Upton St Mary's Pre-School Playgroup.

Upton St Mary's Pre-school Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 306495 Inspection date 10/02/2010 Inspector Jean Evelyn Thomas

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Setting address The Church Halls, Church Road, Upton, Wirral, CH49 6JZ

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Telephone number 0151 677 1186 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 0300 123 1231, 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: 0300 123 1231 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

Upton St Mary's Pre-School Playgroup was registered in 1970 and is managed by a voluntary management committee, made up of parents and members of the church and local community. It operates from the two church halls of St Mary's church in Upton, Wirral. The playgroup serves both the village and local areas. The playgroup opens four mornings a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9.15am until 12noon. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register and a maximum of 35 children, aged over two years, in the early years age group may attend at any one time. There are currently 37 children in this age range on roll. Funding for early years education is in place for three and four year olds. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

There are nine staff employed, of whom, seven 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

The management and staff provide a welcoming, inclusive environment for all children and as a result, they are confident and secure. Children are safeguarded and their welfare requirements are well met. Children have opportunities to engage in many varied and interesting activities to support their learning and development. Required policies and procedures are in place, with an omission in registration. Management identify clear goals and are strongly committed towards achieving continual improvement and developing staff training which reflects in the quality of the provision. Effective partnerships are developed with parents, whilst the partnerships with other providers within Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) are still are evolving.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure the daily record of the children's attendance includes their arrival and departure times (Documenation). 08/03/2010

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure partnerships are developed with all other providers delivering the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 EYFS to the children attending the preschool  ensure the organisation of the session maximises the use of resources to support children's learning and development.

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the early years provision

Staff demonstrate a positive understanding of the safeguarding policy and the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child. They are fully aware of their responsibilities to protect children from harm. Children's safety is given a high priority. Staff are vigilant in their supervision and are effectively deployed to monitor areas which are identified as being higher risk, such as the entrance door at the beginning and end of the session. A documented risk assessment is in place which is reviewed. Most of the documentation is maintained as required with the exception of the children's registration record. The attendance record does not include accurate times of arrival and departures for children, which is a breach of a requirement.

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the early years provision

The committee, manager and staff are committed to the continual improvement of the practices to ensure better outcomes for children. The provision has benefited from grant funding to improve the outdoor play area. The recommendations from the previous inspection have been addressed to improve outcomes for children. The recommendations regarding children's learning and development have been met through staff embracing the EYFS. As recommended children's hygiene practices have been improved and records are available for inspection.

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the early years provision

The staff work as an effective and cohesive team. Individually they have a clear understanding of their duties and responsibilities for each session. This greatly impacts on the smooth running of the session and in creating a relaxed atmosphere for children. Staff work hard to create a welcoming and child-friendly setting within 'shared use' accommodation. Staff create an inclusive environment where any potential barriers are addressed to ensure that the setting is accessible to everyone. Positive attitudes towards diversity and difference within all children are strongly promoted to help children to learn to value different aspects of their own and other people's lives.

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the early years provision

The organisation of the session gives children opportunity to benefit from easy access to a wide range of resources, set out in learning areas to stimulate their interest and promote the development of skills. They gather together for whole group activities, such as to listen to a story or sing lively songs. However, the group times do not hold the attention of all the children. Some of the children become disengaged as they are required to leave the resources which were sustaining their interest.

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the early years provision

Effective partnerships with parents and carers are established during the supportive settling-in period. Parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child's learning and development. They have regular meetings with their child's key worker to talk about their progress and discuss the planned next steps for learning and development. Parents comment that they are very happy with the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 overall quality of the provision. Links are maintained with local schools to support children's transition. However, partnerships have not been established with all other providers delivering the EYFS to the children to further promote progression in their learning and development.

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and outcomes for children

Children become active learners and develop self-motivation in the enabling environment. Their level of concentration is deepening as they become absorbed in activities which sustain their interest. The children enjoy warm relationships with staff. The newly admitted children quickly grow in confidence as they feel emotionally secure with the caring and sensitive interaction of all staff. The staff's secure understanding of the principles of early years practice, provides a firm basis for children's learning and development. Staff observe children as they play and intervene sensitively to provide explanations that make children think and extend their experiences. Observations are recorded in children's individual profiles to provide a record of their learning journey, with photographs and work examples. Key persons are very knowledgeable of their key children's individual stage of learning and development and use this knowledge to offer greater challenge to

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and outcomes for children

Children's literacy and communication skills are essentially promoted in many aspects of the provision. Children are competently learning to recognise their own names as they complete the self-registration procedure on arrival and at the café snack time. Children confidently explore new activities, such ice which is frozen to the shape of hands. This planned activity links into the current theme. The children are fascinated with this learning resource, asking many questions, noticing changes as the ice melts and are encouraged by staff to use descriptive language for example soft, smooth and rough. Children's knowledge of their environment and others is well promoted through planned activities and on occasion, outings in the local community. In a recent topic they learnt about 'people who help us' with visiting professionals, including the fire service and police officers.

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and outcomes for children

Children experiment in the water tray and sand trough, filling and emptying containers developing an understanding of quantity and size. Staff introduce mathematical concepts into many spontaneous situations as well as planned activities. Children develop their understanding of technology as they are confident to use the interactive computer and access various programmes. Children are creative and express their own ideas using a variety of resources including art work and role play. Children are developing skills which will have a positive impact on their future economic well being.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn to be considerate towards adults and each other in the friendly, consistent atmosphere; where staff act as positive role models. Friendships are forming, children show that they enjoy each other's company and chatter happily together as they play or sit in communication friendly spaces, such as the cosy, cushioned book area. A healthy lifestyle is actively promoted. Children benefit from exercise and fresh air throughout the year. Good hygiene practices are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 incorporated into the daily routines to encourage children to care for themselves. Snacks consist of a choice of nutritious options. Cafe style snack time has been introduced to further nurture children's independence skills. The children assist in the preparation of their snack, such as slicing the banana and pouring their drinks. 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 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 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 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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