St Winefrides Playgroup

St Winefrides Playgroup Upper Floor, 43 Garendon Road, SHEPSHED, Leicestershire, LE12 9NU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/03/2014 29/09/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Recruitment and vetting procedures are not sufficiently robust to protect children because evidence of staff suitability is not accurately maintained and the premises are not secure. As a result, children's welfare and safety are compromised.  Staff do not ensure children follow suitable hygiene routines before meal times. Children wash their hands in a shared bowl of water, therefore, their good health is not promoted.  Partnerships with other settings children attend are not established to ensure consistency of approach to supporting children's learning.  Monitoring of the provision by the manager and the committee is poor and therefore, regular staff supervisions and appraisals have not been carried out to identify staff training needs.

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It has the following strengths

 Children engage in a wide range of interesting activities, supported by excellent teaching which is delivered through indoor and outdoor play. This promotes their learning and develops their independence and confidence.  The environment is welcoming to children and their families. Children form secure attachments with all staff which promotes their emotional well-being.

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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 had a tour of the playgroup, looked at documentation and spoke to staff.  The inspector observed children and looked at their learning journey records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and the nominated person and conducted a joint observation.

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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

St Winefrides Playgroup was registered in 1993 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a council owned building in the Shepshed area of Loughborough, and is managed by a committee. The playgroup serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from one large room and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The playgroup employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The playgroup opens Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9am until 4pm Monday to Thursday and 9am until 12pm on Fridays. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 41 children attending who are in the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and

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Information about the setting

children who speak English as an additional language.

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must:

 implement an effective system to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children, by reviewing the arrangements for vetting staff and the recording of this process

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must:

 ensure the premises are secure at all times to prevent unauthorised people gaining access to the children and to prevent children being able to leave the premises without the knowledge of staff

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must:

 promote children's good health by ensuring children follow appropriate hand washing routines to minimise the risk of cross-infection

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must:

 carry out regular staff supervisions and appraisals to identify training needs and secure opportunities for continued professional development

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must:

 implement a system of two-way flow of information between providers when a child attends more than one setting.

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who attend

Staff are dedicated to providing a high standard of teaching and learning at the playgroup. This starts with a highly effective system to establish the child's starting point. Staff ask questions about the child's care routines, their likes and dislikes and any prior learning when children attend settling-in visits. Parents complete 'knowing me' sheets with more detailed information and staff complete sharply focussed observations that are linked to ages and stages of development and make initial assessments at the end of children's first six weeks. This starting point enables staff to target their individual planning to help the children achieve their next steps in learning and to ensure that all activities are stimulating and interesting to children. Teaching and learning is embedded into everyday practice, both indoors and outside by a highly motivated staff team. For example, staff encourage children to speculate and test ideas in the water play with objects that float and sink. This

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who attend

promotes children's understanding of the world and enables staff to introduce new vocabulary.

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who attend

Children's next steps in learning are clearly displayed which enables staff to share significant and relevant observations for other key persons' children. For example, a member of staff observes a child playing with the coins in the role-play area, when he comments that they are not real. The member of staff uses good open questions to encourage the child to describe how the plastic coins do not smell the same as a real coin. She passes this information to his key person to record. As a result, children make good progress. Staff record information about children's progress in their learning journey documents and use this information to complete regular assessments to share with parents and other professionals. Staff complete the progress check at age two, for the younger children, in time for their developmental check with the health visitor. As a result, adults involved in the child's life are able to support and continue with their learning at

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who attend

home. Staff offer a lending library to encourage parents to support children in the early stages of reading at home and they share ideas to support children with identified delays. For example, staff send home some laminated numbers for children to use when identifying numbers on doors, street signs or when shopping with their parents. This helps the child to develop a greater understanding of numbers having a purpose.

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who attend

Staff are very experienced and passionate at supporting all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They carry out home visits, attend additional training and participate in joint strategy meetings to ensure they fully understand a child's needs and can suitably adapt the environment or activity. There are good strategies in place, which include a visual timetable and clear modelling of language by all staff, to support children who learn English as an additional language. As a result, all children who attend the playgroup make good progress in their learning. Children are keen learners who are prepared for school. Staff teach them to listen to instructions and be attentive during music and movement sessions and story time and extend their vocabulary, introducing new words during all activities. Children are encouraged to make marks for purpose and write their name on their work, taking ownership for it. Good relationships

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who attend

are in place with local primary schools and visits take place in the spring term. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities by attending additional visits to share information with reception teachers.

