Sherborne Playgroup

Sherborne Playgroup The Old Telephone Exchange, Sherborne,, Nr Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL54 3DH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/06/2013 27/04/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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

 Children are happy to attend. They behave well and enjoy making choices and playing independently with good quality resources.  Children make good progress in their learning and development because staff provide a good level of support.  Children are kept free from harm because staff have a good understanding of how to promote their safety and well-being.  Effective relationships exist with parents and other professionals. Staff value the parents views about their children's care and the sharing of ideas and activities to promote children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The quality of provision for outdoor play varies with the seasons and weather.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed care routines and children's activities indoors and outside.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed a range of documents including children's records, staff qualifications and concerns received.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to and their responses in a recent questionnaire.

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Information about the setting

Sherborne Playgroup is a community playgroup run by a committee of parents in the village of Sherborne, Gloucestershire. It operates from the old telephone exchange and is located next to the village primary school. It has been registered since 1993. Children have direct access to an outside play area. The playgroup serves the local and wider community. The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register. The group accepts children from two years old. There are currently 20 children on roll. The playgroup opens Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays between 9am and 3pm and on Wednesdays between 12am and 3pm. The playgroup is open term time only. Children attend for various sessions. The group is able to care for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or for whom English is an additional language. Disabled access can be arranged. Four members of staff work with the children, three of whom hold

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Information about the setting

relevant level 3 childcare qualifications. One staff is working towards a qualification. Staff receive support from the Early Years Foundation Stage consultants in the local area.

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

 increase the access to the outdoor provision so that children have good quality daily opportunities to move freely in a large space throughout the year.

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who attend

Children make good progress in their learning and development because the staff provide a range of interesting activities suited to their stage of development. Staff quickly get to know the children through talking with parents before children start. They rapidly assess for themselves what children can do when they first start and continue ongoing assessments throughout the children's time at playgroup. Staff keep a record of their progress. They identify and plan for children's next stages of development on a weekly basis. Parents are valued contributors to the children's continuing development and staff maintain a good dialogue about what children are learning and how to support them at home. Parents state they have seen their children make good progress during their time at the playgroup. The playgroup staff have implemented the two-year progress check, and documentation for this is in place and shared with parents.

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who attend

Children move freely around the room and outside area, choosing toys and settling to play, often with a friend. They are active learners. Staff encourage children to combine resources to use them in different ways. For example, children collect water from the tap to fill containers in the water tray. Staff extend this when children initiate discussion about their holiday by talking about the beach and asking where the shells are. A child willingly runs to bring a box of sea-life resources and selects some to add to the water play. This encourages children to develop their play and link experiences from their home life. Children also splash in the puddles and notice that the water they 'paint' on the floor soon disappears in the sun.

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who attend

Children are happy and ready to learn because staff understand how they learn through play and give them frequent individual attention. Staff offer a variety of activities including free-play which is child initiated, and some adult directed activities. The needs of different children are well met as the staff adjust their support accordingly. For example, younger children sit quietly with a staff member and watch the others when they are tired, and children who enjoy physical activities play outside on the scooters. Staff also recognise when some children need additional challenges and set them tasks to build a tower together.

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who attend

Children show curiosity in their surroundings and in unfamiliar people. Children have daily access to the outside area throughout the year. They explore in the adjacent wildlife area, and some children benefit from well-planned weekly visits to a local wood. They learn about safety when they are near fire and staff reinforce this later in conversation. Although children spend time outside each day this is sometimes only for a short period, for example in winter months and on wet days. This does not give consistently good opportunities for children to use the open space and to meet the needs of those children who learn better outside.

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who attend

Children spend extended periods engaged in their play. They work together with a friend to solve problems by using string and tying it around the climbing frame and toys. Children regularly sing a range of nursery rhymes and play some rhythmic instruments as part of the programme to develop their speaking and listening. The broad range of experiences enjoyed by children show that they are developing skills for the future and are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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

Children are keen to attend the playgroup and settle well at the start of the session. The small size of the playgroup and friendly staff enable families to easily share information. Children are supported well when they start attending and soon develop new friends. Teachers from local schools visit in the summer term to meet the older children. This helps them to feel confident about their future move to a new setting.

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

Children behave very well. They learn to play co-operatively which helps them to consider the needs of others. Staff are vigilant and talk to children about how to keep safe. Regular visits to the local wood provide plenty of opportunity to talk about staying with an adult or how to keep safe on roads. Staff help children to learn to be independent. Children are encouraged to take a part in organising the snack times. They pour their drinks and the staff help them to put their hats on when it is sunny.

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

The playgroup is well resourced with good quality toys indoors and outside. Staff arrange the small room well to allow children to chose what they want to play with. The recent addition of the wooden cabin with the visible storage of toys means that children have easy access to a greater range of resources. Occasional visitors to the playgroup provide some opportunities for children to meet other people and to deal confidently with changes to routines.

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

Children develop a good understanding of why it is important to eat a healthy diet and be physically active. Staff talk with children about the food they have in their lunch box, and about the fruit provided at snack time. Staff change children's nappies regularly so that they are comfortable, and children who are ready are well supported as they begin toilet training.

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provision

The requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are well met. The parent-run committee regularly meet with the staff to monitor the provision. They provide support for management and staff. Staff have a good understanding of the policies and procedures, which successfully promotes children's welfare. Documentation, such as accident records, are maintained and shared appropriately with parents. The procedures for making sure that children are safe are robust. Staff have completed safeguarding training and are knowledgeable about the procedures to follow should a concern arise. The environment is risk assessed on a daily basis to ensure the premises are safe and secure. Staff supervise children well, both on the premises and when on outings.

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provision

Staff deliver engaging activities across all areas of the educational programmes so that children progress well towards the early learning goals. The joint managers support a small team of staff who work well together. They observe staff to monitor their performance and offer a clear lead, and support to develop their practice. A formal system for staff appraisal is in place. There is an effective system for evaluation of the provision. The managers take the views of staff, parents, children and other professionals into account when identifying areas to develop. Effective action is then taken to drive ongoing improvements. Systems to monitor children's learning and to inform planning for their next steps are effective. Staff liaise with other professionals and parents when additional needs are identified. This means that appropriate support is provided for children's ongoing development.

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provision

Good partnerships are established with parents. Those spoken to speak highly of the care and support provided for their children. A recent parent survey also reflects this satisfaction. These parents value the welcoming staff and the broad range of activities provided. They say that their children are keen to attend. Any concerns raised by parents are swiftly investigated. There are strong links with the host school. Partnerships with other professionals are well established and staff share information with other settings the children attend, which supports good continuity in children's care and learning.

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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 101526 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 920514 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 11 Number of children on roll 20 Name of provider Sherborne Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 27/04/2010 Telephone number 01451 844833

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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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