Seaton Delaval Pre School

Seaton Delaval Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 301821 Inspection date 20/11/2009 Inspector Andrea, Jane Lockyer

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Setting address Seaton Delaval Community Centre, Elsdon Avenue, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, NE25 0BW Telephone number 07980 205590, up to 12:15 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

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

Seaton Delaval Playgroup opened in 1968. The group is located in Seaton Delaval Community Centre, Northumberland, where it operates from two playrooms in the building. There is a suitable area for outdoor play. The group operates from Monday to Friday, 09.15 to 11.45, term time only. Local amenities and public transport systems are within walking distance. The group is registered to care for a maximum of 24 children and is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 14 children on roll; all attend on a part-time basis. The group supports children who have learning difficulties and disabilities.

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Description of the setting

The group is committee-run and has two full-time permanent staff caring for the children; both hold an appropriate childcare qualification. The group is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and receives support and training opportunities 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

Staff provide a happy, relaxed and welcoming environment for children and their families, where they feel valued and included. Positive relationships have been established with parents to ensure children's needs are met, and they receive relevant information about their children and the setting. Children are making steady progress in their learning and development and the staff provide an interesting and stimulating range of activities. In general, resources are organised appropriately to allow children to make choices. Reasonable steps are being taken by staff to improve their provision and they show a commitment to continual improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 organise resources more effectively so that children find them interesting and more readily available to make independent choices and extend their own learning  develop effective links with other provisions that children attend in order to ensure continuity in children's care and learning  ensure that parents are given effective information about their children's learning journey files and that they are able to contribute to their children's observation and assessment process. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is safeguarded and promoted appropriately. Staff are able to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and demonstrate that they have the ability to act appropriately to safeguard children in their care. Satisfactory risk assessments and daily safety checks are carried out to ensure that children remain safe both in and out of the premises and on outings. Children are able to move around freely in the safe and secure environment and receive good levels of supervision to ensure they feel safe. Children are cared for by suitable, qualified adults, due to sufficient recruitment procedures and a commitment to continued training. A suitable induction programme, and regular staff and committee meetings, ensures that all are aware of their roles and responsibilities; along with a relevant range of written policies and procedures, this contributes to the smooth running of the setting and the well-being of children.

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the early years provision

Space is used sufficiently well with defined areas, such as role play, mark-making, physical play, book area, and table-top activities. Children are able to make choices from the range of activities put out for them by staff. However, art and craft materials are not readily available on a daily basis and some areas, such as the computer and mark-making areas, are not effectively organised to interest children. This limits children's ability to make independent choices and to extend their learning in some areas.

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the early years provision

Parents receive relevant information about the provision and their children's care, learning and development. They are able to read policies and procedures on request and receive an appropriate information pack about the setting. Their children's learning journey files are freely accessible to them to read whenever they want to. However, information given to parents about the learning journey files is limited and they have not yet been invited to make their own contributions to them or be involved in their children's observation and assessment process. Relevant information is obtained from parents prior to children starting at the setting to ensure that children's needs are met. Ongoing daily discussions with parents ensure that they are appropriately informed of their children's care, welfare and progress. Parents are invited to attend organised trips and fund-raising events, become volunteers and be part of the management committee, which

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the early years provision

helps them to feel valued and included in the setting. Parents report that they are very happy with the provision and that their children are happy, settled and making progress. Appropriate links have been made with local schools and nurseries that children will attend so that children's transition to other provisions runs smoothly and relevant information is passed on. However, partnerships with other provisions that children attend as well as this setting are not effectively established to ensure continuity of children's care and learning.

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the early years provision

Appropriate support is provided for children with learning difficulties and disabilities. Staff ensure that if necessary, children receive one-to-one support from a designated key worker, who also liaises with parents and other childcare professionals to ensure that children's individual needs are met and that they are fully included. Staff promote an inclusive practice reasonably well, resulting in all This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children and parents feeling valued and free from discrimination. Children learn to value differences through sensitive discussions with staff as they play with an appropriate range of resources that reflect positive images of diversity.

