Shepley Preschool Playgroup

Shepley Pre-School Playgroup The Portacabin, Firth Street, Shepley, HUDDERSFIELD, West Yorkshire, HD8 8DD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/05/2014 24/02/2012

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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

 Practitioners have high expectations of the children based on a detailed knowledge of their individual learning needs. As a result, children are making rapid progress across all areas of learning.  Very strong partnerships with parents ensure there is a constant two-way flow of information. This ensures parents are knowledgeable about their children's learning and are fully supported in promoting their development at home.  The pre-school works closely with other professionals to ensure children's safety and well-being is given utmost priority. As a result, children are very well protected and kept safe.  Strengths and weaknesses are accurately identified through thorough self-evaluation. Targeted action plans are focused to drive improvement and continually raise the already high standards of the pre-school provision.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Occasionally, groups of children involved in adult-led activities are too big. This means not all children fully benefit from the high quality teaching skills of the staff during small group activities.  Practitioners do not always encourage children to pour their own drinks or prepare their own snacks. As a result, they do not fully utilise opportunities to enhance children's developing independence in preparation for the routines they will experience in school.

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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 in the main playroom and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager of the pre-school and the nominated person.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

Shepley Pre-School Playgroup was registered in 1992 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a portable building in the grounds of Shepley First School in the Shepley area of Huddersfield. It is a registered charity and is managed by a voluntary management committee. The pre-school serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from one room and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The pre- school employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday for 47 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently a total of 140 children on roll, of whom 77 children are in the early years age group. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and

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Information about the setting

four-year-old children. It supports a number of 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:

 decrease the numbers of children who are involved in small group activities to ensure the groups are smaller so that all children benefit from high quality teaching experiences

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

 involve children in preparing their own snacks and pouring their own drinks to enhance the already robust measures that are in place to help develop their independence and prepare them for the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

The setting is a vibrant and lively environment for young children. Children make rapid progress from their starting points because they are given very high levels of support by practitioners who have high expectations of each child. Practitioners use their knowledge and skills to deliver imaginative educational programmes through high quality teaching. This means children enjoy a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities that promote their learning. For example, children explore the sounds of different musical instruments. They use large pieces of paper and crayons to draw what they think the sound would look like if it was a picture. Using skilful questioning, practitioners help them to vocalise their thinking. The pre-school environment is bright and welcoming with colourful displays of children's work. The space is planned well to encourage independent exploration that flows from the inside area to outdoors. For example, the inside has a

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who attend

variety of interesting resources that support creative play, construction and early literacy. The outdoor area has a shoe shop where children can play out experiences from home.

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who attend

The pre-school works extremely hard to involve parents in their children's learning. Practitioners keep them very well informed about their children's activities and progress through a range of media, such as newsletters and emails. Parents who work full time feel that they are kept informed as much as parents who visit the pre-school everyday. Detailed information about children's starting points, and their interests, is obtained from their parents. This is regularly updated through discussions and parents can access children's learning records whenever they wish. Individual learning plans for children who need additional support are prepared and shared with parents. Practitioners have an in- depth understanding of each child's needs and thus, they develop educational programmes that are tailored to target the needs of each child and focus on the skills they have already gained. Development records show that all children are achieving

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who attend

exceptionally well from their starting points, across all areas of learning. Learning journals include observations and assessments and keep a record of children's work and the activities they have enjoyed. Practitioners complete the required progress check at age two for relevant children in partnership with parents and this ensures any areas where children might not be achieving can be effectively addressed. Comments, such as 'the pre- school have made a huge impact on my child's learning', 'my child has made fantastic progress' and 'my child's learning has spiralled', demonstrates the impact that the high level of teaching has on children's achievement.

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who attend

The pre-school is proactive in developing and maintaining very strong, effective partnerships with other professionals and early years providers. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive one-to-one support and this means their learning is fully promoted. Practitioners work closely with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists and this means strategies to optimise children's learning are shared. The exceptionally high level of support they offer to children to prepare them for the next stage in their learning means children are confident and very well prepared when it is their turn to move on. For example, they enjoy play and stay sessions at the local school and teachers come into the pre-school to meet them. Detailed assessments ensure information shared about children's learning is accurate and precise. Small group adult-led activities help children to prepare for the learning experiences they will

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who attend

encounter in school. However, on occasions the groups of children are too big. This means sometimes activities take too long and children begin to lose interest.

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

Practitioners have a comprehensive understanding of how strong relationships promote children's well-being and this means they give them exceedingly high levels of support during periods of change. A strong key-person system and settling-in sessions with their parents help children to develop robust, secure attachments early in their care. This means they receive consistently very high levels of support. Parents value greatly the contribution the pre-school makes to their lives. Comments, such as 'they work hard to maintain children's routines and provide stability', 'they respond to children on a personal level', and 'our relationship is based on trust', demonstrate the dedication of the staff team. Children in the pre-school show they are very happy and confident. They are supported by practitioners who demonstrate they enjoy their time with the children and their enthusiastic participation in activities helps even the most reluctant children to join

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

in. Key persons from the pre-school accompany children who are unsettled by the move to school, for example, during routines such as meal times, and this means they are supported very well during transition. Overall, well-organised daily routines, such as self- registration familiarise the children with the routines they will experience in school. This helps them to prepare for the next stage in their learning.

