Knodishall & District Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 12/01/2004 Inspector Name Deborah Kerry

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Knodishall & District Playgroup Setting Address The Mission Rooms School Road, Knodishall Saxmundham Suffolk IP17 1UD

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Knodishall & District Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Knodishall & District Playgroup Address The Mission Rooms School Road Knodishall Saxmundham Suffolk IP17 1UD

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of 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 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

Knodishall and district playgroup opened approximately 20 years ago. It is a committee run group, which operates from one room in the Knodishall mission rooms. It has access to toilets, kitchen facilities and an enclosed outdoor play area. Children attend from many surrounding villages. The playgroup is registered for 20 children aged two to five years, and accepts children from two and a half years old. There are currently 29 children on roll, and this includes some who are in receipt of nursery education grant funding. Opening hours are 9.30am to 12.00pm Monday to Friday, and 12.45pm to 3.00pm Tuesday and Thursday, during term time only. Four part time staff work with the children, of these, three have an early years qualification. Ongoing training opportunities are accessed via the Suffolk Childcare Training Unit.

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

The nursery education provision at Knodishall and District Playgroup is good. It enables children to make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development and generally good progress in all other areas of learning. The quality of teaching is very good. One strength is supporting the children's behaviour management by being good role models, encouraging the children to conform to the groups rules and through negotiating in turn taking and sharing. The play room is well organised and allows children to access their toys and resources easily. Children's independence is encouraged and they are free to choose their own activities. Staff engage with the children at all times, talking to them and using a wide vocabulary which extends their learning, thinking and development in all areas. Good use is made of the inside area in bad weather for children to use large physical play equipment that develops their gross motor skills. Children's progress

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How effective is the nursery education?

needs to be recorded more often and then fully utilised when planning the next step. Leadership and management is generally good. The staff work well as a team and have regular meetings where they all input ideas for planning the curriculum. The deployment of staff is good and there is an extensive range of resources and activities available at each session. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and the early learning goals and of the different abilities and stages of the children attending. Partnership with parents is generally good. There is a good exchange of information on the activities the children do, through newsletters, the notice board and informal chats with staff at the end of each session. Parents are encouraged to help on a rota basis, any ideas and suggestions they have are welcomed. Although parents knowledge of the Foundation Stage is limited.

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What is being done well?

• Children are making very good progress in personal, social and emotional development. They are forming good relationships with staff and each other, they behave well to clear and consistent boundaries. • Staff know the children well and the level of their abilities, children are given sufficient time to complete the activities at their own pace. Staff use good questioning techniques and introduce a range of vocabulary that helps children to progress in all areas of their development. • Staff have a good knowledge of the early learning goals which is reflected in the variety of resources and activities on offer at each session. Children's efforts are valued and their work displayed which creates a colourful

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 environment. • Children are becoming good communicators, they initiate conversations with adults and amongst themselves. They listen well to stories and conversations and respond with enthusiasm and ideas when asked for input by staff.

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What needs to be improved?

• Records of the children's progress. • Include the children's progress records when planning the next step. • Children's awareness of their bodies and staying healthy • Parents knowledge of the Foundation Stage.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Good progress has been made since the last inspection. There is now a clear policy on behaviour management. Children are given clear guidelines and boundaries. Positive praise is given to encourage positive behaviour and negotiation is used to encourage turn taking and sharing. All the groups policies and procedures are discussed with staff as part of their induction. Information on the Foundation Stage, early learning goals is provided for staff in writing. All staff and parent helpers have written job descriptions, there is a letter that is included in the prospectus for parents about helping on the rota. The supervisor discusses and explains to parents their role at each session. Children are given the chance to write numbers at each session , in the writing area and at story time on the large board.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are building good relationships with each other and adults, they understand the agreed rules of the group, taking turns and sharing fairly. Children can demonstrate good self care skills in personal hygiene and independence when choosing activities. They show curiosity and contribute to discussions at story and circle time and are confident to speak in a large group.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children talk about events in their lives as they play with adults in the group. They listen and respond to stories with a range of feelings, responding and join in when asked. Children can recognise their names and are encouraged to write on their work and as part of story time on the large board. Staff sound out individual letters, using phonics and give directions on how to form letters correctly.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good The children enjoy counting games and rhymes. They are beginning to use calculation skills as they estimate how many children and cups are needed at snack time and can count to 10 and beyond. Mathematical language is introduced in craft activities comparing size, shape, length and when recreating simple patterns for collage. Children learn about shape and patterns, through puzzles and when sewing sacks for wool, in "baa baa black sheep"

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore the local community, making maps of the area they have walked and have used the natural materials collected and made pictures and collage. They learn about a variety of other cultures by celebrating both traditional and world festivals. They use different materials for construction. I.e. ice cubes to make a wall, as they look and discuss the changes when the ice melts. Children play learning games on the computer which develops their practical knowledge of technology.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Fine motor skills are developed in many ways as children play with equipment and write, draw and cut. They use tools when playing with dough, sand and water. There is a range of large equipment that is used inside and in the outside play area to develop gross motor skills. Good hand to eye coordination is used to sew sacks and manipulate small world resources and mark making equipment.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have opportunities to express their creative ideas as they mix colours for painting and use a variety of techniques and tools, both natural and man made in their craft work. They enjoy songs and action rhymes. They use the musical instruments to recreate their own sounds and move around the room to the "music" The children's imagination is developed as they find words that rhyme and make up their own poems.

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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of 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 good quality overall. Children are making generally 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: THE KEY ISSUES

• develop the frequency of observations and assessment of children as they progress and ensure that this is recorded. • use the children's records of achievement to plan the next step. • raise children's awareness of their bodies, on staying healthy and the changes that happen when they are active.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

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: THE KEY ISSUES

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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