The Playstation Preschool

Playstation Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY292798 Unique Reference Number 14 May 2008 Inspection date Emily Alderson Inspector

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Hadleigh CP School, Station Road, Hadleigh, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP7 5HQ Setting Address

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E-mail

The Trustees of The Playstation Pre-School Group 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 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Play Station Pre-School opened in 2001 and operates from a classroom in Hadleigh CP school in Hadleigh. A maximum of 20 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each morning from 09:00 to 11:30 and in the afternoons from 13:00 to 15:30 during term time. There is a lunch club provided and children are collected from local nursery schools and attend the afternoon session. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 65 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 23 children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area, as most of their parents travel in to work on or around the industrial estate. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs seven members of staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications with one member working towards her Level 4 and one member working towards her Level 3. The pre-school 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 satisfactory. Children attend a setting which has satisfactory health and hygiene practices. A member of staff has attended food hygiene training and has informed the other members of the procedures to follow. Cross-infection is minimised as work surfaces and tables are cleaned with an anti-bacterial spray and staff wash their hands prior to handling food. Children are also encouraged to wash their hands prior to eating and after toileting and are reminded through the posters displayed. Staff explain the reasons why so that the children are able to learn and understand good hygiene. Nappy changing facilities are sound. The mat is cleaned after each use and the nappies hygienically disposed of directly into the outside bin. Staff regularly check the toilets to ensure that they are clean and that the children have soap, a record is maintained to reflect this. The pre-school employs a cleaner who cleans daily and staff keep the setting

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Helping children to be healthy

Children receive appropriate care when they are ill or had an accident because two members of staff have completed first aid training and the setting has an equipped first aid box readily available. Accidents are recorded and shared with parents however, this is not consistently done as not all forms have been countersigned by a parent to show that they acknowledge the entry. Should a child require medicine parents are asked to complete a card stating the dosage and when it is required. Staff have designed health care plans which are used to cater for children with specific health needs. The parents give the staff specific information about their child's needs so that staff can cater for them accordingly. As a result of one of the health care plans all staff have completed training on the administration of an epi-pen in order to be fully prepared and offer the necessary care. If a child is ill at the setting parents are called and asked

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Helping children to be healthy

to collect them. They are advised of the length of time they should stay at home by referring to the communicable disease sheet.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have their health and dietary needs met and increase their understanding of healthy living as the setting requests all the necessary information from parents prior to placement. Children are provided with a healthy snack each session and are offered milk or water to drink. Parents are informed of what their children have eaten via the photo board displayed. Staff talk to the children about healthy choices using books to help them understand the importance of eating fruit and vegetables and getting plenty of exercise. All food offered to children is according to parents' wishes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s physical play experiences are promoted because children can access the garden which is equipped with a range of resources for them to use. Children can enjoy using the slide, bikes, ride on toys, balls and hoops amongst others. They carefully climb up the stairs and sit to slide down the slide. In addition children are able to use the school field which is well resourced. Children demonstrate their skills as they carefully negotiate the space as they push pushchairs around the room being careful to avoid the tables and chairs. Children are able to recognise their health and bodily needs as they independently access drinks throughout the session and snack when they feel hungry. Children access a range of small world play, threading and puzzles which further support their physical development.

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Helping children to be healthy

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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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The environment is warm and welcoming for children, staff, parents and carers. The room is brightly decorated with children's work and posters. Staff warmly greet the children on arrival and help them to settle. The space is organised to suit the children's needs. The pre-school comprises of one main room split into different sections which include a reading area, role play area and tables and chairs. There is a small kitchen area where staff prepare snacks and an office. The toilets are off the main room and there is a secure outdoor area for children to use. Resources are well positioned in low-level drawers and boxes and are clearly labelled so that children can help themselves. Children use safe and suitable toys and equipment as all the equipment and resources are checked by staff and anything deemed unsuitable is removed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The setting's arrangements meet some health and safety guidelines because staff are aware of the procedures. A daily risk assessment is carried out prior to the children attending to ensure that all areas are safe for children to access. However, the toilet door poses a risk to children as it can easily be shut and opened with the potential to catch children's fingers compromising their well-being. The setting has some adequate systems in place to manage entry to the provision. The main door is locked during the session with parents knocking to gain entry and the outside gate is also locked. If a person unknown to the setting is collecting a child they are issued with a password and staff greet them at the door. However, the setting is linked to a hall via a door through the toilets which is used by the school throughout the day. The door is not locked and therefore poses a security risk as visitors can enter the premises and children

