Overbury Grasshoppers

Overbury Grasshoppers Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY390721 Inspection date 25/01/2011 Inspector Angela Cole

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Setting address Overbury, Nr Tewkesbury, Glos, GL20 7NT

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Telephone number 01386 725755 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. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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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

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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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

Overbury Grasshoppers is a limited company. It opened in 2009 and is situated in the village of Overbury in Worcestershire. The setting operates from a main room with two ancillary rooms in purpose-built premises. All children share access to an enclosed, outdoor, play spaces with a covered, all-weather area. The premises are designed for ease of access. The setting is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 50 weeks of the year. Provision for older children is offered before and after school and in school holidays.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 30 children in the early years age group may attend the setting at any one time. The provider is on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 48 children on roll, 38 of whom are in the early years age group. Children come from the village and from the surrounding areas. The setting currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

The setting employs six members of staff who all hold appropriate early years qualifications. Of these, two are gaining Foundation Degrees in Childcare and Education. Children have weekly opportunities to take part in forest school activities and dance drama sessions. The setting has close operational links with Overbury Church of England First School.

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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 nursery effectively meets the needs of all children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Practitioners plan well to provide stimulating and engaging experiences so children's learning and development is effectively promoted though monitoring of their progress varies. Children are entirely safe and secure at all times and particularly enjoy exploring the local area and the world around them. Many aspects of the partnership with parents are well developed, and systems are identified to make links with other providers with whom children have contact. Established systems for self-evaluation ensure that the nursery recognises the strengths and of the provision and areas for development to take positive action in order to drive future improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 review the use of assessment that includes parents' comments to monitor the children's rate of progress in the areas of learning  implement plans so that when children attend more than one setting, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 practitioners from each setting regularly share the children's development and learning records and any other relevant information in order to support children more effectively.

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the early years provision

There is a strong emphasis on safeguarding as policies are well understood and implemented by all staff. This means that they are well placed to protect children who may be at risk. Robust employment procedures are in place to make sure that adults working with children are suitable for their roles. Staff are vigilant and implement a comprehensive programme of risk assessment in order to keep children safe from harm. The premises are kept entirely safe and secure. All necessary records and documentation are in place and information, such as the certificate of registration, is clearly displayed.

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the early years provision

The nursery effectively promotes equality and diversity. Children's needs are effectively met as staff are considerate towards their individual requirements and ensure they are happy and relaxed. Parents speak highly of the provision and feel fully involved in their children's care and learning. There are effective arrangements to encourage a two-way flow of information for parents to play a key role in the assessment of their child's progress, though their comments are not systematically included in the learning records. The nursery has made contact with other settings that children attend but has yet to share development and learning records and other relevant information for continuity of care and learning.

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the early years provision

Very good use is made of the available resources. For example, deployment of staff is carefully considered to ensure that children are well supported and develop strong attachments to key people. High quality toys and equipment are well maintained by staff who clearly take a pride in their setting. There is a strong commitment to sustainability with children growing and harvesting food for their meals and recycling materials in the wormery. The leadership and management of the nursery have high aspirations for the quality of the provision. This is reflected through the support given to staff and the strong emphasis on self-evaluation and ongoing improvement. The views of parents, staff and children are regularly sought in order to identify areas for development and implement clear plans of action to ensure a positive outcome.

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and outcomes for children

Toddlers and older children benefit from the staff's detailed knowledge of their individual needs. This enables them to build a strong, trusting relationship with the adults and their peers and to be caring towards one another. The staff's high expectations and the use of clear boundaries mean that children behave very well and have good manners. These relationships enable children to become confident, independent and curious to try out new activities and experiences. The play areas This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 are well organised to give children the freedom to move around, in and out of doors, taking part in different activities of their choice. For example, children enjoy exploring writing materials, sand, paint, dough and foam in the craft area; they dig in soil and weave ribbons on a threading board outside. They have ample space to set out small-world scenes and to build boats and obstacle courses with blocks and

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and outcomes for children

planks. Children thrive in this supportive and accessible environment.

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and outcomes for children

Children have independent access to a range of high-quality resources, giving them much choice in their play. The solid programme of observation means that children's interests are well fostered. For example, they focus on space and the solar system, and a deep interest in olden-day knights gives rise to the nursery's own 'castle' for role play. Children's achievements are consistently recognised and acknowledged though the monitoring of their rate of progress varies. Progress is very good in all areas of learning, and especially so in knowledge and understanding of the world. This is because very good use is made of outdoor space and the surrounding estate land and facilities. Children become engrossed in a theme on diggers and dumpers during building work on site. They benefit from frequent opportunities to explore the natural world, exploring nearby places, such as bluebell woods, seeing at first hand how crops and animals are farmed, and

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and outcomes for children

learning where their food comes from. They also enjoy very strong links with the local community, playing an active role in village life.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and relaxed in the staff's company and benefit from their enthusiasm and involvement in the play. Their language development is well encouraged as the adults talk with them throughout the day. Children develop a love of books as they regularly snuggle up with staff to read books together and in small groups. When the adults have finished reading the story, they effectively encourage older children to recall the main points. Children's problem solving skills are well fostered; mathematical language is frequently used during play activities and routines when children confidently count, for example, pieces of fruit to find if each child may have anther.

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and outcomes for children

Children readily adopt healthy lifestyles, choosing to spend much time out of doors in the fresh air and making healthy food choices at snack times. Drinking water is freely available to children during the day, ensuring they stay hydrated. Well- established routines for hand washing ensure that children learn about good personal hygiene. Children feel entirely safe. They employ a wide variety of tools safely and frequently discuss and practise emergency evacuation procedures. They make excellent use of the 'forest school' facilities to learn safety at first hand by taking small risks in controlled circumstances. 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 3 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 1 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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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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