The Wendy House

The Wendy House 6 White Horse Drive, Emerson Valley, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK4 2AS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/05/2013 09/02/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

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This provision is good

 Staff use effective assessments and planning to set realistic targets that encourage each child's development and promotes their learning well.  Staff supervise children well and implement routines that give high priority to children's safety, while also encouraging them to be independent learners.  There are good systems to make sure that staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities, which results in children being well cared for.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always work with parents well enough, meaning that opportunities to enrich children's learning experiences are missed.

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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

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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.

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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.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed, discussed and evaluated the practice of staff.  The inspector sampled and evaluated documents.  The inspector spoke to parents about their views.

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Information about the setting

The Wendy House registered in 1984 and is managed by an elected committee of parents. It operates from the Community Hall in the Emerson Valley district to the south of Milton Keynes. The playgroup serves the local area. The areas available for use are two playrooms, a separate fully-fitted kitchen and toilet facilities. There is also a fully enclosed outside area. The group is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The playgroup opens for five days a week during school term times from 9am until 3.30pm Monday to Thursday and on Friday, it opens from 9am until 12 midday. There are currently 63 children on roll, all of who are in the early years age range. The playgroup receives funding for the provision of free early education for three- and four-year-olds. The playgroup employs 13 staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate qualifications and one is working toward a foundation degree.

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

 continue to develop partnerships with parents by encouraging the two-way flow of information with parents about their children's development

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who attend

Children are engaged in a wide range of activities across all seven areas of learning. Their learning environment is rich and they are able to access learning easily as staff numbers are high. Staff model how to use equipment and support children's explorative instincts. They guide learning through showing interest, offering suggestions and encouraging children to challenge themselves. Staff use children's interests, themed topics and cultural events to plan worthwhile activities for the children. Key persons take responsibility for their key children's progress and for the delivery of specific areas of learning. This ensures children are encouraged to develop skills in all areas. Children are willing to have a go; they are interested and concentrate well while they play. They are enthusiastic and keen learners.

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who attend

Children's personal, social and emotional skills are fully encouraged. There is a good level of independent learning and small group activities support children in building friendships. The daily routines ensure there is time to listen to children and engage them in stories and songs. Children are encouraged to talk about the things that interest them. Staff are skilled at asking questions and providing verbal cues to support language development. Where children are learning English is an additional language or where there are identified communication issues staff are generally successful in helping children develop good skills. The environment encourages children to be physically active and they move around comfortably and safely, exploring inside and outside spaces. Small group activities run alongside free play and are planned to focus on developing children in specific areas of learning such as number, shape, space and measuring and language skills.

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who attend

Overall, staff work in good partnership with parents. Staff are on hand at the beginning and the end of each session to share useful information about children's learning and welfare. In general, sharing information informs planning and assessment for individual children and supports learning at home. However, staff occasionally miss opportunities to seek detailed information about some children from their parents. Written assessments including assessments for two year olds provide parents with additional opportunities to share their knowledge about their children.

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

Settling-in sessions give children the change to become familiar with their environment and establish relationships with their key person. Staff are good role models teaching children important social skills such as how to play safely and behave well. The high numbers of staff, who are deployed well, help to ensure the atmosphere is calm and friendly and this promotes good behaviour. Children cooperate well with each other, taking turns and sharing resources. Older and more confident children are building special relationships with one or more other children. Small group activities help less confident or shy children build friendships. Staff get to know children well and this helps them to meet their cultural needs. They are encouraged to share storybooks from home and speak in their home language. The diversity of the staff team's backgrounds enables staff to form closer links with home. Throughout the year staff enable children to learn about a range of

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

cultures. The environment is rich in positive images of a wide variety of people who make up our society, help children to understand and respect diversity.

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

The free flow access to inside and outside spaces gives children many opportunities to move around and play with exuberance. They engage in physically challenging activities such as digging in the garden, manoeuvring tricycles, throwing and catching balls and hula hooping. Children are provided with a sheltered area that enables them to play outside in all weathers. Staff teach children to put on their outside clothing, such as boots, independently. At snack time, children are encouraged to pour their own drinks, recycle their waste and wash up their own plates and cups. Most children manage in the toileting areas independently. Staff are nearby to remind children about hand washing and the importance of this. Themed topics help children learn about healthy eating and oral hygiene. The good organisation of snack time means that children can stop for snacks any time during the morning. This consists of a range of fruits and vegetables and a choice of

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

drinks. Part of their learning about healthy lifestyles includes growing vegetables in their garden.

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

The environment encourages children to explore and be inquisitive. It challenges them to take risks as they try things out for themselves. They show an awareness of their own and others safety as they handle tools both large and small with care. The skills children learn both through their own exploration and through formal learning prepare them well for future learning experiences.

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provision

The leadership and management team have a clear understanding of the welfare and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They monitor practitioner practice and systems well and encourage the extension of staff skills to promote learning. The effective monitoring of staff's planning and assessment ensure consistency across the staff team. The team share ideas and have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. This ensures targets are appropriate for individual children's learning and planning and assessment systems are precise.

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provision

The majority of staff and the management team have undergone recent training in safeguarding. Their understanding of their duties and responsibilities are good. Their recruitment and vetting procedures are robust. Staff have a clear understanding of, and implement well, policies and procedures. These are available to parents to give them an understanding about the day-to-day operation of the playgroup. The premises are risk assessed effectively and this ensures that children have a safe environment in which to learn and play.

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provision

There is a shared responsibility by the management team and staff to evaluate their practice. The views of parents are valued and contribute to how the provision sees the service. Identified weaknesses are actioned and addressed effectively. Staff continue to prioritise, develop practice and strengthen systems in order to deliver a good quality service to families. The management team ensures that staff qualifications meet requirements. Short courses and workshops help maintain practice and knowledge. In addition, staff are encouraged to seek further professional qualifications. The management team encourages a culture of mutual support. This has effectively promoted the team's growth in teaching skills.

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provision

Parents provide positive feedback sharing that they feel informed and supported. Staff share developmental information with local childminders and they work well together on individual children's targets. Children leave to attend a number of schools in the local area and the provision works hard to prepare them for these moves. They do this by actively inviting teachers to visit children and taking children for visits to their new schools. Their links with the local authority, Pre-school Learning Alliance and the health authority are strong and their advice is received positively.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 141769 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 916898 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 63 Name of provider Emerson Valley Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 09/02/2009 Telephone number 01908 506982

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Setting details

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.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

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

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