Kings Stanley Playgroup

Kings Stanley Playgroup

Inspection report for early years provision

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Kings Stanley Playgroup

Unique Reference Number 101487 Inspection date 13 January 2006 Inspector Susan, Esther Harvey

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Kings Stanley Playgroup

Setting Address Kings Stanley Village Hall, Marling Close, Kings Stanley, Glos, GL10 3JA Telephone number 01453 828977

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E-mail

Registered person Kings Stanley Playgroup Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care, Out of School 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?

Kings Stanley Playgroup opened in 1989 and operates from King Stanley village hall in the centre of the village. A maximum of 26 children may attend at any one time. The playgroup is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 09.30 to 12.00 during term-time. The after school club opens five evenings a week from 15.15 to 17.30. Children have access to an outside play area. There are currently 22 children aged from 2 to 5 on roll. Of these 17 children receive

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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 funding for nursery education. Children come from the local area. The playgroup can support children with special needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The playgroup employs 5 staff. Three staff members including the play leader holds an appropriate early years qualification. There are no staff working towards a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children learn about appropriate hygiene routines. They are supervised while using to the toilet due to the location of the facility in the hall. Staff ensure that children wash hands after using the toilet. Children ably use wet wipes to clean their hands before eating snacks. Children exercise their small muscle control as they confidently use scissors to cut paper and use rolling pins to level out the play dough. However children have limited daily opportunity to exercise large muscle control as part of a planned activity. All staff have a recent first aid certificate which ensures appropriate action will be taken should an accident occur. However staff have limited knowledge of notifiable infectious diseases in order to report effectively to Ofsted. Children learn about healthy food as they relish in the choice of cheese and fruit for snack. They independently pour their own drinks. However children do not have

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Helping children to be healthy

regular access to drinking water throughout the session. Children confidently sit down at the table and wait patiently for their snack.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are welcomed individually by the staff at the beginning of each session. Toys and equipment are set out ready for the children as they arrive in the setting. Children feel secure in the playgroup as staff know the children and their families well. Children's art and craft work is displayed in the session as staff use inventive ways of respecting children's work. These are displayed adequately on large cardboard display units. Children benefit from the experience of learning about road safety from visiting police and road safety officers. Children remain safe in the village hall and are closely supervised. Regular emergency evacuation drills take place which ensures that children learn about fire safety. Staff have a sufficient level of understanding regarding child protection issues. This ensures children remain safe and appropriate action will be taken should staff have any concerns about a child in

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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 Children arrive happily into the setting and develop appropriate levels of confidence, independence and self-esteem as they readily participate in the activities on offer. Children are cared for by committed and caring staff. They are aware of the individual care needs of children who make friends with each other and develop secure relationships with staff. Children play happily together and initiate conversations which involve each other during their play. Staff provide the children with an appropriate level of interaction in many activities. Nursery Education. Quality of teaching is satisfactory. Staff members show sufficient understanding of the Foundation Stage. Planning is clear but not always followed through in practise due to the lack of observations and assessments of activities and sessions. Staff

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

have a reasonable range of teaching methods and an adequate understanding of how children learn. However, children are not sufficiently challenged in order for the next stage of their learning to be identified. Assessments and use of the information gained from it are satisfactory, but sometimes inconsistent. Children are friendly and secure in their ability to make friends. They confidently chat to each other during the session. Children help each other to thread cotton reels on string, and automatically pick up a toy mobile phone which had been dropped on the floor by another child. Children are polite and say “thank you”. Children are given tasks and able to manage them with confidence. For example they collect plates after snack time and tell each other it is tidy up time. Children show appropriate levels of independence as they reach for aprons before painting and using glue. They are confident to link up with each other for support and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

guidance as they build a rail track and create a wild animal and dinosaur battle together. There are some opportunities for children to make marks and use pencils. For example; children write lists for orders in the home corner created into a burgher fast food shop. Staff respond to requests from the children to change the activity of the day, as children preferred the fast food shop idea. Children sit and listen to stories and choose books from the book corner to take home for parents to read. Children enjoy singing songs and rhymes as they anticipate what comes next. Children enthusiastically sing action songs for example, “this is the way we put on our coats” as they put on their imaginary coats and hats. Children concentrate as they use scissors to cut out shapes and place them carefully onto paper. They enjoy using play dough and rolling out into shapes. All children count confidently up to five, and some beyond this. They link numbers to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

objects with ease and count up to ten. This includes threading cotton reels on string, and counting the numbers of plates given out at snack time. Children count for different occasions using "compare bears" and sorting into sizes; counting dinosaurs during the wild animal game and counting how many kite tails were needed during the craft activity. Children play a variety of maths games including “compare bear” using different sized coloured bears. They enjoy sorting the bears into sizes and different colour groups.

