Little Foxes Playgroup

Little Foxes Playgroup Fox Hollies Park Pavilion, Gospel Lane, Acocks Green, Birmingham, WEST MIDLANDS, B27 7EG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/01/2014 11/05/2010

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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 requires improvement

 Staff support children's language and communication through role play activities, stories and circle time. They collect key phrases from parents to support children's additional language in the playgroup.  Children enjoy a range of nutritious snacks and drinks, which supports their individual dietary requirements and helps them to learn about healthy lifestyle.  Staff provide a wide range of information for parents through daily discussions, information boards and regular newsletters, which ensures parents are kept updated.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff do not always use their observations and information about children's interests well enough to plan a suitable range of activities, which provide good levels of challenge for all children. As a result, children are not able to make good progress in the seven areas of learning.  Staff do not always allow children enough time to think and respond to questions before asking more.  The process of self-evaluation is not yet fully robust to help identify all areas, which require further development to promote continuous improvement in the nursery.  An accurate register is not kept, which compromises children's safety.

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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 was accompanied by a second inspector.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the manager, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the day  The inspector carried joint observations with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation, including children's records, learning and development information, staff records and a selection of policies and procedures.  The inspector took into account the views of parents through discussion.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of staff's suitability and a range of policies and record keeping procedures.

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Information about the setting

Little Foxes Playgroup was registered in 1998 on the Early Years Register and both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. It is registered under a committee. The playgroup operates from one main playroom in Fox Hollies Pavilion in Acocks Green in Birmingham and there is a small enclosed area for outdoor play. It serves the local and surrounding areas.

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Information about the setting

The playgroup opens every weekday term time only and sessions are from 9.30am to 12.30pm. There are currently 17 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two- three- and four-year-old children. The playgroup supports children who speak English as an additional language. There are five full- and part-time staff, including the manager who work with the children. One staff member has a qualification at level 5 and four staff are qualified at level 3. The playgroup receives teacher support from the local authority.

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must:

 make better use of ongoing observations and children's interests and progress, and use this information to plan the next steps in their learning to ensure activities clearly match future learning needs, to enable children to make the best possible progress

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must:

 ensure a daily record of the names of the children being cared for on the premises and their hours of attendance is kept.

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

 ensure staff allow children enough time to think and answer questions to support decision making skills

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

 extend and target self-evaluation more accurately, so that it effectively highlights all areas for further development to help support both children and staff.

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who attend

Children make acceptable progress in their learning and development as staff provide a suitable range of activities, which support their interests. However, staff do not always accurately use the information from their observations and assessments to plan for the next stage in children's learning. For example, on some occasions, the organisation of adult-led activities does not ensure that all children are able to fully participate and engage. For example, staff plan an activity for a small group of children to encourage them to share. However, lots of others join in because other activities out do not provide enough interest and challenge for them. This means that children do not always make the best possible progress, in order to specifically shape their future learning experiences. As a result, the activity does not go well because children want to join in and get frustrated when they are not able to do so. This leads them to initiate their own play and move from

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who attend

one activity to another in a short time. Through stories, discussions and songs, children develop their language. Staff encourage children to recognise their names as they find their cards when they arrive. However, staff do not always allow children enough time to think and respond to questions before asking more. Children use a range of appropriate resources, such as crayons and pencils to practise writing, while younger children make patterns in shaving foam to support their early mark development. Staff collect familiar phrases for children who have an additional language at home to support their communication. Children count, compare and learn how to sort objects into colour and in sequence. They develop their hand and eye coordination as they take part in threading activities.

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who attend

Staff provide a range of messy play, such as recycled materials, which helps the children to explore different textures and support their critical development. Children develop their language and communication as they talk to each other about their 'robots'. They use a range of different materials, such as glue, plastic bottles and different sized boxes, to construct their models. More confident children ask staff for sticky tape, which helps them to learn how to use different resources.

