Seaton Delaval Pre School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 23/02/2004 Inspector Name Elaine Steedman

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Seaton Delaval Playgroup Setting Address Seaton Delaval Community Centre Elsdon Avenue Seaton Delaval Northumberland NE25 0BW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Seaton Delaval Playgroup 1032566

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Seaton Delaval Playgroup Address Seaton Delaval Community Centre Elsdon Avenue Seaton Delaval Northumberland NE25 0BW

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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

Seaton Delaval Playgroup opened in 1968. It operates from two playrooms and associated facilities within the Seaton Delaval Community Centre. The premises is a single storey, split level building located in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland. The playgroup serves the local and wider area. There are currently 20 children on the roll. This includes three funded three year olds and one funded four year old. Children attend for a variety of sessions. None of the children currently attending have special educational needs or speak English as an additional language. The playgroup is open Monday to Friday, 09.30 to 12.00, term-time only. Two full-time and three part-time staff work with the children, three of whom have early years qualifications. The playgroup receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Northumberland Early Years & Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). The playgroup is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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How good is the Day Care?

Seaton Delaval Playgroup provides good care for children. The playgroup organises ratios, the environment, most activities and most record keeping well. Regular staff meetings and committee support enable the staff to work well as a team, however, the appropriate level of management qualification needs to be ensured. The playgroup offers a welcoming environment and friendly atmosphere which effectively encourages children to feel comfortable and relaxed. Staff build warm, caring relationships with children enabling them to feel happy and settled. The playgroup takes effective safety and security measures to protect children from danger. Effective staff deployment procedures ensure a good level of supervision.

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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 playgroup has effective procedures to promote children's hygiene, health and welfare. Positive steps are taken to support children's individual needs. The playgroup offers children a range of appropriate play and learning opportunities, although some improvement is needed in the provision of equal opportunity resources. A stimulating environment and a variety of play resources and activities are provided which support the children's interests, promote their development in most areas and keep them well occupied. Staff actively involve themselves in the children's activities and provide appropriate routines to enable the children to develop their independence and feel confident and secure. Staff effectively

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How good is the Day Care?

encourage positive behaviour through the use of appropriate behaviour management strategies. Staff build positive relationships with parents and consult with them to ensure children's individual needs are met. Staff communicate with parents regularly to keep them informed about their children's well-being and development. Parents have access to the playgroup's policies and procedures and effective procedures ensure they are kept well informed about the provision and events.

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What is being done well?

• Staff build positive relationships with parents through regular information sharing, enabling them to keep parents informed about the provision and work with them in promoting their children's welfare and development. • Effective, consistent behaviour management strategies and positive role modelling by staff ensure children are aware of behaviour expectations. • Staff develop friendly and caring relationships with the children and take an active role in their play, enabling them to provide a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and help children feel happy and settled. • Staff plan and provide a well organised, stimulating environment to support the children's care and developmental needs. • Effective measures are taken to ensure a good level of hygiene is maintained. Children's individual health needs are considered and appropriate steps taken to protect their health and well-being. • The environment is safe, secure and comfortable enabling children to be

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What is being done well?

cared for safely. • Admissions, space, staff deployment and children's routines are well organised to support children's independence and ensure children receive an appropriate level of care and attention.

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What needs to be improved?

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 qualifications in order to take steps to ensure the manager has an appropriate Level 3 qualification • the documentationin order to ensure visitor records show the hours of attendance • the resources in order to expand equal opportunity resources and play / learning resources to support all areas of child development.

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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 Develop and implement an action plan that sets out how supervisors will achieve a level 3 qualification. 2 Ensure visitors hours of attendance are recorded. 3 Expand the range of play resources and activities to support all areas of children’s development. 9 Ensure that children have an appropriate range of activities and resources that promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.

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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?

Seaton Delaval Playgroup provides a caring, welcoming environment where children settle extremely well and make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children make very good progress in physical development and personal, social and emotional development. They make generally good progress in communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and mathematical development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals. Planning is generally good, with long and medium term plans covering all six areas of learning, though short term plans need do not regularly cover all areas of the curriculum. Assessments for all children are completed regularly and information used to inform future planning. Play space is generally well used, though insufficient resources are provided in some areas. Staff

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How effective is the nursery education?

present as good role models, manage children's behaviour very well and build good relationships with them. Leadership and management is generally good. The manager shows enthusiasm and a commitment to the development of the provision and the staff. Staff have access to, regular and appropriate training. Staff moral is good, they are aware of their roles and work well together. All staff are involved in the planning process and take part in regular team meetings. However, the programme for construction play, mark making, writing and some aspects of mathematics, do not provide regular learning opportunities for the children. Partnership with parents is generally good. Staff build appropriate relationships with parents and carers, who are made to feel welcome. They are provided with information about the nursery and the educational provision, and are able to spend time working alongside staff should they wish. Parents and carers are kept informed

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How effective is the nursery education?

of their child's progress and have access to their child's developmental records.

