Wheatley Pre-School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 24/11/2004 Inspector Name Christine Cutts

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Wheatley Pre-School Setting Address The Playgroup Room, Wheatley Primary School Littleworth Road, Wheatley Oxford Oxfordshire OX33 1NW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Wheatley Pre-School 284254

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Wheatley Pre-School Address Wheatley Playgroup, The Playgroup Room Wheatley Primary School, Littleworth Road Wheatley, Oxford Oxfordshire OX33 1NW

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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

Wheatley Preschool was established in 1965. It is a voluntary group that has Charitable Status and is managed by an elected committee of parents. The playgroup is registered to provide sessional day care for 26 children from 3 to 5 years of age. Sessions take place every weekday from 09.00 until 11.45 and from Monday to Thursday from 13.00. until 15.30. The playgroup is open during term time only. The playgroup serves the village of Wheatley in Oxfordshire and the surrounding area. It takes place in premises at the Wheatley Centre which is located in the grounds of Wheatley Primary School. The playgroup has the use of a playroom with a kitchen, a store room and toilet facilities. The children also have the use of a fenced outdoor play area. This area is paved and has fixed climbing apparatus set in an area covered with bark chippings. There are 52 children on the roll at present. Thirty four of the children are funded

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Information about the setting

three-year-olds and five are funded four-year-olds. There are no children on the roll with identified special educational needs, or for whom English is an additional language. Six members of staff care for the children. Four of the staff hold level 3 qualifications in childcare and education. The setting receives support from a mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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How good is the Day Care?

The Wheatley playgroup provides satisfactory care for children in a warm and welcoming environment. The accommodation allows for a variety of activities and good resources are made available for the children to choose from encouraging independence. Good use is made of the space available to promote children's development. The high staff/child ratio enables staff to support children well. Adequate documentation is in place for the play group to care for the children, although some standards are not fully met with regard to the documentation required.

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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 Children's health and welfare are well promoted with staff encouraging good health routines, there are effective systems for the identification, monitoring and support of children with special needs. The staff are vigilant, aware of potential hazards and ensure the children can play in safety. However the child protection provision has weaknesses. A good range of resources are used effectively to promote children's understanding of others and provides positive images of the diversity in our society. The children are supported and encouraged in their learning with planned and unplanned activities covering the six areas of learning in line with the Foundation Stage. Observations and progress records help staff to be aware of the children's

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How good is the Day Care?

individual development and all activities and resources are made available to all children. Children's behaviour is generally good in a lively and busy atmosphere. Parents support the play group and comments received show that they are very happy with the care given and the information on their children's progress and care.

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What is being done well?

• A very good range of activities are made available for the children who are active and involved in their learning and play. • Art work, pictures, displays and posters make the environment welcoming and child friendly, offering a bright and stimulating space for children to play. • A very good range of toys and equipment are made available for the children, who enjoy the space and time to develop extended play with the good range of resources made available. • The group enjoys very good relationships with parents who are supportive of the playgroup and appreciate the care given and information received on the children progress and development.

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What needs to be improved?

• qualification for persons in charge, to be at Level 3. • A system for obtaining prior consent for administration of medication and acknowledgement of medication administered. • The child protection procedure for the playgroup, to comply with local Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) procedures and develop staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection issues, including local area contact numbers. • Documentation to meet the recommendation in the guidance to the national standards including the provision of :- an operational plan, a risk assessment for the group, a record of children individual needs or special requirements,

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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 complaints information to parents that includes Ofsted as point of contact for complaints and a record of incidents of physical intervention if any occur.

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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 1 develop and implement an action plan that sets out how the group will meet the level three qualification for persons in charge 30/03/2005

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

7 develop a system for obtaining prior parental consent before administration of medication and a record of medication administered 30/03/2005

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

13 ensure that the child protection procedure for the playgroup complies with local Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC) procedures and develop staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection issues, including local area contact numbers. 30/03/2005

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 14 Ensure documentation meets all the Children Act regulatory requirements in the National Standards.

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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?

