Oxenhope Under Fives Pre-school

Oxenhope Under Fives Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

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Oxenhope Under Fives Playgroup

Unique Reference Number 301974 Inspection date 22 November 2005 Inspector Janet, Elizabeth Singleton

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Oxenhope Under Fives Playgroup

Setting Address Community Centre, Oxenhope, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD22 9LY Telephone number 07851702283

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E-mail

Registered person Oxenhope Under Fives Playgroup Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Oxenhope playgroup opened in 1973 and is organised by the Oxenhope Under Fives Playgroup committee. The group has use of one large room and a small room within the Oxenhope Community Centre. It is situated in the local park, within Oxenhope village. The group serves the surrounding community of Oxenhope but children from Oakworth, Ingrow and Keighley also attend. A maximum of 26 children may attend the playgroup at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday on Monday,

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 09:15 to 11:45 and Wednesday afternoon from 12:30 to 15:00. The playgroup accesses the local park for outdoor play. There are currently 38 children aged from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 11 children receive funding for nursery education. The playgroup supports children with special educational need and there are 2 staff present that have completed training in Special Educational Needs. There are seven members of staff employed and half of them hold appropriate early years qualifications. The group use rota parents on a regular basis. The group has input from other agencies such as Sure Start children's trust and Bradford Under Fives Association. They have links with the pre-school learning alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is promoted as the staff follow basic hygiene practices to prevent cross contamination and infection. Children wash their hands before snack and after visiting the bathroom, therefore limiting the spread of germs. Staff wipe tables before and after snack to maintain a clean environment for the children to eat and play in. Children's health is further promoted as staff have all medical details recorded to ensure individual needs are met. The staff meet children’s first aid needs by ensuring the first aid box is fully stocked and by holding a current first aid certificate. Children's dietary needs are met satisfactorily as they enjoy toast and fresh fruit and have a choice of milk or water to drink. Children can access a drink of water during the session and can monitor their own needs, should they require a further drink during their play. Children develop their physical skills as they ride their bikes, stop, start and change

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Helping children to be healthy

direction. They delight in a range of enjoyable activities which promotes their co-ordination. For example, crawling through the tunnel, balancing on the obstacle course and rolling down the soft play. They develop their fine movements as they handle small tools with a degree of competence as they use cutters, scissors and glue sticks to make pictures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a welcoming and safe indoor environment which is planned to meet children’s needs by having areas of continuous provision, for example, sand, free painting and role play. They make choices from suitable and safe equipment

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 including messy play, dressing up and musical instruments. Parents and children are warmly welcomed into the group. However, it is not a child welcoming environment and children's sense of belonging is not enhanced as there are limited displays of their work. Children are protected from harm and neglect because they are cared for in a secure and safe indoor environment. There is sufficient space for the number of children who attend, and regular risk assessments are carried out to ensure that the premises remain suitable for purpose. Children are beginning to take responsibility for their own safety because the staff remind them to be careful, to avoid running and to tidy up. Children’s safety is safeguarded satisfactorily because staff understand their role in child protection and are able to put appropriate procedures into practice when

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

necessary, based on national and local guidance.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy and achieve because the staff provide activities which are planned for them covering all areas of development. They are provided with play opportunities which are appropriate for their age and stage of development including role play, creative and messy activities. They enjoy making choices as they play and move around the setting, without restriction, enhancing their play using the extra resources which they freely access. Children are learning because staff sit and support them, as they talk about what they are doing, and by engaging in their play with them. Some children have their play disrupted by other children playing out their imaginative roles and disturb the children playing on floor based activities therefore limiting their experiences. Foundation Stage. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children are making satisfactory progress because staff have an acceptable understanding of the early learning goals.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They plan a range of appropriate activities which supports most areas of learning. However, it is unclear how equal emphasis is given to each area of learning, as a result, children may not be having the range of experiences to ensure they cover all areas. The starting point for children and their individual needs are not fully identified. The staff do not fully assess what children can do and do not show how information obtained from the observation and assessment procedure is used to inform future planning. Therefore, children's individual needs are not clearly identified. Staff’s questioning is generally acceptable in the methods, expectations and challenges to promote children's thinking, to further their progress through the stepping stones. However, they do not use open ended questioning effectively and opportunities are missed to extend children's learning. For example, introducing mathematical concepts and encouraging children's thinking through daily experience