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who attend

Children have access to a small outdoor area and use the local park. Staff ensure children are able to access the climbing equipment to help develop their large muscle development. A range of wheeled toys helps children to learn how to steer equipment, such as cars and bicycles. Staff provide a wide range information about activities to support children's learning at home. For example, a folder with photographs of children engaging in different activities is available in the reception. Furthermore staff display the shape and colour of the week, so parents are able to reinforce and continue children's learning at home. Children are supervised at they use the toilet and wash their hands before they have snack time. They put on outdoor clothing, such as coats and learn how to do buttons and zips, which helps them gain the necessary independence skills for their next stage in their learning.

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

Children develop warm and positive relationships with staff and each other, which supports their security. Children settle well in the nursery due to effective systems, which include a prior visits. Also, all children are assigned two key persons, which helps to reassure and help children and parents bond with other staff. Bi-lingual staff speak to children in their community languages, such as Punjabi, which further supports the settling-in period and provides a link to home for children who speak English as an additional language.

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

Children show a suitable understanding of healthy lifestyles as they follow appropriate hygiene routines, such as washing their hands prior to eating and using the toilet. Staff provide a range of freshly prepared snacks, which meets children's individual dietary requirements. Children learn to serve their own snacks and drinks, which enables them to make choices and supports their independence. A daily snack menu is displayed to keep parents informed of the food served to their children. Children behave well as they take turns and share equipment, which helps them learn right from wrong and supports their emotional well-being. Staff use reward systems, such as a rubber stamp, to promote positive behaviour.

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

Staff provide a wide range of toys, equipment and furniture, which supports children's interests and learning through the picture card method. Children choose cards and give to staff, which enables children to make more choices of what they would like to play with. Toys are stored on the floor or in low-level storage to enable them to continue their learning. Children learn to be safe as they take part in role play activities where they learn about road safety. They take part in regular fire evacuations with staff. This supports their awareness of what to do in an emergency situation. Through discussions, stories and visits by teachers from local school, children prepare for their move to school.

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provision

Staff have an adequate understanding of safeguarding procedures and have the local guidance to refer to. They suitably understand their responsibility to safeguard children in the event of child protection concerns. Required records are retained about children and their families, including information about emergency contact details and who can collect them. Appropriate attendance records are kept for visitors, which helps to keep children safe from people who may not be vetted. However, the playgroup does not record the arrival and departure times of the children, which does not support their safety. This is a breach of a legal requirement of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. In addition, this is also a breach of the Childcare Register.

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provision

Staff understand the importance of working with other agencies and have appropriate links with the area special educational needs coordinator and child development worker. Suitable recruitment and vetting procedures ensure all staff employed are suitable to work with children and this includes a Disclosure and Barring Service Check for all staff. Child and staff ratios are adequately maintained through appropriate staff deployment throughout the playgroup, which supports children's safety and well-being. The playgroup evaluates the educational programme through regular staff meetings and has support from the local authority. However, systems are not fully robust, with regard to planning some activities to ensure they are appropriate and provide challenge and support for individual children. Staff have identified some areas for development, such as the outdoor role play area, to further extend children's imagination. However, the process is not yet

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provision

rigorous enough and does not fully include the views of parents and children. Staff talk to parents and send out questionnaires, but these are not sent out frequently enough or reviewed in depth to help identify and address areas for improvement. This has an impact on children's learning as it does not allow all areas of weakness to be identified and addressed. Suitable systems are in place for staff development, which includes regular supervision to help support staff performance and identify training needs.

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provision

Staff have positive relationships with parents and share both verbal and written information with them about their child's routines and the activities they participate in. The information board provides information about future events and activities, which enables parents to be involved in their children's learning and keep them suitably informed. Staff understand the importance of working with other agencies and have appropriate links with the area special educational needs coordinator and child development worker. Parents and carers express their satisfaction with the care their children receive at the nursery. They state that children enjoy attending the group and often talk about their experiences from the playgroup. Parents find staff helpful and friendly who talk to them daily about their children's time at the playgroup.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance is kept (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  ensure a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance is kept (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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 227241 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 871405

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 17 Name of provider The Little Foxes Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 11/05/2010 Telephone number 0121 706 5882

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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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