Blenheim Playgroup

Blenheim Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY348000 Inspection date 08/11/2011 Inspector Reshma Spafford

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Setting address Blenheim House, Oxford Road, DEWSBURY, West Yorkshire, WF13 4LN Telephone number 07861 735370 Email mpandor@gmail.com 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

Blenheim Playgroup is owned by an individual owner and was registered in 2007. It operates from a converted garage in the grounds of the registered person's home. The nursery serves the local area and has strong links with the local community and the school. The nursery is accessible to all children and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Description of the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday during school term times. Sessions are from 8.30am until 11.30am and from 12.15pm until 3pm and children are able to attend for a variety of sessions. The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 26 children may attend the playgroup at any one time all of whom may be on the Early Years Register. There are currently 46 children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The playgroup provides funded early education for two- and three-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. In addition the curriculum programme includes the teaching of Islamic studies.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs six members of child care staff. All of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery 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

Most children are making good progress in their learning and development especially in communication, language and literacy as the setting is involved in specific initiatives to develop this. The setting works very closely with parents and carers and encourages them to get involved in their children's learning at home. Effective relationships with professionals involved with the children and families are established to ensure that children's individual needs are sensitively met. Children appear settled and happy and there is a good balance of adult-led and child-led activities. Planning of activities is good and most children's learning is well supported by the use of a good range of toys and resources available to them. The setting is regularly evaluated for quality of the provision and staff are well aware of its strengths and weaknesses and committed to continually improving the provision for the children.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure a clearer system for establishing children's attainment on entry is in place  develop the outdoor environment to improve opportunities for children to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 develop their physical skills.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded and well protected in the setting because staff are trained and knowledgeable about local safeguarding policies and have effective procedures in place to manage any concerns they may have about children in their care. Staff are also appropriately vetted and are safe and suitable to work with young children. Staff make effective use of up-to-date risk assessments to support them in ensuring the areas used by the children are safe. This means that children are able to move safely and freely around the building and in the outside play area especially, as this is currently being developed further.

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the early years provision

The setting has a good range of resources for outside as well as indoor play. The indoor environment is well organised to support children's learning, particularly their communication language, literacy and personal and social education. Children are able to choose what they would like to play with and can also access resources for themselves, particularly in the indoor area. This includes books in the children's home language, as well as in English, to support children's reading at home. This means that children are able to thrive and make good progress in their development. The outdoor play area is currently being reconstructed. It is planned that, on completion, children will be able to access it freely. It is also planned that children will have the opportunity to develop their physical skills through access to a wide range of play equipment.

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the early years provision

The setting has outstanding working relationships with parents and carers. Staff engage with parents in developing children's literacy through providing training sessions. This and other initiatives, such as, weekly book swaps, homework and detailed information on phonics, shows parents how to enhance their children's learning at home. This means that children can extend their communication and language development at home. This also supports their parents' use of the English language at home.

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the early years provision

The setting is outward looking and involved in a number of different initiatives to enhance children's learning. This includes programmes which help parents to work together with practitioners to improve children's reading and writing. The manager has evaluated the setting in partnership with the staff. This is reviewed regularly and steps are being taken to promote continuous improvement. The setting is effective in embedding ambition and driving improvement. There is good leadership and good relationships between the staff in the setting, evidenced by staff continuity and enthusiasm for implementing new ways of working.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy being in this setting and are familiar and secure in its routine. Younger children and those new to the setting are able to move freely, safely and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 confidently around the setting because the staff ensure a safe environment and provide clear boundaries regarding the use of toys and other resources. The children's good health is promoted effectively by the staff as they have opportunities to learn about healthy eating because they are provided with healthy snacks. Information about healthy eating is also shared with parents. Children learn to recognise healthy foods by taking part in project work, such as, developing a collage of different vegetables and fruit.

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and outcomes for children

The children are making good progress towards the early learning goals because the setting plans activities around their interests and their progress is recorded. Staff know the individual needs of children and their next steps but do not have a clear system of recording their attainment at entry, which doesn't evidence the progress that individual children have made. Children are active learners, creative and think critically. Children are independent, happy and confident with staff and each other. For example, they enjoy nursery rhymes and take it in turns to role play in front of their peers. Children's language and literacy is being developed through the use of phonics. Children enjoy making the action that links to the different sounds of the alphabet. Children enjoy reading Goldilocks and the three bears. From this, they learn about sizes, safety, counting and houses, and enjoy reading the illustrated storybooks with their parents at home. Children listen to

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and outcomes for children

stories while turning the pages to find their favourite picture and talking about what they can see. They receive opportunities to try out their early writing and drawing skills through a good selection of resources in the setting and through doing projects at home. For example, they colour in a rainbow fish, which is then developed into a collage water tank display in the setting.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop skills for the future with the use of information and communication technology, such as, computers and varied software in the setting. Children are also learning the Arabic alphabet. All children currently on roll are from the Islamic community and receive Islamic education while they are at the setting. Children are helped to understand differences in the society they live in by celebrating festivals, such as, Christmas and the Chinese New Year. There are also opportunities to find out about less advantaged children by taking part in activities, such as, the 'Box of hope' charity. Children behave well, share and are motivated and responsive to staff. This is because staff offer clear explanations and encourage children to work as part of the group and take turns. 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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