Rowledge Pre-School

Rowledge Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY361314 Inspection date 22/06/2011 Inspector ISP Inspection

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Setting address Rowledge Village Hall, The Long Road, Rowledge, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 4EB Telephone number 0775 1366392 Email rowledgeplaygrp@aol.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

Rowledge Playgroup Ltd opened in 1969 and was re-registered in 2007. It operates from a village hall in Rowledge, Farnham in Surrey. Children have access to the large hall and an enclosed grassed area for outdoor play. Staff set up and clear away on a daily basis. The children who attend mostly live in the surrounding areas and come from a variety of cultural and social backgrounds.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 35 children, aged from two to four years, on roll. The playgroup provides free early years education for children aged three and four. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The playgroup supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language. The playgroup offers sessional care and is open Monday to Friday, 9.00am until 12.30pm, term time only.

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Description of the setting

There are eight members of staff, including the two managers, who work directly with the children. Of these, six hold relevant early years qualifications and one is about to attend training. The playgroup is a member of the Preschool Leaning Alliance. The playgroup receives support from the local authority.

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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 two managers and staff show strong drive and ambition as they continually reflect on their provision and introduce improvements. Staff demonstrate sound knowledge of how children learn as they assess children's learning, plan for and support activities, and provide enjoyable experiences that methodically build on children's prior learning. This leads to children making good progress overall towards the early learning goals. Staff safeguard children as they identify and reduce hazards and most risk assessment records are reviewed and well maintained. They successfully establish partnerships with parents and others supporting the children, such as therapists, which provides continuity in children's care and learning.

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further?

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

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further?

 maintain a record to show aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis and when and by whom they have been checked (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) 06/07/2011 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 take account of individual children''s interests when planning how to flexibly deliver their identified next steps in learning, including through role play activities  review routine whole-group activities, such as registration, to improve opportunities for children to become engaged and involved for sustained periods in active learning.

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the early years provision

Staff review and implement the policies and procedures that protect children's welfare. They ensure mobile phones are safely stored away from areas used by the children. The premises are secure and thoroughly risk assessed so that hazards are reduced. The managers review the risk assessments and identify aspects of the environment that staff more frequently check. However, records are not maintained to show when and who carried out daily checks. This breaches the welfare requirements. New staff undergo rigorous recruitment procedures. Vetting procedures are quickly implemented and confirm all staff are suitable to work with children. All staff have attended training for child protection and are aware of the issues and procedures, while the designated officer has attended advanced training. This safeguards the children well.

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the early years provision

The manager and staff form a cohesive team who work very well together and demonstrate a strong capacity to continually develop and improve. Managers encourage established and new staff to develop professionally by attending accredited training or workshops. They promote reflective practice and use various systems to support the evaluation of their provision. They seek feedback from parents and act upon any issues raised, providing a responsive service that values its users. Recommendations made by local authority advisors and inspectors are included in the development plan and acted upon. Successful changes include increased use of technology and the introduction of termly meetings with parents to share children's progress records.

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the early years provision

Resources are well organised. Staff set up the hall daily and create a stimulating and welcoming environment for children and parents. They use colourful portable displays, screens and storage units to divide the space into more intimate areas where children play safely and securely. Posters and resources reflect social diversity and a poster welcomes families in different languages. Activities are well resourced and children to freely move between indoors and the garden as they develop their play. Natural and recycled resources such as sawdust, sand and water promote exploratory play, together with the planting areas where children grow their own vegetables and flowers. Staff are deployed effectively and act as key persons for allocated groups of children. Each key person has a day allotted to focus on observing children, delivering an activity or updating records. Staff establish routines that are mostly effective, although calling the children together

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the early years provision

for group registration shortly after they have settled to activities interrupts their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 concentration and flow of their play.

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the early years provision

Staff develop effective partnerships with parents. They seek information about children's starting points, interests and individual needs through the completion of documentation such as "All About Me" and registration forms. They involve parents in their children's learning by providing them with information about the educational programme and how activities support children's development. Parents attend half-termly meetings with their key person to discuss children's progress and their next identified steps. Parents express how they feel fully involved in their children's learning and appreciate the ideas staff give them for continuing activities at home.

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the early years provision

Staff work closely with other professionals and parents as they initiate assessment processes for children with possible special educational needs and/or disabilities. This leads to the timely provision of suitable activities and additional funding being sought for extra resources when necessary. Teachers visit the playgroup and staff attend transition meetings with schools and parents when children have special educational needs and/or disabilities, which further contributes to good continuity in children's care and learning. Staff have just introduced a partnership notebook and are monitoring how this develops the two-way flow of information between themselves and other settings children attend, such as childminders or nurseries.

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and outcomes for children

Staff use the Early Years Foundation Stage early learning goals to plan and monitor children's progress. Planning systems draw on detailed and systematic observations of children's learning. This helps to ensure good progression in their learning with consolidation of developing skills, and successfully promotes children's individual learning. Activity plans are detailed and often unusual and innovative, such as separating colours using blotting paper or exploring how celery takes up liquid by putting it in coloured water and observing how it changes. Staff provide some adult-led activities, and planning is displayed alongside activities so that all staff are able to support children's identified learning aims. This leads to children making good progress towards the early learning goals.

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and outcomes for children

Children arrive with enthusiasm for their activities and are made warmly welcome by staff. They quickly settle as they choose activities from the wide variety available, indoors and out. Children display good levels of independence. They dress and undress themselves, put completed work in their trays and make choices about their activities and select their own resources from low storage units. Children use the computer, and show they know how to play the games available as they listen to and match sounds by clicking and dragging the mouse. Children often count and use mathematical language, as they play and explore shape and space using various construction kits. They show imagination as they make up stories using play people and cars, or as they paint pictures. Children sometimes access the role play area which is regularly changed, although this does not sufficiently reflect their current interests to inspire more enthusiastic engagement

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and promote their identified learning aims. Children show great curiosity as they explore different materials in the garden with excellent support from staff who expand their experience and knowledge well. They hold up sawdust and liken it to snow, leading to extended conversations about their experience of thunder and storms. They use pumps, large pipettes and jugs in the water tray, developing coordination and understanding of cause and effect as well as weight and measure. Children develop good listening skills and demonstrate excellent concentration as they play sound games and are encouraged by staff to listen to and repeat the sounds in words. They persist as staff introduce extra challenges, such as more complex puzzles. They recognise their written names, and various activities and resources promote reading and writing skills.

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and outcomes for children

Children behave very well and develop friendly links with others. They learn to use tools safely with staff support, such as staplers. Staff help them assess risk as they talk to them about how sawdust might blow in the wind and to be careful of their eyes. Visitors such as fire officers reinforce safety messages and children regularly practise fire drills. Staff promote good behaviour as they talk to younger children about the fun of sharing and sit them together to look at a book. Children show they trust staff as they talk about their home experiences. Staff provide excellent emotional support for children as they quickly notice when they are below par and need extra care and attention. Children develop good understanding of health and hygiene. They learn to recognise their bodies' needs and eat healthily as they choose when to have a snack and drink of water or milk, selecting from a variety of fruit and breadsticks. They wash their hands often without prompting before

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and outcomes for children

they have a snack, explaining they do so "cos of bugs and you get sick". Children learn about where food comes from as they grow their own carrots and other vegetables in the garden, and talk about and make charts of their favourite foods. They have daily opportunities for exercise and fresh air as they play outside, use larger apparatus such as see-saws, or participate in energetic activities such as music and movement. This promotes healthy lifestyles. 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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