Wollaton Park Preschool

Wollaton Park Pre-School Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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254678 Unique Reference Number 14 November 2007 Inspection date Anne McKay Inspector

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Kingswood Church Hall, Lambourne Drive, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG8 1GR

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E-mail

Wollaton Park 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Wollaton Park Playgroup opened in 1969. It is managed by a voluntary committee of parents and operates from three rooms in Kingswood Methodist Church, Wollaton, Nottingham. A maximum of 26 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open from 09:15 to 11:45 each weekday during term-time. On Wednesdays it opens from 09:15 to 12:45 to provide a lunch club. The children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 45 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 26 children receive funding for early education. Children come from the local community. The pre-school currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The pre-school employs nine members of staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications. The pre-school is supported by the local authority and is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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 learn to keep themselves healthy through a familiar daily routine. They wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Older children do this independently and younger children are supported by staff as they learn. Children sing a song that reminds them to use soap and they understand that they are getting rid of germs that might make them unwell. These measures help to reduce the risk of cross-infection and are fully supported by the efficient health and hygiene procedures followed by staff. Children exercise regularly through activities indoors and outdoors where a suitable range of equipment is available to promote their development in fine motor skills and large muscle development. Efficient systems are in place to ensure children's accidents are recorded and this information is shared with parents to promote continuity of care, however, the organisation of the accident records does not guarantee

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Helping children to be healthy

confidentiality. Any medication that is required to be given to children is only administered by staff with prior written consent from parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are given a balanced, nutritious range of food for their snack with a strong emphasis on healthy eating. Children's individual dietary needs are catered for according to parents' wishes to ensure their health is not compromised and to meet, for example, cultural or religious requirements. There is a healthy eating week each term to help children to understand what foods are good for them and children taste foods from different cultures. Children have a drink of milk or water with their snack and fresh drinking water is available at all times to ensure children do not become thirsty or dehydrated.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are welcomed into a stimulating and child-centred environment. Staff take great care to set out a good variety of activities each day, with a mixture of floor-based and table-top resources for children to choose from. There are clearly designated areas for messy play including art and craft, for quiet or more reflective play, for construction and for imaginary play. Children can therefore rest, eat and play in comfort. The outside area is utilised very well to include further activities for the children as well as opportunities for physical exercise. There is a very good range of toys and equipment available that are suitable to promote children's development in all areas. Toys are well-maintained so that children can play safely and with confidence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept safe because staff undertake thorough risk assessments of all areas before children arrive each day. Children are supervised at a level that is appropriate to their age, level of understanding and ability so they can develop independence skills whilst being kept safe from accidents. Children learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they have learned not to run indoors, understanding that they might fall over and to be careful with doors in case they get their fingers trapped. Suitable procedures are in place to protect children whilst on outings and they learn about road safety from staff. There is a clear evacuation procedure in place and this is practised with the children so they learn what to do in an emergency. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding children procedures and they know how to implement the procedures to protect children.

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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 settle quickly at the pre-school. They are confident and secure in the care of staff, building positive relationships that enable them to feel safe and confident to explore the activities set out for them. Children become absorbed in activities in which they are able to express themselves independently or where they are supported by staff, depending on their age and ability. Children learn new skills through staff demonstrating how to do things and through verbal support and questions that challenge children to think and problem solve. The planning is effective as it differentiates for children of different ages and abilities. Staff demonstrate good skills in working with individual children so they are appropriately challenged at their level. This is supported by regular observations of each child which are used to plan the next steps in their development. Children enjoy playing imaginatively with the small world

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities and in the role play area which is set out differently each week to interest and stimulate them, alongside a home corner that is always available. Children chat freely with each other and with staff whilst playing and at snack time, developing confident social and communication skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage'. Activities and learning opportunities are planned with a good balance across all six areas of learning. The staff team work well together and share responsibility for delivering the focus activities and leading registration each day. They demonstrate a good understanding of the way young children learn and effectively differentiate for most abilities in the group. Activities have a clear learning intention that is understood by staff, however, there are times when the teaching methods do not fully challenge the older and more able children. For example, a four-year-old child was engaged in a focus activity when she was asked to recognise shapes. She completed this task easily, naming two and three dimensional shapes with ease, including recognising shapes in everyday household

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

objects. There was no planning in place to extend the learning further for this child and she became bored during the activity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have a positive attitude and settle quickly to the activities when they arrive. They enjoy playing imaginatively in the role play area and with the small world play, developing scenarios together or playing independently. Children are confident talkers and communicate well, chatting freely with each other and with staff whilst they play. They are confident to talk in groups, expressing opinions and asking questions. Their concentration skills are developing well, for example they listen to instructions on how to work the electronic bugs and listen attentively at story time and at registration, showing respect for their peers. During registration, children are encouraged to share news from home and they talk about the weather, date and day of the week contributing to their understanding of time and place. Children concentrate on tasks and complete them to their own satisfaction, for example, a child spends time planning

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

a collage picture which she takes time to finish. She resists distractions and is confident to ask staff for a shape she cannot find on the table. Children write their names on their pictures. Younger children are confident to make marks and older children form recognisable letters and write their names, also beginning to use their phonic knowledge to write simple words or sentences. Emergent writing is encouraged through a variety of means such as having paper and pens in the role play area and through activities such as using tools to make marks in sand or paint. Children are confident in recognising numbers and older children count confidently by rote to at least ten. Staff are skilled in integrating mathematical language, counting and

