smaller room, that provides opportunities for quiet times, such as registration session, story time and small group work. Children freely self-select from an extensive range of safe and suitable toys and equipment that are well-maintained and meet safety standards. They are supervised well by staff when playing indoors and outside. There is a very good ratio of staff on duty, who engage well with

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

children to ensure they are happy and occupied. Staff are aware of where to place themselves within play areas and move around constantly to engage in children’s play and offer support and guidance. Children learn about keeping safe through a range of organised activities and experiences to help raise their awareness. Firefighters, police and the road crossing person visit with their vehicles and equipment to talk about how to keep safe. Children act out situations during role play, such as how to cross the road safely. They learn about the danger of matches and fire and staff use songs to reinforce the message about matches. As a result children learn about possible danger and how to prevent accidental injury.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded and promoted. All staff have completed Child Protection training and have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. Effective guidelines are in place to ensure all staff have up-to-date knowledge of the procedures to follow should they have a concern.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident in the setting's welcoming and caring environment. They are developing appropriate relationships with both their peer group and adults and receive a good level of support when needed. Children develop a good level of confidence and self-esteem because staff praise them appropriately and show a high level of interest in what they say and do. They are challenged very effectively by staff during interaction, to make them think and question. Children respond enthusiastically and enjoy being able to impart their knowledge and demonstrate what they have learnt.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given good opportunities to develop their competence as young learners through a wide variety of routine activities. They freely wander and select resources from around the large play room, the quiet room and outside in the play area. They play together well as they interact and run about happily. They are well occupied throughout each session and show good interest in what they do. Children play imaginatively in the home corner or shop with the foods, tills and dolls. All children were observed to take an active part and enjoy participating at their own level whether making pancakes with the dough and feeding this to their babies or weighing fruit on the shop scales. Staff help to extend their learning as they demonstrate how to roll out and cut the dough or look at and read the labels on the tinned food. They are skilled in knowing when to intervene to extend children's interest and when to stand back to allow them

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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 to create, investigate and explore for themselves. Children respond well to challenge for instance when washing hands as needed, putting on coats and helping themselves to drinks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff use their competent understanding of the Foundation Stage to provide a broad range of activities that are balanced across the six areas of learning. Staff use an excellent range of teaching methods to excite and motivate children to learn and are skilled at checking out what knowledge the children have retained and what their next steps should be. They inspire children as they demonstrate and explain the different activities on offer, introducing children to a range of ideas, different language and feelings. Children watch with curiosity and excitement as different painting techniques are shown and the picture unfolds. They use a good variety of teaching methods and adapt their questioning skills to take account of individual children's level of understanding and interest. They are effective in gaining and maintaining children's interest, as they sit with them, ask questions

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and give support when needed. Planning incorporates a broad range of play that encourages new and exciting experiences. Each session provides a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities and a range of different teaching environments such as one to one work, small group and large group time. Focused activities contain a clear learning intention and staff are aware of what differentiation is needed within an activity for each child. For instance, they are able to evaluate an activity as it is being delivered and modify it to ensure it is delivered at the right level. As a result children are appropriately challenged and make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy their time at the setting and have a very positive attitude to learning. They show good interest as they select activities and engage in their play. They are beginning to develop their concentration skills and creativity as they design art work. They behave well and work harmoniously with others, playing together during role play or taking turns during a board game. Staff encourage them to develop self-care skills when putting on and taking off their coats, washing their hands and helping themselves to a drink of water when thirsty. They express themselves freely as they enjoy exploring with different textures such as paints, glue, dough, sand and water. They are beginning to develop their language and to relate experiences as they initiate conversations with staff and talk about their families and what they have been doing at home. They are very confident in speaking out in front of a large group such as

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

registration time. Children show good interest in books, a quiet room is available with a book corner area. Children have access to a range of books and access this area independently. They handle them well and listen with enjoyment and attention as stories are read by staff. They understand print carries meaning as staff write shopping lists during imaginary play. They can identify and pick out their name card at registration and older children can write their own name on pictures. They have good opportunities to practise mark marking and staff extend this by demonstrating with paper and chalk, how the tip and side of the chalk can be used to make different marks. An awareness of sounds in words is developing, for example, at registration time each child sounds and signs the initial of their name.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are beginning to develop their skills and interest in early mathematics. Older children count confidently and are able to match and sort using mathematical language such as more than, one more and one less to help them to solve problems. They take part in a wide range of planned and spontaneous activities to develop these skills such as stories, rhymes, games, puzzles and imaginative play. At registration time all join in with the post box activity where they have to recognise the number card and post in the corresponding box. All abilities are encouraged to try. Regular opportunities for sand and water play enables children to experiment

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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 independently with simple capacity calculations such as how much?, full and half full. Older children are introduced to the concept of measure such as how many millilitres of water in their jug?. Children are learning about shape and size and are able to explain that a rectangle has four sides and four points, the corners. They understand it is different to a square as it has two short and two long sides. They are able to name less familiar shapes such as oval. These activities promote their ability to think and problem solve.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy operating a balanced range of resources in the home corner to stimulate their interest in everyday technology such as telephones, a camera and a till. A computer is constantly available and the children freely and effectively access it on a daily basis along with a selection of electronic games. Children have opportunities to explore and investigate different malleable materials during everyday play and through planned cooking activities such as making biscuits and pizza. They enjoy using construction sets and equipment such as scissors and play dough tools to develop their hand to eye coordination. Children develop their exploration and investigation skills as they learn about change, the natural world and develop a sense of time. They update the weather and date board each day and join in with songs that help them learn the months of the year and days of the week. They enjoy a range of exciting organised visits