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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 Children have some opportunities to explore the world around them. The topic for the first half term is “seasons” and plans include making kites and talking about them flying in the wind. Children show an interest in the world in which they live. Photographs of the village are displayed on cardboard display units. Children concentrate on looking at the photos and identifying where the shops in the village are located. Children confidently manoeuvre dolls pushchairs and small shopping trolleys around tables and chairs in the hall as they role play in dressing up clothes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are valued as individuals and they have some opportunities to choose from a selected range of activities. Children behave appropriately, share toys and play well together. They are secure in their knowledge of the local surroundings and the community in which they live. Children identify the local shops and landmarks from a photographic display enabling them to understand that they live in a community environment. Children have the opportunity to access a few books and resources which reflect positive images of culture and disability. Children are confident in accessing activities and resources. Children make strong relationships with each other and staff. Children are settled in the playgroup and comfortable in their surroundings. Children's individual care needs are met by supportive and caring staff. Children with additional needs are given full support. They benefit from the special needs

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Helping children make a positive contribution

coordinator's commitment to furthering her professional development by improving her knowledge and attending courses. Young children are beginning to listen to each other in large group activities such as story time. Staff enable children to learn right from wrong through lots of praise and gentle reminders when needed. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Partnership with parents is good. Children benefit from a good relationship between parents and staff. Staff are friendly and approachable. Parents are involved with their children's learning through the use of play group books which the children have chosen during the session for them to read at home. A bear called "Teddy" is looked after overnight by children, and parents record the bear's visit which is then shared with other children at register time. This enables links between home and play group to be secure. There is a

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Helping children make a positive contribution

strong rota system in place where parents and committee members take an active part in the children's learning during the sessions. There is a robust procedure in place should parents have any complaints.

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The setting meets the needs of the children for whom it provides care and education. Children benefit from caring staff who are qualified and work together as a team. Staff effectively organise the space in the hall to maximise the play opportunities for the children. Most of the documentation to support children's health, safety and well-being is in place. However the daily register does not include the times of arrival and departure of children and staff. Staff are aware of the policies and procedures which are reviewed regularly by the committee. Daily verbal communication keeps parents informed of what children have been doing during the sessions. An information board in the entrance hall provides parents with written information which includes policies and procedures.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Staff members have sufficient knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and adequately apply this in practise to support most of the children's learning and development. However staff do not sufficiently evaluate sessions and activities. Children's achievements are not fully record in order for the next stage of their learning to identify any progress.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The setting have made improvements acting on recommendations raised at the last inspection. At the last inspection the provider was asked to devise a system for planning and implementing a suitable range of activities for children. A set of long, medium and long term plans have been provided which enables the children to learn from the foundation stage curriculum in an organised way. The provider was also asked to devise an equal opportunity policy. This has now been provided and is part of the parent policy pack and enhances staff awareness to equality of opportunity for the children in their care. These improvements have enabled staff to increase their awareness of equal opportunities and planned activities for children to improve their learning. The provider was also asked to further develop a procedure to be followed in the event of a child being lost or uncollected. These are now part of the updated policy

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Improvements since the last inspection

and procedure pack. The provider was asked to further develop the registration system for staff and children showing times of arrival and departure. This has not been provided.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints to Ofsted since the last inspection. 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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 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): • obtain knowledge of notifiable infectious diseases in order to report effectively to Ofsted • ensure the record of attendance includes the times of arrival and departure of children and staff • ensure children have the opportunity to take part in regular planned daily exercise in order to develop their large muscle control • ensure children have regular daily access to drinking water

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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 is consistent with the foundation stage in order for the next stage of individual children's learning to be fully identified and acted upon • ensure sessions and activities are fully evaluated and the information in order to plan a balanced curriculum that takes notes of children's strengths, interests and needs

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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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