Ridge Hill Primary School and Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 19/01/2004 Inspector Name Janet Butlin

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Ogwell Playgroup Setting Address Ogwell Memorial Hall East Ogwell Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 6AJ

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Ogwell Pre-school Committee 1022438

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Ogwell Pre-school Committee Address Ogwell Pre-school Memorial Hall,East Ogwell Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 6AR

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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

Established for many years, Ogwell Pre-school is managed by a committee and runs in the village hall of the village of East Ogwell in Devon. The group is registered to care for up to 26 children aged two years to five years, no more than four of whom should be under three at any one time. The group is open from 0930hrs to 1400hrs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 0930hrs to 1200hrs on Thursdays. Children do not attend for more than four hours at a time. There are currently 30 children enrolled, 16 of whom are three-years-old and 14 are four-years-old and in receipt of funding. The group supports children who have special educational needs and English as an additional language. A staff of five support the provision, three of whom are qualified to the equivalent of NVQ level three and two members of staff are nearing the completion of this qualification. The group has the flexible use of three rooms in the hall. There is no outdoor play space

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Information about the setting

so the group make use of the local environment. Regular support is provided by the Devon Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and the Foundation Stage Advisory Teachers. The group have a close working relationship with the local school and is an accredited member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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How good is the Day Care?

Ogwell Pre-school provides good quality care for children. They offer a bright and welcoming environment where children are eager and happy to learn and are sensitively cared for. The children have warm and trusting relationships with staff who are a committed team. The organisation of care is sound and children are involved in a wide range of interesting activities, they particularly enjoy their PE sessions. There is no outdoor play space but the group make good use of the local environment to extend children's learning and experience. The premises are welcoming and well organised for play and a good range of toys and equipment are available, all of which are in good condition. Very good consideration is given to issues of safety and a rigorous record is kept of visitors to setting. All documentation is in place. Hygiene is good and careful thought is given to the preparation of nutritious snacks and the appropriate storage of meals

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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 provided by parents. The group has a good awareness of caring for children with special needs and supporting children who have English as an additional language. The group has a satisfactory awareness of health issues and child protection overall. Children's behaviour is managed very well. There is a good partnership with parents and the group ensures that there are opportunities to talk to, and communicate with, parents and to share information about children's activities and achievements.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Good progress has been made with the actions arising from the previous inspection and all have been completely addressed. This has had a positive impact on the setting. The new complaints procedure is appropriate and is prominently placed in the parents’ prospectus.

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What is being done well?

• There is a good partnership with parents who have many opportunities to be involved. • Good attention is given to issues of safety and security. • Conscientious regard is given to ensuring that children enjoy nutritious snacks. • A well organised, attractive and welcoming environment is provided.

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What needs to be improved?

• the content of the child protection policy • parental consent for emergency medical advice or treatment.

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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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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

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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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 7 Request written permission from parents for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment 13 Ensure that the child protection statement contains the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer.

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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?

Ogwell Pre-school offers good quality nursery education where children enjoy learning through a range of interesting activities. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of learning and their progress in personal and social development, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development is very good. There are weaknesses in the areas of communication, language and literacy and mathematics due to a lack of emphasis in the planning. Children are confident, well behaved and independent. Teaching is generally good overall. The key strengths are due to the enthusiasm of the staff. They are consistent and sensitive and ensure that children enjoy their time in pre-school. Children's behaviour is good and well managed. The staff's generally sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage enables them to plan an interesting and appropriate range of practical activities. The nursery has children attending who

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How effective is the nursery education?

have special educational needs and there is an effective system in place to provide good support. Good support is also given to children who have English as an additional language. The assessment of children's learning is generally effective but is not consistently used to inform planning. Consequently, children who learn more quickly and require more challenging activities are not provided with sufficient opportunities to progress. The setting has a good range of equipment to cover and promote all areas of learning and these are well used. Leadership and management are generally good. The staff are supported in their professional development. The setting is committed to improvement and is part of an accreditation programme. There is a very good partnership with parents. Helpful information is provided and they are informed of forthcoming themes and events. Regular communication is welcomed.

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What is being done well?

• There is a very good partnership with parents who are welcomed to contribute to their children's assessment process and take an active role in the running of the pre-school. • Support for children's physical development is very good and receives consistent emphasis. • Behaviour is managed sensitively and well. • Children are confident, polite and are interested in their activities. Personal and social development is well supported. • The programme to develop children's knowledge and understanding of the

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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 world is very good.

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What needs to be improved?

• planning, to ensure that children who learn more quickly receive appropriate challenge and that children's individual needs are clearly met • ensuring that children's mathematical development is consolidated through everyday activities • providing opportunities for children to explore the sounds that letters make.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The group have made generally good progress with the action plan arising from the previous inspection and all issues have been addressed well. The impact on the provision has been good. A system of assessment, linked to the early learning goals, has been established and parents actively contribute to this process. However, there are still some minor weaknesses in the system in that regular assessments are not consistently used to inform day to day planning of activities. The group monitor the quality of provision by following an accreditation programme. They have found this helpful and are committed to repeating this process.

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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 confident and keen to join in with the activities provided. They respond politely at registration time and bid everyone 'good morning'. They are very good at sharing and co-operating in their play and are sensitive to the needs of others. They take turns well, for example in physical play, and show good personal independence. The children have explored other cultures in meaningful contexts which has developed their learning.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children confidently share their news and have extensive discussions with staff and playmates. There is a comfortable and well-stocked book corner and children enjoy books and handle them appropriately. There are, however, many lost opportunities to explore the sounds within words or the sounds that letters make. Children enjoy making marks and drawing although opportunities to do this are limited to a short while at the start of each session.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Number rhymes and songs are enjoyed and some puzzles reinforce the concept of number. Children are confident in counting but the recognition of a numeral is not consistently linked to the concept of the quantity it represents. Staff lose opportunities to extend children's mathematical understanding in everyday situations, for example to combine two groups or to work out what would happen if a few were taken away from a group of objects.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are keen to observe closely and look for similarities and differences, for example the ways in which toys move. They work out how to assemble items, such as a paper constructed Jack-in-the-box and use a variety of joining and assembling methods to complete their construction. Good use is made of simple technology such as telephones, small computers and calculators. The group make regular use of the local environment to further extend children's learning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good This area is a strength of the setting. The children are able to move carefully and confidently, enjoy using wheeled toys and a parachute and are helped to develop their balancing and climbing skills. They are encouraged to think carefully about moving in imaginative ways and look forward to their weekly PE sessions, where half the fun is mastering the skills of getting changed. Children effectively develop their small muscles by the use of tools such as scissors and construction toys.

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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 enjoy the process of being creative and explore textures and patterns, particularly when using painting techniques. Children have occasional opportunities for free painting and model making. Children build models using a variety of materials, for example an adult led house building activity linked to a theme, and take a lively interest in role-play. The group has used music to inspire activities and intends to build on this experience to further extend the children's learning.

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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

• Ensure that plans give sufficient emphasis to mathematical development and communication, language and literacy and show how children will be appropriately challenged or supported in their learning.

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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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