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

can exit without staff being aware compromising children's' safety. Children are learning to keep themselves safe through discussions with staff about for example, the use of scissors and sitting sensibly on furniture.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Procedures for emergency evacuation are practised regularly and recorded ensuring that children's safety is a priority. Precautions are taken with smoke alarms fitted and a fire blanket available. Children are occasionally taken on outings and remain safe as the staff maintain a low adult to child ratio and parents are asked to attend to help with the children. Children are protected because all staff understand their role in safeguarding children and are able to put appropriate procedures into practice when necessary. The nursery has literature and contact numbers readily available to guide them should there be the need to make a referral.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children happily enter the nursery with their parents and are greeted by staff. Staff are welcoming and children enjoy talking to them, showing them affection by giving them cuddles. Children are encouraged to be confident and develop their self-esteem through praise. They self-select from the activities on offer making decisions about how they want to spend their time at the setting. This develops their independence. Staff encourage the children to try new things by acting as role models, supporting them when they try. Children are provided with fun and meaningful activities and access a wide selection of resources. Children under three years of age are supported as staff have a sound understanding of the needs of younger children. Staff plan activities for the younger children and carry out regular observations which are used to complete the child's assessment record.

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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 The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. A good balance of adult-led and child-initiated play ensures children are motivated and engaged in a range of developmentally appropriate activities. The majority of the session is child-initiated; staff invitingly set up the resources in the room so that children freely access what they want to play with throughout the session. Children's starting points are known through discussions with parents and through observation. The staff are effective in planning a balanced programme for the children. The staff have meetings where as a team they discuss themes and activity ideas both of which are represented on the long and medium term planning. The short term plan uses the activity ideas and lists the resources

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and activities to be offered under the six areas of learning in different parts of the room. A daily adult-led activity is clearly highlighted on the short term plan. Staff take it in turns to lead the activity, the member of staff who does is responsible for completing the evaluation form which is used to see whether the activity is successful, highlighting any improvements or future extensions. In order to plan for individual children the staff also have a weekly early learning goal sheet. A member of staff is responsible for looking through each child's individual assessment record and identifying areas of development highlighting a specific stepping stone for them to work towards in the following week. The stepping stone is then listed under the appropriate area of learning and each day the staff work with the children providing opportunities for them to achieve the stepping stone through activities and resources. This

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

approach allows staff to tailor their activities to suit each child using their knowledge about them to provide activities which they will find fun and exciting and want to engage in. Staff use good methods to help children to progress as they ask lots of open ended questions such as 'what do you think would happen if?' This encourages the children to think about their responses and in turn ask questions. Observations are written throughout the activity and used to see if the child achieves the stepping stone. The information gained is used to complete the assessment record and the stepping stone is marked and dated. However, the observations are not always completed and therefore when the stepping stone has been marked in the assessment record it is sometimes unclear how the child achieved it.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are making progress compared to their starting points. The children are confident and are able to concentrate for long periods of time on an activity. Children's self-esteem is growing as staff allow the children to help with day to day tasks for example, wiping the table after an activity. The children enjoy doing so as they are praised for helping. Children make choices about what they want to do and as a result maintain an interest in activities. They are developing self-care skills and access drinks when they are thirsty and independently access the toilets washing their hands with the soap and paper towels provided. Children use a wide range of vocabulary to talk to each other and staff. They use language for thinking as they communicate with one another during games explaining what they are doing particularly in imaginary situations where they assign different roles such as being 'mummy' or 'daddy'. Staff plan stories into the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

daily routine which children particularly enjoy, most children sit quietly listening and take a real interest especially with familiar stories where they can join in. Children are provided with a well equipped writing area and a range of materials to use. They become familiar with letters and recognise their names as they self-register at the beginning of the session and find their names during snack time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children accurately use mathematical words such as long, short, big and small to refer to objects. They demonstrate their understanding during a story when they try to guess a mammal the member of staff tells them 'it is bigger than a shark' and the children suggest 'is it a whale?'. This shows their understanding of the word 'bigger'. The children are involved in activities that require them to calculate for example, making bread, leaving the dough to rise. They discuss whether the dough will get bigger or smaller with each child stating which they think. They

