College Road Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/09/2004 Inspector Name Jennifer Devine

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name COLLEGE ROAD PLAYGROUP Setting Address College Road Harrow Middlesex HA1 1BA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of The Committee of College Road Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Committee of College Road Playgroup Address College Road Playgroup College Road Harrow Middlesex HA1 1BA

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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

College Road Playgroup has been registered for 25 years. It operates from the first floor of the Harrow Baptist Church, situated in Central Harrow. It has use of three interconnecting rooms. There is no outdoor play area. The playgroup serves the Church community and the local area. There are currently 22 children from 2 years 9 months to 5 years on roll. This includes 14 funded 3 year olds and 1 funded 4 year old. The setting currently supports one child with special needs and five children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09:30 to 12:00. Two full time and four part time staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ two or three. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. The playgroup is a member of Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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How good is the Day Care?

College Road playgroup offers satisfactory care to children. The playgroup is well staffed with over half the staff holding relevant childcare qualifications.

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How good is the Day Care?

Staff have a thorough understanding of ensuring children's safety in the playgroup. They have a good understanding of maintaining hygiene practises within the playgroup environment to prevent the spread of infection. They have a satisfactory understanding of the indicators of child abuse and the reporting procedures for child protection.

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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 The staff team have a satisfactory understanding of providing a range of activities to encourage children's learning. The staff have consistent methods in place to deal with behaviour management. Although the playgroup has adequate staffing, they are not always deployed effectively to enable them to work directly with the children. Staff have a limited understanding of providing adequate challenges to children particularly in developing their language skills and vocabulary. The playgroup has good relationships with parents. It is very welcoming and has satisfactory procedures in place to ensure parents receive regular verbal feedback. There are no formal procedures to ensure parents receive written feedback on their

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How good is the Day Care?

child's progress and development. Appropriate systems are in place to record all required information.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Children now wash their hands in running water prior to eating and this ensures good hygiene is maintained. A visitors book is available and the complaints procedure has been updated.

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What is being done well?

• Staff have a satisfactory understanding of providing appropriate activities to encourage children's development. • The staff have a positive approach to working with parents and keep them informed about their child's progress on a daily basis. • Staff have a good understanding of ensuring hygiene practises are maintained to prevent the spread of infection.

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What needs to be improved?

• deploy staff effectively to ensure sufficient staff are working directly with children and providing sufficient challenges to encourage developmental progress • develop systems for sharing records with parents to keep them well informed of their child's progress.

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Outcome of the 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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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 2 Deploy staff effectively to ensure sufficient staff are working directly with children and providing sufficient challenges to encourage developmental progress. 14 Develop systems for sharing records with parents to keep them well informed of their child’s progress.

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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?

College Road playgroup is offering acceptable nursery education but has some significant areas for improvement. Children are making generally good progress in personal, social and emotional development and physical development. In all other areas children's progress is limited. The quality of teaching is acceptable but has some significant weaknesses. Staff have a satisfactory understanding of the foundation stage and provide a well resourced environment. However, planning lacks insufficient detail to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum is offered. Staff lack awareness of assessment and evaluation methods which results in not identifying children's achievements to help them move on in their learning. Staff do not provide sufficient challenges to encourage children's learning, particularly for language and extending vocabulary. Staff have developed caring relationships with children and manage behaviour

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How effective is the nursery education?

positively. Satisfactory procedures are in place to support children with English as an additional language but this could be extended to ensure signs/displays reflect other languages. Satisfactory procedures are in place to support children with special needs but further development is needed to ensure individual support is available as required. Leadership and management is acceptable but has some significant weaknesses. The manager is supportive to staff and the team work satisfactorily together. However, the managers role tends to be more administrative work or floating which distracts from providing a good role model to staff. Poor systems are in place to evaluate teaching methods and staff performance. Partnership with parents is acceptable but has some significant weaknesses. The setting is welcoming and staff are approachable. Verbal feedback is given daily. However no procedures are in place for formal meetings to share children's progress

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How effective is the nursery education?

and achievements. Basic information is given to parents on the curriculum.

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What is being done well?

• Children generally work well together and have made good relationships with adults and each other. • Children are developing a sound understanding of right and wrong and adults have good methods in place for behaviour management. • Children are beginning to interact with each other and initiate conservations with adults. • Children have generally good opportunities for physical play such as climbing and balancing activities. • The setting is welcoming to parents and staff are approachable. There are

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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 systems in place for regular verbal feedback.

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What needs to be improved?

• knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage to ensure a broad and relevant curriculum is offered • the staff's understanding of assessment methods to ensure they are aware of children's achievements to help them move on in their learning • planning of staff deployment to ensure children receive sufficient attention and support with their learning particularly for language development • more opportunities for children to develop their independence at snack times and in independently selecting resources • more opportunities for children to practise mark making/writing skills • more opportunities to develop children's confidence in mathematical provision • more opportunities to learn about children's own cultures and beliefs and that of others • monitoring and evaluation of the education programme offered, the strengths and weaknesses of the setting and staff development.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The group continues to develop and encourage parents to participate which is becoming successful. No methods have been developed for retaining samples of children's work to form an ongoing assessment 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: Generally Good Children generally work well alongside each other, are co-operative and take turns. They have made generally good relationships with adults and each other. They are generally interested in activities available and are developing concentration skills. They have a sound understanding of right and wrong. There are a lack of opportunities for children to independently select resources and develop self help skills such as pouring drinks on a regular basis.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children are beginning to interact with each other and initiate conversations with adults. They are developing their imaginative thinking through role play but they are not encouraged to extend their play or explain what they are doing. Children are generally interested in books and with adult encouragement understanding print carries meaning. There is lack of opportunities to practise mark making/writing skills. There is lack of opportunities to link sounds with letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children have generally good opportunities and show interest in counting and numbers during rhyme time and are beginning to understand simple addition and subtraction. Children are less confident in counting independently during their play. They are learning about and recognise shapes when playing games and solving puzzles. There are good opportunities to solve problems through practical activities such as sand play but lack challenge from adults to extend this learning.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children have generally good opportunities to learn about past and present events in their lives such as topics on ourselves but this is not extended to learn about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people. They are involved in some exploratory/investigative work such as growing sunflowers. There are limited opportunities for children to learn about the natural environment such as walks outside. There are some opportunities to learn about information technology.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children generally move around with increasing control when using the climbing frame, balancing beams and trampoline. Children are confident in negotiating space when pushing pushchairs around. Children generally handle tools and equipment confidently and are developing good fine motor skills such as when using rolling pins or cutting the dough. Children have some opportunities to learn about the importance of staying healthy but this is inconsistently planned.

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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: Significant Weaknesses Children have generally good opportunities to develop their knowledge of colour, texture and shape when painting or sticking but these activities are planned adult directed tasks. There are lack of opportunities for children to independently select creative resources and use their imagination freely. Children explore music and sounds through musical instrument sessions but these lack planning and challenge from adults.

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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 but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• improve the quality of teaching to ensure staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage, developmental stepping stones and the early learning goals • develop and implement planning to demonstrate a broad and balanced range of experiences with clearly defined learning intentions and expected progress through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals, based on what the children know and can do • plan effective deployment of staff to ensure sufficient challenges are available to children • ensure effective systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the nursery education offered, staff development and the strengths and weaknesses of the setting.

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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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