Babington House School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 23/06/2003 Inspector Name Linda Janet Witts

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Tetbury Nursery Playgroup Setting Address Carrie Kitkat Clinic The Ferns Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8JE

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Tetbury Nursery Playgroup Address Clarrie Kitkat Clinic The Ferns,, Tetbury Glos GL8 8JE

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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

Tetbury Nursery Playgroup first opened over forty years ago. It operates from the Clarrie Kit Kat Clinic in the market town of Tetbury in Gloucestershire. The premises is owned by the group's voluntary management committee. The playgroup is registered to provide 24 places for children aged between two years nine months and five years. There are currently 36 children on roll, of whom two are funded three year olds and nineteen are funded four year olds. The group supports children with special needs and English as an additional language. The nursery playgroup opens five days a week during school term-times from 9 am to 11.30am, and from 12.30pm to 3.00pm. Pre-school sessions start in January on two afternoons a week. A mother and toddler group also takes place in the building every Tuesday morning from 9.15am until 11.15am. The management committee is made up of parents, carers and volunteers. Six qualified staff work with the children over five days. Parents also help out at the

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Information about the setting

playgroup on a rota basis. The playgroup is a member of PATA (Parent and Toddler Association) and receives support from an Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership foundation stage advisor. The group has access to a spacious playroom, a small 'book' room, a cloakroom and a kitchen. Outdoors, there is a large enclosed play area comprising paved surface and grassed areas.

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How good is the Day Care?

Tetbury Nursery Playgroup provides satisfactory care for children. The committee employ a team of childcare trained staff and a kindergarten teacher who work well together. Ratios maintained are high and the key carer system assists the care of the children. Sessions are planned to offer a range of activities both inside and out. The premises are well-maintained and attractively decorated with wall displays. Resources are of good quality, plentiful and promote equal

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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 opportunities. Records are clear, up-to-date and confidentiality is maintained. The playgroup premises are clean, secure and supervision of the children is good. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of safety issues and take positive steps to keep children safe. Staff are trained in first aid and child protection, but have not yet requested parental consents to seek emergency medical treatment. Children are encouraged to wash their hands before eating but arrangements used do not minimise the risk of cross-infection. Themed food is offered, introducing children to different tastes and recipes. Children with special needs and English as an additional language are supported appropriately. Children enjoy a variety of activities, including activities which promote children's

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How good is the Day Care?

awareness of the wider community. Children are able to choose activities freely during mixed- age group sessions but pre-school sessions are very structured limiting children's opportunities to use their own ideas and undertake activities at their own pace. Staff are actively involved with the children and offer lots of praise and encouragement. Most children are well-behaved, but a few are not and staff are challenged to deal with this. Staff work hard to develop good relationships with parents. Good use is made of the parent notice board and letters to keep parents informed. Parents speak positively about the group.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

No actions were raised at the last inspection.

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What is being done well?

• The team of staff work well together. Pre-school sessions are run by staff only and during other sessions staff are supported by parent helpers. Ratios maintained are high and the key carer system helps to ensure that children's individual needs are met. • The premises are well-maintained, attractively decorated with wall displays of children's work , photographs and posters and space is utilised well to create an inviting play environment for children. • Resources are of good quality, plentiful and promote equal opportunities. An impressive range of construction toys and resources for children to use. • The premises is secure and supervision of the children is good. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of safety issues and have completed a thorough risk assessment, identifying hazards and detailing action to be taken to minimise the risks identified

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What needs to be improved?

• children's opportunities to use their own ideas and undertake activities at their own pace, during pre-school sessions;

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What needs to be improved?

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 • procedures for hand washing prior to children eating; • implement for parental consent to seek emergency medical treatment or advice; • behaviour management; agreeing a consistent approach and reflecting this within the group policy; • group policies, to ensure that they contain up-to-date information and reflect group practice.

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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 7 ensure that hand washing arrangements promote good health and hygiene, using a method which minimises the risk of cross infection; 11 agree methods to be used for behaviour management and ensure that a consistent approach is used; 14 review policies to ensure that they reflect group practice, refer to the correct regulatory body and give sufficient information to both staff and parents.

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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?

Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff provide a good range of activities, to encourage development in the six areas of learning. Children's progress in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. Children with special needs and English as an additional language are supported appropriately. Development in personal and social development is often affected by children's inappropriate behaviour. Teaching is generally good. Staff provide interesting activities using good resources. Adults pose questions to encourage children to think, recall past events and to make decisions for themselves. Staff do not routinely use their assessment of individual children's learning to inform planning. This does not ensure that activities build upon what children already know. Some activities e.g. creative, are overly adult-directed and children are unable to use their own ideas to extend them.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The leadership and management of the playgroup is generally good. The committee and staff are committed to improvement of their provision. The leaders and staff demonstrate an awareness of the foundation stage curriculum, which all staff use in their input into planning of activities. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents and carers speak highly of the playgroup. They feel that they are well informed about the provision and kept up-to-date about their children's progress. Staff provide both written and verbal information to parents about the foundation stage of learning and about children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Four year olds are confident, suggest ideas and speak in a group. Staff encourage four year olds to be personally independent. • Children talk and interact with one another, enjoy stories and rhymes and some four year olds can write their own name. Staff talk and listen to the children, posing questions to extend their thinking. • Children have opportunities to count and undertake simple problem solving during routine and planned activities. Most three and four year olds can count to ten. • Staff plan activities to help children to develop an awareness of different cultures. Children show interest in the themed activities and enjoy learning simple foreign words such as 'Merci' to replace thank you at snack time. • Three and four year olds recall events from the past and incorporate things they have learnt about their family within their play.

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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 are aware of the importance of developing good relationships with parents and involving them in their children's learning. They provide both written and verbal information about the foundation stage of learning and regularly update parents about children's progress at the end of sessions and at planned parents' evenings.

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What needs to be improved?

• Children's opportunities to practise recognition of numbers and shapes. • Children's opportunities to mark make and work towards forming letters. • Children's opportunities to extend creative activities using their own ideas. • Staff's assessment of where children are in their learning so that they can help them to move to the next stage.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The group has made generally good progress since the last inspection. Five key issues were identified. These were to ensure that there is equality of access and opportunity for shyer, quieter children; provide more planned opportunities for children to recognise letters of the alphabet by shape and sound; provide more opportunities for children to record number; provide more opportunities for children to use technological equipment; and to improve assessment and record keeping ensuring that all areas of learning are covered. Staff now ensure that quieter children's needs are met. As appropriate space is made away from more boisterous activities and adult support given. Visual material is displayed of letters of the alphabet and staff encourage sound recognition of letters at the beginning of children's names at circle-time. This could be developed further within a wider range of activities. Plans to record number have been made

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What has improved since the last inspection?

but many children are still unable to recognise numbers and evidence of recording is limited. A good range of technological equipment has been purchased. Children have regular opportunities to use the computer and calculators. The staff make observations and mental assessments of individual children's development but these assessments are not routinely used to inform future planning.

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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: Generally Good Children's progress in personal, social and emotional development is generally good. Children are confident, suggest ideas and speak in a group. Four year olds demonstrate personal independence, which is encouraged through routine activities. Three year olds have less opportunities to develop independence. Some children are sensitive to the needs of others but some children lack awareness of boundaries set and behavioural expectations within the setting.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in communication, language and literacy is generally good. Children talk and interact with one another. Adults encourage communication and pose questions to encourage children's thinking. Children of all ages enjoy books and rhymes. Children have opportunities to mark make, but few can write their own name or form letters correctly.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in mathematical development is generally good. Children have opportunities to count and undertake simple problem solving. Most three and four year olds can count to ten. Many four year olds cannot recognise numbers or simple shapes and planned opportunities to develop their learning are limited.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. Children show an interest in learning about different cultures, technology, designing and investigation. Children have learnt about different countries and are able to say simple words in French. Staff plan good opportunities for children to learn about their local and wider community and resource materials used in activities and displays within the learning environment are good.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in physical development is generally good. Children enjoy regular opportunities to be active. Four year olds use equipment and tools, such as scissors, confidently. Children can manoeuvre wheeled toys skilfully and manipulate objects with control. The planned activities for physical play do not always promote development of more able children.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in creative development is generally good. Children engage in role play within the home corner, based on their own first-hand experiences. Three and four year olds enjoy exploring media such as dough, sand, water and paint. Some creative activities which are adult-led limit children's opportunities to use their own ideas and extend the activities as they wish.

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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 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

• increase children's opportunities to practise recognition of numbers and shapes; • provide more opportunities to help children to recognise letters and learn to form them correctly, enabling them to write their own name; • allow children greater opportunities to extend creative activities using their own ideas; • further develop staff's assessment of where children are in their learning so that they can help them to move to the next stage.

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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 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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