St Peter's Playgroup

St Peter's Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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206875 Unique Reference Number 07 November 2007 Inspection date Elaine Poulton Inspector

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St. Peters Church Hall, St. Peters Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 7DX Setting Address

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01298 79737or 07855 634833 Telephone number

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E-mail

Lynne Skellington 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?

St Peter's Playgroup has been registered since 1981. The group is based at St Peter's Church Hall in Fairfield, Buxton. There is a outside play area where children play under close supervision. The group is registered to care for a maximum of 33 children from two to under five years of age. There are currently 35 children on roll. Of these there are 21 children in receipt of nursery funded education.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting is open Monday to Friday from 09:15 to 12:15 term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The pre school supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting employs seven staff to work directly with the children. Three staff including the manager hold an appropriate early years qualification to Level 3. A further three staff are working towards a Level 3 and one other member of staff has a Level 2 qualification.

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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 the importance of personal hygiene through planned routines. Older children know that they have to wash their hands before snack time, after messy activities and after using the toilet. Staff follow effective procedures such as routinely cleaning food preparation worktops and tables with anti-bacterial spray before snack time. As a result children's awareness of good hygiene practice is consistently promoted.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from staff who have knowledge in first aid. The setting has clear procedures for recording accidents and administration of prescribed medication. Should a child become ill or sick whilst at the playgroup they are well cared for until the parents' earliest arrival. Parents are requested to keep their child at home if they are unwell. This ensures that contact with other children is kept to a minimum to prevent the spread of infection. Written consent is obtained from parents for staff to seek emergency medical advice or treatment where necessary. This ensures children's continued good heath is well supported in the setting.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a healthy diet and are offered a good variety of healthy snacks. Water is freely available as the children have access to jugs of water and beakers on a tray in the large hall throughout the session. In addition, children are offered drinks at snack time. Staff ensure children's individual needs are discussed with parents, and all dietary and health requirements are recorded on children's individual record forms. This helps to ensure children remain healthy.

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Helping children to be healthy

All children have frequent opportunities for play and activities outside. Children enjoy outdoor play, especially taking part in circle games on the grass. For example, parachute games being a favourite. Children bring in their 'Wellingtons and waterproofs' to ensure they can enjoy walking in the long wet grass in the fresh air. Staff further promote a healthy lifestyle with frequent walks in the surrounding area to feed apples to the horses, and to collect 'treasures' such as conkers, leaves and acorns. Children have good opportunities to climb, run, ride on wheeled toys, and play on large pieces of equipment. For example, equipment such as the climbing frame is available to them every session in the main hall. This ensures the development of their physical skills and a healthy attitude to exercise.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are kept safe by a staff team who ensure that visitors to the playgroup are closely monitored, all being required to produce identification which is checked carefully and to sign a visitors book before gaining entry. Staff ensure they maintain an accurate record of children's, staff's and visitors' attendance.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a range of safe developmentally-appropriate resources. They play in a safe environment which is well organised and resourced providing as much choice as possible. Toys, games and equipment are well maintained and presented by staff to enable children to self-select. There is a varied range of resources stored at low level, in clear plastic boxes all of which are clearly labelled.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Risks are limited through effective procedures, including restricted access to the small hall and main hall through use of 'switch-locks' on internal doors and locks on external doors. Premises checks are undertaken regularly to maintain the safety and security of the pre-school group.

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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 The walled grassed area is accessed via stone steps and is situated on a slight incline. Currently staff closely supervise small groups of children during outside play sessions to ensure they remain safe. Owing to the identified hazards in the outdoor area, a risk assessment is in progress to minimise risks and increase both security and safety of children whilst attending the group.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff consistently explain safe practices, such as reminding children not to use the climbing frame unless a member of staff is there with them. Firefighting equipment is well maintained and children practise fire drills regularly. Before children go on outings staff remind them about crossing the road safely, holding hands and not running away. This means that children are gaining an good awareness of how to keep themselves and others safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected by staff who have a sound understanding of child protection issues. Staff follow procedures to record existing injuries and report concerns to an appropriate body. Most staff have attended recent training events and so are aware of child protection issues. There is a written child protection policy in place and a procedure should there be an allegation made against a members of staff. The policy is available to share with parents. The written policy lacks reference to the Local Safeguarding Children Board details and therefore is not fully comprehensive.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are settled in the pre-school's warm and welcoming environment. They have positive relationships with staff. Children play happily together using resources such as role play equipment and dressing up clothes which are both suitable to their age and stage of development and fun. All children enjoy exploration with glue, paint, water and sand which helps then represent their feelings and ideas in a variety of ways. Children play well together and companionably with staff. Staff are actively involved with the children. For example, staff support children to develop their small skills as they complete jigsaws and large physical skills as they practise climbing and balancing.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The setting makes effective use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan and provide a range of stimulating and appropriate activities for children under three years. The children's development of communication and language is particularly well promoted by staff through appropriate conversation, questions and individual attention. For example, during story time children talk about the different characters in a popular book and choose which puppet they would like to hold. They then wait patiently until it is their turn to move the puppet and speak. They are prompted, encouraged and praised by staff for thinking and responding. They are able to anticipate 'what happens next' and participate enthusiastically in parts of the story they are familiar with. For example, they all join in and repeat in a low whisper 'Shhh', so as not wake the sleeping giant. When asked what he had liked most about the story one child replied,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

