Woodbank Preschool

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/10/2004 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Woodbank Playgroup Setting Address Woodbank Youth Centre Turncroft Lane,Offerton Stockport Cheshire SK1 4BN

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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

Woodbank Playgroup has been registered since 1992 and is based in Woodbank Youth Centre in the Offerton area of Stockport. It provides sessional care for 38 children from two to five years and is open from 09.15 to 11.45 every weekday. There are currently 38 children on roll. The playgroup uses two rooms; one of which can be used for free physical play. There is also an additional smaller room which is available for quieter activities and use of a computer. There are kitchen and toilet facilities on the same level within the building. The playgroup does not have an outside play area but children are taken in small groups daily to the nearby park and nature walks with parental permission. The registration holder, Deborah Hill, holds a recognised child care qualification. There are ten members of staff and six hold relevant child care qualifications and current first aid certificates. The playgroup is registered to receive funding for three and four year olds and there

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Information about the setting

are nine funded children attending. The playgroup is a member of Stockport Pre-School Providers.

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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?

Woodbank Playgroup provides good quality nursery education where children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They make very good progress in their mathematical, knowledge and understanding of the world, and creative development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a overall understanding of the areas of learning. The planning is conscientiously completed. Staff work hard to set out for each session an array of interesting activities, but space is not always used effectively, for example, the use of wheeled vehicles in inappropriate areas, and the present book area does not encourage children's frequent usage. Staff generally manage their time well to support the children and show an interest in what children say and do. They have good relationships with children and generally, but not always, succeed in helping children to adhere to the routines. Assessments of the

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How effective is the nursery education?

children's progress are conscientiously recorded and communication books regularly completed. The leadership and management are generally good. The manager is very positive and works energetically to create a happy caring ethos. Staff have clearly defined roles, but some staff when supporting children, although given general information, are not given sufficient specific guidance on the learning intentions of the activity. Regular appraisals, staff meetings and access to training opportunities effectively contribute to the playgroup's commitment to the ongoing improvement of its care and education of the children. Partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents have a very positive view of the provision. The are fully informed about the routines, practices, curriculum and activities. Staff provide a welcoming atmosphere and are willing to exchange information with parents about their child's progress at meetings or via the very

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What is being done well?

• Children are interested, able to work on their own and as part of a group confidently selecting resources and exploring their learning environment. They make very good use of the role play area, giving full flight to their imaginations. • Children are provided with good opportunities to investigate the world around them. They enjoy exploring colours and textures, and manipulate materials, tools and equipment well. • Children have an excellent repertoire of songs and rhymes. All join in with words and actions, and more confident children name additional songs to sing, and some happily sing them for their peers.

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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 • The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are provided with a wealth of information about the playgroup's provision. An excellent regular two-way flow of information on their child's progress via communication books and confidential meetings with staff has been developed.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for linking sounds to letters • the use of space to ensure it matches the requirements of each activity, such as wheeled vehicles not being driven around table-top activities • the use of the attractive book corner.

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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 happy, interested and settle quickly to tasks forming good relationships with adults and peers. They play well in small groups learning to negotiate, share and take turns. They generally behave well and know right from wrong, but do not always adhere to instructions and routines. Most confidently select and access their own resources and are developing good personal independence. Many willingly take responsibility for tidying away toys and equipment.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are encouraged to express their needs. At circle time they listen patiently to the contributions made by their friends and take their turn to speak. Children enjoy story time, and enthusiastically join in. They know that print carries meaning. However, some do not link sounds to letters. The book area, although very attractive, is not well used by the children. All are enthusiastic mark makers, while older children recognise and write their own names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing their counting skills. Together with staff, for example, they count how many children are in the group and the steps they take when hunting the bear. They identify more or less, as they develop their understanding of adding on and taking away to solve simple problems. Children are starting to use mathematical language to describe position, shape and size, and they can sequence and create patterns.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children talk freely and confidently about events in the playgroup, their family, friends and home, and are able to differentiate between past and present. They are given time and encouragement to investigate and use a wide range of materials and equipment to build and construct. At circle time they enjoy, for example identify and then describe how a range of kitchen tools work.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's fine manipulative skills are developing well. They engage in lots of activities that encourage hand-eye co-ordination such as handling small tools. Children move freely with pleasure, especially outdoors when running and jumping and on their bear hunt, and notice the effects of this exercise on their bodies. They move confidently on bicycles and cars but are at times overly boisterous and their awareness of space for themselves and others is less well developed.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children gleefully explore colour, texture and shapes, often naming and selecting colours and tools. They enjoy participating in role play and have well developed imaginations as they engage in a pretend wedding, and repair cars in the garage. They sing a wide range of songs and rhymes from memory with enthusiasm and enjoyment, especially when using a range of musical instruments.

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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

• increase opportunities for children to link sounds to letters • create appropriate areas for each of the learning activities • increase the children's usage of the attractive book corner. 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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