Mitton Manor Pre-School and After School Club

Mitton Manor Pre-School and After School Club Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 101658 Inspection date 16/06/2011 Inspector Fiona Robinson

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Setting address Mitton Manor Primary School, Carrant Road, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 8AR Telephone number 01684275426 Email mittomanorplaygroup@btconnect.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

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

Mitton Manor Playgroup and After School Club was first registered in 1986 as a community group with charitable status, and is managed by a voluntary committee of parents and carers. The after school club aspect of the provision was registered in March 2003. They are located in a designated building in the grounds of Mitton Manor Primary School in a residential area on the outskirts of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. There is disability access to the building. Children have immediate access to an enclosed outdoor play area and have the use of the school hall and outside areas. They provide support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language. They are registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup and after school club may care for a maximum of 30 children under eight years at any one time. Of these, not more than 30 may in the early years age group and of these, none may be under two years at any one time. There are currently 58 children from two years to the end of the early years age range on roll. Of these, 44 children receive funding. The playgroup is open each weekday during school term times. Sessions begin with Earlybirds pre-school children where breakfast is available from 8.30am until 9.00am then the session continues until 11.30am. There are afternoon sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12.30pm to 3pm for the two-to-three-year-olds. Children come from the local and surrounding areas and attend for a variety of the sessions. The after school club is open each weekday during term time from 3.15pm to 5.45pm. There are currently 14 children aged from four to under eight years on roll, of whom four are

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Description of the setting

under five years of age. The group also cares for older children up to the age of 11 years. All children attend the adjacent Mitton Manor Primary School. Mitton Manor Playgroup and After School Club employs seven staff, of whom one holds a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at level 3; four have level 2, and two are working towards a child care course with PATA. They hold the Gloucestershire Inclusive Practice Award and receive support from the local authority.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children eagerly participate in an excellent range of activities and achieve exceptionally well. They are very well-cared for in a bright, stimulating environment and staff ensure they are fully included in indoor and outdoor play. Partnerships with parents, the host school and outside agencies are outstanding. Information is shared very effectively and fully supports children's care and well- being. The manager and staff have a very clear knowledge of the nursery's strengths and areas for improvement and there is an excellent record of continuous improvement. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 developing further problem solving and sensory experiences in the outdoor area so that children can have easy and regular access to this aspect of learning and development.

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the early years provision

Children's safety is promoted exceptionally well because staff have an outstanding awareness of safeguarding and child protection procedures. The premises are very secure and parents and carers are familiar with the rigorous procedures for the collection of children. Risk assessments are carried out regularly to ensure that the environment is kept safe. Comprehensive policies and procedures are fully implemented to ensure children's safety. Children are very well-supervised indoors and outdoors. They access a wide range of resources that are safe and suitable for their age. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that adults working with or having contact with the children are suitable. Staff practice fire drills with the children so that they are familiar with the procedures for evacuating the building.

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the early years provision

The playgroup and the after school club are very well-led and managed. The manager and staff meet regularly as a team to discuss activities, assessment and areas for improvement. They work very well as a team and share the vision to provide high quality childcare in their new building. Continuous reflective discussion takes place on further development. For example, staff have been considering how to improve the outdoor area further to include an outdoor sensory and environmental area in which the children can play, explore and solve problems. Currently the children are developing these skills in the wider natural environment in the school grounds which are not so easily accessible. There is excellent involvement of children in daily routines and activities because staff promote equality and diversity to an exemplary level. They provide excellent support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those

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the early years provision

who speak English as an additional language, so that they make outstanding progress, similar to their peers. Very effective use is made of a wide range of resources to meet the needs of the children. Activities are regularly monitored and challenging targets are set for the children so they achieve extremely well. Children make very effective use of the digital camera to record and share their experiences and readily access resources to support their play. Partnerships with parents and carers, the host school, Children's Centre and a range of outside agencies are outstanding. Parents are kept very well-informed of special events and activities such as Sports Day through informal discussions, newsletters and the parents' notice board. Key staff meet with parents and carers This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 termly to discuss children's achievement and progress. Parents value the

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the early years provision

opportunity to take learning journals home to view with their children. They are very supportive of special events such as Kings and Queens Day and fundraising activities. There are excellent links with the host school. Staff liaise extremely well so that children's needs are met in the afterschool club, and both the nursery and after school club benefit from the use of the hall and the outdoor environment to extend their activities. There are also outstanding partnerships with outside agencies and the Children's Centre who help the staff to support the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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and outcomes for children

Children at the playgroup and after school club benefit from a stimulating range of activities that helps them make excellent progress in all areas of their development. Staff value their ideas and interests and include these in their planning. Staff regularly monitor their achievement and progress and skillfully use the information to plan the next steps in learning. Themes such as Our Town, Ourselves and Spring result in colourful displays which celebrate children's achievements and make the indoor environment interesting and welcoming.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop an excellent understanding of keeping healthy and safe. They are encouraged to make healthy decisions and introduced to an active, healthy lifestyle. Their physical skills are developed extremely well as they balance on the climbing frame, play football and explore the activity trail in the outdoor environment. They make healthy choices at snack time from a variety of options such as fruit, vegetables, pizzas with healthy toppings and pitta bread. Children feel very safe and behave in ways that are very safe for themselves and others. For example, they use equipment very safely when preparing fruit salads and smoothies. Children benefit from talks on safety from the police and fire services. They are eager to practice their road safety skills in their outdoor area. Children feel very safe and secure at the playgroup and after school club.

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and outcomes for children

Children behave very well because staff have a consistent approach to managing behaviour. Children build excellent relationships with staff and respect the rules and boundaries. They learn to share their toys with one another and respond very well to staff's care and attention. Children become extremely confident as they receive praise and encouragement from staff. Children learning English as an additional language receive excellent support and make rapid progress to understand and communicate. Festivals such as Harvest, Diwali, the Chinese New Year and Easter enhance children's understanding of the wider world. Children learn about life in France and Italy and keep in touch with a family who moved to Australia. Children are eager to learn and achieve very well in their activities. They develop their creative skills very well through painting, model making and collage work. Their communication, language and literacy skills are developed successfully as

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and outcomes for children

they re-tell stories such as 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt'. Most of the children can This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 count up to twenty and beyond by the time they leave the playgroup and can identify two-dimensional shapes and numbers indoors and outdoors. Songs such as 'Five Little Ducks' help them to practice their counting skills. The children competently complete simple programs on the computer and use the digital camera to record their experiences. They develop a very good understanding of the town and can identify special buildings, such as the church and library. Children welcome the opportunity to go on nature walks and develop a very good understanding of the natural world, such as the lifecycle of a butterfly. Children benefit from visits to the Abbey, library, local park and fire station, and talk excitedly about their experiences. They enjoy re-telling the story of 'Little Red

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and outcomes for children

Riding Hood' through role play. Children are prepared exceptionally well for their next stage in learning and life outside the school day. 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 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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