The Wheatley playgroup provides good-quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for their personal, social and emotional development is well promoted. The Wheatley playgroup offer's children a warm and welcoming environment in which good use is made of the accommodation and resources to promote children's learning. Children's behaviour is generally good with the staff supporting children to develop an understanding of right and wrong and the rules of the playgroup. The quality of teaching is generally good with staff building on children's own interests and developing their spontaneous learning well. Children's developmental records link children's progress to the stepping stones. Planning covers all areas of learning but lacks details on focused learning out-comes. Areas of mathematics, literacy, language and communication are well supported, although opportunities for

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How effective is the nursery education?

children to learn through practical everyday activities are less well promoted and there is a lack of opportunity to practise emergent writing for a variety of purposes. Staff praise, encourage and support children's learning well. Management and leadership has significant weaknesses, although staff work well together, and the supervisors are committed to building good staff relationships. There is no system for self assessment or future development to enable the group to evaluate the provision of nursery education. Partnership with parents and carers is very good and parents are supportive of the playgroup and are actively involved in the life of the playgroup. Comments received show that parents appreciate the information exchanged on their children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Children are confident, well motivated and active in their learning and are encouraged by staff to make good use of the wide selection of resources made available for the children. The children are well occupied and enjoy the activities made available. • The good range of art work, displays, posters and pictures and the well organised space allows for a wide variety of play opportunities and provides a bright and stimulating environment for children. • The staff have good relationships with the children and build on the children's own interests and experience to support their spontaneous learning well. • Parents support the pre-school well and good relationships enable the staff to offer and receive information to help them meet the needs of the children. • There is are effective system for identify, monitoring and supporting children

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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 with special needs.

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What needs to be improved?

• A system for self evaluation and future development to enable the group to assess the provision for nursery education. • Planning that identifies learning outcomes for focused activities enabling the staff to meet the children's individual learning needs and to fully explore all learning opportunities from the activities. • Opportunities for children to practise emergent writing in a variety of ways and situations. • Opportunities for children to use calculation and problem solving in practical everyday situations.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The group has made very good progress on the key issues raised at the last inspection. Group times are used effectively to promote children's learning and the children listen and are attentive in group situations. The progress record system has been changed and the Oxfordshire profile record system has been adopted by the group. The staff have all had training on making observations and recordings for the new system, enabling the staff to monitor the children progress on the stepping stones.

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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 active in their learning, are generally well behaved, show confidence and are developing independence skills. Staff give children the opportunity to talk about themselves and their experiences individually, building children's self-esteem. The children work well together and co-operate to achieve tasks, they share and take turns and understand the rules of the playgroup.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children talk confidently and use language effectively to negotiate and make their feelings understood, building their competence with language through social interactions with adults and others. Children show an enjoyment of books choosing to 'read' to adults and others. There are good opportunities for children to see words in a variety of prints. There are less opportunities for children to practise emergent writing or use writing for a variety of purposes.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Some children count confidently up to 10, and recognise some numbers 0-9. They use numbers as labels, updating the calendar. Children sort by their own criteria using play insects, or by colour, shape and or size with a good range of equipment made available. They use mathematical language (small, large, bigger, smaller, medium) appropriately. Children have fewer opportunities to use calculation or problem-solve in everyday practical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children have good opportunities to explore and investigate using their senses, with good, planned activities, they learn about growth and change through observation of the weather and nature. They have good access to a computer with age appropriate programmes linked to other areas of learning. The playgroup has a good range of resources to promote children's understanding of others and celebrate festivals and events from the children's own and other cultures.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good The playgroup make effective use of the out-door space to allow children to move confidence and control using a wide range of resources, including good fixed apparatus. A range of opportunities for children to use tools and to develop fine motor skills are supplied by the playgroup. There are fewer opportunities for children to move with imagination through dance or movement to music.

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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: Generally Good There are opportunities for children to express themselves in a variety on media. Staff allow children the freedom and space to develop involved and imaginative role play, when using the role play area. Children express their ideas, thoughts and feelings using two and three dimensions, colour and texture with painting, play dough, and small world play. There are fewer opportunities for children to express their creativity using a variety of materials to design and build.

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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 a system for self evaluation and future development to enable the group to assess the provision for nursery education. • Review planning to identify learning outcomes for focused activities enabling the staff to meet the children's individual learning needs and to fully explore all learning opportunities from the activities. • Develop opportunities for children to practise emergent writing in a variety of ways and situations. • Develop opportunities for children to use calculation and problem solving in practical everyday situations.

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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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