Woodhouse School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/11/2004 Inspector Name Jan Leo

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Littlemore Playgroup Setting Address Giles Road Littlemore Oxford Oxfordshire OX4 4NL

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Littlemore Playgroup

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Littlemore Playgroup Address Giles Road Oxford Oxfordshire OX4 4NL

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Littlemore Playgroup has been in existence for over 30 years and registered at it's current location in April 2003. It is a voluntary group run by a committee of parents and other interested adults. The playgroup meets in a single storey community centre building in the village of Littlemore, on the edge of Oxford city. One large room is available for play, with an enclosed outdoor area to the rear. There is also a small cloakroom, kitchen, and toilet facilities. The group is registered for up to 20 children from 2 years to under 5 years and it operates from 09.00 until 11.30 each weekday during term time. There are 19 children on the roll and of these 16 receive nursery education funding. None of the funded children have English as an additional language but two have identified special needs. Three permanent members of staff work with the children at each session with occasional, additional support for children with special needs. All the staff are

p.2

Information about the setting

experienced and hold, or are working towards, an appropriate early years qualification.

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

Littlemore Playgroup provides satisfactory care for children. The staff work well as a team to provide a stimulating and varied range of activities to suit all interests, they organise the day appropriately to promote children's development. They consistently follow policies and procedures to ensure the group operates effectively, but some policies are not scrutinised closely to keep them up to date and some lack the required detail. Staff have a good understanding of safety issues but the accident reporting procedure is not always followed. Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe

p.2

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 and well, reviewing what children know to reinforce good practice. They provide wholesome and varied refreshments, and staff broaden children's knowledge of food by introducing cooking activities and making snack time fun. Staff have a sound understanding of the child protection procedure and fully understand their responsibility to keep children safe. The staff are very attentive to the children, giving the support all need to develop and learn. All children feel valued and staff respect the diversity of children's backgrounds, welcoming family and friends to share any special skills or knowledge to expand learning opportunities. Staff obtain additional support and advice for children with special needs, in order to set achievable targets and help them make

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

steady progress. Staff tirelessly encourage good behaviour and help children understand what is expected of them. All children behave very well. Staff and committee are continually working on ways to increase communication and build strong relationships with parents and carers. Staff supply good quality information about the group and encourage regular discussions about the children. Staff make parents and carers feel welcome and parents find staff easy to talk to.

p.3

What is being done well?

• The children are welcomed and well settled to ensure they are happy to attend and build strong relationships with adults and their peers. They are given individual attention, by staff, and made to feel valued to help them develop in confidence. • Behaviour management is extremely effective. Staff tirelessly encourage good behaviour by responding to children's needs consistently, setting clear expectations, acting as good role models and ensuring children understand what is expected of them. • Staff are dedicated and work very well as a team. All are experienced and deploy themselves appropriately to monitor and supervise visitors to keep children safe, attend to children's care needs to keep them comfortable, lead and extend the activities to develop learning, and encourage harmony to increase everyone's enjoyment of the sessions.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• notification of accidents, to ensure all serious injuries are reported to Ofsted • the procedure for recording accidents, to avoid having loose records and ensure entries are kept in sequence • the detail in the complaints procedure and the child protection policy, to ensure full contact details are included to fully comply with regulations

p.3

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 review process for policies and procedures, to ensure details are checked for accuracy and relevance before policies are adopted.

p.3

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.

p.4

The Registered Person must take the following actions by the date shown

Std Action Date 7 Ensure Ofsted is notified of all serious injuries, and improve the method of recording accidents to keep entries safe and in sequence. 09/11/2004

p.4

by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 14 Ensure all policies are accurate and relevant before they are adopted. 14 Update the complaints procedure and the child protection policy, to ensure full contact details are included to fully comply with regulations.

p.4

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

p.4

How effective is the nursery education?

Littlemore Playgroup provides high quality nursery education overall which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff support communication for children with language difficulties well and all children are developing strong personal and social skills. The quality of teaching is very good. Children settle well and staff support children to help gain confidence, ensure all are fully included, and enable them to form good relationships with their peers. Staff interact with children constantly to extend their development, and they link learning across the curriculum, ensuring children learn through worthwhile activities. However, assessments are not always clearly dated to show children's rate of progress. Staff manage behaviour effectively, acting as good role models to promote sharing, negotiation and co-operation. The children behave very well. Children are independent they take control of their personal care; choose

p.5

How effective is the nursery education?

what to do and access resources for themselves. The leadership and management are very good. The staff are very experienced and work well as a team to enable children to learn without the frustration of failure. The staff and committee are dedicated to improvement and attend relevant training to improve personal skills and raise standards. There are formal operating procedures, which staff follow, the committee monitor for effectiveness. Work is continuing on implementing staff support systems and developing the planning. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents and carers receive good quality information about the setting and the curriculum, and have numerous opportunities to learn about their children's progress through meetings, discussion and reports. Staff effectively exchange information to identify and support children's individual needs and decide on appropriate strategies to encourage development.

p.5

What is being done well?

