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INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 16/03/2004 Inspector Name Mandy Mooney

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Petts Wood Playgroup (for Children With Special Needs) Setting Address Christ Church (United Reformed) Church Willett Way Petts Wood Kent BR5 1LH

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of PETTS WOOD PLAYGROUP 803792

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name PETTS WOOD PLAYGROUP Address 10 The Chenies Orpington Kent BR6 0ED

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ORGANISATION 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

Petts Wood Playgroup for children with special needs operates in the United Reformed Church Hall in Willett Way, Petts Wood. The playgroup is committee run and currently holds registered charity status. The playgroup was founded in 1968 and is well established in the local community. The playgroup is run by Mrs Larry Simpson who is a state registered nurse and who also holds a PLA qualification and is an NVQ Assessor. A total of 39 regular volunteers also work at the playgroup, attending on the same day each week to ensure continuity of care. Many of the volunteers hold appropriate childcare qualifications including early years teaching, PLA and level 3 childcare qualifications. The Playgroup also employs 2 drivers and 4 escorts, as many of the children are transported to and from the group in the group's mini bus. The group operates term-time only and is open from Mondays to Friday from 9.45 to12.15. In addition there is also an afternoon session on Tuesdays from 12.45

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Information about the setting

to14.45. All children attending the playgroup have been assessed as having a special educational need and have been referred by health professionals or their parents. There are currently 28 children on roll, of these none have English is an additional language. There are 4 funded 3 year olds and 4 funded 4 year olds. Petts Wood Playgroup is included in Bromley's Early Years Development and Childcare Plan. The staff team plan a curriculum based on the Foundation Stage. Activities are planned and organised to reflect the six areas of learning and are adapted to suit the individual needs of all the children. The playgroup's philosophy is to provide a safe and stimulating environment which enables each child the opportunity to achieve his or her potential.

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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?

Petts Wood Playgroup for children with special needs offers high quality nursery education where children enjoy learning through a wide variety of interesting and stimulating activities. Effective teaching helps the children make very good progress towards the early learning goals in all six areas of learning. The teaching is very good and staff show clear knowledge of how children learn and the early learning goals. They use their knowledge to plan and provide a broad based curriculum that includes a very good range of challenging and interesting practical activities and experiences. The integration and inclusion of children with special educational needs is very good and is built around working closely with parents and outside agencies. There is an effective system in place to support children who have English as an additional language. Staff show positive and skilful management of children's behaviour and have realistic

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How effective is the nursery education?

expectations of behaviour. They use a wide variety of strategies to encourage good behaviour including lots of praise, encouragement and acting as good role models. The assessment of children's learning is very good and staff use their observations to complete each child's assessment records. Leadership and management are very good and there is clear leadership within the group. There is a strong commitment to ongoing staff development and improving the nursery education. Partnership with parents and carers is very good. They are provided with a wide range of information about the centre and activities provided for the children. Children are cared for according to their parents wishes and parents are encouraged to participate in the life of the group. Parents are also kept informed about their children's development and progress.

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What is being done well?

• Children's personal, social and emotional development is very good. Children are confident, well behaved and have developed good relationships with their peers and staff. • Staff's clear understanding of the early learning goals helps them develop interesting, challenging and well planned activities for the children. • The partnership with parents is strong and staff work very hard to involve parents in the life of the centre and care for the children according to parents wishes. • The leadership and management are effective and help support good teamwork and a commitment to continuous improvement of the service.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• the further improvement and enhancement of the outside space by developing a growing area to enable children to grow things outdoors • extending the use of small group adult focus plans to include outside activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Since the last inspection the group has continued develop it's high quality service it offers to individual children and their families.

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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 confidently express their needs and ideas through different means and relate well to each other and adults. They are independent and increasing in confidence to try new activities which helps to promote their learning. Behaviour is good and is well supported by the relaxed and calm environment.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are becoming confident speakers and engage in conversations with each other and adults. Their listening skills are developing well. They learn that print carries meaning and know how to handle books. Children show an interest writing and practise writing spontaneously. Good use is made of visual prompts and children respond using increasing vocabulary.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's counting skills are developing well and some can count reliably to 10 and a few can recognise numerals. The children learn to use numbers in practical activities and show an interest in matching and comparing and other mathematical concepts. Staff seize opportunities to enhance children's development through everyday activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have a range of opportunities to explore and learn about technology, cultures, the natural world and features of their environment. The children are taken on outings to parks, the farm and other local places of interest. They learn about time through a variety of means including discussion about events in their lives, days of the week and understanding the nursery routine.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently and show increasing competence in balance, spatial awareness and coordination, this is promoted through access to a diverse range of activities and equipment. They show confidence and increasing control and skill in the use of tools, objects, construction equipment and malleable materials.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children show free imaginative expression through a diverse range of planned activities such as art and crafts, music sessions, singing, role play, puppets and dance.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

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

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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 high quality. Children are making very 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

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • extending the use of small group adult focus plans to include outside activities and the further development of the outside area to provide a growing area for the children.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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

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

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