Birkenhead Sixth Form College

Monkton Under 5's Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 127388 Inspection date 19/10/2011 Inspector Jenny Kane

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Setting address Monkton Men's Institute, 122 Monkton Street, Monkton, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 4JQ Telephone number 07960939340 Email Type of setting Childcare - Non-Domestic 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

Monkton Under 5's Playgroup opened in 1977. It is managed by a committee of parents. The playgroup operates from a self-contained building next to the village hall in Monkton, near Ramsgate. Children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. Links with the local school have been established. It is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm, term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The playgroup serves the local and surrounding areas.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 10 children under eight years may attend at any one time. There are currently 22 children aged from two to under five years on roll. The playgroup is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are five members of staff, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 happy, settled and enjoy positive relationships with the staff who meet their individual needs well. Staff have a clear understanding of how to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning and development. Well-established partnerships with parents and carers help to ensure good continuity of care. Systems for sharing information with other providers caring for the children are under development. Staff informally identify areas for improvement and demonstrate a good commitment to continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 extend systems for sharing information regarding children's progress and achievements with other providers involved in the care of the children  increase opportunities for continuous improvement through further development of self-evaluation systems.

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the early years provision

The staff have a good knowledge of child protection issues and procedures to follow should they have a concern. They update their knowledge and share the safeguarding policy with parents. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures are in This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 place to help ensure adults having contact with the children are suitable. Staff conduct effective risk assessments of the equipment and areas used by children. They are vigilant about supervising children, whilst allowing them to learn about safety during play. Despite some constraints of the accommodation, the staff manage to make the environment child-friendly and conducive to children's learning. Accessible toys and equipment are in good supply, with many reflecting diversity and positive images. The staff are working towards being as sustainable as possible through recycling projects and growing vegetables in the garden.

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the early years provision

Staff have a good awareness and strong commitment to promoting equality and diversity. This is a small playgroup where staff give children a lot of attention, ensuring their individual needs are met well. When staff identify a child who needs additional support they access this quickly due to their good liaison with other professionals. Staff are establishing some good links with the local school and others in the area. They do not yet routinely share information about children's learning and development with others, to support their progress.

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the early years provision

Well-established partnerships are in place with parents and carers. Having established children's starting points, parents continue to share information and work with their child's key person. Parents regularly see the children's 'learning journeys', which hold samples of work and photographs to explain the observations. This helps to keep parents well informed about how their children are progressing and achieving. Policies, procedures and information about the playgroup are regularly updated and available to all parents. Children's records and documents are kept confidently and securely. Parents are happy with playgroup and make complimentary comments when asked for feedback. They particularly like the smallness of the group, the friendliness of the staff and the links with the local school. Some parents travel a distance to reach the playgroup.

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the early years provision

The committee confidently delegate responsibility for the day-to-day running of the playgroup to the manager and her staff. The staff are well supported and regular meetings occur between the committee and the manager. The senior staff work well together and share a common enthusiasm towards making further improvements. Although there is yet no formalised self-evaluation, staff demonstrate a good awareness of their strengths and weaknesses. There is a clear commitment to staff training and development. Staff keep up-to-date with issues and share information at staff meetings. The previous recommendations have been addressed and extended, helping ensure the outcomes for children continue to improve.

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and outcomes for children

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of each child's capabilities and development. They plan activities that are challenging and based upon their observations and assessments. Their notes are detailed and help them identify children's next steps in learning. This provides children with opportunities to make good progress in all learning areas and develop their skills for the future. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children are confident, know the routines well and demonstrate good social skills. During a game of throwing a ball into the bucket, children wait their turn and help organise a queue. Children's behaviour is good because they receive a lot of individual attention. Staff deal sensitively and calmly with any unwanted incidents and use good explanations. For example, one child throws sand in a child's eyes and after understanding the distress caused, says 'sorry' to the other child.

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and outcomes for children

Children are learning to care for and respect each other.

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and outcomes for children

Children extend their physical skills and take part in regular activities, which contribute to keeping them healthy. They play outside every day and enjoy walks around the village. This provides good opportunities to explore the local area, to meet others in the community and look at nature. On these trips children learn about walking together and safely crossing roads. They also learn about their own safety during play and take part in regular fire drills. Children demonstrate good personal hygiene skills. They enjoy healthy snacks and automatically go to the basin and wash their hands before they sit down. They cut up apples, oranges and bananas and confidently pour their own drinks.

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and outcomes for children

Children communicate clearly, explain their ideas and ask for help when needed. They hold conversations with staff who use good questioning skills and listen well to their responses. Staff often use these moments to extend the children's play. While in the garden, one child talks about the flowers and herbs, which are growing. A member of staff encourages him to compare the sizes of the leaves and explains how plants grow. There are good supplies of books and the reading area is comfortable and well used. Many of the toy boxes and play areas are labelled, helping children's recognition of the written word. Staff use Makaton signing and visual timetables to help all children to communicate, including those with speech delay. Children access a wide variety of resources to support their early numeracy. They solve simple problems when they work out how many children can fit in the playhouse. In the garden children enjoy using magnifying glasses and bug boxes

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and outcomes for children

to look at insects. They learn to use technology and programmable toys. Children have fun using the digital camera, looking through the lens and pushing the button to take a photograph. 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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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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