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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 then use a ruler to measure how big it is, recording the amount and making further comparisons later in the session. Children very much enjoy exploring and investigating, for example during a cooking activity the children make icing to decorate a bun. They carefully stir water into the icing sugar a little at a time watching to see what happens stopping when they reach the right consistency. The children are given many opportunities to design using their imaginations they enjoy making train tracks and building houses with bricks. Children happily talk about past events such as their birthdays describing the party they had. However, children are not given many opportunities to familiarise themselves with technology, they have a computer available but do not often access it therefore limiting their opportunity to learn. Children use their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

creativity to draw and make pictures using a range of resources. They use their imaginations during play for example, when playing with the train set children pretend to stop at different places such as their home or the park.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are all included and their differences acknowledged because staff value each child. Children are given the opportunity to share their experiences either in group discussions during lunch and snack time or one to one with staff. Children have a sense of belonging at the setting as they have individual pegs to hang their coats indicated by a photograph of themselves. Their art work is proudly displayed on the walls celebrating their achievements. The children are involved in everyday routines such as self-registering on arrival which helps them to develop their independence. Children's confidence is increasing through praise they receive from staff. It helps them to feel good about themselves which is evident as they smile. Children's understanding of diversity is well enhanced through the activities planned by staff. For example, at Christmas the setting had several different Father Christmases each representing a different

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Helping children make a positive contribution

country such as Poland, Africa, Turkey amongst others reflecting the children attending.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The setting currently supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. A member of staff is a dedicated special educational needs co-ordinator (senco) and has completed some of the training modules to help her with her role. Staff work very well in conjunction with parents and the local authority to help support children. Together they create an individual educational plan which sets specific targets for the individual child to work towards within a timescale. The senco monitors the child and provides them with the help and support needed to achieve their goals. In addition staff also work very closely with outside agencies such as health visitors and speech therapists demonstrating their commitment to helping children achieve. Children understand appropriate behaviour because staff are good role models. Staff are consistent with their approach to behaviour and follow the procedure outlined in the policy.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

They explain the consequences of their actions so that the children understand and are able to learn. Staff always praise positive behaviour so that children know they have done well. Staff talk to the children about having kind hands which they understand as being kind to one another and it is often referred to when talking about behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are cared for by staff who work well with parents to meet their individual needs and ensure that the child is fully included in the setting. Parents are asked to fill in a registration form which gives the staff vital information about their child to enable them to meet their needs inline with parents' wishes. They are also asked to complete an initial questionnaire giving staff further information to help them settle the child, for example, their likes and dislikes. Staff communicate with parents on a daily basis and parents take turns to help at the sessions. Each child has a book which staff complete either when the parents request it or when a child has achieved something specific. It is used as a two-way communication with parents

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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 writing messages in it for the staff. Parents have a notice board which provides them with further information. To further involve the children's family when children go on holiday they are asked to take teddy, taking photos of where they have been and sharing it with the other children on return. The photos are displayed in the setting for all to see. Parents are informed of how to make a complaint via the setting's policy.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of children receiving nursery education is good. Parents receive good information about the Foundation Stage. Staff provide parents with a folder detailing each area of learning giving them an insight into the Foundation Stage. They are informed about the curriculum plans through short-term planning documentation which is also displayed. Parents also receive regular newsletters giving them information about future topics and activities amongst other information. Parents are able to see their children's records at any time upon their request and can arrange an appointment with their key worker to discuss their child's development. Staff have a very flexible approach to settling new children with as much time taken as needed. Parents are asked to complete a questionnaire so that staff can incorporate parents' views when planning the curriculum for children. Therefore, children's learning is

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Helping children make a positive contribution

enhanced through this positive working partnership.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. Children are developing their self-esteem, have formed very positive relationships with staff and children, they behave well and are developing an awareness of different cultures through discussions and planned activities.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are safe as they are cared for by individuals who have all been fully vetted. Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of child development. The setting employs seven members of staff of which three are qualified to a Level 3 in childcare and two are qualified to a Level 2. Of these one member is currently working towards a Level 4 and another working towards her Level 3. Individual members of staff are trained in specific areas, such as safeguarding children, food hygiene, first aid, peer observation, outdoor play amongst others.

