Bristowe Street Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 19/10/2004 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care, Full Day Care Setting Name Bristowe Street Playgroup Setting Address 14 Bristowe Street Clayton Manchester Lancashire M11 4LW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

Bristowe Street Day Care has been registered for over 27 years, and offers sessional and full day care to children in the community of Clayton, Manchester. It operates from a converted detached house. Children have access to three playrooms, a bathroom, and a fully enclosed outdoor play area. Places are used by children living in Manchester and the bordering Tameside. There are 17 children on roll, of whom, 10 attend the morning session and seven the afternoon. This includes six funded three year olds. The Group operates from 09:15 to 14:45 Monday to Friday. Term time only. Three staff work with the children and have suitable experience and early years qualifications to NVQ level three. The group also supports children with special needs. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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?

Bristowe Street Playgroup provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. Teaching is generally good. Staff have a developing understanding of the early learning goals and work hard to integrate them into routine and planned activities. Plans are still at a developmental level, and as yet do not fully show what children are expected to learn. Staff know the children well and make careful and useful observations of children's progress and achievement. Numbers are small which ensures that individual needs are met. Children are challenged at an appropriate level. Staff are caring and consistent and manage behaviour well. They have realistic expectations. Staff work well together but deployment is unclear in plans.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Very good quality resources are well organised to provide free access for children. Overall activities are well-paced but limited time and flexibility can impact on opportunities for physical play. The leadership and management are generally good. The small staff team have clear roles and responsibilities. Staff meet regularly to discuss planning and developments. They have some effective systems in place to recognise strengths and areas for development. All staff show high levels of commitment to improving provision. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents and carers receive good quality information about the playgroup in the brochure. Attractive displays accompaniied by captions provide useful information about play activities and intended learning. Noticeboards are also used effectively. Parents are encouraged to share what they know about their child and this contributes to the record of achievement. Parents

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How effective is the nursery education?

receive regular feedback on children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Staff plan routine activites well to promote children's learning. Registration, circle and snack times are used particularly effectively to develop children's skills and understanding in personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; and mathematical development and some aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world. • The friendly and approachable staff team work hard to establish a good working relationship with parents, despite the realively short time many of the children are likely to attend the playgroup. • Themes are used very effectively to promote children's awareness of the natural environment. Children make good use of a wide range of natural

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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 materials in their creative play activites. Thay take part in nature trails to observe seasonal changes and collect materials which they can explore more closely on their return to the playgroup. • Resources are plentiful and organised in ways that make them attractive and accessible for the children. Staff have invested wisely to provide good quality storage which can be transported to where it can be used to best effect. • Children have access to good quality resources and exciting opportunities for role play. This is used well to promote their understanding of caring for others through doll play and domestic play. Its proximity to the writing area also facilitates the use of the good range of writing materials to enable children to write for a purpose, for example writing their own shopping lists.

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What needs to be improved?

• the children's access to the computer on a regular basis. • the planning of activities to enable children to freely express their own ideas creatively. • the opportunities for children to recreate simple mathematical patterns. • the planning of physical play activites to identify skill development.

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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 enjoy the playgroup and are very well-behaved. They sit quietly, concentrating well at story and circle times. They persevere and spend long periods of time completing their self-chosen activities. They take part in a full range of activities willingly and enthusiastically, working well together and showing care and concern for others. Their skills of personal independence are well-developed, they are willing helpers at tidy up times and when serving snacks to their friends.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children speak confidently and listen carefully at circle time and as they take part in activities that interest them. Through 'recall' sessions staff extend children's language and thought. Early reading skills are developing well in ways that hold meaning for children. There are lots of chances for children to practice writing and early mark making, for example as they play in the home area. They enjoy books and use them carefully.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good High emphasis is placed on counting and number recognition as part of routine activities. Children count to ten confidently as they count the children attending each day; by counting on they begin to understand about 'one more'. By recording the date they learn about numbers larger than ten. Children know shapes and are learning about more complex ones such as diamonds and ovals. They learn about size by comparing heights and lengths. There are no planned activites for patterm making.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Through well-planned themes children are learning about the natural environment and their community. Useful discussion supports their understanding ot time and place. They have good opportunities to observe, explore and record seasonal changes. They make skillful use of a good range of construction sets but have fewer chances to design and build their own models using recycled materials. Children have limited access to the computer.

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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 use space carefully and sensibly. They have chances to climb and use wheeled toys skilfully but plans do not show how skills will be developed. Smaller equipment is used to develop their skills of throwing and kicking. They hop and jump confidently in time to music. They are aware of the changes that take place in their body as a result of exercise and they eat healthy snacks. A good range of tools helps them to develop manual dexterity but they do not have free access to scissors.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children can freely choose from a good range of materials to support learning in this area. They enjoy using the well resourced imaginative play area to act out their own scenarios. They have chances to explore using all of their senses, for example on their nature trail. They experience sound and music through planned activities. They have fewer chances to freely express their own ideas as staff generally have predetermined ideas about intended outcomes of creative activities.

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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

• improve opportunities for children to have free access to the computer • review and revise planning to ensure full coverage of the early learning goals in all area of learning by identifying clear intended learning outcomes; for example identify which physical skills will be developed and how, children can freely express their own ideas in creative activites, and how they will recreate mathematical patterns.

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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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