Hopscotch Tuel Lane Ltd

Hopscotch Tuel Lane Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY296922 Inspection date 30/09/2009 Inspector Anne Bennett

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Setting address Community Room, Tuel Lane, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX6 2ND Telephone number 01422 316227 Email veh58@btinternet.com Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA

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T: 08456 404040 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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 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).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Hopscotch Tuel Lane Ltd was registered in 2005 and operates from a ground floor community room, in the basement area of Tuel Lane Infant School, Sowerby Bridge. It is run by a workers co-operative and serves the local community. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register, to provide care for 28 children, of these 12 may be in the early years age range. There are currently 20 children on roll, of whom nine are in the early years age range. The setting is open each weekday from 7.45am to 5.45pm, operating as a pre-school from 9am until 3pm and providing out of school care before and after school, and during the school holidays. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The setting is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years. There are 6 members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting is part of the Steps to Quality, quality assurance scheme and receives support from the local authority.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are provided with an appropriate range of accessible learning opportunities and make steady progress towards the early learning goals, given their starting points and capabilities. Staff create a welcoming and inclusive environment for parents, carers and children, and provide good quality information about the provision. Some inconsistencies are evident in practice particularly in staff understanding of appropriate interventions and the implementation of policies and procedures. The recommendations raised at the last inspection have been effectively addressed and staff demonstrate a clear commitment to improve outcomes for children. The provider seeks out and values support given by the local authority, and partnership arrangements with other early years providers are developing.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 ensure that policies and procedures are consistently implemented in practice by all members of staff  continue to develop planning systems in order to extend the provision for children's individual learning styles  develop systems for monitoring staff and sharing good practice to ensure a consistent approach within the setting  further develop links with other settings delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage to include sharing information about children's progress towards the early learning goals. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are secure and adequately supervised in a clean, safe and suitably maintained environment, where adults are alert to potential hazards. Risks are assessed and managed appropriately, enabling children to freely choose activities, test their skills and make new discoveries within safe boundaries. The provider takes sufficient steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children who attend, and ensures that staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to child protection.

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the early years provision

Parents are provided with good quality information about the setting, and their child's learning and development, and they find staff approachable and supportive. Policies and procedures are routinely updated, openly available for parents to reference, and staff are committed to actively involving parents. Staff display an adequate understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, however, all members of staff do not consistently implement policies and procedures in practice, and their understanding of appropriate interventions varies.

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the early years provision

Staff display an open and co-operative approach to partnership working with the local authority, and are currently looking to further develop their systems for observing and assessing children. The setting is located on the grounds of a primary school and has developed clear information sharing systems with the school, in order to support transitions. However, links with other early years providers are in the initial stages, and do not currently extend to sharing information about children's progress towards the early learning goals. Appraisals are appropriately used to support staff to reflect on their strengths and areas for development, however, systems for monitoring and sharing good practice are not established. Self-evaluation systems provide the setting with a good understanding of it's strengths and areas for improvement. Future improvement plans are well targeted and effectively focused on improving outcomes for children.

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and outcomes for children

Children access an appropriate range of accessible self-selection opportunities, including sand and water play, books, small world items, musical instruments, role play resources, mark making, malleable materials and jigsaws. Staff are beginning to plan based on children's interests, using information gathered from parents about individual preferences and the resources that children prefer to play with at the setting. Staff notice children's interest in musical instruments and bring out a wider range for them to choose from. Children are supported to take turns, share popular resources and talk about little, big, loud and soft, as they enthusiastically explore different sounds. Staff support children to find, count and group additional items and introduce favourite resources into other areas such as small world animals into water play. However current provision does not take into account children's individual learning styles.

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Information is displayed around the setting, to provide staff with ideas for effective practice, observation, assessment, key vocabulary, and questions to support learning. Environmental prompts and labels, raise children's awareness and understanding of early reading and number. Mark making resources are incorporated into different areas and the setting provides some opportunities for children to transport and use resources for a range of different purposes. Individual record folders for each child include an overview of key developments, learning journey observations and next steps in children's learning and development. Snap shot, shorter observations including photographs are also used alongside this system. Parents have open access to children's individual record folders, and their comments are welcomed and incorporated. Staff have recently

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and outcomes for children

introduced focused activities and use these to record key observations for each child doing the activity.

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and outcomes for children

Children respond enthusiastically to adults that are interested in what they say and do, and can be seen eagerly greeting staff arriving at the setting for the afternoon session. They play co-operatively in the role play shop, pricing up a mixture of real and plastic fruit and vegetables using the stickers provided. Some children pretend to be the shopkeeper, and use the till and calculator to work out prices for their customers. Others enjoy selecting and carrying the different items they have gathered using their individual shopping baskets, noticing as their basket gets heavier. Staff engage with children, sharing and supporting their experience as they talk about buying jacket potatoes for tea, using key words such as large and small. Children work together to stack cubes of different sizes, cheering when they manage to build a tower. They join in with familiar songs and actions including, five little ducks and twinkle, twinkle, little star, repeating well known phrases and

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and outcomes for children

counting together. Children display a sense of pride in their achievements, exclaiming, 'I did it!' as they play in the water trough, filling up containers and squirting water. They enjoy listening to music and bouncing together on the soft sofas, supported by responsive staff and positive interventions that give them some opportunities to explore taking risks within safe boundaries. On occasion, however, adult interventions interrupt children's experiences, and minimise opportunities for them to become fully engaged and engrossed in their chosen activities for extended periods of time.

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and outcomes for children

Staff routinely remind children about safety by drawing their attention to any potential safety issues. Parents provide appropriate individual packed lunches and the setting sends out healthy eating leaflets and puts together an annual healthy lunchbox display. Children develop a sufficient understanding of the benefits of physical activity and the wider world through accessing outdoor and physical play opportunities on a daily basis and occasional outings to the local park. 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

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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Stage

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 B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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