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Wyke Regis Pre-School Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 141018 Inspection date 10/11/2011 Inspector Marie Thompson

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Setting address Shrubbery Lane, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9LU

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Telephone number 01305 789222 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 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

Wyke Regis Pre-school Playgroup is a committee run preschool which has been operating for over 40 years. It is situated in premises adjacent to the Wyke Regis Primary school, near Weymouth, Dorset. The accommodation includes a playroom with segregated toilet facilities, a kitchen area and three separate outdoor play areas. The playgroup is open from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions run from 9am to 3pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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Description of the setting

Wyke Regis Pre-school Playgroup is registered to care for a maximum of 24 children at any one time. There are currently 46 children on roll. Of these, 23 children receive funding for early education. The preschool supports children with disabilities and learning difficulties.

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Description of the setting

The preschool employs seven childcare staff, all of whom either hold, or are working towards, an appropriate Early Years qualification. The team are supported by lunch time staff and an administrator.

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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

Safeguarding is given a high priority by the staff team. Consequently, children feel safe and secure at the setting. Children are clearly happy and make consistent progress across all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Both staff and resources are exceptionally well deployed. Overall, staff have developed good systems for promoting partnership with parents and they ensure that good communication exists between them. However, not all parents have regularly reviewed their child's learning journals. Good procedures for self-evaluation are in place and staff are positively committed to the continuous improvement of the setting to promote better outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 extend opportunities for parents to be involved in and support their child's learning, for example, by regularly reviewing their progress and contributing to children's learning journals.

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the early years provision

Comprehensive awareness of safeguarding issues among the staff ensure that children's welfare is prioritised. Staff demonstrate an excellent commitment to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 promoting children's safety, by attending regular safeguarding training and the appointment of a designated safeguarding officer, to whom concerns can be reported to, should they occur. Extensive recruitment and vetting procedures, including the induction of new staff, ensure that staff are suitable to work with the children, and a rolling program of training builds on their childcare knowledge. The identity of visitors to the setting is rigorously checked and their presence is recorded in the visitor's book and badges are issued before admittance to the room. All areas of the setting are checked on a daily basis and comprehensive risk assessments are regularly carried out and recorded. Children display an excellent

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the early years provision

awareness of safety issues and recognise how to keep themselves safe. For example, through topics on road safety and carrying out their own risk assessments of the setting. Thorough policies and procedures are implemented consistently and robustly, to ensure any concerns are prioritised and dealt with effectively.

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the early years provision

The setting provides a high quality and stimulating environment that is exceptionally conducive to children's learning, and which ensures that their progress in relation to their starting points is consistent. Resources are extremely well organised and low-level storage encourages the children to self-select and make independent choices from an extensive range of high quality resources that offer children exciting learning experiences. Excellent use is made of the outside play areas covering a full range of stimulating and exciting experiences for the children. The covered outside play area offers a plethora of additional toys, that can be used all year round, adding further interest and stimulation. In the garden, children extend their physical skills as they climb up the wooden climbing frame and manoeuvre themselves down the slide. They also enjoy painting the fence with brushes and water. Outcomes are clearly attributed to excellent use of the

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the early years provision

resources, including the highly effective deployment of staff.

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the early years provision

The setting offers a service that is fully inclusive for all children and their families. Staff know the children very well and work with their parents to gain a thorough understanding of each child's background and needs through the use of 'All about me' forms. Staff actively help the children to learn about the society in which they live and the wider world; for example, celebrations of festivals are built into the planning. The setting promotes equality and diversity in a very naturalistic way, which is meaningful to children. For example, by using toys and books which are readily available to them. The setting works extremely closely with parents, valuing the vital role they play in their child's progress and development. The parents spoken to during the inspection commented positively about most aspects of the provision. However, parental involvement, particularly in their children's learning journeys, the review of their children's progress and contribution to their child's

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the early years provision

learning and development record is not always fully extended to include all parents. Parents receive regular newsletters and have access to a parent's notice board, which enables them to be kept informed about events, activities, and local agencies and information. The play leaders provide strong leadership to the staff team, who are well motivated and enthusiastic and work together closely to provide a welcoming, attractive environment where children's welfare, learning and development needs are effectively met. All practitioners are highly committed to forging meaningful relationships with parents/carers, agencies, professionals and settings involved in the children's lives. Self-evaluation procedures encompass all This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 practitioners' reflections and appraisal of the setting's strengths and areas for improvement. Consequently, the capacity for the setting to maintain continuous

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and outcomes for children

Children play in a stimulating environment where they are very happy, and there is a calm buzz of activity, songs and laughter throughout the session. Children are supported by staff who believe that the freedom of children to play independently and to take responsibility for what they do in order to be become active learners is crucial to their development and happiness. As a result, children feel safe, secure and have a strong sense of ownership. Their sense of belonging is actively promoted through the effective displays of their art work, examples of their emergent writing and photographs of them at play. Staff interact positively and adapt activities and equipment where necessary, taking into account all children's individual needs. As a result, all children have fun and are challenged in their learning. The effective key person system underpins staff's knowledge and understanding of individual children. Staff use observations and assessments to

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and outcomes for children

identify achievements and the children's next steps in learning. They use this information to plan activities that cater for individuals. Children are also encouraged to add to their 'yellow book' learning journals, in the form of pictures and 'writing'.

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and outcomes for children

Children have freedom to choose how they play during the free-flow session. This type of play helps them to develop self-esteem and feel empowered and included. Children use resources such as the computer and camera to develop their technology skills. They use the camera to take pictures of their friends and things they like at the setting. Children are very confident at using the computer to access fun and educational games and to type letters and patterns which they print to be displayed on the wall, along with the photographs they have taken. All children have very good opportunities to develop their communication, language and literacy skills, through, for example, songs, labelling, displays, stories and circle time. At story time, staff use the 'magic hat' and 'story magic cloth' to capture children's interest and focus their attention, which works beautifully, as they all sit captivated as staff read a popular story. Children independently use the

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and outcomes for children

'story phones' to listen to their favourite stories, snuggled in the book corner. Children develop very good creative skills and enjoy exploring many textures during "messy play", including jelly, shaving foam, painting and flour.

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and outcomes for children

Children have plenty of opportunities for physical activities and fresh air throughout the session. The preschool has an allotment next to the setting. They are very proactive at the allotment, tending the plants using the little garden tools and helping to harvest the produce which is used for snacks. This helps children learn about food and how it grows and to explore the natural world. Children are also encouraged to use the recycling bins at the setting and to put waste food in the compost bin. Consequently, they are learning sustainable and transferrable skills for the future. Children have great fun in the garden; they peep in the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 ladybird box, the bird box and the spider house to see if anyone has moved in. Staff overturn the tree stumps, so that children can see the bugs living underneath and encourage them to use their magnifying glasses to see more clearly what the

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and outcomes for children

bugs look like. Children behave well, because they are continuously and sensitively reminded about their own safety and that of their friends, through the use of clear rules and boundaries supported by visual aids, praise and reward stickers. Children's health and welfare are successfully promoted, as the staff take active steps to minimise the spread of infection and develop children's understanding of healthy living. For example, all children show a good understanding of the importance of following good personal hygiene routines, as they automatically wash their hands before eating. The snack time at preschool is a very social occasion and staff and children sit together and chat enthusiastically. Children enjoy helping themselves to healthy snacks using the caf style system and they are able to freely pour their own dinks throughout the session. 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 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 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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