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

from a variety of people who talk about what they do like firefighters and the police. They have seen and learnt about birds of prey, and handled snakes, spiders and lizards from the visiting zoo. They use a magnifying glass to look at bugs from the garden and collect leaves, looking at the different colours and comparing the smooth and soft newly picked leaves to the dry and crunchy old leaves. Children have good opportunities to develop physical skills both indoors and outdoors. They can negotiate space and obstacles as they run or ride safely on bikes in the outdoor play area. Children engage in imaginative role play activities in the well resourced role play area and join in enthusiastically with their favourite songs and action rhymes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall, children make good progress in their learning and achieve well given their capability and starting points.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are valued and included. When they arrive at the setting they are greeted warmly by staff and quickly settle to an activity of their choice. All wear a T-shirt with the playgroup logo on and this helps everyone to feel part of the group and for staff to be easily identified. Photographs of the children are placed on walls or in albums and these along with displays of their art work add to their sense of belonging. Staff take time to talk with parents and gain an understanding of the child and their family. As a result they have a good relationship with the children they work with and know them well. Information about each child is gathered at the time of placement and this ensures their needs are identified and met. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive a good level of support as routines and activities are adapted to suit any specific needs. Staff work closely with other professionals to set and review

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Helping children make a positive contribution

targets and as a result children make good progress. They are becoming increasingly aware of the wider society as they access a good range of resources and activities that reflect diversity and the wider community. They celebrate Chinese New Year and learn about different countries and their flags. They discuss and see equality through play and this helps increase their understanding of the needs of others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well at the playgroup and as a result enjoy the time they spend there. They learn about responsible behaviour and are aware of what is expected of them. Staff set clear boundaries and offer good explanation using the 'golden rules for play'. They deal with behaviour

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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 in a calm and consistent manner, encouraging self-discipline and a respect for others. Regular communication with parents enables any behavioural changes to be shared and this ensures a consistent approach is maintained. Praise and encouragement are given for positive behaviour such as star stickers and reward charts. Consequently, they play well together, sharing and taking turns and this develops their confidence and self-esteem. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the positive partnership staff have developed with parents. This ensures children receive consistent and appropriate care. Parents are encouraged to approach staff at any time to share information and each child and their family are assigned a 'key worker'. However not all parents are aware of this. Once a year staff organise an open fun day with activities like face painting and a bouncy castle to which all children and parents are welcome. Parents are informed about how they may complain about any aspect of the service and staff are aware of their duty to log complaints. A written policy is prominently displayed, though some of the details need to be updated.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of children who receive nursery education is satisfactory. Parents receive information about the education programme through a prospectus, newsletters and displays. On entry they are encouraged to share what they know about their child by completing an initial profile. Staff inform parents about their child’s progress and achievement during daily discussion, through taking work home and they receive a report when their child leaves the setting. Parents are very complimentary about the care and education provided and the good progress their children are making. However, not all parents are aware of the assessment procedure and have not viewed their child's profile. As a result they are not fully involved in sharing or contributing towards their child's progress and the monitoring of their development.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting is well-organised and provides a vibrant and stimulating environment for children of all ages. Staff have a high regard for the well-being of all children. They are attentive to their needs and demonstrate a caring nature towards them, giving comfort when needed and one to one support. As a result they enjoy their time at the playgroup and are happy within the setting. Clear recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure children are protected and positive steps are taken to ensure that any persons who have contact with the children are suitable to do so. All staff hold a child care qualification and are committed to further developing their knowledge and understanding through accessing regular training events. An induction procedure for new staff is in place and staff appraisals are used to identify training needs and future development. Staff deployment is managed well, such as employing

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Organisation

extra staff on duty when needed to cover when staff are engaged with visitors. The setting operates with a high level of adult: child ratio and this positively supports children’s care, learning and play. All relevant documents are in place, although some need to be updated to ensure they contain relevant details and reflect changes in legislation.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of the nursery education is good. Strong leadership inspires a committed team of staff who are motivated and have a supportive team approach, aiming for good quality education for all children. Good communication exists between staff. Meetings are held regularly to discuss planning, children's needs and to plan for the next steps in their development. Value is given to ideas contributed by individual staff and these are incorporated

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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 into planning. The supervisor is clear about the aims of the provision and has a system in place to monitor and evaluate the nursery education. This results in effective quality of teaching.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the playgroup agreed to review their policy for uncollected children and the procedures for recording accidents and medication in relation to confidentiality. These have both been addressed, as a result children's safety and welfare is protected. They were also asked to ensure children have sufficient opportunities for solving mathematical problems and to use calculation as part of the daily routine. This is now evident throughout planning and during sessions and children are making good progress in this area. They were asked to ensure staff challenge and extend the learning for older and more able children through everyday practical activities and experiences in the light of information gained from regularly updated assessments. Sessions and activities are adapted to cater for older and more able children, this ensures they are sufficiently challenged.

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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): • ensure policies and procedures contain correct details and reflect current practice.

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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): • ensure all parents are informed of the assessment procedure, and continue to seek and include their contributions on their child's progress and achievements.

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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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