Little Foxes PlaygroupOfsted inspection, 27 Apr 2012

Little Foxes Playgroup Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY318822 Inspection date 27/04/2012 Inspector Gill Little

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Setting address Early Years Centre,The John Moore Primary School, Colombine Road, Walton Cardiff, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 7SP Telephone number 01684 291661 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.

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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

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

Little Foxes Playgroup is run by a management committee of parents. It opened in 2001 and moved to purpose-built premises at the John Moore Primary School in 2005. It is situated in a residential estate on the outskirts of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. Children have access to enclosed, outdoor play areas within the school grounds.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is registered to care for a maximum of 26 children from two to under eight years at any one time, all of whom may be in the early years age range. The playgroup is currently caring for 55 children on the Early Years Register and 25 children on the Childcare Register. Children attend from the Walton Cardiff and Stone Hills estates in Tewkesbury and from the surrounding area. The playgroup supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup operates on weekdays during term times. Pre-school sessions for children aged three and four years are available from 8.50am until 11.50am each day. Sessions for two-year-olds are available on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12.30pm until 3pm. The playgroup also offers an after-school club each day from 3.15pm until 6pm.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four. It has links in place with the on-site school, local children's centre and some other local early years settings. Both the playgroup and out of school club hold the Bristol Standard Quality Assurance Award.

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Description of the setting

The playgroup employs five staff, all of whom hold relevant qualifications. In addition, one member of staff is working towards a further qualification.

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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 enjoy their time in this safe and welcoming environment. Staff foster effective partnerships with parents and, overall, meet children's individual needs effectively. Children develop positive attitudes to learning and make good progress in relation to their starting points and capabilities. Most regulatory documentation is in place. The staff and management team work well together to reflect on their practice and identify aspects for further development. This process contributes effectively to continuous improvement.

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further?

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure all records are easily accessible and available for inspection (Documentation). 11/05/2012

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further?

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

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further?

 develop consistent strategies to share relevant information with all other early years settings which children attend.

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the early years provision

All staff receive relevant training in safeguarding children and there is a comprehensive policy in place. As a result, they have a good understanding of procedures, such as possible symptoms of children at risk and how to respond to concerns. Comprehensive risk assessments help to provide a safe environment and recent improvements to the cloakroom area successfully enhance security. Robust procedures are in place to recruit suitable staff and carry out relevant background checks. All members of staff hold Criminal Records Bureau disclosures and most records demonstrate this, such as the date of each disclosure. However, the on- site record does not currently include the unique reference number of every check, which is a breach of legal requirements. As the setting is implementing an effective safeguarding procedure as required, this omission does not have a significant impact on safeguarding children.

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the early years provision

The playgroup provides a good range of activities and resources, which are easily accessible to children to encourage them to choose freely. Children have free access to the outdoor play area on most days, which provides an additional range of activities and helps them to sustain healthy lifestyles.

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the early years provision

Staff actively promote an inclusive environment and are effective in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with parents and outside agencies where necessary to agree consistent strategies to help children make further progress. Key persons have a good understanding of their children's individual interests and capabilities, and successfully use this information to plan relevant activities. The playgroup maintains good relationships with parents and receives positive feedback verbally and through questionnaires. Staff provide parents with good information about their children's progress. For example, they send home development records on a regular basis and actively encourage parents to contribute to these. Staff also encourage parents to be involved in their children's learning through interesting suggestions of activities to try at home, such as providing a gingerbread recipe.

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the early years provision

The playgroup maintains some good links with some other early years settings which children attend. For example, staff liaise closely with childminders who collect children from the playgroup, and photocopy diary entries made by other This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 settings to keep in children's development records. This enables staff to develop some continuity in children's learning and development. However, this is not consistent across all settings children also attend and for some children there is little contact with their other carers. This limits the information available to key persons about some children's broader experiences and as a result, does not fully support their continuity of care.

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the early years provision

The staff and management team rigorously monitor the effectiveness of the playgroup. A recently completed and comprehensive quality assurance document successfully helps the team to identify their strengths and areas for further development. Staff are effective in encouraging feedback from both parents and children, and in using this information to develop their practice. Improvements since the last inspection include a greater range of resources to reflect technology and a greater focus on having visitors to the playgroup who can share their expertise with children. Current targets include broadening the programme for mathematical development and a greater focus on encouraging children to help evaluate activities.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy attending the playgroup and show a strong sense of belonging. They have secure relationships in place with their key person, other staff and their friends. They play well together, sharing resources readily and taking turns. They develop good levels of behaviour under the consistent and friendly guidance of staff. They relish the extra responsibility they have when they are 'star of the day', such as ringing the bell for snack time and tidy-up time. They celebrate a range of different festivals and cultures, and consider the similarities and differences to their own customs. These experiences successfully help them to develop positive attitudes to people who are different from themselves.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop a good understanding of how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy nutritious snack times including foods such as raisins, bananas and apples. They confidently join in with discussions about healthy eating and how to keep their teeth clean. They know that they must wash their hands before eating and are able to do this independently. On most days, they have free access to the outdoor play area and they also have regular use of the school grounds. These facilities encourage children to practise and challenge their physical skills using a good range of equipment. Waterproof coats and trousers are easily accessible to encourage outdoor play in all weathers. Children also develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They enjoy interesting visits from the local fire and police services, which successfully engage their attention and support their understanding of safety procedures.

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and outcomes for children

Children are inquisitive, curious and engage well in their learning. They readily ask staff questions and receive good support. Staff encourage children to be as independent as possible and they help to extend learning successfully through This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 questions and suggestions. Children learn to recognise their names effectively and to develop writing skills for different purposes. For example, they make placemats for snack time, which include their names and pictures they have chosen themselves. They become engrossed listening to a story and have easy access to a range of books. They regularly practise mathematical skills within small groups and during circle time. Staff sometimes use everyday experiences to support children's understanding of number, such as counting scoops of sand or counting out seeds. On most days, children are able to access the computer freely and also use a good

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and outcomes for children

range of other technology, such as a digital camera, binoculars and magnets. Regular outings in the local community and further afield, such as an annual trip to a bird sanctuary, successfully support children's knowledge of the world around them. As a result, children make good progress in developing the skills they need for their future learning.

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and outcomes for children

Staff monitor children's progress carefully and keep detailed records of their development. They are proactive in involving children in their development records, such as inviting the children to annotate photographs as a record of their activities. Staff make weekly targets for each area of learning for every child, enabling their next steps in development and successfully encouraging their consistent progress towards the early learning goals. 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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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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