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

Children are confident and familiar with the routines of the playgroup. They use the toilets independently where there are appropriate hand washing facilities. However, before meals and after art activities the staff prefer children to wash their hands in a bowl of water in the playroom. This does not promote good standards of hygiene as the water is not clean or warm. Children's behaviour is good because staff use age-appropriate strategies to help them understand the playgroup's expectations. Children are all well mannered and polite to each other and the adults looking after them. Staff use special boxes of personal resources to prevent unwanted behaviour when they see triggers with some children; this has the result of distracting children and preventing the unwanted behaviour occurring. Children play and learn in a well-resourced environment that provides excellent resources which are kept within reach so children can self-select.

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

The key person system is well embedded into the daily routines of the playgroup and is displayed clearly on the wall. Therefore, children settle well and are emotionally secure. However, children have a false sense of security because staff recruitment procedures are not fully robust to ensure staff suitability and the premises are not kept secure. The door to the playgroup is kept unlocked and open during the day. There are systems in place to monitor people entering the building. However, these systems are not effective and as a result, the building is not secure, allowing intruders to enter or children to leave the premises unsupervised. This is a breach of the safeguarding and welfare requirements that requires immediate attention to safeguard the children. Parents and children know their key person and the children are confident with all staff and play happily outside, even when their key person is inside. This builds children's confidence, which is further

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

developed during group activities. For example, children mix paints to make pink but when the red runs out, children are encouraged to think for themselves about how to re-fill it.

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

The staff team work well together and support the children's needs. Effective staff deployment allows children to free-flow between the playroom and the garden. The outdoor area is well resourced and encourages daily exercise for all the children. Children use tyres and planks of wood to make obstacle courses that they then play on and use safety helmets when riding the bikes. This encourages children to take risks and further promotes their confidence. The playgroup promotes children's independence and motivates them to try things for themselves. For example, during snack time, children have some butter on the side of their plate which they use to spread their own toast and they use jugs to pour their own drinks. The playgroup actively encourages healthy eating during snack time. A selection of fruits are offered and the children choose how much and what to eat. Parents are encouraged to support the healthy eating at home and are

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

encouraged to provide healthy packed lunches. Staff show children how to start the zip on their coats and encourage them to finish the zip, giving them a sense of achievement. Staff praise them for managing their own needs but support the younger children who need help. As a result, children are learning to manage age-appropriate tasks.

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provision

The leadership and management of the playgroup is not effective. The committee and manager are not clear about who should take responsibility for ensuring the playgroup is meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, no one has taken responsibility for evaluating the service and reflecting on practice. Consequently, there are several breaches in requirements that impact upon children's safety and welfare. Risk assessments are carried out and regular fire evacuation practices enable all children to understand the procedures in the event of a fire. Daily health and safety checks are used to monitor the building and room. However, they are not effective as the building is not secure to prevent unauthorised people having access to the children. This is a breach of requirements of both the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register.

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provision

Staff are confident about the signs and symptoms of abuse for children and know their responsibilities to report any concerns. The safeguarding policy is in line with Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. However, systems for recruitment and checking staff suitability are not robust. Interviews are informal and the checks made to ascertain the suitability of staff are ineffective. For example, only one phone reference is taken up for staff and no other background or identity checks are carried out in addition to their Disclosure and Barring Service check. This process is not recorded and the induction process is as informal and this puts children at risk. Staff do not have regular appraisals or supervision, to support them to improve in their practice and further increase their professional development through more training. As a result, the manager has no way of effectively monitoring their performance. The manager is committed to the care and

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provision

teaching of the children; she is passionate about the care the staff provide and works in the room alongside the staff team. As a result, the staff team work effectively together. Regular staff meetings and morning briefings help to make sure that staff are familiar with all the children's needs and they support each other by observing all children, not only their key children. As a result, children are observed more regularly and activities can be quickly adapted to meet new next steps.

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provision

Policies and procedures are well written and regularly reviewed. They are embedded into practice and ensure staff are meeting the needs of all children. The setting works with local schools. The reception teacher visits the setting to meet the children before they leave for the summer term to prepare them for some of the changes ahead when they move to school. Staff work with other professionals to support children with medical issues and special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, they have not established secure relationships with other early years settings that children attend so they can promote consistency in children's learning.

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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:

 implement effective systems to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of a person who is caring for children on the premises (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that a child is unable to leave the premises without a person who is caring for children on those premises being aware of the child leaving (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  implement effective systems to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of a person who is caring for children on the premises (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that a child is unable to leave the premises without a person who is caring for children on those premises being aware of the child leaving (voluntary part of

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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 EY222062 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 819568

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 41 Name of provider St Winefride's Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 29/09/2009 Telephone number 01509 601266

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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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