William Torbitt Infant School

Landulph Under Fives Inspection report for early years provision

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102821 Unique Reference Number 26 February 2008 Inspection date Michael Collins Inspector

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Landulph Memorial Hall, Landulph, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6NE Setting Address

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E-mail

Landulph Under Fives Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Landulph Under Fives has been operating since 1970 and has been registered in its current form since 1991. It operates from Landulph village hall, a rural location, approximately eight miles from Saltash. The group is a registered charity run by a voluntary management committee made up of parents and interested others. The group serves the local area and outlying villages. The facilities include an entrance hall, toilets, main hall, kitchen and enclosed outdoor play area. The group opens three days a week during school terms, between 09.30 and 15.00 on Monday and Thursday and from 09.30 to 12.00 on Tuesday. There are currently 25 children on roll and of these 15 are in receipt of funding for Nursery Education. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting employs three members of staff. Of these two hold recognised qualifications at level 3 and one has a level 2 qualification. This member of staff is also in the process of training for a level 3. The group receives support from 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 inadequate. Staff plan and provide an appropriate variety of activities which support and promote children’s physical development. The children particularly enjoy using the outside play area and are very happy to scoot on, ride or push, wheeled toys. Staff also provide good opportunities for physical play during inclement weather by preparing obstacle courses and other activities within the hall. This combined and varied approach allows children of all ages to try new skills or to practise previously learnt skills and adds to their growing understanding that physical activity helps them in being healthy.

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Helping children to be healthy

To support children’s health the setting has all of the required policies, procedures and documentation in place. However, the accident and incident records do not correspond with one another and procedures for completing them are lacking. Whilst the staff are willing and committed to helping children be healthy current practice does not support this. For example, all children wash their hands in the same bowl of soapy water after art and craft activities. This is unhygienic and places children at risk from cross-infection. Also, even though the majority of children have the sniffles and runny noses, tissues are not easily accessible to them, thus minimising opportunities to be independent and increasing opportunities for cross-infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Written records of children’s dietary requirements and parental wishes are kept by staff, and acted upon. Children are provided with mainly healthy snacks such as fresh or dried fruit, cereals, toast and biscuits, and a choice of drinks is offered at snack times which the children pour themselves. However, drinking water is not available to the children at all times and snack times are not organised consistently and effectively, which results in some children waiting longer than is appropriate and unable to find a seat without assistance.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is inadequate. Whilst the setting has good health and safety policies, these are not being implemented consistently. Although historically produced risk assessments have minimised various hazards in the setting, the daily risk assessment system is used erratically and this places children at risk. For example, access to the kitchen is not consistently restricted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have a good amount of space to move around in and are able to choose from a good variety of toys and resources, which are safe and well maintained. Resources are mainly used appropriately and with purpose by staff, to aid and assist children in all areas of development. Through this support and guidance children are beginning to learn about staying safe and remind each other not to run indoors and to be careful when playing outside. Staff certainly work hard to organise and put out the equipment at the beginning of the day and to ensure that everything is removed at the end of the session. They ensure that this aspect of shared building use does not impact negatively on the children. However, the current lack of storage for outside play equipment does impact negatively on the setting’s ability to spontaneously use this equipment or to use it if the children request it.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The setting maintains the majority of the required procedures and documents in place to make sure children's welfare is promoted and safeguarded. For example, staff hold current first aid

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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 certificates and each has a good knowledge of child protection procedures in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children arrive happily at the setting and mainly settle very well, making their own choices with confidence or being gently guided by staff. The setting’s settling in policy is very good and staff implement this very well. By working with parents, who are able to remain with their child until they feel confident to leave them, the staff use their skills and warmth to ensure that new or anxious children settle well. The warm and caring relationships developed by staff foster the children's trust and sense of security. These relationships result in good adult-child interactions, which in turn help to promote the development of early communication skills. The relaxed and child-friendly environment allows children to make confident choices and they are mainly happy in their play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

However, the setting does not conduct a baseline assessment with parents for any new child attending, nor are the staff’s observation and assessment records for the children complete. When this is then coupled with a distinct lack of planning for children under three and no assessment of the next steps for any individual children, it hampers the setting’s ability to meet individual needs and impacts negatively on the care and learning of all children. This current lack of structure and planning is further exemplified by an inconsistent approach to the organisation of snack times that leads to some children waiting for too long.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is inadequate. Although staff knowledge of the Foundation Stage is adequate, their understanding of its organisation and practical application is currently lacking. For example, observation and assessment records are inconsistent and incomplete, opportunities to further children’s learning are not always taken, and plans do not clearly show how activities for the more or less able child will be extended.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Planning does, however, cover all areas of the curriculum and clearly relates to the stepping stones. There is a mainly acceptable balance between adult and child-led activities and routines allow for a good amount of outdoor and physical activity. Although, plans do not show differentiation and this can result in opportunities being missed and activities not being suitable for all children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Due to the lack of observation and assessment records staff are unable to plan the next steps for individual children. This leads to children not being challenged appropriately, losing interest and leaving the activity. For example, a table for jigsaws is provided for all age groups, the older children can complete these easily and quickly become bored with them, the younger children find them difficult, become frustrated and quickly move on. This happens without the support or intervention of staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Methods used to teach are varied during the sessions, for example, children work in small or large groups and there are opportunities to work alone with adults, such as reading one to one with the children. Staff support and encourage the children to work co-operatively and to take turns. Children obviously enjoy being at the setting, making themselves at home, and happily taking part in the various activities provided for them. There is a genuinely warm and caring atmosphere where children feel valued. They are mainly able to talk clearly and discuss real

