Plumbland Pre School Playgroup

Plumbland Playgroup Parsonby, Aspatria, Wigton, Cumbria, CA7 2DQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/05/2014 13/09/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Effective partnership working with parents and other professionals supports all children's continuity of care and learning.  Staff use effective teaching techniques to encourage children to think, express their ideas and use their imagination. As a result, all children make good progress in their learning.  Staff's good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and the clear policy in place to support practice helps to keep children safe. The conscientious manager ensures good leadership and management of the setting.  Staff plan a wide range of interesting and exciting experiences for children. The learning environment is bright, stimulating and highly supportive of children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to enhance children's learning and social skills further by encouraging children to value each other's contributions and learn from one another during play.  Staff occasionally miss opportunities to help children understand the expectations of their behaviour and appropriate ways to manage their feelings.

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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 activities during indoor and outdoor play and during snack time.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with parents, grandparents and children and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed documentation, including children's assessment and planning records, staff suitability checks, self evaluation and a sample of the policies and procedures.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager of the setting.

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Information about the setting

Plumbland Playgroup registered in 1990 and is managed by a voluntary committee. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from one classroom with Plumbland Primary School in the village of Plumbland, Cumbria. The pre-school serves the immediate locality and also the surrounding areas. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday with morning sessions from 8.45am to 11.45am and afternoon sessions from 12.00pm to 3.00pm. The pre-school operates during term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children are cared for in one room, with access to the school hall and enclosed outdoor play areas. There are currently 24 children on roll. All of whom are in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two, three and four- year-old children. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or

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Information about the setting

disabilities. There are currently three members of staff working directly with the children, all of whom have an appropriate early years qualification. One member of staff holds Qualified Teacher Status. The pre-school receives support from the local authority.

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

 extend the opportunities for older children to further develop their good social skills and to value others' contributions by encouraging them to learn together and from one another

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

 enhance children's understanding of positive behaviour through modelling and involving children in finding solutions to problems to promote safe and appropriate ways of dealing with their feelings.

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who attend

Staff have a secure understanding of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and how children learn through good quality play experiences. As a result, children make good progress in their learning and development. The learning environment is very well presented and has been carefully planned to offer children maximum choice, space and opportunity for learning. The flexible planning system includes experiences that are interesting, relevant and allow for children's own ideas and expressions. For example, staff make plans for themed activities and then use their good knowledge of the children and identified next steps, to plan spontaneously during freely chosen play. For example, encouraging children to label numbers that are around the environment supporting children's mathematical skills. Each child has a development profile, which includes the observations staff make, tracking and assessment records and

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who attend

identified next steps in children's learning. This information is shared with parents, enabling them to contribute ideas and be involved in their child's learning. Furthermore, staff work closely with parents to help them extend children's learning at home. For example, staff suggest specific activities for individual children and encourage use of the borrowing library and story sacks.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is high. Staff are intuitive and see every opportunity as an occasion for learning. For example, during a story a member of staff engages children well, asking questions about what they can see. She asks, 'Why do you think the lobster is in the box? What do you think might happen if it got out?'. She goes on to encourage the children to recall a recent trip to the aquarium, asking the children to remember what they saw. She successfully encourages children to think critically and express their ideas in front of their peers. Children have a wonderful time playing outside in the well-equipped outdoor area. They explore in the water tray, using a range of tools to measure, pour and transfer the water. Children use their imagination and practise good mathematical and physical skills as they play with the large construction bricks, deciding they will make a house. A member of staff asks what the house will need, prompting the children to think about and

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who attend

plan their build. The member of staff effectively extends children learning as she suggests they find some paper to draw a plan for their house. Children have great fun talking about what their house will need, mixing mud in the cement mixer and using different tools to lay the 'cement' on the bricks. Staff's quality interactions inspired children to plan, make decisions about how to approach a task and reach a goal. Staff are good role models and constantly chat to the children, encouraging good communication skills. However, on occasion, staff miss opportunities to encourage the children to learn together and from one another, helping older children to value their peers' ideas and suggestions. Children with additional needs are supported well. Staff work closely with the other professionals involved and use all the information received to devise and implement individual development plans for the children. Targeted training means staff are able to support

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who attend

children further. For example, staff use their newly acquired Makaton communication skills to interact with those children with additional needs.