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Organisation

The staff have a clear understanding of the National Standards and their responsibility to comply. The adult to child ratio is always upheld often exceeding the minimum requirement. Children’s well-being is promoted by organised records. The setting has an operational plan and the policies and procedures in place and are reflected in practice. Children's records are stored accessibly and confidentially. The setting maintains a daily register, however, the actual times of children's arrival and departure are not consistently reflected in the register. Overall children’s needs are met

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education is good. The setting is well led and staff are very positively supported within their roles at the setting. They have clear job descriptions, induction, regular team meetings and annual appraisals. Staff carry out peer observations which is a useful tool to help them to identify any areas for improvement and help the individual to assess their practice. Once training has been completed staff are asked to feedback the information during team meetings so that all staff benefit from the training, keeping everyone fully informed. Staff meetings take place every month and are a productive and useful time to assess the activities offered to the children, plan future activities and share ideas. Staff work very well as a team sharing tasks throughout the day.

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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 The setting is committed to improving care and education and are reviewing their practice in a number of ways. The setting is currently undertaking the Suffolk Quality Assurance Scheme which encourages them to assess their strengths and areas of improvement. Their commitment to improvement is very much reflected, when areas are identified the setting are very pro-active in making the necessary changes. In addition parents are asked to complete a questionnaire which is analysed to identify any areas for improvement these are then noted and action taken to address them. The setting has very clear aims for the future to further develop the care and education offered. They have very good links with the local school. The reception teacher visits the pre-school to meet the children and the setting share children's records with the school to

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection the setting agreed to review use of time and resources and daily routines to maximise productive time for children and take advantage of opportunities to allow children to develop independence. The staff reviewed the daily routine and have made changes to ensure that the focus is child-initiated with a far less structured routine. Children make choices about how they spend their day selecting from the range of activities on offer increasing their independence. They also agreed to review the organisation and staffing arrangements around busy periods to improve outcomes for all children and begin to look at sources of information such as the 'Birth to three matters' framework to inform the particular care and play needs of children under three. The staff have all attended training on the 'Birth to three matters' framework and provide suitable activities for younger children. They also

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Improvements since the last inspection

agreed to develop the educational programme in the area of multicultural education to broaden children's understanding and to celebrate a wider range of world customs and beliefs. The setting now reflects diversity within the planning by providing children with a range of activities to celebrate different cultural festivities such as Chinese New Year. The setting agreed to review and improve the use of displays as a learning resource for children and the presentation and storage of equipment and resources to make them more easily accessible to children. All resources are stored in low-level boxes which are clearly labelled to help children make choices and the room is brightly decorated with children's work.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the setting agreed to implement effective procedures for cleaning and organising all areas of the setting including surfaces, resources and toilet areas to make sure the environment is clean, hygienic and safe for children. The setting now employs a cleaner who cleans daily, toys are cleaned every half term, more if necessary and the toilet area is regularly checked by staff who record when they have done so. They also agreed to take steps to improve the outside area and minimise hazards to children to make a safe and suitable play space for children (this refers to potentially poisonous plants). The setting had the local authority check the outdoor area and they found that the plants were not poisonous.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there has been one complaint made to Ofsted that required the provider to take action to meet the National Standards. The complaint related to National Standard 2: Organisation and National Standard 7: Health. Ofsted conducted an investigation.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The visit to the premises resulted in four actions being set, one under Standard 2 and three under Standard 7. A satisfactory response to the actions were received and Ofsted was satisfied that by taking these steps the provider remained qualified for registration.

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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 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 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 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 all entries in the accident book are countersigned by parents • minimise all risks on the premises this refers to the toilet door • implement effective systems for managing access to the premises • ensure that the register reflects the actual times children attend the setting.

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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): • consistently record observations on children and use to inform assessment records • increase opportunities for children to use technology.

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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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