St Peters Preschool

St Peter's Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY290731 Unique Reference Number 25 January 2008 Inspection date Marcia Robinson Inspector

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Guru Nanak Bhai Lalo Khalsa School, 62 Crescent Road, Woolwich, London, SE18 7BL

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E-mail

The Trustees of St Peters 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

St Peter's Playgroup has been registered at the present site since 2004. It operates from a large hall within a Sikh community school in Woolwich in the London borough of Greenwich and serves the local community. The premises consists of the main hall with storage area, an entrance foyer, a kitchen and toilet facilities. There is no outdoor play area at the premises.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 20 children aged two to five years may attend the playgroup, and of these, not more than four may be under three years. The playgroup is open from Monday to Friday from 09:30 until 12:00, during term-time only.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 14 children on roll, of whom 12 receive funding for nursery education. There are children on roll with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The playgroup supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The current staff team consists of a manager and two members of staff, all of whom have appropriate childcare qualifications.

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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 The playgroup is committee run. They receive the support of the Local Authority, and they are a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is generally well promoted throughout the setting. Staff and a cleaner is employed by the playgroup, to ensure that the premises are well maintained to a clean and hygienic standard. An effective exclusion policy for sick children, together with good hygiene routines for hand washing ensure that children are protected from germs and the spread of infection. Reminders of the procedure for hand washing is further supported by pictorial picture and word cards, displayed in the children's toilets, helping them to understand the importance of hand washing. Relevant hygiene procedures are understood by staff, although written guidelines for changing nappies, for instance is not available, to support and guide staff in their daily practise.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are assured of receiving appropriate treatment in the event of an emergency. Sufficient members of staff hold an up-to-date first aid certificate. There is a generally well stocked first aid box, together with parents' written consent allowing them to seek hospital treatment in an emergency. Procedures are in place for recording medication and accidents, although the medication record book does not contain all relevant information, such as the time and staff's signature to ensure children's health is fully promoted.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's individual dietary requirements are obtained from parents. However, procedures to ensure these are adhered to and known by staff are not yet fully developed to ensure children's health is well promoted. Children are learning about healthy eating through discussion and from being offered a range of healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, breadsticks, rice cakes and crackers with butter or a choice of spreads. Children benefit from regular opportunities for physical play and exercise. The hall is large and is divided into two sections, with one area set up as an obstacle course or with a range of physical equipment such as climbing frames, balls, hoops and a selection of wheeled toys. The playgroup also have regular access to the playground at a local school where they are able to engage in various outdoor activities and enjoy the fresh air.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children's safety is generally well promoted throughout the setting. Space is sufficient and well organised in to designated areas to allow children opportunities to be active, engage in creative, tabletop and floor activities. The hall where children play is light, bright, clean and generally well maintained. It is decorated with posters and colourful displays of children’s photographs and their artwork. There is information regarding the playgroup's policies and procedures and activities displayed on notice boards.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have access to a satisfactory range of activities and play equipment, which generally meet the needs of children under three years. They benefit from using resources that are safe, suitable and developmentally appropriate for the children attending. However, although there are many books in the book area, several are worn and a limited range of non fiction and reference books are available.

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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 Children's safety is generally well ensured. For instance, staff complete daily and long term risk assessments, for the premises, equipment and outings. They give gentle reminders about the dangers of running indoors, helping children to keep themselves safe. Some appropriate safety measures are in place and include protected electrical sockets and guarded radiators. However, children's access to the stage, which is accessible from the hall is not sufficiently restricted to prevent children from gaining unsupervised access to large equipment and other areas of the building. Furthermore, children are at some risk in the event of a fire, this is because fire extinguishers are not appropriately fitted and the exit route leading from the hall to the outside play area is obstructed with large unwanted furniture. Therefore, children's safety is not fully

