Highburton Playgroup

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated. Highburton Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 311283 Inspection date 02/10/2008 Inspector Helen Blackburn / Angela Margaret Ellis

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Setting address Burton Village Hall, Northfield Lane, Kirkburton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD8 0QT Telephone number 01484 606065 Email Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration whichever is the later, which require Ofsted or the provider to take action in Annex C.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10). This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Highburton Playgroup was registered in 1996 and is managed by a voluntary committee of parents. It operates from a local village hall in the Highburton area of Huddersfield. Children are cared for in a large open plan room and an adjacent smaller room located on the ground floor of the village hall. The building is accessible by stairs or a ramp. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. Children attend from the local community and surrounding areas.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 26 children aged from two years to five years may attend the setting at any one time. The setting is open five days a week, Monday and Tuesday from 09.00 to 11.45 and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 09.00 to 15.00, term time only. There are currently 60 children on roll aged from two years six months to five years. Of these, all children are within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The setting supports children with learning difficulties, disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The setting employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the local authority and they are members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance. The setting has achieved a Quality Assurance Award through the local authority. They are affiliated to Denby Dale Children’s Centre and have access to the support services within the centre.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Practitioners successfully and consistently promote children’s welfare, learning and development, although some children do occasionally forget to wash their hands before snack. The children are central to how the setting operates; practitioners carefully listen to all children, they fully respect their views, ideas and interests and incorporate these into all aspects of the service, such as planning, resources and improvements. High regard is given to keeping children safe and to providing a rich learning environment that positively reflects diversity and the world in which children live. The children are making excellent progress in their learning; they are enthusiastic, eager, and motivated learners who are settled and secure at the setting. Comprehensive self-evaluation and monitoring systems, which incorporate all service users, staff and external agencies, result in effective continual improvements that respond to the current service users.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 reinforce to children the importance of personal hygiene at snack time, building on their good understanding of hygiene routines carried out at other times of the day. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

There are comprehensive self-evaluation processes that monitor and evaluate children’s care and education, which means practitioners are extremely proactive in identifying their strengths and take positive steps to bring about continual improvement. These processes are inclusive to all and build on views from all practitioners, committee, parents, children and external agencies. This includes practitioners’ excellent commitment to their own professional development, for example, they are all qualified. They access a wide variety of training courses to extend their skills and knowledge, effectively using training to influence the high quality of experiences they offer children. Improvements include addressing the recommendation made at the last inspection. For example, through providing soap dispensers instead of bar soap, cross-infection is minimised.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and some external agencies are very good and still evolving with others. Parents access a wide range of information regarding their child’s welfare, learning and development, for example, newsletters and planning. They meaningfully contribute to their child’s progress record, which means they are fully aware of the range of activities children enjoy and their achievements. Through working purposefully together and by sharing and exchanging information from the beginning, consistency and continuity is promoted for children. Practitioners liaise very well with a number of external agencies to ensure children receive the support they need, such as speech therapists, the National Portage Association and local children’s centres. They are working very hard to establish links with other groups and carers involved in children’s learning. This has resulted in agreeing some clear systems for sharing information with some groups to

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provision

ensure progression and continuity. Although despite being very proactive, links with some groups are still developing.

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provision

The arrangements for safeguarding children are comprehensive and rigorous. Practitioners have high regard to keeping children safe, detailed risk assessments cover all aspects of the provision, including outings, and ensures the effective management of eliminating risks for children. All staff have accessed child protection training resulting in them having a secure understanding of what to do if they have concerns about a child’s welfare. Thorough recruitment and vetting procedures ensures adults working with children are suitable, including carrying out systematic inductions and appraisals to monitor their ongoing suitability.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children’s welfare and learning is paramount at the setting and is promoted extremely well; for example, effective policies and procedures consistently implemented by practitioners promote all aspects of children’s welfare and learning. This contributes to the efficient and effective day-to-day operation of the setting. In addition, all policies and procedures accurately reflect current legalisation for a number of organisations. Illness, infection and hygiene is well managed within the setting, which contributes to successfully promoting children’s health and well- This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 being. Overall, children have a good understanding of health and personal care. The majority of the time they independently wash their hands throughout the day and they make healthy choices for their snacks, including growing and eating their own produce. However, occasionally at snack time some children do forget to wash their

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

hands, although they know that they should. In addition, the children thoroughly enjoy being active; they play outdoors in all weathers and go for regular walks, for example, they have great fun splashing in the rain.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

There is a consistent team working with the children and they work extremely well together, working to high staff to child ratios, which means they deploy themselves effectively to successfully meet children’s needs. Their relationships with the children are excellent and they have positive and meaningful interactions. The children are respectful of others and through an extremely positive role model and effective behaviour management strategies the children behave very well. They cooperate with their peers, share and take turns and understand about right and wrong. The children learn about the world and community they live through walks, visitors to the setting and by accessing resources that promote positive images of all people in society.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The children are enthusiastic and motivated learners and thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting. They eagerly play with the wide range of stimulating and interesting activities that cover all aspects of their learning, for example, creative, problem solving, and language and literacy. The practitioners work very hard to ensure this provision is available at all times despite having to set up everything before each session. The effective organisation of these resources enables children to make independent choices and decisions. They do this with enthusiasm and this contributes to them having a positive attitude towards their learning, promoting their confidence, self-esteem and progress. For example, children eagerly dig the vegetables in the garden to make a casserole, they earnestly join in the singing sessions with the guitar and delight in expressing themselves creatively through their role-play and art activities.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The practitioners know the children extremely well. They effectively support children’s learning through asking them a wide range of challenging questions and through planning a rich curriculum around the individual child. Children are an integral part of the planning process, their views and ideas and accurate observations carried out by practitioners influence the activities provided. Practitioners clearly understand how children learn and develop and they use their extensive knowledge to ensure children make excellent progress towards the early learning goals. Planning is comprehensive and flexible. Recently the children became enthused about a housing development in the village, and practitioners built on this interest and enthusiasm by changing the plans. All activities, planning records and children’s progress records are purposefully and regularly evaluated and monitored to quickly identify any gaps so that they are addressed effectively and

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

efficiently. This includes setting up comprehensive systems to meet the needs of children with learning difficulties or disabilities, for example, working very closely with parents and external agencies. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

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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of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How well does the provision promote inclusive practice? Outstanding The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement. Outstanding

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How effective is the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement? Outstanding

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How well does the setting work in partnership with parents and others? Good

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How well are children safeguarded? Outstanding

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? Outstanding How well are children helped to be healthy? Good How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? Outstanding How well are children helped to make a positive contribution? Outstanding

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being? Outstanding

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex C: complaint/s made to Ofsted

This section of the report includes details of any complaint/s made to Ofsted when:  we took action for the provider to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register; or  we asked the provider to take action in order to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register; or  the provider had already taken any necessary action to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register.

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Annex C: complaint/s made to Ofsted

We will not report on any complaint where the provider met the requirements of the Early Years Register or did not require any action by Ofsted or the registered provider.

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Detail of the complaint/s

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection.

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Detail of the complaint/s

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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