'The giant's eye, it was scary!'. Children are well supported through staff's introduction of a good range of resources and imaginative ideas which are fun and exciting. Consequently, children are developing their communication skills very well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. The staff team have developed their knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and plan and provide a varied range of activities under each area of learning. The learning intention is recorded and links to the stepping stones and early learning goals so that aspects are covered. Staff record the next steps for each child's

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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 level of future development. The evaluation of activities and teaching methods are fully developed to show the impact of planned activities and daily routines on the children. This helps to inform future planning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff use effective methods to maintain children's interest. Plans are flexible and allow staff to spend the majority of their time working directly with the children. Staff ask appropriate questions to help them gauge the level of children's understanding. Most challenges extend children's intellectual development suitability. Staff use successful strategies to engage children. For example, their enthusiasm and attention is maintained through imaginative and lively activities such as 'story boxes' and 'sensory sacks' which in turn encourages their participation.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have developed the practice of recording their observations on the children's progress profiles and the development records clearly show a complete overview of their achievements. These records enable staff to make accurate progress reports to parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Behaviour is well managed by consistent methods. Children are encouraged to respond to staff with 'please' and 'thank you' and are praised and rewarded for their achievements. For example, children are consistently told 'Well done, good try'. This in turn reinforces good behaviour and results in children being well behaved.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show a sense of belonging and are motivated to learn. They are friendly and confident to try new activities and speak in a familiar group. Children behave well and show care and concern for each other. For example, two children help another child to build a train track. They are encouraged to develop their personal independence by managing their outdoor clothing when going on a trip out. Daily routine opportunities, such as meal and snack times are always used appropriately to encourage children to give out plates and cups and to serve food and pour their own drinks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities to use a wide range writing materials and resources. They make recognisable marks on their drawings and can recognise labels of their own names, and some of the other children's names. Some can write their own first name. They are learning to sound out the letters in their name in order. They are developing their skills to speak clearly and to make themselves understood. They select books for pleasure and use the book area in groups of two and three. They look at books and discuss their favourite stories. They eagerly join in with rhymes and songs and remember to 'turn their listening ears on'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are beginning to develop an understanding and use of number. They are progressing with problem solving using addition and comparisons with mathematical language. For example, during registration they count how many children and adults are present and a member of staff writes the numbers on a chalk board. This helps them to recognise that numbers represent sets of objects, people or things. Children experience weighing and measuring. For example, ingredients for baking and water and sand play. They demonstrate that they have a good understanding of shape and size. For example, they identify and match the shapes in a lotto shopping game and become absorbed in completing jigsaws.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff encourage the children to discover the natural world through planned themes, discussions and art work. Children explore and investigate nature as they collect acorns, conkers and leaves on an autumn walk. They are taken on frequent outings into the community and surrounding countryside, to feed horses and identify wildlife. For example, they look for silver squirrels, and spiders webs. They explore mini-beasts and watch worms wriggle through sand and soil in a wormery. Children know how to use everyday technology, such as mobile phones, cash registers