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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 basic calculation into most activities so children develop good skills and confidence in this area. Children show initiative. For example, a child uses bricks from the construction area to plan and construct a house for a dinosaur in the small world play. A child uses a book to look up pictures of dinosaurs, understanding that text goes from left to right. Children enjoy looking at a variety of books in the book corner and older children are developing confidence in retelling stories from memory. Staff plan the sessions well and the learning environment is well-organised so that children can make their own choices from a good variety of well-maintained resources and activities. Children learn about the environment in which they live, including learning about other cultures and faiths. They have a variety of visitors from the local community including a

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

postman and firemen. Children recently went on a 'hearing ' walk in which they listened to a variety of sounds and then returned to the setting to recall and identify them and talk about what they had heard.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's achievements are consistent across all areas of learning. Staff make regular observations of the children during activities and record these in their individual files. The information gathered is used to plan their next steps in learning but the observations are not securely linked to the stepping stones so their progress towards the early learning goals is not clearly monitored.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have their individual needs met well by staff who liaise closely with parents to ensure they have all the necessary information. Parents are welcomed into the setting and settling in procedures are flexible, depending on the needs of individual children. Relevant paperwork is completed and information is exchanged on a daily basis to ensure all parties are up-to-date. The key worker system provides an efficient system for parents, giving them a clearly identified link for communication. Staff work closely with parents to meet the needs of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. They provide an inclusive environment through, for example, the consistent use of signs and symbols. This contributes to the support given to include children who speak English as an additional language. Children are involved in topics and planned activities around cultural and religious events in the calendar that help them to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

learn about wider society. They play with a range of toys and activities that reflect positive images of diversity and learn about each other's lives through discussions at registration. Children develop a strong sense of belonging through the positive relationships they have with staff and through the familiar routines. This contributes to their consistent good behaviour. Children know what is expected of them and begin to respect each other, learning to share and take turns. Positive behaviour is encouraged through praise from staff. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents receive good quality information about the childcare offered by the pre-school and about the setting's business practices through an information pack detailing the key policies and procedures. Parents have access to a notice board where there is information about the staff and the key worker system alongside other information such as newsletters. There is also a parents' table with more comprehensive information for reference, including copies of all the policies and procedures. The partnership with parents of funded children is good. They are given information about the six areas of learning in the welcome pack and have access to more comprehensive information on the parents' table. Staff have collated detailed scrapbooks for each term with photographs of the children involved in activities, with written comments to help parents understand how this links with the children's learning and promotes their

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Helping children make a positive contribution

development. Parents are informed about the topics being covered each term and are given

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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 ideas about how to support their child's learning at home. Parents are invited to meetings with their child's key worker to discuss their progress and receive brief written reports. The children's records are not stored on site so there is a potential for confidentiality to be compromised.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for in a well-organised environment where available space is planned out for the maximum comfort and enjoyment of the children. The environment is maintained to a good standard and is risk assessed each day so it is safe and secure for children to play in. Any perceived risks are acted on quickly and minimised. Children's welfare and development is promoted by staff who have the knowledge and skills to plan and provide suitable play and learning opportunities. Thorough systems are in place to ensure any new staff who are recruited are checked thoroughly to ensure they are safe to work with children and they have the required skills and knowledge. There is a strong commitment at the setting to ongoing training to improve and enhance staff's existing skills to further benefit the children. The setting's good practice is reflected in the policies and procedures. Essential records are in place, are accurate

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Organisation

and up to date although confidentiality is compromised in the accident records and children's assessment files. The leadership and management of funded children is good. The two managers work well together to lead a strong and committed staff team. Staff have a good understanding of the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage' and know how to apply this in practice to support children's learning. The staff have regular appraisals to evaluate their performance and are encouraged to attend relevant training. The setting has a strong commitment to maintain high standards and to address any identified weaknesses, striving to improve at all times. They continue to improve the systems in place to evaluate the quality of teaching and the progress children make. Overall children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last care inspection the pre-school have improved the safety of the children by fitting a lock to both doors, ensuring children cannot leave the setting unsupervised and that no-one can enter the building without staff's knowledge. They have also implemented more secure systems for vetting staff to ensure they are suitable to work with children. This includes procedures to ensure staff are medically suitable.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last education inspection the setting has made improvements to its system for recording children's progress. They have implemented a system of observations and review these against the early learning goals, identifying the next steps for learning. However, the observations and next steps are not clearly linked with the stepping stones so children's progress can still not be easily monitored. The setting has improved the planning for focused activities to show clear learning intentions for children of varying abilities so that more able children are sufficiently challenged. This system is now more effective, although there is no secure planning in place to extend the learning of the most able children.

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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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Complaints 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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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 a record is maintained of all accidents • ensure staff are aware of the need to maintain privacy and confidentiality with regard to children's records (also applies to nursery education)

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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 children's progress is monitored in line with the stepping stones towards the early learning gaols • further develop the teaching methods used to fully challenge and extend the learning and development of the older and most able children

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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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