Ysgol Porth y Felin

Rillington Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

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Rillington Playgroup

Unique Reference Number 400252 Inspection date 02 November 2005 Inspector Rosemary Beyer

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Rillington Playgroup

Setting Address Scarborough Road, Rillington, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 8LH

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E-mail

Registered person Rillington Playgroup Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Sessional 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 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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Rillington Pre-School Playgroup opened in 1973. It is situated in the village of Rillington just off the A 64, five miles from Malton. It operates from the main room in the village hall. Children attend from the village itself and the outlying rural areas. There are currently 17 children on the register aged from 2 to 5 years. This includes 10 funded 3 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions with most going on to local school nurseries. The group supports children who have special needs. No children with English as an additional language are attending at present.

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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 group opens five days a week during school term time, from 09.00-12.00. There are two core staff and two relief staff who work with the children. Of these, three have relevant early years qualifications. The group has the support of the North Yorkshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, and is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The sick child policy is made available to parents in the group prospectus to ensure infections are not spread within the group. Parents provide the necessary written permissions for sun cream, plasters, medication and emergency help for children to be cared for appropriately, however they do not provide information about immunisation on the registration forms. Staff record appropriately any accidents or medication administered to keep parents informed. Children are able to have fresh air each day, whether prolonged outside play or a quick run around if the weather is inclement. They enjoy the freedom of being able to let off steam outside and the wide range of resources available, from balancing equipment to ride on toys. The children are developing their strength and accuracy when ball throwing, using small balls and numbered buckets, which also give them opportunities to improve counting and number recognition.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children know they need to eat healthy food to remain fit and grow strong, from their topic work. They eat healthy snacks, including fruit, with staff taking account of any allergies or special dietary needs

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The staff have a very comprehensive and effective health and safety policy, which includes ongoing risk assessments and also awareness raising as part of the staff induction process. The children are unable to leave the building unsupervised and all the staff in contact with the children are police cleared. Each session they ensure the premises, the outside area and the resources are safe for the children to use. The playground is secure with new fences in place. The accident book is reviewed regularly to ensure any particular hazards are identified. It is completed appropriately with parent signatures. The children know they need to use toys and resources safely to prevent accidents; they do not throw things but share and co-operate. Furniture and activities are well spaced to allow children plenty of room to move around comfortably. They walk when inside to prevent falling over equipment, and put away resources when they have finished

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

playing with them or prior to outside play.

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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 fire evacuation procedure is displayed and practised, however, not all staff or children have experience of this and recording is very brief. Children are protected through the comprehensive lost and uncollected child policies and procedures, which include notification of Ofsted. They are also protected through the child protection policy and procedure which is in line with the local Area Child Protection Committee guidance. Staff are undertaking training to ensure their knowledge is up-to-date.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy a wide range of activities which are planned in line with the Foundation Stage. Staff are to undertake training about Birth to Three Matters to ensure appropriate activities are provided for younger children who now attend. Activities are assessed and evaluated to ensure they meet the needs of the children and to check that they are making appropriate progress in all the areas of their learning. All the children are settled and comfortable with the staff and each other. They are considerate, share and cooperate, taking turns when playing together. Their manners are good and they behave very well. They talk together while playing and develop very imaginative games, for example, when using the blue sand or the dry pasta. The children are learning about their local community through their topic work including, for example, the post, when they made houses and post boxes to put on a

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

map of the village, then postcards which were posted in their large red post box. They are also learning about the wider world through topics about festivals and food. Their mathematical language and counting are developing well, with all the children using numbers and positional words in conversation and everyday activities. They enjoy doing number puzzles and playing dominoes independently, but also enjoy adult led games. The children enjoy using books - reading stories and anticipating what will happen, which they do correctly. They also like to use their individual notepads in activities when they write down menus if they are in a café, lists for shopping or appointments for the doctor's surgery. The children's language and vocabulary are developing well through conversation with their friends or with the staff, who ask questions to help children think. Children's knowledge of technology is developing through the use of tills, play

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

computers, music centres, tape recorders and mobile phones. They are interested in the lap top and keen to try using it, they are also aware the group is fundraising to purchase its own computer.

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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 The provision is good. The playgroup prospectus has been developed to give parents information about the setting, its management, and its aims and objectives. There is also a section about activities and the Foundation Stage. The brochure is easy to read and very well presented. A notice board is used to display the registration certificate and Ofsted details, and to give information about forthcoming events. Parents I spoke to value the care and support their children receive and the children themselves enjoy attending. They like to play with their friends and try new things. A comprehensive complaints procedure has been developed, which is made available to parents. All complaints are recorded and investigated by the committee or referred to Ofsted if a breach of registration conditions or standards is found.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Contact details are posted on the notice board for parents. Each complaint is recorded, with the agreed action noted and feedback to parents signed by them. The record will be made available for inspection. It is made clear to parents how to complain about allegations of abuse. The comprehensive child protection procedure, in line with the local Area Child Protection guidance, ensures confidentiality is respected and, where possible, parents are included. Children are developing independence well and are able to access resources independently. They are confident to ask for additional activities to be made available from toys remaining in the cupboard. They are also learning to put on their coats and shoes before outside play, and are able to ask for help if they need it. The children are learning about diversity through a range of resources that include posters, dolls, books and activities. They are also developing a good awareness of

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Helping children make a positive contribution

the differences between people and the need to treat them with equal concern. Behaviour is good, with children having a clear understanding of how they should or should not behave. The children share, take turns and co-operate well. They support each other when having difficulty with puzzles and take turns with games, for example, when throwing the balls into buckets.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The staff are qualified and experienced and have current first aid certificates, they work well as a team to ensure the smooth running of the setting. They are encouraged to undertake training to continue improving their practice and widening their knowledge, for example, to enable them to implement Birth to Three Matters to support the development of younger children. Recording systems and procedures are in place, reviewed and followed to ensure the safe and efficient management of the setting, although fire drills are not recorded with sufficient detail. Staff maintain the conditions of registration, ensuring sufficient staff are in post to give good supervision and keep to the registered number.

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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 Overall the setting meets the needs of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the group's policies and procedures have been completely reviewed and updated. The child protection policy and procedure is now in line with the local Area Child Protection Committee guidance and includes action to be taken if allegations are made against staff. The equal opportunities and medical policies have also been amended to take account of current legislation. Parents are given a prospectus to provide information about the setting and its aims and objectives. Foundation Stage information is also included so parents are aware of the activities their children will enjoy and how they are expected to progress. It has been decided, after consultation with parents and Early Years, not to proceed with the full day care registration. The Special Needs Co-ordinator has undertaken training to enable her to support children and their families who may need different care. She uses the Code of

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Improvements since the last inspection

Practice to guide her and has already considered any changes or equipment children may need in the future. Children are able to develop their outside play safely and successfully since the new fencing was installed. New resources are available for them to use, among them ride on toys, balancing beams and balls which they thoroughly enjoy.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. 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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • ensure the recording of fire drills is completed to include the required information to monitor attendances and evacuation times • continue to undertake training to support the implementation of Birth to three matters

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The quality and standards of the care

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the care

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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