Oaklands Primary School

Yorkley Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 101637 Inspection date 28/09/2009 Inspector Sheila A Boyle

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Setting address Yorkley County Primary School, Lydney Road, Yorkley, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 4RR Telephone number 01594 510 212 Email 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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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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

Yorkley Playgroup opened in 1971. It is registered on the Early Years Register for a maximum of 24 children. It operates from a large mobile building on the site of Yorkley County Primary School, Yorkley in Gloucestershire. The playgroup serves the local area. It is run by a voluntary committee of parents. There are currently 17 children on roll aged from two to four years; this includes 15 children receiving education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions, and some of them attend other early years provisions in the afternoon. There are no formal links with these at present. The setting can support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are no children attending who speak English as an additional language. The playgroup opens five days a week between 8.45am and 11.45am, during school term times. Three full-time staff work with the children. Two of them have appropriate early years qualifications and the third member of

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Description of the setting

staff has relevant experience. The playgroup is supported by an administrator who works part time. The setting receives support from the local authority. At present there is only limited access for disabled persons; however, there are plans to improve access by constructing a ramp at the main entrance in the near future.

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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

The club provides an appropriate range of experience and learning opportunities for the children within a safe, secure and inclusive environment. Good links with parents help children settle in quickly and make new friends. Although some links with the school’s early years provision have been established, links with other providers are limited. Self-evaluation which informs future planning is at an early stage of development; however, the setting has identified appropriate areas for improvement. It has a satisfactory capacity to manage ongoing development and improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop links with other providers to ensure continuity of care and learning for all children  ensure all staff undertake up-to-date training in child protection procedures  update policies relating to the welfare of children to reflect the most recent guidance and existing good practices and safety routines  provide more planned opportunities for children to learn outside their immediate environment. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Managers place appropriate emphasis on safeguarding children and have appropriate procedures to ensure that they are protected whilst in their care. Procedures for safeguarding children include the vetting of staff, regular risk assessments of the premises and equipment and fire evacuation practices. Children are taught about road safety when they walk to the local village. A wide range of policies relating to the welfare of children, including a policy on child protection, are in place and implemented consistently by staff. A number of policies, however, do not reflect recent guidance and existing good practices and safety routines. Also, a number of staff have not yet attended the most recent child protection training.

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the early years provision

The learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are understood by staff. Their weekly planning shows a suitable range of learning opportunities and activities that children experience when they attend the club. Daily planning reflects the needs of individual children and identifies the support that will be given to those who require additional support. Assessment of children’s learning is mainly through observations and photographic evidence. Key workers are deployed effectively; they use the available resources well and have responsibility for recording evidence of progress in children’s new individual skills folders.

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the early years provision

Good links with parents ensure children make a smooth, happy transfer from home to the playgroup. Daily face-to-face meetings with the parents, together with information provided in newsletters and through parents’ evenings, also help to keep parents informed about the activities offered to their children. Recent questionnaires returned by parents show the vast majority of them are happy with the provision. Links with other providers have yet to be formally established and as a result there is insufficient information about what children do when they attend other settings. This weakness affects the continuity of learning for some of the children and the accuracy of assessments of children’s skills and knowledge.

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the early years provision

Managers are committed to continuous improvement and have successfully addressed the recommendations made by the last inspection. Procedures for evaluating the playgroup’s effectiveness are at an early stage of development. Nevertheless, there is a strong desire and commitment to improve the provision for children by establishing links with other providers and engaging in the programmes, activities and training now on offer at a new regional Children’s Centre.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy their time at the playgroup. This is reflected in their good behaviour and in the way they interact and cooperate with staff and play happily with each other. There is an appropriate emphasis on promoting children’s communication This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and social skills and their self-confidence. In circle time at the beginning of the day, children demonstrate satisfactory levels of concentration when staff discuss with them the daily routines. Most of them demonstrate the ability to make simple choices when they select materials from a range of resources set out by staff. Some but not all of them know their colours. Some select the correct colour of play dough for making vegetables. In art activities a group of children made frog masks with paper and paint and then used them in sing songs and role play activities associated with the story of ‘Five Speckled Frogs’.

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and outcomes for children

Children have the opportunity to engage daily in outdoor play where they use large climbing equipment safely under the supervision of an adult. They also develop their physical and social skills when they play board games in groups indoors or use pieces of equipment, such as balls, hoops and scooters, with a friend outdoors. Children understand the importance of staying safe and are shown how to use utensils from the kitchen carefully when preparing fruit salad snacks. They understand the need to wear reflective clothing when they are walking along a main road. Children have some opportunities to experience learning beyond their immediate environment, for example through visits to the local village shops and the occasional visit to the library. However, there are few visitors to the play group and they have few opportunities to engage with the older children from the school even though they are on the same site and are likely to attend the reception class.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop their language and communication skills satisfactorily when they participate in role play activities in the home corner. Some use the correct costumes to play the part of a nurse, a fire officer, a builder or a character from a fairy story. The children’s language and counting skills are reinforced when they listen to stories, sing nursery rhymes and count together the number of boys and girls present at registration time. Through celebrating well know festivals such as Harvest Festival, Easter, Christmas and the Chinese New Year, children learn about their own and other cultures. When celebrating the Chinese New Year, for example, children painted a dragon and looked at costumes and food from China.

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and outcomes for children

Children demonstrate varying degrees of independence, some help themselves to drinks from the tray. However, few can set out the right number of knives, forks, plates and cups when helping to set table places for the number of children present. Most of them eat a healthy snack prepared by staff which includes one portion of fruit each day. Children are learning the daily routines and most remember to wash their hands after using the toilet and before meals. Children are happy and show affection and respect for staff by listening to them. Children’s progress and development in all six areas of learning is satisfactory. Their economic well-being is supported satisfactorily as they are developing the basic skills necessary for starting school. 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 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 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 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 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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