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are fairly well protected as all members of staff hold an up-to-date Criminal Record Disclosure. The group has a comprehensive child protection policy in place which is in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. The policy includes procedures to take should an allegation be made against a member of staff. The manager has attended Local Safeguarding Board training and staff who are not secure in their knowledge and understanding of child abuse and of the correct procedures to follow, are booked to attend training in the near future.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Staff greet and welcome the parents and children on their arrival to the pre-school. Children quickly settle into the routine of making their own choices about their play. They participate in a varied and balanced range of activities that staff plan to reflect children's interests and individual needs. They choose from a range of resources which support their imaginative, creative, constructional and physical development. Children enjoy moving freely between activities and making independent choices. Most resources are accessibly stored and this further helps to promote children's independence. Some children enjoy dressing up in the home corner, while others enjoy the indoor obstacle course, looking at books and playing with the range of constructional and table top toys including puzzles, drawing and writing. Children enjoy the creative activities, such as painting, water play and play dough. Children are developing their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

social skills as they are playing independently, in pairs or alongside their peers. This is further promoted in opportunities for children to sit together as a group, for snacks, singing and story times. Suitable activities are planned to meet the needs of the younger children but not all staff are secure in their knowledge and understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework, so this is yet to be fully incorporated into the setting. Most of the staff interact generally well with the children and the implementation of a key worker system helps children to feel secure and settled in their relationships with staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children make individual progress because staff have an acceptable knowledge of the Foundation Stage and its implementation although, in-depth understanding is not secure. Staff regularly observe the children but do not plot their progress on the stepping stones assessment so that the information can be used to inform planning. All staff contribute towards the planning of activities but not all areas of learning receive suitable coverage and it is not always clear what the learning and teaching objectives are. This is because, the setting does not make use of focus activity plans so that some impact of possible learning is lost. For instance, although the home corner is set up as a kitchenette to develop imaginative play and to promote children's language and communication skills staff

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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 have not considered other aspects of learning such as literacy that can be incorporated into the home corner.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are making satisfactory progress in most areas of learning, for instance, they sit in the book corner and look at books; they hold them the right way up and turn the pages carefully. They interact with one another to initiate exchanges and to gain attention. Children are generally well behaved; they negotiate and take turns. They are beginning to recognise their names on their name labels which they use for registration at snack time. However, staff do not encourage linking sounds and letters as part of everyday routines. Children join in with singing rhymes and songs, sometimes using musical instruments to enhance their enjoyment and learning. They count altogether and are beginning to learn the names of shapes during free play and group times. However, there is less opportunity for calculating in everyday situations.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are beginning to develop an understanding of similarities, differences and change. There are satisfactory opportunities for children to learn about the world they live in, they have access to resources that reflect diversity, such as, books, puzzles and play figures. They have opportunities to take part and learn about different celebrations, such as, Diwali and Eid. Children enjoy using a small range of programmable toys such as magnifying glasses, a tape recorder and play tills, but such resources are limited and are not always available to the children on a daily basis. Children have good opportunities to explore and investigate their surroundings, they look at small living things and talk about, mini beasts as part of their regular visits in the local community to places such as Oxleas Wood. They consider their own community when visiting Maryon Wilson Park and their local Dentist. Children use their senses to look at

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

differences and to explore and the texture and feel of paint and play dough.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children’s imaginative and creative skills are developing well, as staff incorporate creative activities into themes and children enjoy singing a familiar range of songs and nursery rhymes such as Wind the bobbin up and Rolly, Polly during small group sessions. Children use their imagination and express their ideas in a variety of ways, such as acting out real life scenarios in the home corner, dressing up and small world play. Children enjoy good opportunities to explore their own creativity, because free painting and drawing is available every day, as well as resources such as water and sand activities which help to promote children's understanding of weight and volume. Resources such as paper, pencils and glue sticks are easily accessible to children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Although an outdoor play area is not suitable for use, staff have taken care to plan physical play on a daily basis. For instance, children visit local play areas and have access to the playground facilities at a local school so that they can develop all aspects of their physical development. Children have daily opportunities to engage in physical activities, both indoors and outdoors as they use apparatus, exercise to music, hop, skip, jump, dance and climb using a good range of equipment that fosters children's physical skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities to develop fine motor skills as they use equipment such as rolling pins, cutters and scissors for cutting, making shapes and sticking. They use pencils and scissors confidently and paint with various tools and brushes of different widths and sizes. Older children learn to dress independently, while younger children are supported by staff, when putting on and taking off their dressing up clothes and coats.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

At snack times, children are also encouraged to spread their own crackers with butter which the children perform confidently. Children's independence is strongly encouraged although opportunities to stretch the capabilities of more able children are not actively planned, such

