St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Swanage

William Older Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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113829 Unique Reference Number 09 January 2008 Inspection date Christine Clint Inspector

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Arundel Road, Angmering, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN16 4LP Setting Address

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E-mail

The Trustees of William Older 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?

William Older Playgroup opened over 30 years ago. It operates from the whole of a free standing building, which is situated in the grounds of St Margaret's School, Angmering. The provision has a secure outside play area. William Older Playgroup serves Angmering and the surrounding villages.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 70 children from two to five years on roll. This includes 39 children in funded educational places. Children attend a variety of morning and afternoon sessions. The setting supports children with any learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:00 until 11:30 Monday to Friday, and 12:25 until 14:55 each afternoon. There is an additional half hour lunch session available to the older children who attend the afternoon session and this runs from 11:55 to 12:25. At the time of the inspection 20 children attended the morning session and 17 children were present at the afternoon session.

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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 There are 10 members of staff, including bank staff, who work with the children. The majority of staff have early years qualifications and staff who hold current certificates in first aid training are present at every session.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in very clean, new surroundings, where they can fully access the toilets independently and reach all the facilities because these are at a low level. Children practise using the soap dispenser after going to the toilet and staff assist. Younger children who are not fully toilet trained are well managed and staff follow hygienic procedures to ensure a healthy environment is maintained. Children learn that their hands must be clean before they eat their fruit at snack time, because staff efficiently provide anti-bacterial gel. Children are learning to recognise when they feel hot or cold. They are encouraged to be responsible for putting on their coats before outside play, and they make decisions when they become warm from continual exercise.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is thoroughly maintained because staff record all accidents and these are signed by parents. There is a letter to inform any parent, if their child has received a bump to the head during the session. Staff follow an organised accident procedure and a first aid kit is readily available. All parents sign to provide permission for emergency treatment when children first attend. There are clear records to show when any medication is administered and most parents have signed to give prior permission. Some previous records do not show the date that medication was administered. Parents are provided with full information about children not attending if they are unwell.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children can decide when to have their snacks during the session because a staff member prepares and organises the fruit and milk cartons in advance. Children are encouraged to drink, especially if they have been active and staff explain this, so that children are learning about what their bodies need to keep healthy. Children have ample time, they eagerly sit together with staff and each other to eat whole fruits and they learn to peel bananas and oranges. Older children are fully able to manage their packed lunches and they happily all sit together as soon as they arrive. They confidently interact with staff and they are learning about socialising at meal times. There are clear systems in place to manage any individual dietary needs or allergies to food.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have ample opportunities for fresh air and physical exercise because they can make decisions to play outdoors for long periods. They run and play with soft balls, they learn to kick and throw. They balance and manoeuvre their bodies; they create their own excitement by shouting, shrieking and chasing each other. Children have fun and they are monitored well.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are consistently safe in the purpose built premises because they are fully supervised at all times and staff are continually aware of children's movements. Children have full access to the main play area and the toilets; the door is secured at the start and end of the session and then remains open during free play for children to choose indoor or outdoor play. Children are becoming familiar with the new building and the enclosed outside play area which has a

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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 very suitable soft play surface. Children safely remain close to the building at present during outside play because the larger, grass surface garden area has not been fully completed; these hazards are temporarily fenced.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have a wide variety of play resources available and these can be accessed easily because all storage units are at a low level. Staff are currently experimenting with the layout of the room and observing the children to decide on creating specific, permanent learning areas. Children are still settling into the new building, therefore, staff often ask if they would like items from the store cupboard during the session. Play equipment is frequently rotated and safety is continually assessed. For example, staff know that the marble run may be hazardous to the younger children, therefore, it is available in the afternoons when mainly older children attend.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is fully considered because staff show vigilance and respond immediately to any situations during the session, especially when smaller children are attending. Children are frequently counted and checked when they move areas for certain activities. A risk assessment for all areas is used and has been developed to fit the new building. Fire safety equipment is in place and a fire procedure is displayed. Fire drills are carried out over several days to ensure that all children and staff take part, these are recorded in the register and easily identified in red. Children enjoy local outings on foot and staff maintain a ratio of two children to every adult. Any transport needed for outings is fully organised with parents who attend with their children. The playgroup have a current certificate for public liability insurance.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is thoroughly maintained because staff have experience and knowledge of child protection. There is a full and detailed policy in place with a clear section on how any allegations against staff will be managed. All injuries that children have on arrival are recorded in a small duplicate book in the entrance area and staff ask parents to complete this if they notice an injury. Parents are provided with clear information in the welcome pack, about the playgroup's duty to respond to any concerns. Those responsible for managing procedures to safeguard children, are fully aware of maintaining confidentiality and only sharing information on a 'need to know' basis.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children mingle with confidence and interact with each other. They make decisions about their activities and they are very used to the daily routines of finding their own names and their own pegs in the cloakroom. Staff show a gentle and supportive attitude towards all children, especially younger new children attending. They are aware that the building is new to everyone and the daily routines are flexible to enable children to settle. Children move freely and continually make choices. They play with the dolls house and talk about where people are and what they are doing. They interact with each other and learn to share the train track, they join up the carriages and send the train down a slope. Children freely draw and make marks, they choose to paint at the easel. They sit together in the book corner with dolls and show them picture books. They use the toy ponies to develop an imaginary game, several children play together

