The Lemington Centre Pre-School

Lemington Centre Playgroup Lemington Clinic, Lemington Resource Centre, Tyne View, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE15 8RZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/11/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Staff are committed to providing a play-based approach in the provision. Consequently, children have good opportunities to play and explore and make appropriate progress in their learning and development.  Children are happy, settled and enjoy coming to the provision. This is because staff value and engage children in what they do, to develop their interests and support their individual needs effectively.  Staff have a sound knowledge of child protection and how to deal with any concerns. This means that children are suitably safeguarded in the setting.  Partnership with parents, other agencies and providers are good. This ensures children are given access to appropriate help and that they are well-supported in their moves both within and onto other settings, including school.

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It is not yet good because

 Assessments of children's progress are not consistently kept. This means it is not always clear what stage of development children have reached in order to plan the next steps to promote children's progress.  The outdoor area is being developed and is less well-resourced and planned for. Consequently, the opportunity for children to learn in the outdoor environment is not maximised to it's full potential.

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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 talked to staff, children, parents and the support teacher.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and interactions between adults and children indoors and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's developmental records and planning and tracking systems.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked staff records including suitability checks, qualifications and training.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked a sample of documentation including policies and procedures, risk assessments, and accident and medication records.

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Information about the setting

Lemington Centre Playgroup was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register, having previously been registered since 2005. The premises are situated in the Tyne View area of Newcastle upon Tyne. There is one playroom and an outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

The setting employs four members of staff working with the children, including the manager. All of the staff hold a relevant childcare qualification at level 3 and above. The playgroup provision is open during term time, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 12 noon and 12.30pm to 4pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently a total of 29 children attending, all of whom are in the early years age group. The playgroup provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 ensure children's progress is accurately assessed so that next steps are clearly planned to help them make progress.

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

 strengthen and develop the resources and planning for the outdoor area to maximise opportunities for children to learn in the outdoor environment.

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who attend

Staff have a generally sound understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They demonstrate a sound knowledge of the learning and development requirements and plan activities to cover the prime and specific areas of learning. They set up the learning environment so that toys and resources are within easy reach on low-level shelving so that children can make choices about their play and help themselves. Staff observe the children regularly to see what they can do and any emerging interests. This helps staff plan relevant next steps to help promote children's learning and development. Staff have started to monitor children's progress to ensure that they are reaching expected levels of development across the seven areas of learning. This helps them to plan appropriate experiences for children and sufficiently assess their progress. Systems are in place to ensure that children's progress is monitored through the completion of the 'progress check

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who attend

at age two'. However, these are not consistently recorded which means it is not always clear what stage of development children are at in order to plan the next steps. Despite this, staff are able to identify early on any concerns in children's learning and development children. Also, children are making sound progress in relation to their starting points.

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who attend

Children enjoy a range of activities, which enables them to learn through planned, purposeful play. Staff have limited space in the nursery, but use a range of storage to maximise the resources available for children to choose from. Staff use appropriate teaching skills to support children's language and communication skills throughout their daily activities and routines. Staff understand the importance of communication and language development for young children and are aware of how to support this through repetition, talk and singing. For example, staff introduce new words and concepts, such as 'sticky' when making biscuits. Staff encourage children's understanding of number through everyday activities. They sing number songs and rhymes with children and support and guide them as they find the correct pieces in a large puzzle. Children become absorbed in their play as they play with the flour and dough. Also, staff allow them space and time to

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who attend

investigate and experiment with the materials. Children use their imaginations as they enjoy playing with small vehicles and dressing up and 'making tea' in the home corner. Staff provide a range of creative resources for children to paint and make things. Children learn how to handle and use tools such as rolling pins and make marks with pencils and chalks. This provides them with the skills needed to be ready for the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

Staff keep parents well informed on a day-to-day basis. They talk to all parents everyday when they bring and collect their child. Staff invite parents to regular meetings to review children's progress and discuss their next steps. They encourage parents to share information from home which helps involve parents in their child's learning.

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

Children and parents receive a warm welcome from staff and each child has their own key person who helps them to settle. Staff also ensure children have a second key person who they can go to in the absence of their key person. This system helps to strengthen children's confidence and self-esteem. The playgroup environment is homely and welcoming and children can move freely from indoors to the outdoor play area with ease. Consequently, children have the confidence to explore and investigate their play environment independently. Children's behaviour is good because they know what is expected of them within the nurturing and caring environment of the playgroup. They play well with other children. They share, take turns and are considerate of each other. Staff listen to and praise children, which promotes their self-esteem and confidence. Colourful posters are displayed reflecting people from around the world, as well as children's

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

artwork. Consequently, children show a strong sense of belonging at the setting. Staff support children in learning about simple personal hygiene well. For example, they support children in washing their own hands before making biscuits and in using a tissue to wipe their nose, reminding them to put it in the bin afterwards. Staff consistently take all opportunities to support children to develop their independence skills. For example, at snack time children play an active role in collecting their own cups and plates and pouring their own drinks. Children have daily opportunities to experience fresh air and exercise. They have access to a dedicated play space. However, there is scope to strengthen and develop the resources and planning for the outdoor area to maximise opportunities for children to learn in the outdoor environment. The staff put good measures in place to keep children safe and secure. For example, they conduct daily checks in the indoor and

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

outdoor environment before the children start the session. Staff help children to learn about road safety and children confidently explain to adults about keeping away from hot ovens in case they get burnt. Consequently, children are learning how to keep themselves safe as they play.

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

Children's transition to school and other settings is sensitively organised to provide the children with smooth moves into the next stage of their learning. Staff liaise with teachers from the local schools and invite them into the playgroup to meet the children and talk to staff. Staff pass on relevant information about children's learning and development and characteristics to aid continuity of care and learning. Staff recognise the value of meeting up with staff from other early years settings that children attend and the importance of assisting children's transitions to school.

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provision

Good arrangements are in place to safeguard children. Robust recruitment procedures ensure that all staff are appropriately vetted and qualified, which means they are suitable to work with children. All staff attend child protection training. This ensures that they understand their responsibilities towards the children in the nursery and know what steps to take if they have concerns about a child. The management team monitor staff performance appropriately through regular supervision and appraisals and staff have opportunities to attend local training courses. There is an induction programme in place which effectively ensures that new staff, including apprentices, are well supported in their roles.

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provision

The management team show a clear commitment to development and improvement. They are well supported by the local authority support teacher and are working hard to develop the practice within the playgroup. The manager satisfactorily understands and delivers the learning and development requirement and is motivated to further develop her knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff have attended equality and diversity which has resulted in the introduction of a visual timetable and Makaton to help support children with commotion difficulties. This helps them to 'join in' and feel valued. Staff clearly enjoy their work, which is evident in their positive interactions with children. Self-evaluation clearly identifies key strengths and weaknesses in provision and an action plan is in place for ongoing improvements that will benefit all children's learning. Staff understand how children benefit from collaborative working with other professionals.

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provision

Any concern that staff has about a child's development is discussed with parents, so that appropriate action is taken to ensure that children's needs are met. The partnership with parents is sound. Parents discuss their children with the key person on a daily basis and have access to their learning records. Parents have access to a range of policies and procedures and are kept up-to-date about the nursery through information on noticeboards. Questionnaires from parents provide positive feedback. Parents spoken to on the day are 'very happy' with the care and support their children receive and the range of activities provided. They comment on how welcoming and helpful staff are and how one parent commented 'he never wants to come home'.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY460642 Local authority Newcastle Inspection number 920215 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 14 Number of children on roll 29 Name of provider HealthWORKS Newcastle Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01912641959

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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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