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

Information about children's well-being is shared through 'team talk' every morning and this ensures all staff have up-to-date knowledge about the most vulnerable children. Children's safety is given utmost priority without restricting their independent investigations because practitioners are vigilant at all times, ensuring children are supervised very well and kept safe. Children are encouraged to risk assess for themselves by identifying hazards in the environment and using small tools, such as scissors, safely. As a result, they are developing a thorough understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Practitioners are excellent role models. They encourage children to share and take turns and consider the needs of others. Practitioners always use clear explanations to promote the younger children's understanding of the consequences of their actions. This means they are fully supported in understanding the effect their actions have on others.

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

As a result, behaviour in the pre-school is very good. Children are increasing their knowledge of equality and diversity through a wide range of activities, such as exploring different cultures during music sessions, stories and through every day discussions. As a result, children are learning to tolerate each other's differences and they are developing robust peer relationships. This ensures they are well prepared when they move on to the next stage in their learning, which is usually school.

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

Children enjoy the benefits of outdoor play and learning in all weathers. The outdoor area provides them with a wealth of opportunities for developing their skills and enjoying outdoor teaching. For example, they can test their skills on play equipment or use balls for throwing and catching. This means they develop physical skills, while learning how exercise supports their overall health and well-being. They also act out learning experiences from their home lives as they pretend to be farmers, transporting a range of materials using spades and wheelbarrows. Children enjoy a wide variety of healthy, nutritious snacks. Children who attend the afternoon session help to prepare their own snacks and pour their own drinks and this supports their growing independence. However, this is not so in the morning session and as a result, this learning opportunity for some of the older children who attend only in the morning is not fully utilised. Discussions at meal

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

times help children to understand how making healthy choices promotes their overall health and well-being. They learn personal hygiene through robust routines and this helps them to be independent in their self-care when they move onto school.

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provision

Practitioners have a comprehensive understanding of child protection issues and children's safety is given utmost priority. They have attended safeguarding training to develop their knowledge of how to keep children safe. There are clear lines of accountability and practitioners demonstrate a thorough understanding of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about children or the operation of the pre-school. Robust policies and procedures are in place to support the most vulnerable children and these are implemented effectively to ensure they are protected. The pre-school works very hard to maintain strong partnerships with other professionals, parents and carers and this means children's safety and welfare is maintained. A register of the children's attendance, including when they arrive and leave, is in place. High staffing ratios ensure children receive high levels of support at all times. The pre-school supports parents' understanding

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provision

of their practice by providing them with copies of policies and procedures so they fully understand the service provided. The premises are kept secure at all times. Practitioners conduct daily checks of the premises and equipment to ensure the environment is safe and suitable for children. Risk assessments are in place and reviewed regularly. All practitioners hold a current first-aid certificate, which means they can give appropriate treatment if there is an accident to a child in their care.

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provision

The management team is highly motivated to drive improvement and continually raise the already very high standards of the provision. They are proactive in developing clear action plans and they seek professional support from local authority early years consultants. They research good practice and use the information to improve the service they provide. For example, they facilitated play and stay sessions in the local school to support children who are moving on to the next stage in their learning. Through regular team meetings and meetings with the committee pre-school practice is continually evaluated. The management team make accurate and precise assessments of their strengths and weaknesses. This means targeted action plans are put in place to address any areas identified for improvement. For example, there are plans in place to further improve the outdoor area to give children more learning opportunities in the outdoor environment. To

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provision

ensure high standards are maintained, the management team seeks the views of parents and children and takes into account their ideas when planning changes.

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provision

The majority of practitioners have relevant early years qualifications and this means they have a detailed knowledge of the learning and development requirements. Members of the committee are from a range of backgrounds and this means they can use their knowledge and experience to ensure the smooth running of the pre-school. The provider demonstrates a secure understanding of her role and she is working closely with managers to monitor the provision. Practitioners are keen to improve their skills through a programme of professional development and they attend a number of training courses to develop their knowledge. The management team constantly monitors the effectiveness of planned learning. This ensures children's experiences offer them appropriate challenge and help them to maintain rapid progress across all areas of learning and development. Parents and children are actively involved in planning and this means the service the pre-

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provision

school provides meets their individual needs. Strong partnerships with other professionals, such as social workers and speech and language therapists make certain that individual learning plans target the learning needs of children who are not meeting the expected milestones. As a result, all children are making swift progress from their starting points and the gaps for the most vulnerable children are narrowing.

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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 311310 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 966582

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 140 Name of provider Shepley Pre-School Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 24/02/2012 Telephone number 01484 606022

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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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