Lowdham Preschool

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 09/02/2004 Inspector Name Ros Church

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Lowdham Playgroup Setting Address Lowdham Village Hall Main Street, Lowdham Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG14 7BD

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Lowdham Playgroup 1032534

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The Committee of Lowdham Playgroup Address Lowdham Village Hall Main Street, Lowdham Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG14 7BD

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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

Lowdham Pre-School Playgroup opened approximately 30 years ago, it operates from the Village Hall in Lowdham. The group have access to the main hall and small hall, kitchen and toilet facilities. The large enclosed grassed area adjacent to the building is used for outdoor play. The facility is open to children in Lowdham and the surrounding areas. They operate during the term time from 09:15 to 12:00, Monday to Friday, in addition a lunch club is provided on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12:00 to 13:15. During the summer term the setting is open on a Monday afternoon from 12:50 to 15:20 for children going to Lowdham School in September. There are currently 46 children on roll, who attend a variety of sessions depending on parental wishes. This includes 16 funded three-year-olds and five funded four-year-olds. The setting supports children with special needs and children with English as an additional language. The group have

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Information about the setting

close links with local primary schools. All staff have early years qualifications, additional training and support is accessed through the Nottinghamshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, the Pre-School Learning Alliance and Gedling Play Forum.

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How good is the Day Care?

Lowdham Pre-School Playgroup provides satisfactory care for children. Staff work well together to provide a warm and welcoming environment for children and their parents. The two halls are used well to accommodate the children, with the small hall being used for additional small group activities, for children receiving nursery education funding. The main hall is set out attractively with a good range of toys and equipment prior to the children arriving. There is a good system for keeping records which is confidential, most of the required records and requirements are in place. The staff have a good awareness of safety, they ensure children are safe and

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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 secure during the setting. Staff have good procedures in place for ensuring health and hygiene and encourage children to learn about safety and personal hygiene during the daily routine. Children have access to drinking water during the session, and staff ensure that children's individual needs are met. Staff have a good working knowledge of the child protection procedures, however written procedures require updating. A good range of practical activities are planned and provided, although not all children's next steps in learning are planned. Staff interact well with the children, they talk and listen to the children and respond to their individual interests. Children are happy and confident within the setting, they relate well to staff and one another.

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How good is the Day Care?

Staff foster children's behaviour well through praise and encouragement. Staff work well with the parents, they provide good verbal communication and are supportive. There is good general information provided about the setting, which includes the prospectus, regular newsletters and additional information on the notice board.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the group agreed to implement a risk assessment of the setting, this is now in place, it includes daily checks with any identified risks recorded in an action plan. This provides a safer environment for the children.

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What is being done well?

• There are a good range of interesting and practical activities planned and provided, with good opportunities for children to explore materials and investigate. Activities are easily accessible to the children which helps them to become independent. • A good ratio of staff to children is provided, this enables staff to meet individual needs. • A happy and welcoming environment is provided, for children and their parents. • The staff have a good working relationship with the parents, they are supportive and communicate well to enable children's individual needs to be met.

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What needs to be improved?

• notification to the regulator of all staff changes • the operational plan to include additional information • the planning of all children's next steps in learning • the child protection statement.

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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

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

Std Action Date 14 Ensure that Ofsted is informed of all staff changes. 05/03/2004

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 2 Ensure that the operational plan includes how and what activities will be provided and how the continuing training needs of all staff will be met, and that this is available to parents. 3 Ensure that all children’s next steps in learning and development are planned, with reference to the more able children. 13 Update the child protection statement, based on the procedurees laid out in the Government booklet ‘What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused – Summary’.

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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?