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 and routines. The children enjoy making choices from suitable and safe equipment including dressing up, musical instruments, quiet areas and programmable toys, as they move around the setting remaining occupied and interested. Staff promote children's self esteem as the children discuss their families, relating stories from home and visits to places of interest. They readily bring items from home to show and tell, which they do with confidence and excitement. Children are making satisfactory progress in all areas of learning. They are confident and independent as they seek activities to take part in and take care of their personal needs when in the bathroom and getting changed for the physical session. They wait their turn for equipment and when participating in group games and work together to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

handle the parachute. Children use their communication skills to tell stories during group time and eagerly express their ideas about their play. They practice their pencil control at the mark making table and during focussed activities. Children use their mathematical knowledge as they count during registration, counting confidently to seven and attempting numbers greater than. However, maths is not fully promoted on a daily basis during everyday activities and therefore children do not learn how to use numbers to solve problems. Children delight in using their imagination in the many opportunities provided as they act out the role of the fireman and make a pretend fire engine and use additional props to enhance their play. Their sense of time is developing as they talk about yesterday, to-day and know there is a sequence to the days, dates, months and years as they discuss these during circle time. They delight in using the messy play

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

area as they freely paint, creating their masterpieces. They show their curiosity as they explore the sand and play dough, asking questions beginning with why, what and how, and talking about the feel of the materials being hard, soft and squishy.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are fully welcomed into the setting and take part in all activities and areas of play. Children learn about diversity and the wider world as they celebrate festivals and play with toys and equipment that reflect the differences of people. Children who have special needs are welcomed and included in the setting and staff are aware of the need to adapt activities to enable them to participate fully. Children learn to manage their behaviour as staff use gentle reminders, for example, 'can you pick the toy up please'. They are distracted onto other activities as the staff use diversion techniques effectively. Children learn from examples set by the staff as they act as good role models and praise children appropriately and frequently telling children they have done well, are clever, and are good boys and girls. Staff set consistent boundaries and guidelines, which allow children to take control over their

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Helping children make a positive contribution

behaviour when asked to line up by the door and when waiting to wash their hands at snack time.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Partnership with parents is satisfactory, meeting the needs of the children and contributing to their well being. Parents feel well informed and able to talk to the key worker about their child. They are made aware of how the setting assists the children who attend, by staff providing a parents pack which includes a list of staff, committee members and the polices and procedures of the setting. Therefore, parents are adequately informed. The children learn about the community and other cultures as they engage in activities which promote their understanding. They enjoy playing together and learn to share as they wait their turn for the focussed activity, for the painting easel and tools in the sand play. They learn to manage their behaviour and are well mannered, saying please and thank you at snack time. This positive approach fosters children's

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Helping children make a positive contribution

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children benefit from an environment and practice that is organised to meet their needs by having key worker groups, correct child ratio's and policies and procedures which work in practice. All regulatory documentation to protect children and maintain their welfare is completed accurately and is stored securely. Not all staff are aware of all policies and procedures and may not provide consistency of care for the children. The leadership and management is satisfactory, with the leader addressing all identified areas of weakness. She is forward thinking and willing to improve staff skills through training, monitoring performance and support, as staff work within the setting. There are regular staff and planning meetings to ensure children's needs are met. Staffing procedures include induction and appraisals. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up to date with changes in the childcare

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Organisation

practice. Overall, the setting meets the needs of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the setting has implemented new procedures and improved documentation relating to child protection, accident recording and the induction procedure. This has improved the safe keeping of children by ensuring staff know what action to take should a child protection issue arise and that they are aware of their roles and responsibilities. The setting has also increased the range of activities and toys to promote children's understanding of diversity and for them to develop their imagination through free play. The setting has improved the education provision for children by providing a mark making table and programmable toys for children to practise their writing skills and to explore information technology to further develop their skills in these areas. The setting is currently improving the area available to display children's work and how they share children's progress files with parents to ensure they are fully informed of

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Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 their child's progress.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints to report. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • make the environment more welcoming to children and parents • ensure that children, during free play, do not disrupt the children who are focussed on an activity • ensure all staff are aware of all policies and procedures

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure planning reflects all six areas of learning equally • ensure staff interaction promote children thinking • ensure the observation and assessment procedure informs future planning to meet the individual needs of children.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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