Tydd St Mary Playgroup

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 12/07/2004 Inspector Name Katherine Powell

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Sessional Day Care Setting Name Tydd St Mary Playgroup Setting Address Trafford Room Common Way Tydd St Mary Lincolnshire PE13 5QY

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The Committee of Tydd St Mary Playgroup

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Tydd St Mary Playgroup Address Trafford Room Common Way, Tydd St Mary Lincolnshire PE13 5QY

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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

Tydd St. Mary Pre-school Playgroup is a committee run group which was first established over 30 years ago. The group is based in the old village school building and has the use of the entrance hall, main hall, kitchen, toilets and storage areas. There is an enclosed outdoor play area attached to the building. Parking facilities are available for staff and parents. Children attending the group are drawn from the village and surrounding rural areas. There are currently 18 children on roll. This includes eight children in receipt of nursery funding for three year olds and seven children in receipt of funding for four year olds. There are two children attending who have been identified with special needs and no children speak English as an additional language. The provision is open during the school term-time from 09.15 until 11.45. It operates for three or four mornings each week depending on the number of children on roll.

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Information about the setting

The group does not operate on Wednesday. The provision employs four members of staff. Of these, the supervisor and deputy have completed recognised childcare qualifications. The pre-school is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and receives support from the curriculum advisor at the Lincolnshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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How good is the Day Care?

Tydd St. Mary Pre-School Playgroup provides good quality care for children aged between two and five years. Staff work well as a team and have a consistent approach to their work. This is achieved by a detailed operational plan, comprehensive policies and procedures, regular staff meetings and a staff appraisal system. Staff are deployed effectively within the setting and have clear roles and responsibilities. Staff ensure procedures

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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 outlined in health and safety policies are fully implemented and good hygiene practices are maintained. Staff actively promote healthy eating at snack times. Staff plan a broad and balanced range of activities to engage children's interest and help them to make progress in all areas of learning. Children are highly motivated and are positively encouraged to select their own activities and resources. They move freely between different activities and are given good opportunities to engage in outdoor play. Staff provide high levels of support and extend children's learning well through effective questioning. An effective system is in place to support children with special needs. The learning environment is well organised and stimulating and

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How good is the Day Care?

staff make good use of space and resources. Children take part in a very good range of activities to promote their imagination and creativity. There is an effective partnership with parents which is fostered through effective written and verbal communication. Staff work closely with parents to ensure they are kept informed of the progress their child is making and parents are actively encouraged to participate in children's learning. Staff provide a warm and welcoming environment for children and parents.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the provider agreed to: draw up an action plan detailing how the provision would meet the minimum staff qualification requirement; obtain written parental permission for seeking emergency medical care for children; develop an operational plan and complete a risk assessment of the whole premises. The committee and staff have taken positive action to address the actions raised. A detailed operational plan has been developed and implemented which reflects current practice. The plan is made available to parents and is regularly reviewed and updated by staff. Parents now complete permission slips on children's registration forms regarding emergency medical treatment. A full risk assessment of the premises, including the outside area, has been undertaken by staff. Potential hazards have been identified and any action taken to minimise risks has been recorded. Both the supervisor and the deputy have now successfully completed their

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What has improved since the last inspection?

childcare qualifications and as a result the provision is now meeting the minimum qualification requirement. There are plans for further staff to undertake recognised qualifications in future and all staff regularly attend professional courses to enhance their knowledge and skills. The group have made very good progress to address all issues since the last inspection and consequently this has had a positive impact on the care given to children.

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide high levels of supervision during practical activities and snack times. Consequently children are well cared for, they feel secure and their individual needs are met. Children are very well behaved and their achievements are valued and praised. • There are effective systems in place to promote children's safety within the

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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 setting and good hygiene routines are maintained. • Staff provide a well organised and stimulating learning environment where children are actively encouraged to make their own choices about learning and play. • Staff plan a wide range of activities to promote children's learning in all areas. They regularly assess children's progress which helps them to identify the next steps in children's learning. They make very good use of the natural environment and the local community to extend children's learning. • The pre-school has developed a good partnership with parents due to effective written and verbal communication. Parents are given good quality information about the setting, the curriculum and their child's progress.

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An aspect of outstanding practice:

Staff make excellent use of daily snack times to reinforce children's awareness and understanding of the importance of healthy eating and why they need a nutritious and balanced diet. Staff ensure children are offered a wide variety of healthy snacks and drinks each day to cater for individual tastes and preferences. On a typical day this may include toast with a selection of healthy spreads and fruit jam, bread sticks, apple slices, cheese cubes and raisins. Children are encouraged to make their own choices and have opportunities to pour out drinks and serve other children. Staff sit with the children during snack time to encourage social skills and good table manners and engage the children in conversation regarding healthy eating and explain why certain foods are good for our bodies and well-being. Staff also provide parents with very good information about the range of snacks offered and weekly

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An aspect of outstanding practice:

menus are displayed on the noticeboard. Through snack time staff help children to develop positive attitudes towards healthy eating in a relaxed and happy environment. (Standard 8)

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What needs to be improved?

