Ysgol Terrig

St Joseph's Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 400342 Inspection date 20/10/2009 Inspector Dawn Bonica Brown

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Setting address 281 Skipton Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 3HD

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Telephone number 07792 657808 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 . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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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

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

St Joseph's Playgroup is managed by a parent's committee and was registered in 1986. The group is registered to care for children on the Early Years Register and operates in the large church hall and a smaller room within St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Harrogate. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered to care for 24 children aged under five years and there are currently 22 children aged from three to five years on roll. The playgroup opens during term time from 9.00 am to 12 noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm on Tuesday and Thursday.

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Description of the setting

The setting supports children with English as an additional language and there are three members of staff, of whom two hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Staff in the setting meet the needs of all children routinely because they recognise the uniqueness of each child. Every child is supported so that no individual is disadvantaged and all children make progress in almost all aspects of their learning and development. The setting establishes partnerships in the community to ensure that children’s welfare is promoted and to provide good quality education and care. The adults managing the setting demonstrate the capacity to maintain continuous improvement and their plans for the future are well targeted to bring about further improvement to the provision and good outcomes for children.

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 make a record of risk assessments clearly stating when it was carried out, by whom, date of review and any action taken following a review (Safeguarding and welfare). 23/11/2009

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further?

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

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further?

 provide greater challenges for the more able children by providing activities during which they will experiment with writing in their role play and help them to demonstrate what they know about word recognition. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Adults in the setting demonstrate good maintenance of the records, policies and procedures required for the safe and efficient management of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Their policies are comprehensive and inclusive so that all staff and parents understand how to help the setting keep children safe. The management ensures that staff are suitably qualified and keep themselves abreast of new developments in childcare through relevant training. All members of staff know and understand the child protection procedures, how to implement them if they should have any concerns about a child and are aware of the majority of the safeguarding requirements. However, the written risk assessments are not sufficiently robust because, although staff identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, the provider does not maintain a record of when and by whom they have been checked. This is a breach in the welfare

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the early years provision

The adults monitor and evaluate the setting well through regular quality checks and self-assessment, which identify targets for further improvement. Staff demonstrate high ambition and a strong capacity to make improvements. All recommendations from the previous inspection have been addressed efficiently, with good on going improvements to the provision.

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the early years provision

Effective links with parents and carers have been established. Parents are encouraged to be part of the group through a variety of ways, such as, the parent committee and the rota duty system. Their contribution to the setting is fostered well. For example, parents use their special skills to help children learn and they contribute to the running of the setting through annual events. They have good access to the setting's policies. Parents receive a welcome pack with information about the activities in which their children participate. They contribute to their children's learning by following children's activities at home for their learning journeys. The setting provides several information posters for parents, some of which include explanations of how their children enjoy different activities. This gives them a good understanding of how children learn from the activities provided.

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the early years provision

The setting has established links with other providers delivering the EYFS and has developed working relationships with specialists to support children with disabilities. The playgroup promotes sustainability well, uses resources made from natural materials and recycles paper, card and plastic within the setting. For example, children play hide and seek with a large cardboard box and use recycled materials for junk modelling. Resources are of good quality and well organised. For example, the toy house bricks are separated into two sets for use indoors in the construction area and used in outdoor play. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Adults in the setting have a good understanding of child development which helps them to support children's learning well. They ensure the learning environment is warm, welcoming and attractive by setting up a wide range of activities before children arrive. All resources are easily accessible and well planned to ensure a good level of interaction between activities. For example, the book corner is comfortable and attractive and books are arranged so that children can see and reach what they want easily.

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and outcomes for children

Staff use information from observation and assessment successfully by analysing them to highlight children's achievements or their need for support and to plan activities that are tailored to the needs and abilities of each child.

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and outcomes for children

Children are well settled and have developed strong attachments to the staff. They respond to the expectations of the adults who work with them and learn good habits of behaviour. Staff teach the children to develop an understanding of dangers and how to stay safe. For example, they learn about staying safe as they follow the safety routine for outdoor play and learn to use equipment, such as the trampoline safely.

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and outcomes for children

Children are taught to be active and understand the benefits of physical activity through positive encouragement to play outside each day. Staff make outdoor play interesting for all children by providing a wide range of activities outdoors, such as, large sponges and poster paint as well as big brushes with buckets of soapy water. There are lots of opportunities for children to practise going round obstacle courses on wheeled toys. Their hand and eye coordination is fostered with throwing and catching toys and balancing is promoted through using stilts. Children have a lot of fun going through tunnels, building tents, practising mark making and playing loud instruments outdoors.

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and outcomes for children

Staff promote good hygiene by encouraging children to be independent. They put used tissues in the bin provided and understand that they must wash their hands before they eat snacks. Children make healthy choices about what they eat and drink and enjoy their snacks using a café style system, which helps them to recognise when they are hungry. Their snacks are nutritious and include food from a variety of countries to reflect the backgrounds of the children in the setting.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy their learning and are highly involved in their self chosen activities. They choose resources from a wide selection and engage in lots of cooperative play. Staff help them to enjoy books by reading with them individually and involving them in the stories. Children learn to recognise writing for different purposes because staff use labels effectively. However, opportunities for listening and writing in the role play area are not provided. Children learn about the seasons, days of the week and the weather in circle time but there are insufficient opportunities for them to demonstrate what they know, such as their ability to recognise written words. Children engage in meaningful speaking and listening activities, learn to speak clearly and gain confidence in talking as they engage in This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 circle time activities. They recognise when someone is talking and give them

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and outcomes for children

attention because the child talking holds a cuddly toy.

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and outcomes for children

Adults in the setting help children to become independent learners and to develop collaborative and problem solving skills. For example, their cooperative play is promoted well when the adult introduces further resources in the hospital role play and children enthusiastically fetch a poorly doll from the cot to have its temperature taken and check its heart beat with the stethoscope.

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and outcomes for children

The setting helps children to understand their environment by helping them to find out about the natural world. For example, using magnifying glasses to investigate mini beasts, collecting twigs, leaves and pine cones and inspecting rotting logs to find insects. Children learn about people in the community who help us, when they see the ambulance and fire brigade at first hand. 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 3 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 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 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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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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