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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 as, taking more responsibilities within the setting and at snack times, extending children's learning with them helping to cut and prepare fruit, for instance.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. The setting supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. Some of the staff are able to speak other languages, but the group have not considered taking further steps to support them with communication with parents and children alike. For instance, asking parents for a list of familiar key words in children's home language.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children learn about themselves and the wider world through planned activities and discussions. For example, they make candle holders out of clay when celebrating Diwali. There are posters which welcome parents in different languages. A good range of toys and books also helps children to understand and value the similarities and differences between themselves and others. There are effective procedures in place for the care of children with learning difficulties and disabilities. The provision is committed to obtaining additional support from outside agencies in order to support children with particular learning difficulties. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff act as good role models for children, by being polite and calm. Children are generally well behaved; praise is given freely to children, ensuring that they develop confidence and self-esteem. However, staff are not always attentive towards disputes with children's behaviour and therefore not fully promoting children's understanding of how to form friendships and work co-operatively.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents receive information about the playgroup setting with all their policies and procedures. They also receive information from newsletters, parents' committee meetings and the notice board. Parents settle their children into the setting and children's individual needs are recorded. Parents receive daily verbal information about their children's general welfare and are welcome to speak to the staff at any time. They support the group at special events and help with outings.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Children benefit from the friendly relationships staff have developed with parents. They are informed about the setting because they have access to the settings welcome booklet, notice board and policies and procedures. Parents are able to gain knowledge of children's progress through daily discussions and access to their folders which contain observation records and samples of their children's work. Although, procedures are developing, there is currently no formal system in place for sharing children's progress and assessment reports with parents or for them to contribute to an initial or ongoing assessment of their child’s development. This limits staff’s ability to act upon what children already know and also lessons the chances for parents to contribute to children’s learning at home. There is however, a complaints procedure, giving parents access to the regulators number.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

On the day of inspection a number of parents expressed how happy they are with the service provided, saying they particularly find staff approachable and caring.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Leadership and management is satisfactory. The manager leads by being a role model and working hands-on with her staff. The manager uses informal observations and regular staff meetings to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery education and the quality

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 of the teaching. Systems to monitor and evaluate the provision are developing with the introduction of formal appraisals to help identify the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery education and the quality of the teaching. The group are currently receiving support from the early years advisory teacher. There is a good commitment to staff training by management who access it through the Early Years Partnership.

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Organisation

Children are cared for in an organised environment. Staff are deployed effectively so the staff ratio is maintained and children receive appropriate adult attention, which helps children feel secure. Systems to ensure that the provider only employs staff who are suitable to work with young children are not robust as recruitment procedures, such as checking identification documents and health checks are not effectively carried out. The new manager has a level 3 qualification, the rest of the staff have an appropriate early years qualification. However, as the named deputy is not qualified, the requirement to hold an appropriate qualification to take full charge in the absence of the manager is not met.

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Organisation

All of the documentation required to contribute to children's health, safety and well being is in place, with most well maintained. However, the medication record book does not always contain the required details. The operational plan includes some fully detailed policies and procedures, which are available to staff and parents, although procedures for lost children and risk assessments, do not contain sufficient information and not all health procedures to support and guide staff are in place.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the registered person was asked to submit to a vetting procedure to determine their suitability to be involved in providing care for children and; to make sure that there are effective recruitment procedures in place that include checking that staff are suitable to work with children and that appropriate records are held of all checks carried out.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The systems for checking the suitability of the management committee is now fully established and ensures children's safety. Staff recruitment procedures includes the necessary checks to ensure their suitability to work with children. However, their health checks are not completed. This means most of the requirements are in place to promote children's safety.

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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 complaint 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND 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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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): • develop procedures for hygiene and health including, guidelines for changing nappies and systems to alert staff to children with allergies and dietary restrictions • improve safety, with particular regard to fire safety precautions and restricting children's access to the stage • improve the organisation by maintaining all the required records in the medication record book, developing the staff recruitment procedures, including implementing an action plan, with timescales, to show how the named deputy will meet the qualification requirements • ensure staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the Birth to three matters framework, to support them in developing systems for planning activities for the younger children

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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): • develop systems for sharing children's progress and assessment reports with parents and opportunities for them to contribute to an initial or ongoing assessment of their child’s development • ensure staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage, to develop planning in ways which ensure that all areas of learning and the aspects of the early learning goals are covered and intentions of activities provided for children are clearly identified • continue to develop systems for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the nursery education and the quality of the teaching

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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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