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident and sociable, high priority is given to their personal, social and emotional development. They relate very well to staff and peers and build caring relationships with them. • Children show curiosity and interest in the resources and activities available to them and are growing in independence by completing activities unaided. • Children's verbal communication skills are developing well, they make known their needs, and initiate and sustain conversation with staff, peers and those less familiar to them. • Children move confidently, imaginatively and safely during physical play activities and show regard for the personal space and welfare of others.

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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 • Children are very well behaved and show an awareness of right and wrong, they respond very well to staff and adhere to boundaries.

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What needs to be improved?

• The book area, to make it more appealing to children. • Children's access to resources so that they are sufficient to cover all aspects of the curriculum, particularly writing, mark making and construction. • The programme for mathematical development, so that children have regular opportunities to practice addition and subtraction, explore weight and measure and offer solutions to simple problems.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made generally good progress since the last inspection. The system for long term and medium term plans now covers all six areas of learning. The short term, weekly plans are currently being revised to ensure all six areas of learning are regularly covered, and to high light the different activities provided within each particular area. A member of staff has just completed training in planning for learning in the foundation stage. Improvements have been made in the opportunities provided for children to develop and extend their knowledge in mathematics in respect of number recognition, counting, shape, sorting and recreating simple patterns. However further opportunities for children to develop and extend their knowledge and understanding of addition, subtraction, weight and measure are not provided on a regular basis. Staff training is given more priority and all staff have completed some recent,

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What has improved since the last inspection?

relevant training. Staff have access to a range of appropriate courses and training is now scheduled well in advance whenever possible. Parents and carers receive a useful information sheet which includes details about the six areas of learning, special educational needs, key policies and procedures and access to their child's personal records. In addition to this each child has a booklet which documents their developmental progress in all of the six areas of learning. This booklet is accessible by request, to the child's parent or carer, and is given to them when their child leaves playgroup.

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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 separate easily from their parents and carers. They are interested in the activities and resources available to them, which they use independently with confidence and purpose. Children interact very well together, sharing, taking turns readily and show regard for the welfare of others. They are extremely well behaved and respond very well to staff, with whom they have built strong relationships. Children have good self esteem and show great pride in their achievements.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are able to express their needs and communicate appropriately using spoken words and facial gestures. Listening skills are developing well, children listen to instructions from staff, responding accordingly, and are developing a sense of recall. They are starting to show an interest in words, letters and letter sounds. However, there are limited opportunities for them to practice writing skills. Children handle books appropriately, but seldom visit the book area of their own accord.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children make good use of simple mathematical language in their play, such as big, lots, more and compare groups of objects. They count items from one to five well and sort objects according to colour and size. They recognise similarities of shapes and patterns in the environment, and copy simple pattern sequences using coloured pegs and boards with ease. However, there are limited opportunities for them to practice simple addition, subtraction or explore weight and measure through play.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children operate simple programmable toys independently with confidence and have some access to a computer. They use tools safely, with purpose to complete tasks. Children are beginning to develop a sense of recall and speak of past events. They use their senses to explore items, describing how thing look, smell and feel. However, opportunities for them to learn about natural and living things, different cultures and people, and to construct are limited.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move with confidence and increasing control. Tools are use confidently and effectively with a purpose. They show a good awareness and regard for their own personal space and safety, and that of their peers. Hand and eye co-ordination is developing very well, children manipulate small objects and malleable materials with great ease. They show a good awareness of the need to adopt good personal hygiene practices.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are beginning to express themselves through a range of media, for example collage and paint. They use playdough well to make simple three-dimensional models and are beginning to describe simple characteristics such as texture. They sing along to familiar songs with enthusiasm, play instruments and tap out simple rhythms and move rhythmically. However, children have limited opportunities to express their feelings or develop further their imaginative skills in role play.

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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

• make the book area more appealing to children. • Provide children with regular opportunities to practice writing and mark making, and gain an understanding of addition, subtraction, weight and measure • provide access to resources that are sufficient to cover all aspects of the curriculum.

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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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