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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 and imaginary events. Whilst all children use mark making to represent their ideas and they are encouraged to label their own art work, opportunities to extend writing into the children’s self-directed play are not taken. Neither are opportunities to extend mathematical learning into everyday tasks, such as snack time, taken.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn about and experience the wider and natural world through planned projects and activities. They experience a range of technology equipment, such as computers, telephones, tills and magnifying glasses, and they develop a sense of time, as they talk with staff and each other about events in their lives, or the daily routine. Children create freely, in all age-groups, using paint and a reasonable variety of collage and model-making materials. They enjoy sensory play, using sand, water and other items. Children are imaginative and adventurous in their play. They begin their own role-play and work in co-operative groups. Children use a good range of small equipment, such as scissors, pencils and brushes, and develop very good control of their large and small physical movements through regular planned physical activities, such as obstacle courses indoors or playing on wheeled toys outside.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The lack of individual planning, coupled with the absence of either a baseline assessment or ongoing observation and assessment records, results in an inability to assess whether the children are making any progress along the stepping stones.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children respond positively to the clear routines and high expectations of the staff and both they and their parents are warmly welcomed to the setting. The staff team consider and act upon individual needs, family background and parental wishes. They actively support and encourage the children to integrate, make new friends, and feel safe and comfortable in the setting. The staff are also careful to plan and adapt resources and activities to take into account children’s individuality and needs. However, current structures to support children who may have learning difficulties and/or disabilities are not clear.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff team have established clear boundaries that the children are aware of, and staff use their knowledge and skill to ensure the children are learning to share and take turns. Staff and children have developed genuinely warm and mutually respectful relationships. The children’s understanding of right and wrong improves as they respond positively to staff’s gentle reminders to care for their environment, the resources and each other. Through planned activities, visitors to the setting, and opportune discussions, the children are able to learn about themselves, each other and the world around them. Through these joint approaches staff ensure positive outcomes for children, and as a result the children’s behaviour is mainly good. The children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Information about children’s progress and activities is shared verbally on a daily basis and a key worker system is in operation. To enhance its partnership with parents the setting now provides them with a termly newsletter which details forthcoming activities and suggestions on how they may support their children’s learning. Opportunities for parents to access the setting’s observation and assessment records are also now formally provided. However, this is negated by the fact that these records are inconsistently used and are currently incomplete. Parents have good access to the setting's policies and procedures which are attractively displayed and easily accessible to them. However, the special needs policy is out of date and the behaviour management policy does not contain a statement about bullying.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is inadequate. The quality of leadership and management is inadequate. Recent changes to responsibilities, staffing, and management, have affected the organisation of the setting, including delivery of the Foundation Stage. For example, there is no formal system in place to monitor and evaluate the nursery education, as a result observation and assessment records are incomplete, planning does not clearly show how activities will be extended for the more or less able child, and the lack of distinct planning for the care of younger children is negatively impacting on the learning of three and four year olds.

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Organisation

Good induction procedures ensure that staff are mainly aware of their roles and responsibilities. This enables them to work well as a team, and their commitment to promoting children’s achievement and enjoyment is evident. Children play in a clean and child-friendly environment, where space is used mainly effectively, to meet their needs. However, the organisation of activities such as snack time is inconsistent and leads to children waiting to be seated. All legally required documentation, which contributes to children’s health, safety and well-being, is in place. However, whilst the setting has adequate recruitment and selection procedures and a mainly effective staff appraisal scheme, they do not have a formalised system for ensuring that adults remain suitable to be in regular contact with children. Also the storage of documentation is somewhat erratic, inconsistent and insecure thus placing confidential information at risk.

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Organisation

Whilst the new committee and staff team are dedicated and committed to the day to day running of the setting and its development, the recent changes previously mentioned have affected the delivery of service and the continuity of care and learning systems. As a result, the setting is not able to meet the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The setting has improved its service by completing the four recommendations set at their previous inspections. Of these two were made for care, one under National Standard 1: Suitable Person, and another for National Standard 2: Organisation. The other two were made for Nursery Education. They have done this by ensuring that all committee members undergo a vetting process, and by maintaining a register of staff and children's attendance. Thus improving their organisation of the setting. They have improved the Nursery Education at the setting by providing parents with further and more formal systems of communication and they historically improved the grouping of the children by establishing key worker groups. However, this particular improvement is now somewhat nullified by the lack of planning for children under three years.

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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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care, the registered person must take the following actions: • develop the existing system to ensure that staff and all adults coming into regular contact with children remain suitable to do so • improve the setting's ability to ensure children remain safe by consistently completing the setting's existing daily risk assessments and ensure that children do not have access to the kitchen except with direct staff supervision • improve the setting's ability to support children in being healthy by reviewing and updating procedures for completion of the accident and incident records, and ensure children are able to wash their hands hygienically at all times and that they are able to independently support their personal hygiene by having access to tissues at all times • ensure that children have access to drinking water at all times • ensure that all documentation is regularly updated and stored confidentially, in particular

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The quality and standards of the care

ensure that the special needs and behaviour management policies are up to date, and that all children's records are kept securely These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education, the registered person must take the following actions: • develop a robust and effective system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the nursery education provision • ensure that the existing observation and assessment system is used consistently and completed for all children so that it may be used in planning the next steps for individuals • ensure that planning shows how activities will be extended for the less or more able children and that all opportunities to extend children's learning into their self-directed play are taken • conduct a baseline assessment with the parents and carers for all new children • ensure that the care of younger children does not negatively impact on the care and learning of three and four year olds

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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 These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice. The Department for Education and Skills and the local authority have been informed.

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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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