South Ealing Playgroup

South Ealing Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 118173 Inspection date 24/01/2012 Inspector Deborah Jane Orchard

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Setting address Ealing Christadelphian Hall, Dorset Road, South Ealing, London, W5 4HX Telephone number 0850 624631 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

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

South Ealing Playgroup opened in 1967 and was first registered in 1993. It operates from a large hall in a residential area of South Ealing in the London Borough of Ealing. The setting operates during school term times from 9.30am until 12 noon each weekday. The setting also offers afternoon sessions from 12.35pm to 3.05pm on a Tuesday. Children attend a variety of sessions. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 24 children in the early years age group. There are currently 40 children on roll. The setting provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. There are six staff members employed to work directly with the children. Of these, four staff, including the play leader, hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting has a pet dog.

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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 progress well in all areas of their learning and development as the staff team provides an interesting variety of activities. Overall, the setting is well organised to meet the welfare needs of the children attending. The team works effectively with parents to provide an inclusive environment that welcomes all children. Partnerships with other settings are sound overall. The team has made good improvement since the last inspection and shares a vision for the setting's future, demonstrating a good capacity to maintain continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 strengthen the health and safety policy, for example, by including procedures for clearly retaining the dates of gas and electrical appliance checks  develop further systems for working effectively with local schools to support children in the transition between settings

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the early years provision

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding children procedures as they participate in relevant training. This enables them to know what steps they need to take if any concerns were to arise. There is a named child protection officer and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 suitable policy in place. Written risk assessments are carried out and daily checks are made of all areas used by children. This helps to identify and minimise potential hazards. The organisation who owns the building carries out gas and electrical safety checks on appliances. However, the dates of the last checks are not clearly recorded to inform procedures for the provider to report any hazards or faulty equipment. There is a range of polices and procedures in place, which help ensure the efficient and safe running of the setting. These are reviewed regularly and made available for parents.

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the early years provision

The staff team work well together. They have a positive attitude towards further development, regularly attending relevant training courses to enhance their knowledge. They have made many improvements since their last inspection and have been able to address recommendations previously made. For example, they now carry out regular fire drills, which help to keep children safe in an emergency. Staff regularly discuss the progress they have made and any areas they wish to develop. They make good use of advice and support they receive from the local authority early years adviser and the Pre-school Learning Alliance. They now have a realistic view of their service and are able to clearly identify their future goals and drive further improvements.

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the early years provision

Staff organise resources well. These are stored at the children's level, enabling them to make choices in their play. The team have reorganised the room to provide for all areas of learning. Children are able to move around freely and have good opportunities to go outside to play. The setting is welcoming and provides areas for children to relax, for example, on soft cushions in the cosy book area. The effective use of the key person system helps to ensure children's individual needs are met. The staff recognise that each child is unique. Information regarding each child's needs and interests is effectively gathered and respected. An equal opportunities policy is in place and underpins the good practice provided. The team promotes children's awareness of equality and diversity, for example, through discussions and resources, such as dressing up clothes, posters and books. All children are treated with equal concern in this inclusive setting.

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the early years provision

Staff promote effective relationships with parents and carers to help ensure good continuity of care for children. Parents are made to feel welcome and actively encouraged to be involved in the setting. Verbal feedback from parents indicates they are happy with the service their children receive. Regular newsletters, parent review meetings and discussions enable them to be kept well informed about the service. Information about the setting and photos of the staff and their role in the setting, are on display. The team are beginning to work on forming relationships with local schools; to enable smooth transitions when children move. However, these partnerships are not yet fully established. Staff are aware of the importance of working with other agencies that provide services and care for the children, as the need arises. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children progress well in all areas of learning because staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. Their starting points are gathered from parents and staff carry out sensitive observations for each child. They use this information to plan activities to promote learning for individual children. Children's development profiles include observations made and photographs of them engaging in activities. These are shared with parents.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled in this warm and friendly environment. They develop good skills for their future learning because they spend their time purposefully and happily engaged in a wide variety of activities. They are confident to try new things and initiate their own ideas. Children feel secure as they are well cared for by the caring and supportive staff. They know what is expected of them and behave well in the setting. Staff act as positive role models, speaking politely to children and each other. Children learn to take responsibility, for example, by tidying up when they finish playing. Children enjoy looking at books independently, listening to stories in a group and participating in action songs. Staff ask them effective questions to encourage them to think and respond. They have regular opportunities to make marks on large sheets of paper and during role play. As a result, their early communication, language and literacy skills are developing well.

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and outcomes for children

Children are developing a good level of respect for others. They play with a variety of resources, which positively reflect diversity within the community. Children participate in activities, such as celebrating Chinese New Year. They make Chinese lanterns and enjoy tasting prawn crackers and rice as part of their celebrations. They learn about how things work, for example, as they press buttons on the keyboard and operate calculators in their role play office area. Children have opportunities to problem solve. They work out how puzzle pieces fit together and sort small objects by size, colour and shape. Children explore the natural world as they dig in soil in large containers outdoors. Children have regular opportunities to be creative. For example, they concentrate as they use glitter and paints to create their own images.

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and outcomes for children

Children are developing a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. They help themselves to drinking water throughout the session and enjoy a variety of healthy snacks, which meet their individual dietary needs. They learn about how their bodies work, for example, as they look at posters on the wall. Children have frequent opportunities for physical development, participating in a variety of activities, including using wheeled toys, large apparatus and ball games. They make good use of the large outdoor area, using appropriate protective clothes for different weather conditions. Children learn about staying safe through discussions where staff encourage them to think. For example, when playing outside during wet weather, children share their ideas about why it may not be safe to use the climbing frame in the rain. Children regularly participate in evacuation procedures, so they learn the steps to take in an emergency.

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and outcomes for children

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 3 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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