Mount Stewart Infant School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 16/03/2004 Inspector Name Caroline Finney

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Little Gems Under 5's Playgroup Setting Address Scout Hut Clyde Road, Brockworth, Gloucestershire GL3 4JN

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Little Gems Under 5's Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Little Gems Under 5's Playgroup Address Scout Hut Clyde Road,Brockworth Gloucester GL3 4JN

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Little Gems Under 5's Playgroup opened in 1984. It operates from the main hall and outside play area of a scout hut in Brockworth, Gloucestershire. It is managed by a committee. The playgroup serves the local area. There are currently 31 children from two to four years on roll. This includes 16 funded three year olds and one funded four-year-old. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Three children have special needs and the group supports no children who speak English as an additional language. The setting opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:30 until 12:00. Three full-time and two part-time staff work with the children. Two have early years qualifications equivalent to NVQ level 2 or 3, and one is currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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How good is the Day Care?

Little Gems Under 5's Playgroup provides good care for children. It has effective arrangements for appointing and vetting staff, and clear strategies to promote staff training and development. Staff make creative use of available space and resources, are well deployed overall and support children effectively. They provide a very welcoming environment for parents and children, and committee members are actively seeking improvements to the premises. Staff offer a well selected range of equipment and resources, and use them effectively to offer a broad range of accessible activities. They support their practice well with clear records and procedures, and committee members are currently revising policies thoroughly. Staff are well aware of safety issues, are vigilant in protecting and supervising children, and help them to develop a clear understanding of safety. They promote hygiene and meet children's health needs well, and provide a good range of healthy

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How good is the Day Care?

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 snacks which children clearly enjoy. Staff include all children, make good arrangements for children who have additional needs or minority cultural heritages, and provide good opportunities and resources for children to develop a positive understanding of others. They have a clear understanding of their child protection responsibilities and monitor children's welfare effectively. Staff plan a broad range of interesting activities for all children and extend their thinking effectively so that they are interested in learning and making good progress. They relate well to children so that they are happy, confident and secure. They have clear strategies for positive behaviour management and encourage good behaviour

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How good is the Day Care?

so that children are well-behaved overall. Staff liaise closely with parents, make good use of their knowledge about their children, provide them with clear information about the setting and ongoing feedback about their children's progress, and maintain confidentiality well.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Not applicable, since there were no actions from the previous inspection.

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What is being done well?

• Staff plan and use resources very well, and interact with children positively so that they are confident, happy and learning well. • Staff have a good awareness of children's individual needs and preferences, and adapt provision well to meet them. They make good arrangements for children who have Special Educational Needs in partnership with parents and other professionals. • They meet children's health and dietary needs well. They promote good hygiene and prevent infection effectively and have very clear procedures to manage children's ongoing health needs. They provide a good variety of healthy snacks and present food well, so that children clearly enjoy their food. • Staff have an effective partnership with parents. They use parents' knowledge about their children's needs, preferences and abilities well, and have regular ongoing arrangements to keep them informed about their children's development. Parents have good information about the setting, and

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What is being done well?

volunteers and committee members clear information about their roles. Staff are very welcoming to parents, and have made a particular effort to encourage fathers' involvement in the setting. They have a good understanding of children's home circumstances, are supportive to families and maintain confidentiality well. Parents are at ease in the setting, and give very positive feedback about staff support and their children's enjoyment and progress. • Staff have a good understanding of their child protection responsibilities, and monitor children's welfare effectively. They have comprehensive child protection policies and procedures, and regular child protection training and discussions of good practice.

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What is being done well?

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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What needs to be improved?

• the overall safety and cleanliness of the premises • the written policies and procedures for the setting

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 4 Continue to pursue improvements to the safety and cleanliness of the premises, so that they are better adapted to meeting the needs of young children. 14 Continue to revise policies and procedures with reference to the National Standards and Guidance, so that they more fully reflect current good practice.

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by the time of the next 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; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Little Gems Under 5's Playgroup provides high quality nursery education. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff plan a comprehensive range of activities to cover all six areas of learning. They regularly make detailed observations and assessments, and use them effectively to evaluate and adapt provision for the group and individual children. Staff are enthusiastic and committed, and relate very well to children. They respond to children's interests flexibly, extend their learning effectively and encourage them to experiment. They make very good provision for children with special educational needs. The leader has a very good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum, and communicates this well to other staff so that it is implemented effectively. Leadership and management is very good. The leader and committee are committed

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How effective is the nursery education?

to making good provision for all children. They have carefully evaluated the needs of local children and families, and are proactive in addressing them. They effectively monitor and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the setting and have clear plans in place for improvement. The leader and chairperson provide a strong lead, and there is a good partnership between the staff and committee. They have good arrangements for staff supervision and training, and sharing good practice. Staff are effectively deployed overall, and the keyworker system works well. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents have clear, accessible information about their children's education and regular feedback about their progress. Staff use information from parents well, and effectively encourage them to be involved in their children's learning and value their achievements. Parents are at ease in the playgroup, and give positive feedback about staff support, and their

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What is being done well?