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and share ideas. Children thoroughly enjoy the opportunities for outdoor play, they thrive by being able to extend their physical abilities and this increases their health and well being.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All the younger children attending have assessment records based on the Birth to three matters framework and key worker staff are responsible for recognising where children need to make progress. Staff ensure that younger children have continuous opportunities alongside their

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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 older peers, to increase their self esteem, to gently learn about right and wrong and develop their emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are clearly developing their personal and social skills, they show increasing independence in choosing and being involved in activities. They often increase their concentration skills alone, when reading from pictures or negotiating the train on the track. Children initiate ideas and speak in a familiar group at snack time and during group activities. They play together and laugh with each other, they extend their role play games as others join in and they demonstrate an understanding of appropriate behaviour. Children show a high level of awareness in following the playgroup routines.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children competently use language, they remember the bear hunt story and join in with the words when they hear them. They enjoy the social conversation at lunch time; older children are very used to this routine when they first arrive and they are able to describe where they have been on holiday. Children can use language to explain how the train works and how the carriages join together. Children learn new words when they sing songs and rhymes. They use the mark making area freely and show expression in paintings and drawings; they are learning pencil control and understand that written words have a meaning. They are recognising their own names and self registering in the mornings and at snack time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have many opportunities throughout the sessions to carry out imaginary role play. They use the small people in the dolls house and talk about their movements. They dress up and spontaneously use pretend play in the home corner, which is often changed as other children join in. They all sing together and learn the names of colours and they have planned opportunities to use musical instruments. Children have previously used the rainbow fish story to extend ideas for creative collages. They have used all the chairs to make buses or trains for pretend journeys. They make camps and include dinosaurs in imaginary play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children can instantly recognise and name number symbols which are displayed on the mat. They easily count how many fingers are displayed and can count how many carriages and trucks are attached to the train. Children play different number recognition and sequencing games; they can follow instructions and use directional language when assembling toys. Previous activities have included cooking and children have measured and weighed ingredients. They have carried out activities to help them to compare shape and size and children can recognise and instantly match items that are the same shape, regardless of size.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use a mechanised globe to look at different parts of the world, they manoeuvre the controls to line up the magnifying glass. They identify and match the picture of a whale with a model whale from the water play. Children have magnifying glasses and bug boxes available. Previous activities have included children growing seeds in the garden and bulbs. They have learned how plants grow and have cared for them. They have collected seeds and natural items and talked about where they come from. They have collected items from the sea shore and listened to the sound from sea shells. Children have visited the local library and a nearby garden centre. They have created a café and made their own flower shop.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children readily understand that exercise makes them warmer and they know when they are hot and want to take off their coats outside. They have ample exercise and learn to manoeuvre their bodies in many ways. They balance carefully on the special curved uneven surface in the playground, whilst staff help them. They throw and kick soft balls and pretend to carry out

