Royal College of Art

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 01/03/2005 Inspector Name Jan Leo

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Tiddlywinks Playgroup Setting Address The Playgroup Building Alder Drive, Ambrosden Bicester Oxfordshire OX25 2RD

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Tiddlywinks Playgroup 1065023

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Tiddlywinks Playgroup Address The Playgroup building Alder Drive, Ambrosden Bicester Oxfordshire OX25 2RD

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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

Tiddlywinks Playgroup was established in the early 1960's and moved to the current location in February 1997. It is a committee run group based in a purpose built building in the heart of Ambrosden, a village with a large Ministry of Defence (MOD) presence just outside Bicester. The group is open to civilian and MOD children. The playgroup is open from 09.10 to 14.45, Monday to Friday, for 39 weeks each year. It is registered to accept up to 48 children under the age of 8 years, but the number of children under 2 years is limited. There are currently 62 children on the roll, of whom 11 are in receipt of nursery education funding. None of the children have special educational needs or English as a second language. Nine members of staff are employed to work with the children. Five of these have a recognised qualification to level two or above, and three are currently working towards a level three qualification.

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How good is the Day Care?

Tiddlywinks Playgroup provides good quality care for children. Staff observe applicants with the children before they are employed, and give clear instructions about their duties. Lunch time helpers cover staff breaks to maintain ratios effectively, and children have ample space to play. Staff use the outdoor area to full advantage, and ensure children have easy access to all main resources. Staff have all documents in place but some lack details. The management have excellent security systems in place to monitor access to the group, and review safety precautions regularly to ensure effectiveness. Staff provide a walking bus, which limits the contact some families have with the group, but staff follow well thought out procedures for reporting health issues to such families. Children have a choice at snack time and staff meet their individual dietary requirements appropriately. Staff include children with special needs and find any

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How good is the Day Care?

necessary support to help children develop fully. They have a sound understanding of child protection issues and always act in children's best interest, but do not

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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 routinely notify Ofsted of all the concerns they raise. Staff join in play to ensure children settle and feel welcome. They observe what children do in order to plan appropriate activities, and they develop skills and interests both indoors and out. Staff value diversity and try hard to acknowledge children's own cultures during the day. Staff manage children's behaviour effectively, most of the time, but get distracted by mundane tasks and changes in routine, which results in some children becoming rather boisterous. The partnership with parents and carers is good. Staff encourage parents and carers to share information and welcome helpers. They listen to comments about the provision, and strive to find ways to improve practice.

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What is being done well?

• Staff form strong links with families. They greet adults and children to ensure they feel welcome, and are available to share information with parents and carers at the start of each day. Staff consider and address concerns promptly, and send written information home to families who use the walking bus, to ensure they are aware of health concerns. • Staff join in with play to ensure children settle, and enable them to plan suitable activities. They value children by developing aspects of children's own cultures, and provide the necessary support to include everyone fully. • Children have choices. They are free to select what to do and roam freely from room to room to discover what is available. Children access resources by themselves to complete set tasks and to develop their own free play, and they have a choice of refreshments at snack times. • Staff follow formal recruitment procedures before new members are

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What is being done well?

appointed. In addition to the reference and background checks, staff observe applicants on a trial basis to ensure they have a good rapport with the children and make sure they are completely clear about their duties. • Health and safety procedures are good. A video entry system is in place to monitor access to the provision, and risk assessments are completed and reviewed regularly, to keep safety precautions effective. Staff raise children's health concerns promptly with parents, and confidently act in children's best interest to address child protection concerns.

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What needs to be improved?

• the deployment of staff at activity change over times, to ensure staff are not distracted from managing behaviour • the child protection procedures, to ensure staff notify Ofsted of all referrals

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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 made to child protection agencies, and include contact details for referrals in the child protection policy •• the documentation, to ensure staff keep an accurate record of when children are present, and include Ofsted's contact details in the complaints procedure.

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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 11 Avoid having staff distracted by mundane tasks and changes in routine, to ensure consistent supervision and behaviour management. 13 Notify Ofsted of any child protection concerns raised, and include contact details of referral agencies in the child protection policy. 14 Keep an accurate record of children's arrival and departure times and include Ofsted's contact details in the complaints policy.

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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?