• Staff and committee members are highly committed to providing good education for children and improvement in the setting, have a clear understanding of areas for improvement and effective plans to address these issues. • They have carefully evaluated the needs of children and families in the area, and have been proactive in addressing them through creative use of resources and close liaison with parents, so that children are making very good progress. They have been careful to provide accessible information for parents and actively encourage their involvement in their children's education. They make good use of information from parents and offer them helpful advice and support so that they are able to value their children's achievements and extend their learning at home.

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What is being done well?

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • Staff plan thoroughly but flexibly, and make good use of observation and evaluation. They use both formal and informal learning opportunities well, and encourage children to explore and experiment. They extend activities effectively, and follow children's interests skilfully. • Children are confident, cooperate well with their peers and relate well to adults. They often initiate conversations, talk freely about their homes and experiences, and express their feelings clearly. They are proud of their achievements and take responsibility well. They are interested in learning and often concentrate on activities for extended periods of time. • Staff have significantly improved children's mathematical development and

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What is being done well?

communication, language and literacy since the last inspection. • Children have very good opportunities to develop their imagination, and use them well both individually and as a group for extended periods of time. • Children who have Special Educational Needs are making very good progress. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals, and implement the Code of Practice well.

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What needs to be improved?

• The confidence of staff who are new to their role in understanding and implementing the Foundation Stage curriculum. • Staff deployment at the weekly session for pre-school children, since this has been carefully planned to aid the transition to school of children who will be attending school in the next academic year, but has recently been extended to include some slightly younger three-year-olds.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The playgroup has made very good progress since the last inspection. Staff now make assessments that thoroughly address all six areas of learning, and use them effectively to plan for children's learning on a group and individual basis. Their planning now addresses mathematical development and communication, language and literacy well, and all issues raised at the last inspection are thoroughly addressed in practice, so that children are making very good progress in these areas.

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What has improved 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; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are interested in exploring new experiences and often concentrate on them for extended periods. They cooperate well with their peers, and relate confidently to adults. They show concern for others, understand boundaries, are developing self-control and manage self-care well. They are proud of their achievements and take responsibility well. They talk freely about home life, and understand their identity as part of a community.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children use language competently, and many confidently initiate conversations. They have a wide vocabulary, and use language for thinking well. They are interested in books, handle them carefully and understand that words have meaning. They listen to stories carefully and recall them well. They have good opportunities to recognise letter sounds and develop emergent writing. Some children can form recognisable letters, write their own names, and recognise some letters and words.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count well and recognise numbers effectively, and many can accurately show numbers up to five on their fingers. They are interested in number problems and calculate well: for example a three-year-old quickly compares the number of people and toys on their table. They recognise shape well and understand mathematical language clearly, using positional words appropriately. They have good opportunities to extend their mathematical learning in planned and informal activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are interested and confident in using ICT equipment. They are curious and interested in exploration, are developing a sense of time and express their feelings well. They construct and use tools well, and have good opportunities to develop an understanding of the world and their environment: for example, a three-year-old carefully considers how the seeds they have planted are developing, and whether they need water.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children moved confidently in varied ways, and have good opportunities to move to music. They negotiate space with interest, respect each other's space and collaborate well overall. They have good fine motor skills and use tools and small word equipment effectively. They have good gross motor skills and use wheeled toys confidently. They have good opportunities to understand healthy practices, and are careful to store materials safely.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use their imagination very well: for example they enthusiastically participate in a cafe role-play, and then develop this into a meal round a campfire. They have varied opportunities to develop their musical experience and understanding, participate in favourite songs enthusiastically and sing well spontaneously. They explore different media and textures with interest and concentration, and have varied planned and impromptu opportunities to explore experiences with their senses.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • continue to develop the confidence of staff who are new to their role in understanding and implementing the Foundation Stage curriculum through staff supervision and training; • review staff deployment at the weekly session for pre-school children in the light of its recent extension to include some slightly younger three-year-olds.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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