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who attend

Staff place high priority on ensuring children are emotionally and developmentally prepared for school. Staff talk to the children about their move to school and read stories to help them prepare emotionally for this new change. Older children are invited to engage in more focussed activities during the session. For example, they sit together and enjoy colouring in items beginning with the letter sound 'l'. They sound out the letter and practise making the correct sound. Afterwards they cut out and stick their pictures in their files. Children are encouraged to fetch their own scissors, glue and files. These activities successfully build upon children's concentration and independence skills, supporting well their readiness for school.

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

As a result of the small group size and consistent staff team, staff know the children and their families very well and quickly form strong bonds and positive relationships with the children, which helps them to feel safe and secure. Key persons work closely with parents and engage in a good two-way flow of communication, enabling staff to sensitively support children emotional and physical well-being. Children demonstrate that they feel secure in the setting as they confidently navigate around the environment, selecting resources and chatting to visitors. In the main, children behave well and play harmoniously together. Many of the children listen well to staff's instructions and happily follow the routine of the day. However, some children are less able to manage their behaviour appropriately and staff do not always react promptly in order to help children understand the expectations of their behaviour and effective ways to manage their

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

Children demonstrate a good understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles and good hygiene from a young age. All children follow the hand-washing routine and cheerfully tell staff their hands are 'nice and clean', showing a good understanding of the process. Children gain a wonderful insight into healthy eating as they make their own smoothies from fruit and talk about what foods are good for us. Children develop their large muscles movements as they use a range of equipment during outdoor play. They can steer, pedal and push trikes, ride-along toys, climb and pull themselves up on the climbing frame, run and balance on a range of playground equipment. These apparatus provide opportunities for children to take risks as they climb, negotiating height and balance. Children also learn about safety during their imaginative play. Staff provide real items, such as, oven gloves in the role play kitchen to support children's understanding of

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provision

Robust safeguarding procedures and staffs' firm understanding of safeguarding, help to keep children safe. Staff are clear on the actions to take should they have any concerns about a child. The manager is the designated safeguarding officer who takes the lead in dealing with any concerns. She has received relevant training to support her in this role. She ensures all staff members are clear on their role of safeguarding children, for example, through ensuring training is kept up to date and she keeps staff aware of changes to the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidance. There are clear recruitment and vetting procedures to check staff suitability, meaning children are cared for by staff that are suitable to do so. Risk assessments are carried out on all areas used by children and for outings undertaken. Staff check all areas of the setting daily to help to make sure children remain safe in their care. The environment is well organised, enabling children to

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provision

freely access resources and make choices in their play. There are suitable places for children to relax and eat comfortably.

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provision

The staff team work well together and share an enthusiasm for their role in providing good quality care and education for the children. This reflects in the happy and welcoming environment and strong practice. Formal supervisions and staff appraisals helps the manager to monitor staff's performance, areas for development and provide opportunities for joint discussions about staff's professional development. The manager is aware of the importance of ensuring the staff team remains skilled and knowledgeable. As a result, they attend regular training and implement their new skills into the setting. The manager is entirely involved in the day-to-day running of the setting, working directly with the children. This provides a valuable opportunity to monitor closely the children's progress. Furthermore, regular tracking of all their progress allows the manager and staff to identify gaps in learning. Staff work collaboratively to evaluate the service they offer. They act

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provision

promptly on advice and support they receive from the local authority and are keen to take on new ideas. For example, the manager has plans to visit other settings in order share and gain ideas.

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provision

Staff share positive relationships with parents who are made to feel welcome in the setting. There is much information available on the parents notice board and a good, regular two-way flow of information further enhances the good partnerships in place. Good links with other professionals support continuity in children's learning and development. Where possible, the setting works effectively with the schools children go on to attend. For example, staff meet with teaching staff to discuss any important information and to ensure a smooth transition for the children and their learning. Staff work in close partnership with the other professionals involved in the care and develop of the children attending. For example, key persons attend meetings with speech therapists and local authority special educational needs co-ordinators to share information and contribute to a collaborative way of working to support children's individual needs.

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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 317577 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 865125

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 15 Number of children on roll 24 Name of provider Plumbland Pre-School Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 13/09/2011 Telephone number 01697 320 628

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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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