Sandcastles Preschool Playgroup

Sandcastles Preschool Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY246058 Inspection date 02/02/2011 Inspector Lynne Bowden

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Setting address Connor Downs Sunday School, Turnpike Road, Connor Downs, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 5DT Telephone number 07976 315692 Email 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

Sandcastles Preschool Playgroup opened in 2002 and is committee run. It operates from the church hall in the village of Connor Downs, near Hayle, Cornwall. They have use of a large hall, kitchen and toilet facilities. All children share access to a secure enclosed play area. The pre-school is open Monday to Friday from 9am until 3.30pm, on a sessional basis during school term. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register for a maximum of 20 children from two to five years of age at any one time. There are currently 30 children on roll. Three and four-year-old children receive nursery education funding. Children come from the local area. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting employs four staff who work directly with the children; three members of staff hold an a National Vocational Qualification in early years at level 3 and one member of staff is working towards this. The setting receives support from the

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Description of the setting

local authority and the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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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

Children are very confident and secure at this welcoming setting. Staff plan and provide a range of activities which interest children and promotes their independence, learning and development, but records lack clarity. The setting has identified their strengths and weaknesses. They work well with other agencies to meet individual children's needs and support their transition into school. Parents are informed about their children's achievements and progress.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 develop further the observation and assessment systems, to more clearly show how children's next steps are promoted and their progress; and involve parents and other providers in this process.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded by the effective recruitment and vetting procedures which ensure that children are cared for by suitable and qualified staff. A suitable safeguarding children policy and procedures along with the staff's awareness of this subject enables them to safeguard children. Regular risk assessments are carried out to keep the environment safe and the premises are secure. Staff This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 encourage daily access to the outdoor play area. Observation and assessment records are used to plan and provide activities to promote each child's development. However, these records are not well organised to clearly show children's progress. This does not encourage and promote the involvement of parents and other providers in planning and promoting children's learning and providing consistent care. Staff serve healthy snacks and drinks and meet

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the early years provision

individual children's dietary needs. Staff use their knowledge to promote the use of sign language during snack time. They promote good hygiene habits, reminding children to wash their hands at appropriate times and discussing the importance of washing harmful germs away. Staff work very effectively together to handle behaviour issues in a calm, firm and consistent way.

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the early years provision

Welcoming staff share information with parents informally each day and through notice boards. Parents are also able to contact and learn about the setting by using their email address and internet blog. The setting has experience of working effectively with a variety of other settings and agencies to meet children's individual needs and parents value the support that staff give to them and their children. The staff also work closely with local schools to support children's transitions to them.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very confident and develop independence at this setting. They make good progress in all areas of learning; they are engaged and interested in and make good use of the wide range of resources available to them. Daily access to the outdoor play area lets children enjoy the fresh air. They learn to dress appropriately for the weather and develop coordination and balance as they use the equipment there. There they also enjoy using a range of mark making materials. Children enjoy their snack time, where they learn the importance of sitting at the table to eat, to minimise the risk of choking, and develop independence as they pour out their own drinks. Children become aware of and learn to respect and value diversity, because they learn different ways to communicate such as sign language and routinely use and access a range of resources that present positive images of different cultures and disabilities. They

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and outcomes for children

also learn about their own and others' cultures, celebrations and traditions.

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and outcomes for children

Children label their work in a variety of ways progressing onto accurately writing their own names. They work with concentration and purpose. For example, one child helps design and creates the front page of a book they are creating about transport. This involves drawing a train engine, coaches and track, cutting them out and sticking them onto the coloured paper. This leads to a discussion about various journeys that they have experienced. Children learn how to handle and use tools such as scissors safely. They learn to behave well because staff give clear and consistent explanations, so all are aware of the expectations. Participation in regular evacuation drills ensures that children learn how to behave in the event of a fire. 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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