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the early years provision

Appropriate systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the provision. They have identified some areas for improvement, such as continuing to develop the planning, observation and assessment systems, and developing the outdoor area to maximise learning opportunities for children. The staff team work well together and show commitment to developing their practice. Recommendations from the previous inspection have been appropriately met.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy, relaxed and confident in the setting. Staff provide a gentle warmth and kindness, which enables children to develop a sense of security, trust and self-esteem. They are sensitive to their needs and value them as individuals. All children receive good levels of support, praise and affection. Staff have a satisfactory understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and children are making steady progress through the early learning goals. Appropriate systems are in place for planning, observations and assessment, which give the staff a clear picture of children's progress and how they will move them forward on their learning journey. Themes and topics are planned in advance by staff, some of which are flexible to take into account what children show an interest in.

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and outcomes for children

All children engage in an appropriate range of activities that are fun and interesting and generally support their interests. When resources are available they express their creativity through various media, such as painting, playing musical instruments, making models, making collages from natural materials they have collected, and play-dough. Mathematical concepts are brought into everyday experiences; for example, as staff encourage children to count how many children there are at snack time and to compare the sizes of each other's feet at song time. They are encouraged to recognise numbers as they play number games and look at numbers in books. Children are beginning to learn about measurement and weight, as they weigh different containers on scales and compare how tall they are when they are measured on the wall chart.

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and outcomes for children

Children are confident to express their ideas and use their imaginations; for example, as they construct a train with chairs and go on an imaginary journey. Staff provide appropriate support as they give children tickets for the journey and allow them to extend and develop their own play. Staff engage children in conversations to promote their communication skills and take time to listen to children as they excitedly talk about their families and what they have been doing at home. Children are confident to initiate their own conversations with each other and staff; for example, as they talk about what they saw on Bonfire Night, describing the sights and sounds of the fireworks. Children enjoy stories and looking at books. Most listen well as staff read to them, and older children attempt to tell a story to a teddy bear. Regular outings to places of interest provide children with good opportunities to learn about their local community and the

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 wider world. They enjoy trips to the local library, doctor's surgery, church and sea life centre. On a trip to the local park, staff encourage children to look at the natural environment. Staff talk about the pine cones on trees and encourage children to listen to the birds. Children collect leaves and twigs to take home with them. Children also enjoy going on bug and nature hunts, where they examine insects with magnifiers.

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and outcomes for children

Staff are positive role models for children and encourage them to develop their social skills. They offer children praise and encouragement and give them responsibilities, such as ringing the bell before snack time and collecting the cups when children have finished their drinks; this contributes to their confidence and self-esteem. Children show care and consideration for each other as they share and take turns with toys. Older children imitate staff and give younger children praise and encouragement as they attempt to knock down skittles.

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and outcomes for children

Children are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles that promote their physical skills and enjoyment of being active, both indoors and outdoors; for example, making trails with different-coloured, circular floor mats which they have to jump along, organising their own skittles game, using the indoor climbing frame, making kites to fly outside, taking part in obstacle courses and crawling under the cargo net. They go out daily at certain times in all weathers and enjoy playing in the snow, feeling the rain on their faces and planting flowers. Their awareness of healthy food is promoted well. They select from a selection of fresh fruit offered to them by staff at snack time; they grow their own fruit and vegetables, which they help to prepare for their snacks; and they talk about foods that are good for them. Children follow good daily routines for hand washing and help to wipe tables after snacks and to wash toys. They have enjoyed a visit from an oral hygienist to learn

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and outcomes for children

about the importance of looking after your teeth and staff provided them with toothbrushes and toothpaste to take home. Children are beginning to understand how to keep themselves safe. On a trip to the park, children instinctively knew to stop at the kerb and look for cars and knew when it was safe to cross. Staff encourage children not to run indoors, to be aware of each other and to use equipment safely. Children are involved in regular fire drills and have discussions with staff about general fire safety. All children particularly enjoyed a visit from the fire-fighters, where they were able to explore the fire engine, and a visit from the police, who talked to them about 'stranger danger'. Staff organised an emergency services day, where children dressed up as members of the emergency services and took part in role-play scenarios. 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 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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