• procedures for administering medicines to children.

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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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WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NEXT?

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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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 7 Ensure all medicines given to children are recorded in the medicine book and entries are countersigned by parents.

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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?

Tydd St. Mary Pre-School Playgroup provides a caring and stimulating environment in which young children can grow in confidence and knowledge. Effective curriculum planning and teaching help children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas. The provision for creative development and the opportunities given for children to express themselves freely and imaginatively are particular strengths. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a thorough understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and have implemented effective planning and assessment systems to support children's progress. They provide a broad and balanced range of practical activities and children are encouraged to make their own choices about play and learning. Staff are good role models and interact well with children. They promote children's learning through effective questioning and maintain very good standards of behaviour. Staff use praise and encouragement to

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How effective is the nursery education?

foster children's self-esteem. Staff make good use of time and resources and children are provided with regular opportunities to engage in outdoor activities. Children with special needs are well supported within the setting. Leadership and management is very good. There is a supportive management committee who work well together with the staff. The commitment to continuous improvement is demonstrated through regular staff meetings, opportunities for staff to access further training and an effective staff appraisal system. The group have sought support from the curriculum advisor at the Lincolnshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership to further develop the education provision. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive high quality written information about the setting and are encouraged to be involved in the children's learning. They are well informed of the progress and attainment their child is making

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How effective is the nursery education?

and have opportunities to contribute to assessment records.

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What is being done well?

• Staff work well as a team and plan the curriculum effectively to ensure all areas of learning are covered. Assessment systems are used well to monitor children's progress and to plan the next stages in their learning. • Staff are positive role models and provide a secure and harmonious learning environment. Children are encouraged to freely explore their surroundings, develop their independence skills and express themselves creatively and imaginatively using a wide range of resources. • An effective partnership with parents is fostered through good written and verbal communication. Parents are actively involved in their child's learning.

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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 • Strong leadership ensures that staff have opportunities to share good practice and develop their knowledge and skills through further training. • Staff provide a stimulating range of practical activities which motivate children and engage their interest. They skilfully question children to promote their language skills and extend their learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• display areas within the main room for children's own work • daily plans to identify more clearly how activities will be differentiated to meet individual ages and stages of development.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The provision has made very good progress since the last inspection to address the key issue raised. Staff and the committee have organised fund raising events to further develop the range of musical instruments. As a result the setting now has a very good range of musical resources, which also includes a wide selection of taped music to promote children's awareness of different types of music, including music from other cultures. The instruments are used effectively by staff during planned activities and children are also given regular opportunities to select their own instruments during free-play activities. Children are encouraged to explore different sounds and use the instruments to repeat simple rhythms. This has had a positive impact on children's creative development.

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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's behaviour is very good and they learn to concentrate and persevere with more challenging tasks. They relate well to each other and approach adults with confidence. Children are developing high levels of independence and are keen to learn and explore their environment. They show care and concern for others and learn to take responsibility for their own actions. Through topic work and activities they are developing their awareness of diverse faiths and cultures.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing a wide vocabulary and engage easily in conversation with others. They enjoy selecting their own books and respond enthusiastically during group story times. They learn to use language from familiar stories during imaginative role-play activities. Children have frequent opportunities to write for different purposes and are able to write their names independently or with the aid of a name card. They are learning to link sounds to letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children learn to use numbers in everyday situations and count confidently in sequence to ten and beyond. More able children can recognise some numerals. Children's understanding of addition and subtraction is developed through practical activities and daily routines. They can recognise and describe familiar shapes and use resources such as beads to devise simple patterns. They use a wide range of mathematical language to describe position and compare size and quantity.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children have regular opportunities to visit the local environment and meet people from the community. They talk about their own lives and people they know. They explore the natural world using their senses and learn about living things, seasonal changes and life cycles through direct observation. They construct and build intricate models using a variety of materials and tools. They use a wide range of technology equipment, such as magnets and battery toys, to support their learning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use a wide range of equipment, both indoors and outdoors, to support them in developing their whole body skills. They move around safely and confidently and handle tools and small apparatus with increasing control. Through discussion and daily routines children are developing their understanding of the effects that exercise, a balanced diet and good hygiene can have on their health.

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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 freely explore a variety of media and materials to help them learn about colour, shape and texture. Children have learnt a variety of songs and have frequent opportunities to play musical instruments, explore different sounds and move in response to music. Children express themselves imaginatively during role-play activities and have access to a wide range of resources. They respond to different experiences, such as food tasting activities, using appropriate senses.

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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 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: • Points for consideration: • further develop areas within the main play room to display children's work effectively • further develop daily plans to clearly identify how activities will be differentiated to meet individual ages and stages of development.

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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 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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