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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 programmable toys. They celebrate events such as Harvest Festival by inviting the vicar to the group to talk about 'caring and sharing'. They widen their understanding of their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people by taking part in tasting different foods from different parts of the world.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff ensure children routinely use large physical equipment to travel around, under, over and through balancing and climbing equipment to develop their physical skills. Large physical activities are mainly planned for completion indoors. For example, outdoor resources such as bikes, wheeled toys and climbing frames are made available in the main hall. Currently the outdoor area offers fewer opportunities for active physical and sensory play as available space is limited to a grassed area. Children discuss the effects of different types of weather. For example, during registration they observe the weather outside and say that during wet and windy weather 'we need our waterproofs and wellies'. They use small tools and construction materials to develop their small movements well and with increasing control.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children express themselves through creative activities and role play. For example, playing together in the supermarket, dressing up and pushing shopping trolleys. Children know and identify colours well. They happily use coloured crayons to draw pictures of their family. When asked, one child said that he was 'drawing human beings, his mummy was purple, daddy was red and baby brother was yellow'. During an autumn walk staff talk to the children about what they might find whilst out walking on the 'thick carpet of fallen leaves'. On their return they feel, smell and talk about autumn leaves and listen to them 'crack and rustle' when they rub them together between their hands.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Staff have a good understanding of equal opportunities and use this to introduce activities to interest children in different people's cultures and family lifestyles. Children learn about their local community and the wider world around them. They take part in fundraising events for their chosen charity and learn about other people's needs. They have good opportunities to listen and talk to invited visitors, for example, a paramedic, a joiner, a vicar and a police officer. There are good procedures to ensure that children have meaningful opportunities to learn about different beliefs. For example, they take part in many different events and festivals such as Chinese New Year, Diwali and Easter. This ensures children learn about diversity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are good systems in place to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and staff have systems in place to work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure all children are included. There is a good level of support ensure that all children receive individual 'one-to-one' attention so that their needs are effectively met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are building good relationships with peers and staff. They are polite and well mannered, particularly when engaged in circle time discussions as they are encouraged to 'turn their listening ears on' and speak in turn. Children are encouraged and supported during activities to self-select their own resources. For example, they choose from a wide range of materials stored in the 'writing trolleys' to encourage mark-making activities. They share resources well, for example, three boys lying down on the mat in the book area. One child was turning the pages over in a book and looking at the pictures. He asked the other two children 'Do you want to look as well?'. Children are praised, rewarded are consistently encouraged to behave well, this in turn promotes self-esteem and reinforces good 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 All children benefit from the positive partnership staff have developed with parents. The individual routines and preferences are discussed and recorded which means that staff are aware of all the children's care needs. Newsletters and display boards are used to provide information to parents about their child's activities and current topics and themes. There is an 'All about me' initial assessment, this is used as a starting point to plan for younger children's play and development. There is complaints procedure and log should parents wish to raise any concerns. This ensures children's individual needs are met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of nursery funded education is good. Staff are continually developing systems to ensure that parents are kept fully informed about their child's progress towards the early learning goals; and so that they are actively involved in their child's learning. Parents discuss their child's progress with the key person and learning profiles are shared with them each term. Children benefit from this as staff work closely with parents and carers to ensure individual learning needs are met.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting has robust vetting procedures in place for those having direct contact with children. This means that the pre-school group provides a warm and friendly environment, where children's general well-being is well promoted.

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Organisation

Space is well organised, ensuring that children have good opportunities to play and develop. The group do not have sole use of the church hall and so staff work very hard to ensure the environment is made bright, welcoming and interesting for children when they arrive. Plans are in place to further develop the outdoor area to make it safer and more secure for children. Staffing levels and adult to child ratios are well maintained and exceeded in some circumstances. Staff are valued and respected for the skills and knowledge they bring to the setting. There is a good commitment to staff development and training and staff are fully aware of their responsibility to provide a safe, stimulating and caring environment for children. This benefits children's all round development.

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Organisation

Registers of daily attendance are complete and well maintained. All required documentation is made readily available for inspection. There area a comprehensive range of policies place and most procedures comply with changes in legislation. This means that children's welfare is suitably promoted in the setting.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. There is a supportive management structure and a focussed staff team who are committed to improving the quality of care and learning. Discussions and staff meetings take place regularly to monitor and evaluate the funded nursery education and identify areas for improvement. Staff appraisals are carried out to identify individuals strengths and areas for professional development. The group work closely with other professionals, such as the local authority early years unit and act upon advice given.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There was one recommendation from the last inspection. To ensure fire drills are recorded. The provider records all fire drills and keeps the log up to date. This ensure children's safety is promoted in the setting.

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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 Nursery Education.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There was one key issue from the last inspection. To increase opportunities for children to practise their emergent writing skills in play situations. The provider have identified where play areas where writing skills can be developed. For example, role play areas such as a garage or travel agent, where booking forms, pens, telephones, note pads, brochures bills, receipts, clip boards and a computer may be in use. They have introduced two writing trolleys which are differentiated for the ages and development needs of the children. This ensures children have ample opportunities to access resources and practise their mark-making skills.

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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): • review and update policies and procedures in line with current legislation with particular regard to child protection.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • continue with plans to develop the outdoor sensory play area to enrich children’s learning and development.

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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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