Scarborough University Technical College

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 11/10/2004 Inspector Name Sue Vernon

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Ladybird Playgroup Setting Address Jubilee Park Pavilion Godminster Lane Bruton Somerset BA10 0ND

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Ladybird Playgroup Address Jubilee Park Pavilion Godminster Lane Bruton Somerset BA0 0ND

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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

Ladybird Playgroup has been running in the rural town of Bruton since 1989. It operates from the cricket pavilion next to Jubilee Park and serves the local community. The playgroup is registered for a maximum of 26 children aged two to five years. Of these, no more than ten children may be under the age of three. There are currently 28 children on roll. The group is open from 09:00 to 13:00, Monday to Friday in the Autumn and Spring terms and from 09:00 to 15:00 hours during the Summer term. Overnight care is not provided. The group have the use of two rooms, a kitchen and toilet facilities. There is easy access to the park, children's play area and surrounding playing fields The playgroup are registered to receive funding for three and four year olds. There are no children at present attending with special needs and no children attending with English as an additional language. A total of six staff are employed. The manager, deputy and two assistants hold the

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Information about the setting

NVQ lll Certificate in Child Care and Education and are working towards higher level qualifications.

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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?

Ladybird Playgroup offers a well planned environment where children are receiving generally good quality nursery education. Children are making very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development,creative development as well as in their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff use their sound knowledge of the early learning goals to plan interesting and challenging activities that support children's learning effectively, though there are small gaps in some areas. Staff use open questioning well to engage children in play and their enthusiasm supports children's involvement and learning. Good ratios and planning ensures activities are well prepared and resourced. Staff use observations to monitor children's progress though some gaps in children's profile records are not linked to next stage planning. Leadership and management of the group is generally good. Staff are focused on

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How effective is the nursery education?

developing their skills through training and meet regularly to plan and assess their delivery of the curriculum. Staff assessment of their strengths and weaknesses is done informally rather than through a formal appraisal system. Parents feel they are well informed about daily learning opportunities through information displayed for them such as a daily chart linking activities to learning areas. Daily verbal feedback and a written termly report are given which build good relationships with parents. However there are few opportunities built into the routine for parents to be involved in their children's learning or regularly contribute towards progress records which would enhance the partnership in learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children are offered very good opportunities for developing their independence and self- confidence. One of the most effective is the well planned free choice snack time when children pour their own drinks and make their own selections from a variety of healthy foods. • Good planning of activities ensures that the attractive range of resources are used effectively to support play opportunities such as children acting out the story of 'Handa's surprise using real fruit and animal tabards. • Good use of the outdoor environment means that children are becoming confident in their physical skills and supported in expressing their curiosity about the natural world.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • ensuring gaps in children's learning are identified and linked into short term planning • the partnership in learning with parents • opportunities for linking letters to sounds and numbers to numerals.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. The group were asked to record children's progress through the early learning goals and ensure parents learn about the early learning goals and have opportunities to contribute their observations. Information on the early learning goals is presented to parents in an attractive and informative way that helps them develop understanding about learning through play. A children's profile system has been introduced to monitor children's progress through the stepping stones but staff are still finding their way on how to best use it to record their observations on children's progress and link to next stage planning in order to move all children on in their learning.

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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: Very Good Children settle quickly on arrival and are happy and confident to try new experiences. They separate well from carers and are building good relationships with staff and each other. They are offered very good opportunities for developing independence such pouring own drinks, selecting own food for snack time which helps builds positive self-esteem. The staff team encourage them to enthusiastically value and share their experiences.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy rhymes and stories with staff using resources such as puppets to encourage language for communicating. Children speak confidently and try new vocabulary when describing their ideas such as snow being 'an ice drop'. They enjoy using the attractive range of books appropriately and are offered opportunities for practicing mark making and writing. Older children are encouraged to make links between letters and their phonetic sounds but this is lacking for younger children.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Good opportunities are offered in songs and within the daily routines for counting such as counting cups, plates at snack time. Some children able to count items up to 5 and some up to 12 or 15. Linking numbers to numerals is encouraged for older children but not routinely with younger ones. Mathematical language is being used appropriately within play activities such filling and emptying water or sand in buckets. Children enjoy cooking which helps them learn about measurement of quantities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are offered good opportunities for exploring and investigating their environment both inside and outside. They enjoy smelling, tasting and observing changes in such processes as bread and jelly making. They are gaining confidence in exploring the value of information technology by using both the computer and programmable toys. They have an understanding of time and place and well planned activities help them learn of other cultures.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy opportunities for moving confidently in a variety of ways using both indoor and outdoor equipment. They relish their success in climbing, balancing and sliding. They are developing good understanding of healthy eating and changes in their bodies when they exercise. In both free play and well planned activities, they regularly use a range of tools and equipment with increasing ability such as paint brushes, scissors, real hand drills and writing materials.

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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: Very Good Good opportunities are offered for children to explore textures and mediums in an imaginative way such as sand play on a large floor area with diggers, buckets and spades. They enjoy getting engrossed in dressing-up and home play, acting out their own play ideas. Good use of resources enables them to act out songs and stories such as using puppets to read to each other. They are confident and secure enough to show their reactions to new tastes, smells and textures such as bread dough.

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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

• strengthen the opportunities for parents to contribute to the learning partnership • ensure short term planning, evaluations and profiles identify children's individual needs and monitor their progress through the full range of stepping stones • offer consistent opportunities for linking letters to sounds and numbers to numerals.

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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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