Roundthorn School

Warden Bay Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 127753 Inspection date 04/11/2010 Inspector Susan Scott

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Setting address Village Hall, Warden Bay Road, Warden, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 4NB Telephone number 07733 210301 Email wardenplaygroup@gmail.com Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Warden Bay Playgroup opened in 1995. It operates from a large room in a village hall, in Warden. There is a secure outside play area and easy access to a field and play area adjoing the village hall car park. The playgroup serves the local area.

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Description of the setting

This provision is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 26 children aged from two years old may attend the pre-school at any one time.There are currently 18 children from two to four years on roll. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09.00 to 12.00. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting welcomes children with special eduactional needs and /or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

There are five staff who work with the children, including the supervisor. Three of the hold early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The uniqueness of each child is recognised by staff who provide good support for children and their families, ensuring that all children make progress in their learning and development. Children feel safe because there are good systems in place to safeguard their welfare although fire fighting equipment has not been checked since 2008. They benefit from the welcoming environment and experience good challenges in their outdoor play and other areas of learning, although there is less emphasis on mathematical learning. All the staff contribute to the self evaluation process by identifying strengths and improvements and children and parents ideas are welcomed. The children's welfare and learning is enhanced by the effective partnership with parents which ensures children?s experiences support their development.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 provide appropriate fire detection and control equipment (for example, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and fire blankets) which are in working order 31/12/2010

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop mathematical understanding through all children?s early play experiences including through stories, songs, games and imaginative play

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the early years provision

The Playgroup has the required policies and procedures in place to safeguard children and to ensure their welfare. The staff form a very stable and welcoming team who are keen to build upon the positive experiences children have here. They are vigilant and have a good understanding of their duty to safeguard children from harm. Staff keep good records of children's injuries and record the adults who collect children. The supervisor protects children's welfare by ensuring all adults who come into the building do not have unsupervised access to children. There are risk assessments to enable children to be kept safe both inside the building and when they go outside. There is a concern as the fire fighting equipment, such as the extinguishers, have not been checked since 2008 which means this may not be effective in an emergency. However, the hall has a variety of easy to access exits which are used for regular evacuation practices. The

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the early years provision

certificates of registration and insurance are displayed and the policies and procedures, including one for complaints, are available.

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the early years provision

The supervisor and staff evaluate practice to ensure children have good experiences here. They have taken positive action to address all previous recommendations and to keep improving the provision. The staff contribute to self- evaluation and use the feedback from children and staff as well as that from parents to identify improvements they can make. Staff use their knowledge and experience to bring about improvements. For example, children celebrate various festivals which support their understanding of different cultures and staff use a good variety of resources reflecting diversity to ensure they develop a balanced view of society. Children benefit from playing in a spacious and varied environment that offers good opportunities for challenging outdoor play. They can easily access a selection of toys and resources that is supplemented by any requests they make which ensures they are interested in the programme of activities. For instance,

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the early years provision

children enjoy a good range of natural resources which are supplemented by short trips to the beach and field nearby.

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the early years provision

The staff are happy to work with other organisations that are involved with children who attend in order to provide effective support. They support parents in seeking advice from specialists so that children's needs can be identified and supported effectively. Records from other nurseries have been shared and staff note children's development from these when they begin. There are clear procedures in place to support the individual needs of all children and families who attend the setting. Children have contact books which go home on a daily basis and they enthusiastically take home a toy cow and use a book to record experiences in their home lives. Parents have supported this process by recording a really good amount of children?s daily lives and outings so that staff can share information and develop good communication with children. Parents express their positive feelings about the service their children receive and have confidence in the

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the early years provision

staff who deliver an enjoyable experience for their children. Parental contributions This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 are valued and information is gathered when children first begin at the group, so that their individual requirements and development are noted. This enables staff to support and include all children successfully.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy a varied and interesting range of play activities that support their progress towards the early learning goals. The staff offer good opportunities for children to progress by supporting children's self-chosen play and the adult led activities are delivered flexibly to take account of children's individual interests and needs. There is a clear and well understood system for recording what children do and achieve; key staff plan for the next steps in their learning by using these observational assessments to draw up plans for the week ahead. All staff observe and record children's development and achievements so that they are able to recognise children's interests and effectively support their learning.

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and outcomes for children

Plans provide for a variety of play and learning experiences using an interesting range of resources, such as dressing up clothes, imaginative play props and varied construction and craft media. All the children enjoy using the inside and outside areas to support their play and learning and benefit from helping themselves to toys and equipment or asking staff to provide these from the store cupboard. This results in children who are well focussed and can sustain their interest so that they are able to achieve well. For example, one child plays with the sand for sometime alone and manages to turn out a small, complete sandcastle. The child is excited by this success and calls staff to acknowledge it, which they do well. Staff ensure activities are developmentally appropriate but although signing is sometimes used to promote inclusion, it is not used consistently, so children do not benefit fully from this method of communication.

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and outcomes for children

There are good systems in place to ensure children are kept safe in the premises and routines provide a secure environment for children. The entrance and exit arrangements are carefully monitored to keep all children safe. Children benefit from procedures to administer medicine and care from staff who ensure they follow parent's instructions and use clear and well understood procedures to deal with illness or accidents

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and outcomes for children

Children play happily and with good concentration in this welcoming environment as they have lots of choices and enjoy the opportunities to initiate their own activities. They clearly feel safe and learn to respect and tolerate others. Children are able to access attractive resources of all kinds which staff take great care to display well. For instance, there are role play resources to reflect a hospital setting in order to support the current interest in fireworks. This enables children to learn how to behave in a safe manner, as staff participate in their play and build upon their understanding. All the areas of learning are supported by staff who promote children's choices and deliver an enjoyable experience. However, the children's understanding of mathematical ideas is often covered through spontaneous play and use of routines, such as counting, and as a result, there is occasionally less This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children have regular opportunities to enjoy outdoor play in the large playground area and the challenging apparatus which they use with enthusiasm and confidence. They also use of the outdoor environment for observing nature and exploring the locality by visiting the beach and the field next to the hall. Staff allow children to make choices about their outdoor play and they may stay inside if they wish to which builds enthusiasm. Children confidently help themselves to the snack foods and pour themselves drinks of milk or water independently. They develop an awareness of their own health by enjoying opportunities to discuss they foods they eat and the benefits of a healthy diet. They made vegetable soup with assorted vegetables for their harvest celebration and were able to eat this. Children learn how to keep healthy through exercise by feeling the effects of vigorous movement on their own heart.

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and outcomes for children

Children experiment using card, glue-sticks and different paper to make rockets in accord with the firework night theme; staff support well this well and children refine their fine physical skills by using scissors with competence and skill. Children freely choose to use the computer, often without assistance and develop their understanding of the technical skills required to use some of the software. Children have very good opportunities to explore and investigate using interesting and varied natural and made resources such as, feathers, shells, cotton wool and magnets. They also enjoy opportunities to use sand, and a bowl of oats and tea for sensory play. Children have regular opportunities to participate in the singing and when they sing songs they develop their confidence by being aplauded by staff and other children. They enjoy sharing books and listen to stories that staff read to them, discussing the events described and learning how to behave in a small

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and outcomes for children

group. They experience practical opportunities to build upon their early reading skills from the self-registration system and older children often write their name on work. For, example, children write their name on the inside of the cardboard monsters they have made. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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