Greenacres Laugh 'N' Learn

Greenacres Laugh 'N' Learn Greenacres Community Centre, Galland Street, OLDHAM, OL4 3EU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/12/2013 21/01/2009

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early years provision

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

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This provision requires improvement

 Children are happy and secure in the setting. This is because staff are caring and reassuring, and have been trained to follow safeguarding procedures to report when they have concerns about a child's welfare.  Children's learning about acceptable behaviour is supported because staff use clear and consistent boundaries and reward their good behaviour.  Parents are supported to engage with their children's learning through a variety of means, including staff providing daily information about activities they have enjoyed, along with matters concerned with their well-being.

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It is not yet good because

 Teaching is not consistently good across the setting. Staff's interactions do not always sufficiently promote children's communications skills or encourage children to learn to think critically.  Opportunities for pre-school children to enjoy physical challenge and learn to take appropriate risks are not maximised to support their physical development. Imaginative outdoor play for this age group is not well supported to provide appropriate challenge and engage their interest.  Ways in which managers monitor staff performance are recently introduced and so have not yet had a positive impact on tackling inconsistences in the quality of teaching to ensure children make good progress in all areas of learning.

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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

 A range of information about the nursery was reviewed, to prepare for the inspection and a selection of documents related to children's learning and welfare was examined on the day of inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector toured the premises, including viewing resources stored away from the childcare rooms.

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Inspection activities

 Observations of childcare staff and their interactions with children throughout the day, were carried out, including a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and spoke with staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with the children.

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Information about the setting

Greenacres Laugh 'N' Learn operates from a community centre in the Greenacres area of Oldham. It registered in 2008 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The setting has the use of a classroom and two large halls. There is a kitchen area and an enclosed playground for outdoor play. Access is by a ramp to the front door from the car park or directly from the street.

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Information about the setting

The setting is open from 7.30am, including for school-age children, for whom it operates a school drop-off service and it closes at 5.45pm. The setting provides a collection service in the afternoon from 3pm, from local schools. School holiday sessions are also provided between 7.30am and 5.45pm. There are seven staff, six of whom, including the manager, have qualifications to at least level 3 in childcare. One member of staff is qualified to level 5. There are currently 49 children on roll, attending for a variety of sessions, of whom 27 are in the early years age range. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. A small number of children speak English as an additional language. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 improve the opportunities for physical play indoors and outdoors so that children in pre-school have greater opportunities to learn about taking reasonable risk and to enjoy greater challenge to support their whole body coordination

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must:

 improve the quality of teaching for so that all staff working with children aged two to three years help children communicate and speak confidently and know how to exploit activities indoors and outdoors that help children extend their vocabulary and think critically.

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

 extend the opportunities for pre-school children to explore their creativity using a wider range of resources in the outdoor area so that development of communication skills is also enhanced

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

 embed and evaluate the recently introduced system of observations on staff quality of teaching, including regarding quality of interaction with children, so that it is consistently good across the setting.

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who attend

Staff use their own observations and information from parents to ascertain children's starting points in learning, in order to use this for initial planning. They make frequent observational assessments to check children's progress in learning and compare this with age expected norms for development. Next steps in learning are planned for children and these are used to contribute to the provision of inclusive activities. However, due to variable quality of teaching, the effectiveness of planning is not maximised across the setting to ensure all children make good progress given their starting points and capabilities. With the support from local authority advisory staff, the setting is beginning to use information about children's progress to identify groups of children and individuals who need additional help for their learning, including those who enter the setting with achievement that is below the expected levels for those of a similar age. The setting also

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who attend

participates in initiatives to enhance children's progress across the borough as a result of sharing information with the local authority about children's progress. For example, the setting is working in partnership with it to improve children's learning in numeracy. In the main, children are developing the basic skills they need for school or their next stage of learning.

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who attend

Some staff provide good quality verbal interaction to develop children's thinking and communication. However, some staff are not sufficiently skilled to exploit teaching opportunities to extend children's knowledge of words and encourage them to think critically. As a result, planning is not always effective in ensuring children make good progress in their communication skills. For example, when younger children spend sustained lengths of time painting or making collages, most talk is connected with practicalities, such as needing more glue or an apron, rather than encouraging children to think about and describe the colours and the textures they are using. Some practice is good, such as when staff help children to build with large blocks and help them to develop the activity into making a ramp for rolling cars. This means that children see staff modelling how to solve problems out loud, supporting communication and thinking. In

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who attend

pre-school, children enjoy first-hand experiences, such as making biscuits, and staff emphasise words connected with comparative size, along with the ingredient names, to extend children's vocabulary. They provide a recipe book for children to refer to during the activity, to develop children's awareness of different types of books, as part of early support for literacy. However, staff do not encourage the use the outdoor area resources well to support creative play for pre-school children. Hence, they do not exploit opportunities to provide challenge and interest using resources, such as lengths of material outside in order to support imaginative thought and communication. The setting offers local outings, such as nature walks, to supplement learning on the premises and also arranges for visits, such as from the local police, with a car. This helps children to learn about their locality and the people in it who can help them.

