Early Years Playgroup

Early Years Playgroup 44 Frederick Road, Stapleford, NOTTINGHAM, NG9 8FN

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/05/2013 Not Applicable

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Staff develop warm relationships with children. They offer sensitive support to new starters to help them with the transition between home and pre-school. As a result, children quickly develop a strong sense of security and confidently seek support when needed.  Managers demonstrate a high commitment to ongoing improvement. This is reflected through the clear development plan and a programme of training and support to enhance staff's already good skills and knowledge.  Children's language and communication skills are very well promoted because staff constantly engage in discussion with them and provide many opportunities for them to speak and listen, individually and in groups.  Children benefit from using open-ended resources, such as water and logs, which they use in a variety of ways. This supports them well to use their imagination and engage in pretend play.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to improve the outdoor learning environment to provide increased opportunities for learning across all seven areas, particularly with regards to providing objects that work in different ways for different purposes, such as knobs and pulleys.  Strategies for engaging parents in their children's learning at home are not yet highly successful for all.

p.1

Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

p.2

Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.2

Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a tour of the premises and viewed the equipment and resources available for the children.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's activities in all the indoor play areas and the outdoor area.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the manager, staff, children and parents at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with the children, the provider's action plans and sampled a selection of policies and procedures.

p.2

Information about the setting

Early Years Playgroup has been operating for over 30 years, it re-opened in 2012 following a move to new premises. It is run by a parent-committee and operates from a two-storey building close to the centre of Stapleford, in Nottinghamshire. It is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Children access several rooms throughout the building on both the ground floor and the first floor. Access to the premises is by one step. The playgroup services the local area.

p.3

Information about the setting

The playgroup employs seven members of childcare staff, including the manager. Most staff work on a part-time basis, with three or four working at any one time. All staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The playgroup is open Monday and Friday 9am to 12 noon, Tuesday 9am to 1pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9am to 3pm. It opens during school term times only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 37 children attending who are in the early years age group. The playgroup provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children.

p.3

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 enhance children's experiences of outdoor learning by extending the range of resources available, for example, by increasing opportunities for exploring equipment with knobs and pulleys

p.3

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 introduce more varied strategies for engaging parents in their children's learning at home, for example, by providing ideas for activities that are tailored to children's identified next steps in learning.

p.3

who attend

Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the seven areas of learning. They provide a wide range of activities which successfully capture children's interests and support their development well, and children, therefore, make good progress. Staff make useful observations of what children like, and can do, and use their knowledge to plan the resources, activities and the environment, to reflect children's needs and interests. Daily routines are devised to ensure that there is a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Staff skilfully assess and review these throughout the session, adapting when needed to ensure that they meet children's needs effectively. This ensures that children gain the skills they will need when they move on to school.

p.3

who attend

The indoor environment is stimulating, exciting and well-organised into areas of continuous provision. This enables children to make independent choices about what they want to do. As a result, children are engaged in planned, purposeful play that keeps them interested and motivated to learn. The outdoor area is regularly used and is also well- organised, offering many interesting and challenging experiences. However, this area is not planned as effectively as the indoor area to provide opportunities across all seven areas of learning. This means that opportunities for children's learning outdoors, particularly in relation to the use of technological toys, such as knobs and pulleys, are generally not as rich.

p.4

who attend

Staff provide children with a wealth of opportunities to develop their physical skills. Outdoors, they ride bicycles and scooters, and staff support and encourage them with individual challenges, for example, to push on the scooter or use the pedals on the bicycles. They push, pull and carry objects, including small logs, and develop good problem solving skills as they work out how to do so. Indoors, there is an area dedicated to physical play and children climb, crawl and balance with increasing confidence. Children develop their manipulative skills as they construct with blocks and interlocking shapes.

p.4

who attend

Children gain a good understanding of mathematical concepts, particularly number. This is because strategies are embedded in daily routines, such as counting children around the table at snack times and counting the milk cartons to correspond with this. They participate in fun group activities, such as number snap games, and number rhyme singing sessions, to support this. Staff seize opportunities for children to practise these skills as they play. For example, staff encourage young children to count 'one, two, three, go' before they slide down the slide, and count the balls as they pick them up at the end of the physical play session. Older children are provided with more complex challenges, such as working out 'how many more' between the number of objects they have, and the number they would like. Children develop their imagination as they play in the role play home corner and with small world toys. The logs in the outdoor area are a hugely

p.4

who attend

successful resource because children use them in different ways. They design and construct, creating seating for themselves and environments for small figures to move around. They confidently plan what they want to do, changing strategies when things do not go according to plan and find alternative solutions, demonstrating secure skills of being effective learners.

p.4

who attend

Staff enhance children's learning as they listen to children and engage with them as they play, for example, by asking open questions to challenge children's thinking when they engage in small world play. They seize opportunities, such as an aeroplane flying overhead, to initiate opportunities for children to talk about their experiences at home. Children develop their communication and language skills further through opportunities to participate during storytimes, chat with each other during meal and snack times and interact with each other as they play. Children benefit from good opportunities to develop their literacy skills. They develop an enjoyment of books because there is a good selection available. They particularly enjoy the cosy outdoor tent where they look at books alone and in small groups. Indoors, there is a well-equipped writing area where children can draw, make marks and write for different purposes. Outdoors, children chalk and make

p.4

who attend

marks with water. Staff support this well by encouraging the children to talk about the marks they make.