• Children settle well and made to feel valued to ensure they develop in confidence and form good relationships with their peers. They play well with their peers, cooperate with adults and behave well. • Staff fully support children with special needs to enable them to join in with their peers at a level, which suits the individual. All members of the group are encouraged to use simple sign language to help those with communication difficulties and children play together showing consideration for the needs of others. • Staff link learning across the curriculum and is related to everyday life, cultural diversity and relevant experiences. Staff join in with play to extend children's ideas and help them understand how things relate to one another,

p.5

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 and how to stay safe. • Staff are dedicated to improvement. They work well as a team, sharing information and supporting each other effectively to provide a stable, caring, learning environment where children are eager to participate and develop. They have many years of experience yet still continue with their own personal development by attending relevant training to extend their skills. • The committee and staff review operating procedures. They work together with a view to improving staff support, planning, and building on the relationship, they have with parents and carers.

p.5

What needs to be improved?

• the use of observations and children's profiles to provide a more accurate record of children's rate of progress.

p.6

What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. The staff were asked to develop their knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals to aid planning and make better use of the activities, give more time to literacy and mathematics, improve creative development, devise better systems to record and monitor children's progress, and continue to review and add to resources. Staff have attended relevant training and share information between themselves. They receive support from early years partnership advisors and have improved their understanding of the foundation stage to enable them to plan much more effectively and maximise on every learning opportunity. The daily routine is used to reinforce literacy and mathematics and children count, recognise and record information that is relevant on a regular basis. Creative development is threaded through topic work and is used to enhance children's understanding of the wider world. Children welcome new experiences and

p.6

What has improved since the last inspection?

happily share what they know with others, using reference books to gain inspiration. Staff regular observe the children at work, and the information is used to update children's profiles and aid planning. Some of the observation records are not dated, making it difficult to monitor children's rate of progress accurately. Staff see this as their weak area and work is ongoing to improve procedures. This point has been brought out as a minor point for consideration at this inspection. Resources have been increased to include more reference books and these are used routinely to support the activities. Equipment is stored at low level as far as possible, and is accessed independently by the children.

p.6

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

p.6

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are sociable, independent and interested in everything around them. They choose what to do, keep themselves well occupied and encourage others to join in with their games. Most children clearly communicate their feelings to others, and some can stick up for themselves, protesting when they feel wronged. They are cooperative and considerate towards others, taking turns with their friends, negotiating over equipment and playing harmoniously together. Children all behave very well.

p.7

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children learn to communicate in a variety of ways to ensure all can be included. Staff constantly question children to encourage thinking, and all respond appropriately, joining in conversations when they have something to contribute. Children enjoy guessing names when given initial letter sounds and are learning to recognise their names. They enjoy books and confidently comment on what is happening, linking in their own experiences. They use mark making equipment freely.

p.7

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count accurately along with adults at circle time and use numbers in free play confidently. They are beginning to understand the many uses of numbers and have regular opportunities to work out the date and how many children are present. Some are beginning to recognise numbers and enjoy number activities alone and in groups. Children have opportunities to learn about shape, space and size through a variety of activities and some can reposition puzzle pieces to fit without help.

p.7

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have many opportunities to study different cultures through planned activities and role play. They enjoy using a range of technical equipment to make popcorn, phone friends, and develop their culinary skills. Children are learning about time and confident tell others that it is now 'half past two' as they move the hands around on a large wooden clock. Children talk freely about their home life and local environment and eagerly share what they know with their friends.

p.7

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

p.7

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enthusiastically participate in lively outdoor activities to develop a range of movements to improve balance and coordination. They move confidently, negotiating space successfully to avoid collision. Children are learning about healthy lifestyles, recognising their own needs and the effect of exercise on their bodies. They use a range of tools and equipment confidently during the organised activities to cut and draw round stencils, and adapt some resources to suit their own needs.

p.8

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Staff develop colour recognition throughout the whole curriculum and most children consistently recognise a range of colours correctly. They have regular opportunities to experience music and movement and confidently make their own music to march and dance to. Children act out their experiences in role play to change baby, and mimic what adults do to expand the game. Children respond appropriately to different moods and feelings trying to be brave when hurt and jumping about when excited.

p.8

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

p.8

OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

p.9

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • the use of observation records and children's profiles to provide a more accurate record of children's rate of progress.

p.9

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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.

p.9

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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

p.9

STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

p.10

NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.11

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.

p.11

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.

p.11

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.

p.11

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

p.11