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who attend

Parents receive daily information about their children's activities, and what they have enjoyed, to help them engage with their children's learning. Parents meet with key persons to discuss children's progress and they are encouraged to make contributions at these times, such as by participating in art activities with their children during the session. There are some opportunities, such as the use of a 'take-home toy' and a diary, for parents to engage directly with their children's learning at home. Information about children's development is contributed by parents when children enter the setting, in order to make initial plans for their learning, and find out about their interests. The setting works in partnership with other professionals, such as speech therapists, in order to meet children's needs when this is needed. When children transfer to full-time school, the setting passes on information about their progress to support continuity in learning.

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

The setting operates a key person system in order to support children's emotional welfare. Key persons demonstrate suitable knowledge of children and their preferences. Children are confident and show this by exploring the space and resources thoroughly, indoors and outdoors. Staff provide clear boundaries to help children learn how to manage their own feelings and behaviour. This is through use of a visual behaviour management scheme across both rooms in the setting so that children have continuity of this when they move rooms. Staff praise children's successes and use rewards, such as stampers, to motivate them further. As a result, behaviour is satisfactory. Resources and toys are accessible to the children in the rooms which means that children have opportunities to make decisions about what to play with. Children's welfare is protected by a range of policies and parental permissions, such as for applying any creams that are needed. There are some

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

opportunities for children to be independent. For example, children are encouraged to put on their own coats and help themselves to fruit at snack times.

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

Children are able to manage a variety of aspects of personal hygiene appropriate to their age and stage, such as wiping their hands before eating. Staff are vigilant for when children need their noses cleaning and, as a result, children have opportunities to learn hygiene routines. Children are encouraged to toilet train by the use of reward charts set up in partnership with parents to help motivate them to success. There are effective procedures to ensure that nappy changes are carried out hygienically, to prevent the spread of germs. All areas of the nursery are clean to help support children's good health. Menus are broadly nutritious and children have independent access to drinking water over the day. Suitable information to support children's good health and well-being is obtained from parents when children join the setting, in order to meet their needs, such as requirements for halal food. The setting provides an outdoor environment which gives

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

younger children suitable opportunities to enjoy exercise and take reasonable risk in their play, with supervision. However, pre-school children do not have good challenge indoors or outdoors in this respect as there is not a sufficient range of resources or outings to provide this.

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

Practical measures, such as safety gates and radiator covers, are in place to help prevent accidents on the premises. Security is supported by the use of an intercom system to ascertain visitors' identities before staff answer the main door. Children's room changes within the setting are sensitively managed through discussion with parents and key persons to support children's well-being. A flexible approach, which is based on the needs of the individual child, is embedded into practice so that children become emotionally secure. For example, when children join the setting, lengths of visits are gradually built up after an initial visit where parents stay with the child for reassurance. The setting seeks information from parents and any previous settings to help children settle and provide for their welfare.

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provision

Risk assessments and safety checks are detailed and regularly reviewed to enable children to play safely and freely in permitted areas. Staff have a sound understanding of how to manage any concerns they may have about a child's welfare due to attending safeguarding training. The managers and all staff are checked and vetted for suitability to work with children. All documentation related to statutory requirements is completed to support the safe and effective running of the setting, including a policy for the use of devices with cameras on the premises, such as mobile phones. A range of policies and procedures are used to support an appropriate standard of care for all children in the setting and to support children in making steady progress in their learning, including those who speak English as an additional language.

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provision

Responsibilities of staff and managers are defined to ensure that staff have an understanding of how to carry out their roles. Appropriate procedures for recruiting new staff are in place, so that children are cared for by suitable adults. The setting has an induction programme to support new staff. As a result, children are kept safe because new staff learn the procedures and policies in order to support this. There are systems in place for staff appraisal, in order to support staff in their work with children. However, the very recent introduction of observations on individual staff, have not yet has a positive impact on monitoring performance to a sufficient extent to ensure a consistently good quality of teaching. As a result, children do not receive consistently good support for their learning, so their progress is not maximised. Staff training needs are identified during meetings, such as appraisals. The manager is in contact with early years advisory staff from the local

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provision

authority through a programme of regular meetings. As a result, there is access to advice in order to address any questions she may have.

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provision

The setting has established partnerships with parents, in order to better meet the needs of children. Multi-agency working through regular meetings with other professionals helps to support children and their families. Parents have opportunities to contribute to the setting development plan both through verbal and written means. Staff have regular opportunities to share their views with the manager as part of the self-evaluation process at various staff meetings and appraisals. Some aspects of the learning environment have, therefore, been evaluated but this has not been sufficiently thorough to identify all areas where greater improvement is possible. As a result, not all areas of learning are consistently well supported for the full age range of children attending the setting. Pre-school children are asked for their views about activities in order to give them a voice in the setting, showing them that their ideas are important.

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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 EY367296 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 942624

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 49 Name of provider Greenacres Laugh 'N' Learn Partnership Date of previous inspection 21/01/2009 Telephone number 07729 976535

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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

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’.

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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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