Donnington Primary School

Uley Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 101520 Inspection date 27/02/2012 Inspector Zahida Hatia

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Setting address Village Hall, The Street,Uley,, Dursley, Gloucestershire, GL11 5AL Telephone number 07896587983 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

Uley Playgroup operates from Uley village hall, in a rural location on the outskirts of Dursley, Gloucestershire. The facilities include an entrance hall, main hall, side room, kitchen and toilets. Outside play areas include an enclosed semi hard surfaced strip to the side of the premises and an enclosed orchard to the rear. The group serves local villages and outlying areas.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 34 children aged between two years six months and five years on roll. Of these 19 children receive funding for nursery education. The group support children with special needs. The group is open during term time only between 9.15 am and 1.00pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and between 9.15am and 3.00pm on Thursday.

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Description of the setting

There are four members of staff who work with the children. All staff hold at least a level three qualification in child care.

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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 staff who know their individual needs well. Overall, planning and organisation is good, providing purposeful learning opportunities that support children in making progress in all areas of their learning and development. Generally resources are of good quality. Children enjoy a safe environment in which to play, and their welfare is promoted well. The staff have worked successfully to build partnerships with parents and links with other provisions are being developed. There is a clear commitment to the continuous improvement of the provision and this leads to improved 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 resources to support younger children to develop their sensory skills  improve the systems for sharing children's learning and development records with all practitioners for children who attend more than one setting

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the early years provision

Children's safety is promoted at the playgroup as staff show a clear understanding of procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child. There are good This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 recruitment and induction procedures in place, to ensure suitability of those involved in children's care and play. An effective range of policies and procedures are implemented by staff. This combined with good recording systems for medication administration, accidents and allergies further ensures children are well protected. Comprehensive risk assessments are carried out for all areas of the premises and for any outings to protect children during their time at the playgroup.

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the early years provision

Children benefit from the strong leadership given by both the manager and the committee who have high aspirations and a clear vision to provide good quality care and education to all children who attend. The effective key worker system enables staff to establish close working relationships with parents from the onset, which enhances the continuity of children's care and learning. Discussions with parents confirm their satisfaction with the setting. Staff successfully utilise notice boards and newsletters to keep parents well informed about any key events.

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the early years provision

Staff give verbal feedback to parents as they collect their children at the end of each session. Parents have access to their child's individual developmental records and they are suitably encouraged by staff to contribute and share information. Partnerships with the local school are also positive and support a consistent approach to children's transitional needs as they move onto school. However, links with other providers involved in children's care are less well established. Consequently, information such as learning and development records are not consistently shared.

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the early years provision

The learning environment is well planned to enable all children to easily access a good range of resources, encouraging free choice and independence between indoor and outdoor play. However resources for stimulating younger children's sensory development are limited. Colourful displays of children's work along with photographs help children to develop a sense of belonging that promotes their self-esteem. The playgroup effectively evaluates the service they provide. Staff have identified the provisions key strengths and areas they wish to develop. They use questionnaires, discussions and monitor their practice to ensure standards are maintained and to extend their service. The staff demonstrate a commitment to working with external agencies to support the inclusion of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Good regard is given to enhancing staff's professional skills and knowledge through training and development. All staff hold an early years

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the early years provision

qualification and they are encouraged to improve their qualifications. This enables the team to develop and continuously improve outcomes for children. All recommendations made at the last inspection have been successfully addressed, demonstrating their ability to maintain continuous improvement.

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and outcomes for children

Children form caring and nurturing relationships with staff, enabling them to form close attachments and to feel secure. A warm and welcoming atmosphere creates a positive climate for learning. Children make good progress towards the early This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 learning goals because staff have a clear understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and this is reflected in their practice. Observations and monitoring of children's progress reflects upon the staff's good knowledge of the individual children in their care. The assessments made from the observations are used effectively to plan the next steps in learning for each child. Staff deliver a balance between child-initiated and adult-led activities, which allows children to make choices in what they do throughout the day.

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and outcomes for children

Children actively participate in activities that promote communication, language and literacy skills well. They have free access to mark making activities and their early reading skills are incorporated into daily routines. For example, children participate at story time by acting out the story. They take turns to pretend to pull the turnip out of the ground, whilst the adult reads the story to them. Children confidently use scissors and glue sticks to make collages. Children engage in meaningful conversations and staff use good questioning to reinforce their language skills and introduce new words into their vocabulary. Children are developing skills for the future regarding their communication, language and literacy. For example, they regularly use electronic toys competently to develop skills in information and communication technology. Children's mathematical skills are developed through cooking activities such as making soup. They learn about

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and outcomes for children

weight and measurement, as they weigh out the ingredients and use the vegetables grown in the playgroup's vegetable patch.

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and outcomes for children

The playgroup is very much part of the village community and engages in local events and activities such as the local carnival held each summer. Children are well behaved. Good behaviour is encouraged by the staff who are positive role models and create a calm and positive environment by listening to and praising children. Children understand the importance of good personal hygiene. They wash their hands at appropriate times, such as before eating and after visiting the toilet. The premises are clean and hygienic and the playgroup fully promotes healthy eating by providing all children with a well balanced range of tasty, nutritious snacks which are available at the start of the session and during snack times. Children learn about keeping themselves safe in a fun way. This is combined with practicing road safety and fire drills to further support their understanding of personal safety. 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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