Feltwell Playgroup

Feltwell Playgroup Women's Institute Hall, The Beck, Feltwell, NORFOLK, IP26 4DB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/05/2013 09/02/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Staff give children time to enjoy daily energetic play and children enjoy using a range of resources both indoors or outdoors.  Children and staff have formed strong attachments. Staff support children as they settle in and when they prepare to move on to school.  Staff implement clear strategies to gain children's attention and help them understand what is expected of them. Consequently, most children behave well and play positively together.  Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding issues and they implement a wide range of safety procedures to keep children safe.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff do not make consistent use of observation as an integral part of the learning and development process. Also, management do not monitor this effectively. Consequently, children skills and progress are not accurately identified.  Children who are quiet, shy or less confident are not receiving enough support from staff to develop their self-confidence and self-esteem.  Staff do not consistently involve parents in their children's education, because they do not give sufficient encouragement to share information about their children's learning at home.

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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 held meetings with the registered provider and the supervisor.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector took account of views of parents spoken to during the inspection.  The inspector observed activities in main hall and the outside learning environment.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the registered provider.

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Information about the setting

Feltwell Playgroup is a voluntary run setting. It opened in the 1980's and operates from one room in the Women's Institute Hall in the village of Feltwell, Norfolk. The building is accessed either by two steps at the front of the building or a low step to the rear. It is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm for 39 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 44 children attending age two to under five years. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The playgroup employs eight members of staff, of whom, four hold appropriate early years qualifications. The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register and provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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must:

 use information obtained from observing children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles. Shape learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations to help children make the best possible progress in their learning and development

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must:

 improve the programme for personal social and emotional development in order to encourage children to develop their self-confidence and self-esteem, for example, by encouraging children who lack confidence to take a more active role in activities.

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

 monitor planning and assessment to ensure that they are consistent and precise and display an accurate understanding of all children's skills, abilities and progress

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

 strengthen the existing promotion of ongoing dialogue or sharing of regular two- way observations on learning with parents and use this shared knowledge and understanding to plan together and think through ideas of how to move the child forward.

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who attend

Management have devised an observation system for identifying children's developmental progress and their next steps for learning. However, staff do not implement this system effectively or plan specific activities for individual children across all areas of learning. Staff sometimes work well with parents and they formally meet with them once a year to discuss children's progress. However, but they are less successful in giving accurate and precise information or in helping parents to support their child's learning at home. These inconsistencies mean that children are not effectively challenged and their progress is no better than satisfactory.

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who attend

Children enjoy a variety of activities to express themselves and explore textures and patterns. Some enjoy exploring the feel of paint as they squeeze it between their fingers, while others enjoy creating patterns and shapes on paper. They all work in their own unique way and staff praise and encourage them for their contribution, which helps children feel valued.

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who attend

Staff display many signs, words, pictures and numbers around the playgroup and outside to develop children's interest in print. Younger children learn to recognise their name as they self-register and older children independently write their name on their drawings. These learning experiences help them to develop skills for starting school.

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who attend

Staff equip indoor and outdoor role-play areas with a wide range of toys and resources which children enjoy sorting in different ways. Children demonstrate active imaginations, pretending to fill their bikes with fuel as they cycle around the well-resourced outdoor area. Staff make the most of such opportunities to extend children's learning, for example, asking children to think about how much fuel will cost and how they will pay. As a result, children pretend to count out money, which motivates their mathematical thinking. This demonstrates how some staff are aware of how to make activities flexible and fun according to children's personal levels of interest and promote positive learning. Children particularly enjoy learning about nature as they grow strawberries in the outdoor area. They explain that strawberries need water to grow bigger and they can be eaten at snack time when they grow. These learning experiences help children's understanding about

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who attend

where food comes from. They also support children in gaining useful attitudes for their future lives and to make sense of the world around them.

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

Staff support children's emotions by getting to know them and their families as they carry out a gradual settling-in process. Supervisors help children to settle and act as the initial key person when they first start attending. They monitor who children become most attached to and allocate key persons according to who children attach to the most. This demonstrates their positive approach to being led by children's choices and responses. They work in partnership with parents to make the transition process as supportive as possible. This enables children to feel secure as they get to know their new key person and settle in.

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

Staff share relevant information with local schools when children are preparing to move on to school. They create information bags with uniform and photographs of the school, to hold discussion and help children feel positive about their move to school. Some children are able to attend an 'Open lunch week' where they have a sibling attending the school. This supports continuity in children's care and learning.

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

Some children talk enthusiastically about their time at the playgroup, as they confidently explain that they enjoy playing in the garden and offer to show visitors around. This shows that some children have a positive attitude and are confident and outgoing. However, staff do not use effective strategies to engage quieter children and occasionally allow confident children to dominate. This oversight means that quieter children are not given consistent opportunities to develop their confidence and fully engage in activities.

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

Children's good health is encouraged throughout the playgroup. Children know to wash their hands after using the toilet and prior to eating. Staff encourage them with gentle reminders. Children enjoy playing physical games and use a good variety of equipment, such as bikes and balancing resources outdoors, which promote their physical development. Staff teach them to develop a sense of safety by offering gentle explanations, such as explaining why it is important to tuck their legs in while sitting on the carpet. As a result, children explain that they do not want people to trip up and demonstrate their own understanding of safety.

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

Staff are good role models who provide clear guidelines and boundaries to support children's behaviour. They use effective strategies to quieten the room and gain children's attention. For example, they ask 'Boys and girls, can I have a freeze, please? They give clear explanations about sharing and taking turns. Consequently, children behave well and play together positively.

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provision

Management and staff undertake the relevant safeguarding training and understand their responsibilities well. Staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and know how to deal with any concerns they may have about a child. Staff implement a range of safety procedures, such as, checking all areas, toys and resources are clean and safe. They have sound procedures in place for arrival and departure times and keep the premises secure. There are robust procedures in place for recruiting and vetting suitable staff. Management ensure that there are always enough staff to meet ratio requirements and implement effective routines so that staff are well deployed.

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provision

Management generally shows an adequate understanding of their responsibility to meeting learning and development requirements. They carry out staff appraisals and observe staff, giving them feedback on how to improve their professional practice. The provider arranges staff training from the selection put on by the local authority, which means first aid, and safeguarding training is kept up-to-date. However, management have not ensured that staff successfully implement the systems for observation, assessment and planning, and therefore, inconsistencies have arisen in the educational programmes.

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provision

The management and staff team plan for improvement through self-evaluation by incorporating the views of staff and parents. Parents complete questionnaires to feedback their opinion on the provision. The playgroup has successfully met all recommendations from previous inspections and made further improvements, such as developing the outdoor provision to support children's learning.

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provision

Overall the staff team has worked hard to develop generally suitable partnerships with parents. Parents compliment the staff team for being caring and hardworking and say that they are happy with the provision. The playgroup team has suitable partnerships with other professionals and agencies. They know to seek additional support for children when necessary and attend meetings at primary schools. This supports partnership working and continuity for children and families.

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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 254063 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 919701

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 44 Name of provider Feltwell Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 09/02/2009 Telephone number 01842827555

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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.

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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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