Lowdham Pre-School Playgroup offers good quality education. It provides a happy, welcoming and stimulating environment, where children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is generally good. Staff develop good relationships with the children which helps them to become confident learners. A good range of practical activities are planned and provided. The group have developed their planning which now links clearly with the early learning goals, short term plans identify the learning needs of some children, but not the more able children where some activities lack sufficient challenge. Staff carry out observations and assessments of individual children which needs to continue to be developed to link with the short term plans to promote all children's learning. Staff time and resources are used well, with equipment and activities easily accessible for children. Staff have clear expectations for behaviour

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How effective is the nursery education?

which is consistently applied, they encourage children's confidence and self esteem well. There are currently no children with special educational needs and no children with English as an additional language, although there is a system in place to provide support. Leadership and management are generally good. There is a very strong and supportive management committee who work well with the staff. The staff team work well together, although activity planning is not done as a team. The team are very committed to the improvement of the care and education for all children, and access training to extend knowledge, this will be monitored through yearly appraisals. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. The parents are provided with good general information about the setting, this includes regular newsletters with information on the current topic and how parents can be involved. The group

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How effective is the nursery education?

are developing the ways to provide information on the Curriculum and sharing children's development records.

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What is being done well?

• Children's personal, social and emotional development is very good. Children have good relationships with adults and peers, they are forming friendships within the setting and learning to show concern for one another. • Children's imagination is developing well, during role play they act out familiar situations using props available. • The staff provide a good variety of practical activities which take into account children's particular interests. • There is a strong and supportive committee who work well with the staff team.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• the assessments and planning, to continue to develop these to link together • the detail in the short term plans to enable practitioners to make the best use of activities to promote learning of all children • the opportunities for children to develop writing skills • the opportunities for children to talk about and sometimes record their observations.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The group have made generally good progress towards improvement since the last inspection. They have developed the area of knowledge and understanding of the world and now provide more resources and activities to encourage the children to question why things happen and how things work. However, few opportunities have been provided for children to talk about and record their observations. The group have worked hard on assessments and are continuing to develop these to identify progression of children's learning. Opportunities have been provided for children to learn to care about their environment, this is through topics on living things and involving children in clearing up and tidying away of activities at the end of the session.

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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 interested in the good range of practical activities and are motivated to learn. They are confident to try new activities. Children are learning to form good relationships with adults and peers, some have particular friendship groups. They are learning to share and take turns. Children's independence is developing well in self-care skills. They are learning what is right and wrong within the group and show concern for one another.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children's language is developing well, within groups they listen to others and respond appropriately. Through good practical activities children are learning to link sounds to letters, and are able to distinguish sounds. They learn to recognise their own names and other familiar words. There are limited opportunities for children to practise their writing skills. Children learn how to handle and use books correctly, they enjoy listening to and sharing their favourite stories with others.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children show an interest in numerals, they are learning to count well and recognise numbers up to nine and above. Through practical activities, songs and rhymes children learn about calculation and use language such as more or less. Children can identify shapes and sizes and will name an object as big or little.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children learn about the natural world and living things and have opportunities to explore their environment. Through practical activities children explore and investigate a good range of objects and materials, although there are insufficient opportunities for children to talk about and record their findings. Children enjoy using a variety of tools and materials to construct and design models. Through various topics children are learning about different cultures and beliefs.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children's manipulative skills are developing well. There are good opportunities to use a range of tools and materials such as scissors, rolling pins and cutters for use with malleable materials, jigsaws and threading. Children have a good awareness of space, they move confidently around the environment accessing the activities and using the large apparatus, although the more able children were not sufficiently challenged. Children are learning about themselves and how to keep healthy.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore a variety of media and materials where they use their senses and express how these feel and smell. They enjoy singing and are able to sing simple songs from memory. Children have opportunities to listen to a variety of music and experiment with a range of musical instruments. Children's imagination is developing well, they use available props to act out familiar experiences, and four-year-olds are creative when using the building blocks to design and construct their own models.

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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

• continue to develop assessments and planning ensuring that these clearly link together. To include sufficient detail in short term plans to enable practitioners to make the best use of activities/experiences to promote the learning of all children • provide more opportunities for children to develop writing skills • provide more opportunities for children to talk about and sometimes record their observations.

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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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