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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 rugby tackles with each other on the soft play surface. They use the special hand and foot print sensor in the group to make physical marks according to the pressure applied. Photographs show that children have physical games indoors, they throw a large dice and copy the movements on the pictures. They use a parachute for indoor games a learn to listen to instructions to move and co-ordinate with each other.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of the teaching is good. Staff are very well deployed at all times and involve themselves in children's chosen activities. They respond well to children and show knowledge and understanding of children's individual levels of learning. Staff work together to include broad planning during every day activities to ensure that children have choice and that the areas of learning are included. They use themes and topics at times and their key worker knowledge enables them to focus on where individual children need to progress. Plans are available to show how staff have highlighted any areas of learning and how the activities have been evaluated. Observation records show that staff recognise and record children's achievements in their development profiles and that children are able to learn at their own pace and through their own play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have resources which reflect the diversity within society. There are posters to welcome parents and children in other languages; there are books and dolls to reflect other cultures. Children visit places within the community and they celebrate different festivals. Staff have shared knowledge from attending training in how to recognise and respond to any diversity in the community.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are fully supported from an early stage because staff show experience and knowledge of child development. They quickly identify children's difficulties and offer support and guidance to families. They work with professionals and follow individual play plans, they clearly recognise where children are making strong progress. Staff continue to attend training to meet the children's individual needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well and relate to each other soundly, they readily accept each other during role play, when they spontaneously join each other's activities. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. There are good ratios of staff to children and staff are on hand to respond immediately. They give clear, quiet instructions and if there are any disagreements, staff monitor children's play to ensure harmony is maintained. Children are learning to follow the regular routines of the session and they celebrate and praise each other's achievements by clapping.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Children are happy and settled in the nursery because their parents are welcomed at the start and they can stay to settle their children. There is ample information displayed for parents in the entrance area, including the playgroup policies and procedures. Several albums of photographs are available to show parents how the children learn through their play. All new parents have a full welcome pack with all details provided and forms for completion. There is a clear complaints procedure and a folder for parents to record any concerns; they are provided with the contact details of Ofsted. Parents are supportive and praise the playgroup staff, they have confidence in them and know that their children are happy and continually supported. They are very aware of their child's key worker. They are also effectively informed about the Foundation stage curriculum and parents know that they can

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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 see their children's records at any time. However, parents do not have opportunities to contribute to the profiles or provide information to link with children's learning at home.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children's care and the daily management of the playgroup is fully planned and organised. The committee provide strong support for the playgroup supervisors and they are recruited annually from the parents of children attending. There are very thorough systems in place to show that any new staff are fully cleared and suitable to work with children; the playgroup have successful staff continuity and the supervisors show a high level of awareness and competence in managing the regulatory responsibilities.

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Organisation

There is a comprehensive operational plan in place which is timed to show the routines of the session. Staff have worked cohesively to organise the new premises and to ensure that all documentation is displayed. They have reviewed the procedures to reflect any changes and to include the aims and objectives of the playgroup.

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Organisation

There are substantial levels of qualified staff working with the children and staff continue to seek and attend relevant training. There are lists available of staff qualifications and all staff photographs and names are displayed for parents. The visitors book is signed on entry, all visitors are checked and timed on the premises. Staff are very well deployed during the session, they show strong levels of following child led activities and supporting the nursery ethos of each child making decisions for play. A register is in place for each timed session and children are marked in and out; the times are clearly noted for any child arriving or leaving at different times. Children are encouraged to self-register and show increasing confidence and ability; staff also call the register to enable new children to learn each other's names and to learn staff names.

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Organisation

Both supervisors show experience and a good understanding of the regulations because they have continued to keep Ofsted informed whilst using a temporary venue for the playgroup. They have also ensured that details were forwarded of the return to the school site and that Ofsted were aware that playgroup sessions in the new building had commenced.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. Staff appraisals are completed every year and additionally for training purposes; the joint supervisors appraise all staff and also appraise each other's performance. Staff work together well and have regular meetings to support and plan. They share responsibilities and duties throughout the session and they provide ideas for activities to link with children's learning. Staff show through their involvement with their key children and through their recorded observations and evaluations, that they are aware of children's individual levels of development .The joint supervisors have an open attitude to change and to adapting their practice to move forward; they have made many changes to the systems for planning and providing the Foundation stage curriculum, although this has not yet included parental contributions to children's development profiles. There are good links within the

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Organisation

community and with the local schools to encourage and enable children to transfer with ease. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the providers were asked to ensure that the policies and procedures relating to the provision were revised and up-dated. All policies and procedures are in place

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Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 and have been reviewed, especially those that relate to the new building. These provide clear safe routines for children and assurance for parents and staff on following the regulations.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection the providers were asked to further develop the planning and assessment records to support all children and extend the learning of more able children. Key worker staff now provide evaluation sheets of children's current learning needs and areas for progress. They have a good knowledge of their key children and include these identified areas of learning during individual activity times, to ensure that children are extended and supported.

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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 that parents sign all permission records for administering medication and that all recording of medication is dated

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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): • enable parents to contribute to children's records of achievement.

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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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