Tiddlywinks Playgroup provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff develop communication, language and literacy, and children's creative skills exceedingly well, and children make very good progress in these areas. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff work well as a team and join in play to settle the children, aid their development, and make learning interesting. Staff monitor children's involvement and achievements to plan for their next steps, but they do not date observation records to give a clear indication of children's rate of progress. Planning does not show what children do each day, or ensure that the programme is balanced for all children. Leadership and management are generally good. Staff receive adequate support from management, and they are encouraged to continue with their development by

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How effective is the nursery education?

attending further training. Staff make close links with the local nursery to provide a consistent approach to learning and all staff contribute towards planning to select appropriate activities to develop themes. Only ad hoc arrangements exist for supervising staff and monitoring practice. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Staff make themselves available to welcome parents and share information each day. They have informal procedures in place to keep parents and carers up to date with their children's progress and the content of the curriculum. Staff encourage parents and carers to visit and be involved in their children's learning, but staff have no formal procedures to report regularly to parents on children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Children are accomplished communicators. They listen carefully to others, offer their thoughts and opinions freely, and question adults to make sense of things. Some are beginning to understand the value of writing and make very good attempts to add notes or captions to their work. • Children produce individual, uninhibited artwork and take great pleasure in offering it to adults to show off their skills. They competently produce pictures from their imagination and experiences, and enthusiastically attempt still life painting using the fruits provided. • The staff work well together to settle and support children. They welcome parents and children alike on arrival, and join in activities to make learning interesting. • Staff forge close links with nursery to develop the curriculum and provide a consistent approach to learning. All staff share ideas to develop activities according to individual needs, and adopt teaching methods, which will ease

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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's transfer to nursery. • Parents and carers are very welcome and staff encourage them to share information freely. The manager operates an open door policy and is available to parents and carers at the start of each day. Parents and carers can visit to observe their children, and have access to records on request. Staff treat any concerns seriously and address them promptly.

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What needs to be improved?

• the planning, to clearly show what activities are available each day and provide a tool for ensuring the curriculum is balanced for all children • the opportunities for children to use technological equipment • the challenges for the more able children, regarding solving mathematical problems and use of equipment to develop physical skills • the procedures for recording children’s achievements and reporting on progress to parents; monitoring the practice and supervising staff.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made since the last inspection. At the last inspection, the group was required to develop children's records of attainment and progress, and provide a consistent model for handwriting and more opportunities for children to develop writing skills. Staff now make regular observations of the children and use Oxfordshire profiles to indicate their attainment. Entries are not routinely dated to give a clear record of their rate of progress and this has been carried through as an area for improvement at this inspection. Writing is now well developed and most children make excellent attempts at writing or copying their own names. Children have regular opportunities to practice mark making skills in organised activities and free play using a variety of media, and staff promote correct letter formation. Mark making equipment is always available for children to access at will, and several children form recognisable letters and have

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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 are very sociable, confident to organise their own play, and they mix well with different groups of friends. They freely voice their opinions and ideas, and competently organise their friends to include them in the games. Most are developing independence and happily choose what to do, select resources for themselves, help at snack time and willingly involve themselves with the clearing away. Some become a little disruptive if staff are distracted, but behaviour is generally good.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate well with adults and their peers. They listen to others, question what they do not understand, and respond appropriately, taking turns to speak and considering answers before responding. Children understand the link between sounds and letters and some can guess initial letters of simple words. Most make very good attempts to copy or write their name and some form recognisable letters with controlled movements. Children practice mark making regularly.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children show interest in numbers and use them correctly in free play. They count regularly as a group and some can count to 10 and beyond alone. More able children can recognise and write some numerals up to 20. Children enjoy construction and patiently build objects and puzzles using their knowledge of shape, space and position. Children sing number songs to develop understanding of addition and subtraction but there are missed opportunities to practice number operations through the day.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have many opportunities to learn about the local community and different aspects of life. They design and build with confidence calling on their experiences to talk through what they are doing, and they competently explain how to achieve changes in direction. Children have a good understanding of time and place. They know the routine and what follows next, and talk freely about past and future events. They have few opportunities to use technological equipment.

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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: Generally Good Children move well in a number of ways and negotiate space effectively to avoid collisions. They have frequent opportunities to develop the curriculum outside and make good use of the space both indoor and out. Children are beginning to understand how their bodies change and grow, and they appreciate their changing needs. They handle equipment with confidence but there are insufficient challenges for the more able children.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have numerous opportunities to explore media and create individual work to display and take home. Children enjoy singing and know the words of several songs and rhymes. Some sing with gusto, their voices rising above the others in their enthusiasm. Children play imaginary games for extended periods, involving others in mending equipment and visiting the shops. They are beginning to use all their senses to explore things around them, and they respond appropriately.

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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

• develop planning, to clearly show what activities are available each day and provide a tool for ensuring the curriculum is balanced for all children • provide more opportunities for children to use technological equipment • increase the challenges for the more able children, regarding solving mathematical problems and use of equipment to develop physical skills • improve the procedures for recording children’s achievements and reporting on progress to parents; monitoring the practice and supervising staff.

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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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