Linden Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 15/03/2004 Inspector Name Marilyn Ashley

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Linden Playgroup Setting Address St Cuthberts Church Linden Road Birkby, Huddersfield West yorkshire HD2 2TP

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Linden Playgroup Address St Cuthberts Church Linden Road Birkby, Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD2 2TP

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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

Linden Playgroup was established in 1967 and is a voluntary organisation managed by a committee of parents. The group runs from two rooms in St. Cuthbert’s Church Hall in Birkby, Huddersfield and serves the local residential community. The group is open term time only from Monday to Friday 09:30 to 11:45 and Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 12:30 to 14:45. There are 64 children on roll, 23 are funded 3 year olds and 1 child is a funded 4 year old. There are 49 children on roll who speak English as an additional language. The group does not currently support children with special educational needs. There are five members of staff, two of whom have appropriate childcare qualifications and three who are working towards qualification. The group receives regular support from the Early Years Childcare and Development Partnership and an advisory teacher. They are affiliated to the Pre School Learning Alliance.

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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?

Linden Playgroup provide a welcoming, learning environment. The provision is acceptable and of good quality and the children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals, however there are significant areas for improvement in Mathematical Development. The teaching is generally good. Staff are developing as a team and are well deployed. They interact well with the children and become involved in their activities. They have a generally good knowledge of the early learning goals and plan a wide range of interesting activities for children. Staff know the children well. However, the observation and assessment systems linking to the stepping stones, to record what children know and inform planning for the next steps are still under development. The learning intentions of activities need to be developed to ensure the progression and challenge of individual children. Staff provide a range of resources, however

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How effective is the nursery education?

children's access to these needs to be organised and developed further to enable them to self-select, make choices and to increase their independence and learning. Staff have realistic expectations of managing children's behaviour, resulting in children behaving well. Leadership and management is generally good. Staff are committed to improving the service. They attend training and share developments to inform practice. They are developing well as a team. Support is good for children with Special Educational Needs and for children with English as an additional language. Staff intend to develop a Quality Assurance scheme.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Partnership with parents is generally good. Good information is provided in a dual language format. Information on children is shared informally and children's records are accessible. Parents contributions to the records could be encouraged further. Information on the Foundation Stage needs to be developed, to enhance parents' involvement in their children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• The children are happy and confident. They have formed good relationships with other children and adults. Children behave well and are becoming considerate of others. • Children have access to a range of interesting activities, particularly around living things. They are interested and motivated to learn. • Staff are developing well as a team. They interact with the children and are involved in their activities. Good relationships are formed and children are supported in their learning. • Children's physical skills are developing well, they move safely and with

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 confidence. They are gaining and mastering skills when using tools and malleable materials.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to use and recognise numbers in everyday, practical activities and to solve mathematical problems • the opportunities for children to write more for a purpose and for the more able to learn letter sounds and extend their writing skills, in everyday, practical activities • staff's ability to link the observation and assessment of children's progress to the stepping stones and to use the information effectively, in the planning for the progression and challenge of individual children • the opportunities for children to select their own resources, make choices, develop their independence and express themselves imaginatively and spontaneously in art and design.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made generally good improvements since the last inspection. The staff have developed a self-registration system to encourage name recognition and a permanent mark making table. Opportunities to write for a purpose in role play are available, however, opportunities in everyday practical activities need to be extended further. The more able children need more opportunities, through everyday play activities, to recognise letters and letter sounds to develop their writing skills. A computer, printer and digital camera have been purchased and staff are developing this provision. Opportunities to explore the environment, to develop children's understanding in the Knowledge and Understanding of the World area, is still limited. The staff are continuing to develop the observation and assessment systems through training. A key worker system has been introduced and new records of achievement have been developed to include dated observations and examples of

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What has improved since the last inspection?

children's work. The observations and assessments, however, are not sufficiently linked to the stepping stones to inform the planning for the progress and challenge of individual children. The setting has increased the information for parents, using a dual language format. Planning and children's records are accessible. Parents are still not informed sufficiently on the Foundation Stage to enhance their involvement in their children's learning or to encourage further their contributions to their children's records.

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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: Generally Good Children are settled, happy and confident. They are interested and motivated to learn. They are interested in activities and many children persevere and concentrate well. Good relationships are formed and children relate well with each other, staff and others. They are beginning to show concern and care for others. Children play well together and are beginning to share and take turns. Their behaviour is good. They choose from a range of activities and are beginning to develop independence.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy looking at books and using them for information. They listen to stories and rhymes with enjoyment. Children talk readily, interact and are confident to speak. They use their imagination in role play, for example the hairdressers. Children's early writing skills are beginning to develop, however, opportunities to write for a purpose in everyday practical activities needs to be extended. There are limited opportunities, for the more able children, to link letter sounds to letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Some children are counting reliably to five and beyond. Children enjoy number and action rhymes. Some children are beginning to use mathematical language in their play, but this could be extended further. Children explore numbers in themes and role play, but the opportunities to use and recognise numbers in everyday play activities are insufficient. Opportunities for the more able to use mathematical ideas and methods to solve simple problems through everyday practical activities are limited.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are interested and curious and enjoy opportunities to observe and find out about living things, for example, tadpoles and caterpillars. Children enjoy a range of opportunities to join and assemble. Some children are confident in using the computer. Children are developing a good understanding of their own and other cultures, for example, the Eid party. Opportunities to explore the environment are limited. There are insufficient opportunities to find out how and why things work.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children move confidently and safely, use space well and show a respect for the needs of others. Children explore a range of malleable materials with increasing confidence. They are beginning to use tools, both indoors and outdoors, for example, brushes, with increasing control and confidence. They are developing good personal hygiene, for example, washing hands. They use a range of small and large equipment with increasing skill. Opportunities to develop balancing skills could be extended.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore a wide range of colour, materials and textures, for example, in collage work. They sing songs and rhymes with enjoyment and enthusiasm. Children use their imagination in role play, both indoors and outdoors. They respond to experiences using all their senses, for example, at the Eid party and in Handa's Surprise. Children talk readily about their ideas. Opportunities for children to express themselves freely and imaginatively in art, design, music and dance are insufficient.

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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

• Continue to develop and improve the observation and assessment of children, using the stepping stones, to inform planning to ensure the progress and challenge of individual children. • Improve the layout of resources to ensure children select their own resources, make choices, develop their independence and use thier imagination spontaneously. • Provide more everyday opportunities for children to write for a purpose and for the more able to learn letter sounds to develop their writing. • Plan for children to have everyday opportunities to use and recognise numbers in everyday, practical activities and to solve mathematical problems, both indoors and outdoors.

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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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