The Vine Playgroup

The Vine Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 500211 Inspection date 05/07/2010 Inspector Christine Myerscough

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Setting address St Chad's Parish Church, Hazeldene Road, New Moston, Manchester, M40 3GL Telephone number 0161 688 0300 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

The Vine Playgroup first opened in 1987 and moved to its current premises in 1997. It is privately owned and operates from two rooms in the parish hall of St Chad's Church in the New Moston area of Manchester. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The playgroup is open each weekday from 9.30am to 3pm and operates on a term time basis only.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 25 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. There are currently 41 children aged from three to under five years on roll.

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Description of the setting

There are four members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The playgroup provides funded early education for three and four- year-olds and has links with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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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

Children benefit from a caring staff team and develop a positive disposition to learning because the activities provided capture their enthusiasm and imaginations. A harmonious environment is created, where every child feels included and valued for their individuality. Most aspects of children's welfare are promoted successfully, ensuring that children are safe and secure. However, a legal aspect of a welfare requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage is not being met. Good relationships with parents and others involved in children's care and learning promote consistency of care and security in children's lives. Staff are fully committed to implementing ongoing improvements and are aware that their system for self-evaluation requires development. Further areas for improvement centre on record keeping and increasing children's understanding of print.

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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 assessment, clearly stating when it was carried out, by whom, date of review, and any action taken following a review or incident (Documentation). 12/07/2010

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further?

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

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further?

 extend children's learning outdoors by creating an environment rich in print, where children can learn more about signs and words  develop systems for self-evaluation to accurately identify areas for further This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 improvement.

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the early years provision

The playgroup is well led and managed. Children benefit from a well qualified, experienced staff team who work very well together and carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively to meet children's individual needs. Robust systems for recruitment ensure that adults are appropriately vetted to ensure their suitability. Documentation is well organised and most of the required records are in place. Children's welfare is well protected as staff are knowledgeable about the potential signs of abuse and the procedures to take, therefore children are well protected from harm. Children feel totally at ease in their surroundings, and good security arrangements, such as an intercom system at the entrance area, prevent unwanted entry into the playgroup. Thorough risk assessments are undertaken to protect children from potential dangers, and staff carry out daily safety checks to ensure the environment is free from hazards. However, a record of risk

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the early years provision

assessment is not maintained. This is a breach of a legal requirement and compromises children's safety. Staff work hard to ensure that the layout of the playrooms is well organised into specific learning areas. A good range of accessible toys meet children's developing needs, and the differing learning needs of all children are taken into consideration when planning activities.

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the early years provision

The dedicated staff team demonstrate a strong commitment towards the continual improvement of the playgroup. Effective systems, such as daily and weekly staff meetings, provide good opportunities for staff to monitor their practice and plan and review outcomes for children. To keep up-to-date with current issues in childcare and to share good practice, staff attend network meetings with other local playgroups and access regular training to extend their knowledge and skills. Through ongoing reflection and beginning to self-evaluate their practice, staff are beginning to identify their strengths and analyse what needs to be improved to further support the continuous development of the service. However, self- evaluation is not sufficiently robust to identify gaps in the playgroup, such as an omission in record keeping. Recommendations raised at the last inspection have been successfully met. For example, the outdoor area has now been resurfaced

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the early years provision

An open and friendly approach with parents contributes to establishing a trusting relationship and a highly effective working partnership. Each parent receives a welcome booklet which outlines the playgroup's aims and policies. Good settling in procedures provide reassurance to parents and help children to enjoy a smooth transition. Parents' wishes for the care of their children are rigorously adhered to, and close liaison enables staff to meet children's individual requirements, such as ensuring their religious and specific dietary needs are catered for. Parents speak very positively about the playgroup and are particularly impressed with the progress their children are making. They have good access to their children's learning journal files and contribute their own comments, therefore achievements are shared. Effective links are established with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage who are involved in children's care. For example, the playgroup

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the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and a local nursery share relevant information to identify and plan for children's learning to ensure progression and continuity of care and education.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and form good relationships with staff. Staff interact very well with children to support them as they play. Children make good progress in their learning because staff have a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements. They plan stimulating activities and topics which appeal to children's interests. This strongly motivates children to learn. By undertaking and recording observations of children's learning and keeping dated photographic evidence of their achievements and progress, staff are able to effectively plan activities to support children's next stages in their development, to ensure they reach their potential.

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and outcomes for children

Children are familiar with the routines and confidently make decisions about what they want to do. They are well-behaved and enjoy receiving a smiley face on their work for achievements, which enables them to develop a sense of pride. Group time is enjoyed by all children and is very effective in promoting children's listening and speaking skills. Staff make good use of props, such as puppets, to sustain children's interest, and children concentrate very well at story time and actively join in with endings to stories. Children enthusiastically sing a range of songs and recite favourite rhymes. They eagerly recognise their name on their name card and gain great pleasure from books, which help them to gain an understanding that print carries meaning. Indoors, a range of print is on display. However, less emphasis is given to displaying print in the outdoor play area to further enhance children's learning in this area. Some children show less interest in practising their

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and outcomes for children

pre-writing skills indoors, so staff ensure they have suitable materials to mark make outdoors. As a result, they enthusiastically use rollers and water to make their marks on the walls and eagerly show off their talents.

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and outcomes for children

Staff make very good use of number rhymes and everyday opportunities to help children learn to count and solve simple number problems. Excitement is shown as children recognise many numbers and successfully count how many children are present. Children gain a good awareness of diversity as they taste food from other countries and celebrate cultural festivals, such as Chinese New Year. Daily discussions about the weather and planting bulbs help children to develop an understanding about nature and change. Children become curious about how things work and learn to successfully operate programmable toys, such as calculators and tills. They eagerly participate in physical play activities as they confidently climb on a challenging frame and successfully balance on blocks. Children express their creativity as they freely paint at the easel and use a range of recycled materials during craft activities. They thoroughly enjoy engaging in

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and outcomes for children

imaginative play and take great delight in dressing up in a range of costumes and hats.

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and outcomes for children

Children adopt healthy lifestyles. Staff actively promote healthy eating and present food in an appealing manner. This encourages children to try different tastes and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 they eagerly tuck in to fresh fruit at snack time. Children bring in vegetables to make soup and enjoy sharing it with their families. Well established routines help children learn about healthy practices and children become independent in their personal hygiene. Through discussion and listening to stories, children gain a good awareness of how to avoid dangers, such as not talking to strangers. Regular fire drills are undertaken to help children understand about safe practices, and children learn to evacuate the building very quickly. 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 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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