Greenfields Childcare

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 05/03/2003 Inspector Name Elaine O'Hara

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SETTING DETAILS

Setting Name Grasshoppers Playgroup Setting Address The Old Nursery Dalton, Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD5 5TR

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Grasshoppers Playgroup

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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

Grasshoppers playgroup is in Dalton, a residential area situated close to the town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. It is housed in a purpose built family centre, adjacent to Dalton Junior, Infants and Nursery school. The playgroup uses a playroom which has access to an outdoor play area, there is also a small quiet room. The accommodation is shared with an out of school club and a group for children with special needs. The playgroup serves families in the local area. It is open during term time on each weekday morning, with the exception of Tuesday, from 9:15 am to 11:45 am and on Wednesday afternoon from 12:30 pm to 2:45 pm. There are 41 children on the register aged between two and a half and five years, of these 13 three year olds and one four year have funded places. None of the children have special educational needs. There are two children who speak English as a second language. Four members of staff work directly with the children, all of whom have

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Information about the setting

attended basic childcare training, the leader holds NVQ 3 in Childcare and Education and two other staff members are working towards this. The playgroup are supported by Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership co-ordinators and an early years advisory teacher has visited the playgroup.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Grasshoppers playgroup provides a welcoming atmosphere where children settle well. This ensures that they make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They make very good progress in their physical, creative and personal, social and emotional development. In their mathematical development, communication, language and literacy and knowledge and understanding of the world, they make generally good progress. The quality of the teaching is generally good. Staff are enthusiastic and work well together to provide a varied curriculum. Planning is good. However, evaluation of some areas of learning is not yet fully effective, resulting in some missed opportunities for children to develop practical skills through day to day activities. Staff provide good role models for children to follow, and manage behaviour very well. Interaction with the children is good which results in them being successfully encouraged to be independent. Assessments for

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How effective is the nursery education?

all children are completed regularly by staff and used to inform the planning. The leadership and management is good. Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities. This ensures that the day to day running of the playgroup works well. The staff are encouraged to attend a good amount of training. However, though good systems are in place to review and monitor the provision, these are not yet fully effective. Partnership with parents is very good. They are provided with good information about the organisation of the playgroup and the value of the learning activities. They are actively encouraged to help during sessions, to take part in the activities and share information about their child. They are invited to discuss their child's progress and look at developmental records.

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What is being done well?

Staff give high priority to nurturing children's personal, social and emotional development. The children are confident, interested in activities and able to work on their own. Behaviour is good. A good range of physical resources ensures that children's progress in physical development is to a high standard. Children explore a range of creative materials and are encouraged to experiment with colours and textures. Staff work well together to sustain children's interest and efforts. Parents are well informed and involved in their children's learning.

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What needs to be improved?

presentation of books to encourage children's communication language and literacy skills. opportunities for children to practice writing own name. opportunities for children to observe patterns of change. resources to support children to learn techniques for assembling and joining.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are making very good progress in personal, social and emotional development. They are well motivated and work well both independently and in group activities. They confidently express their needs, and relate well to each other and the adults caring for them. Children's behaviour is very good and they concentrate well on given tasks. Children take responsibility for equipment in the environment, and are confident to express a range of feelings and opinions.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in communication, language and literacy. Children's language is developing well and they confidently express themselves during group times and in one to one activities. They enjoy taking part in singing and rhymes, which they can repeat confidently. Children are encouraged to recognise their own names but have limited opportunities to write it. Children are able to listen to group stories but not many of them handle books independently.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in mathematical development. Staff ensure that every day activities, such as singing, incorporation of number rhymes encourage children to count. The children confidently count by using and recognising numbers in most practical activities to solve mathematical problems. They are able to use number names accurately and match smaller numbers to real objects. Children use mathematical language spontaneously e.g. when measuring stick insects.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world. There are many opportunities to enable children to experience and investigate living things such as stick insects, guinea pigs, plants and herbs. They are able to access IT equipment and use it with confidence. Children learn about their own traditions as well as those of others. However, they have too few opportunities to observe patterns of change, and to join and fasten materials together.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are making very good progress in their physical development. They move confidently and safely. Children develop climbing and balancing skills on a range of apparatus. They use language of movement effectively alongside their activities, and move rhythmically to music. Children develop good hand to eye co-ordination skills by accessing a wide range of resources. They understand their own bodies and the need to keep healthy.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are making very good progress in creative development. They practice real and imagined experiences in the home bay area. Children explore shape, colour, texture and form, and regularly access paint and collage materials. For example, they were seen to be using tools skilfully to make two and three dimensional shapes with clay. They enjoy music and dancing, and singing simple songs from memory. They are effectively encouraged to experiment with music and sound.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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

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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

review use and positioning of books. plan and provide more opportunities for children to practice writing their own names. provide more varied resources to enable children to develop techniques for fastening and joining things together. plan and provide more opportunities for children to observe patterns of change.

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