p.5

who attend

Staff engage in daily conversations with parents as they bring and collect their children. This provides opportunities for parents to share what children have been doing at home. Staff ensure parents are fully informed about what children have been doing during the session and their achievements and progress. Regular newsletters and displays within the playgroup provide additional information about themes and topics, along with general information about the Early Years Foundation Stage so parents have access to good general information about children's learning. However, staff do not routinely provide all parents with ideas for activities that are tailored to their children's individual identified next steps in learning. This means that not all parents have a secure understanding of how they can best support their children's learning at home.

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff gather detailed information from parents, at the outset in order to enable them to support new children with the transition from home to playgroup. Staff are warm, caring and sensitive to children's needs and the key person system is highly effective. They provide gentle reassurance to children struggling with separation, successfully distracting them and engaging them in play for increasing periods. These children are helped to settle because they bring favourite toys from home as a comfort. Staff skilfully use these to help children build their confidence. For example, a child becomes upset and does not initially want to eat at snack time. Staff gently reassure the child and, through skilful use of their comforter toy, stop the child's tears, and support them to feel able to eat some fruit. Children consequently develop a strong sense of security and they confidently seek support and comfort when needed. Staff's high level of support and interaction ensures

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

children learn the rules regarding turn taking and sharing resources. They give simple explanations and encourage children to interact and negotiate with each other so that they learn to do this independently. Staff organise toys and resources well. Children move around freely, making choices about what they want to play with and where they want to play. This supports their growing independence. The social skills that children gain within the playgroup, support them well in making the transition to school, when the time comes.

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children show a good awareness of safety due to effective support from staff. They follow the rules for moving up and down stairs diligently. Older children wait patiently behind those who are younger, and slower, because they know they must hold on to the handrail and be careful on the stairs. They learn to use their play equipment safely, for example, by waiting until the slide is clear before they have their own turn at sliding down so that they do not crash into the child in front of them. Healthy meals, good personal hygiene routines and regular outdoor play sessions for fresh air and physical activity, support children's good health and well-being. Staff talk to children and plan activities to support their understanding of the importance of these and how they help to keep them healthy. Children confidently talk about how milk makes their bones and teeth strong and how germs can give you a poorly tummy. Staff work effectively with parents to ensure that

p.5

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

children benefit from healthy, balanced meals. They provide a variety of fresh fruits at snack times and offer support and guidance regarding packed lunches for those who stay over the lunchtime session. Children and staff all sit down together at lunchtime and enjoy a relaxed, social period of time, talking to each other.

p.5

provision

Children's safety and well-being is effectively promoted because staff effectively implement the wide range of purposeful policies and procedures which inform their practice. There are comprehensive systems in place to check the ongoing suitability of the long-standing staff team and robust procedures to ensure any newly recruited staff are suitable to work with young children. The premises are secure and staff are highly attentive in their supervision of the children, paying particular regard to activities where there is an element of risk, such as the climbing frame. All staff have undertaken safeguarding training and have their own copy of revised local procedures. They demonstrate a clear understanding of their responsibilities in this area. Children's records contain detailed information to ensure that staff are able to respond positively to children's individual needs.

p.6

provision

There are comprehensive systems in place for monitoring the progress that children make in their learning and development. This is because information about individual children is collated by the manager to provide her with an overview. She also makes effective use of this information to identify any emerging patterns of practice across the setting. There are strong partnerships with other agencies which helps to ensure that any additional support needed for individual children is arranged efficiently. The playgroup manager attends a range of local meetings which consolidate the relationship between the playgroup and local schools, and partnerships are good. These meetings are well used for the playgroup to pass on information about children in order to support their transition to school. Playgroup staff establish positive relationships with parents. Parents are happy with the progress their children make while at the setting and commend the welcoming

p.6

provision

This management team demonstrate a strong commitment to raising the achievements of the children who attend. High priority is given to supporting staff, who each have a personal training plan derived from needs and wishes identified through appraisal and supervision. All staff routinely attend basic training courses, such as first aid and safeguarding. Consequently, all staff are competent in carrying out their roles and responsibilities, and continue to extend their existing, good skills and knowledge. There is a comprehensive self-evaluation which includes input from parents. It demonstrates a clear and accurate understanding of the strengths of the setting and areas where there is scope for improvement. An action plan, with well-identified priorities for improvement, is drawn from this and is continually reviewed at committee meetings and staff meetings. This supports the ongoing improvement of the setting and consequently, the outcomes for

p.6

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

p.8

Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY450856 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 888289

p.9

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 37 Name of provider Early Years Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07939852907

p.9

Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

p.9

Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

p.9

Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.10

Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

p.10

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.11

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11