Fledglings Kindergarten

The Railway Children Early Years Katherine Low Settlement, 108 Battersea High Street, London, SW11 3HP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/03/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2

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This provision is good

 Staff prioritise children's safety. They carry out effective risk assessments covering all areas of the group, to protect children from harm.  Staff work well with others to support children's progress. For instance, there are good links with the local community centre, where the playgroup uses the indoor hall for physical activities.  Children make good progress in their learning because staff provide engaging and suitably challenging activities.  Children are happy and confident because they have strong relationships with staff, who meet their needs well.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although writing tools and materials are available, they are not always used as well as they could be in children's role play, to enable them to practise their early writing skills in a playful situation.  Staff miss some opportunities to encourage children to learn about and use technology.

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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 observed the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector observed interaction between staff and children.  The inspector tracked the progress of several children.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children, and took their views into consideration.

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Information about the setting

The Railway Children Early Years opened in 2013. It is part of a group of playgroups operated by Childcare & Business Consultancy Services. It operates from a purpose-built building in the grounds of Katherine Low Settlement in Battersea, south-west London. The playgroup is open from Monday to Friday between 9am and 12pm and from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, during term time only. There is an outside play area. The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It employs three members of staff who work directly with the children, including the manager. Two staff members have appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. One staff member is unqualified and is working towards an early years qualification. The playgroup receives funding for free early years education for children aged two, three and four. There are currently 19 children in the early years age range on roll. The playgroup

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Information about the setting

supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 encourage children to make more use of writing tools and materials in role-play situations, to enhance their early writing skills

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

 develop further opportunities for children to learn about and use technology.

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who attend

Staff help children to make good progress in their learning because they plan well to meet their needs. They base planning on children's skills and interests, and cover areas of learning effectively, overall. Activities are wide ranging and stimulating, which results in good levels of children's engagement. Staff provide a good balance between child-initiated play and adult-led activities, resulting in structured learning activities and free choice. This helps to promote children's learning well.

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who attend

Children learn to recognise numbers and match these to corresponding quantities when they play with numbered ducks in the water tray. Staff support children's counting skills by helping them to count in sequence. Children work well together and play cooperatively as they create building scenes from small world resources, such as cranes and diggers. Staff provide some opportunities for children to use defunct technology in role play scenarios; however, there is scope to develop further opportunities for children to learn about and use working technology. Staff help children to develop good listening skills by using musical instruments, which children use well to create loud and quiet sounds. This supports children in developing their early reading skills because they learn to differentiate sounds. Although there are writing tools and materials available, these are not used to full effect during children's role play, to enhance their early writing skills. Children use problem

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who attend

solving skills effectively when they complete animal puzzles. Staff extend their learning by teaching children animal names and discussing where the animals live. Staff sing action songs with children, which teaches them the names of different body parts. Children learn to recognise their names on cards when they arrive at the nursery. This supports their early reading skills effectively. Overall, these experiences help children to develop valuable skills for when they move on to school.

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who attend

Staff are effective in teaching children a variety of physical skills. They organise races where children move in different ways by running, hopping and jumping. Children jump on small trampolines, propel themselves forward on ride-on toys, and practise coordination skills by throwing and catching balls. Staff provide a good range of other learning opportunities in the outdoor area. For instance, they talk to children about minibeasts while they examine the features of these insects in magnifying boxes. Staff show children the effect of the wind on bubbles blown from soapy solutions. This supports their understanding of the world well. Staff encourage children to concentrate and solve problems by creating a treasure hunt in the garden, which the children delight in.

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who attend

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress because staff work closely with community health professionals to support children's learning. They monitor children regularly and provide specific activities that meet their needs well. Staff support children who are learning to speak English as an additional language by learning key words in their home languages. This helps children to be understood and to communicate with staff with growing effectiveness.

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who attend

Staff keep good records of children's progress. They carry out regular observations, which they evaluate well, and collect samples of children's art work. They use this information effectively to determine children's next steps for learning. Staff carry out progress checks for children aged between two and three years, and provide written summaries to parents. They keep parents informed of their children's progress through regular review meetings and daily interaction. Parents contribute to their children's learning by sharing their observations of their children with staff. Staff then use this information to inform plans. Parents contribute further by spending time in the playgroup to support children as they play.

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

Children are confident and content in this small, nurturing playgroup. Staff have strong relationships with children, which support their feelings of security. Children settle readily because staff spend time getting to know them, and finding out about their likes and dislikes. Staff use this information to provide activities based on children's preferences, which helps children to feel happy and secure. Children's independence and freedom of choice is supported through the provision of accessible resources in an organised playgroup. Staff teach children how to behave in safe ways. For example, they remind them to walk indoors to avoid accidents. Children behave in safe ways, for instance by sitting down when eating to avoid choking. Children have good self-care skills; they use the bathroom independently to wash their hands at appropriate times, supported by staff as needed. Staff change nappies in clean, bright

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

areas, which support children's ease and comfort.

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

Staff encourage children to take responsibility for small tasks, such as giving out snacks to other children. Consequently, children are independent at snack time. They select fruit of their choice and pour their own drinks. Staff provide balanced, healthy snacks, which cater for special dietary needs. Children develop healthy habits because they have daily fresh air and practise a wide range of physical skills on outdoor equipment.

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

Children behave well because staff are clear about expected behaviour and respond to them in a calm manner. Staff use praise well to motivate children to behave in positive ways. They help to prevent behaviour difficulties, showing children how to share resources by using a sand-timer to take turns. Staff help children to understand and value diversity by talking with them about special cultural or religious events. For instance, they celebrate Chinese New Year with children by tasting different Chinese foods. As a new playgroup, most children are under three years of age, so links with local schools to support children's future move to school are under development. Children stay with their key person throughout their time at the playgroup and this supports continuity of care and learning..

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provision

Management has good understanding of its responsibilities in relation to the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff implement a range of effective measures to keep children safe. For example, they carry out risk assessments covering all aspects of the playgroup, to protect children from harm. Management vets staff well for their roles and this helps to keep children safe. Staff have good knowledge of procedures to follow should they be concerned about a child, and this supports children's safety further.

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provision

The manager supervises staff regularly and provides support to strengthen practice. As a new playgroup, appraisals to identify staff training needs are scheduled to take place in the coming months. Relevant formats and systems are in place for appraisals. Staff have attended some training courses, such as autism awareness. This has led to staff using picture cards and other visual resources to support communication and understanding in children within the autistic spectrum.

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provision

The manager has good perception of the quality of staff practice because she spends time working alongside staff and observes their practice. She monitors the effectiveness of planning and the quality of children's assessments because she carries out random checks. Staff track children children's progress and this helps them to identify any children operating below expected levels. This enables them to provide support to close gaps in learning.

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provision

Staff work well with a variety of organisations to support children's learning. For instance, they have good links with the local community centre where some facilities are shared for children's use. Staff work closely with community health professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There is good partnership work with parents, who are kept informed of children's progress and have good opportunities to contribute to their development.

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provision

The manager has set clear priorities for improvement of the playgroup because she evaluates all aspects of practice. This helps to develop good awareness of the nursery's strengths and weaknesses. For instance, the manager plans to further develop the outdoor area to provide wider learning opportunities for children. The playgroup is operating effectively and has good ability to maintain this in the future.

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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 EY467355 Local authority Wandsworth Inspection number 935168 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 19 Name of provider Childcare and Business Consultancy Services Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 02077381958

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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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