Tunstall Methodist Church Playgroup

Tunstall Methodist Church Playgroup Queens Avenue, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 6EE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/06/2014 14/06/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Staff are trained in safeguarding and child protection. They have a good understanding of assessing risks and as a result, the children are safe.  Children have a warm and friendly relationship with their key person, enabling them to form secure attachments with those who care for them.  Children enjoy their time at the setting and are occupied, particularly in the Butterfly room, where an effective educational programme prepares children well for the next steps in their learning.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff working in the Hedgehog room do not have a clear picture of each child's stage of development, as they are not assessing children's progress accurately. Therefore, the children based in this room do not always make good progress.  The quality of teaching is variable. Managers are not always successful in bringing about swift improvements when weaknesses in staff practice are identified. Therefore, the progress children make across the setting is varied.  Staff are not always successfully supporting all parents to build on their child's learning at home, which means that children's learning and development lacks good consistency.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the area used by children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the Butterfly Room, the Hedgehog Room and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager of the provision, and spoke with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and a selection of policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and action plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Tunstall Methodist Church Playgroup is privately owned and has been operating since 1993. The group operates from Tunstall Methodist Church, on the outskirts of Tunstall Town Centre, Staffordshire. The group serves the local area. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. Access to the group is up five steps to ground floor level. The group is open each weekday, from 9am to 3.15pm, during school term-times. The group is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 26 children in the early years age range may attend the group at any one time. Currently, there are 47 children in this age range on roll. The group is in receipt of funding for nursery education for 41 children aged two-, three- and four-years-old. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There are five

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Information about the setting

members of staff. Of these, the manager holds a Foundation Degree in Early Years, three members of staff hold an early years qualification at level 3 and one member of staff holds an early years qualification at level 2.

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must:

 ensure that assessments of the children's attainment accurately identify their levels of achievement, and that this information is used to shape learning experiences, particularly for those children in the Hedgehog room.

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must:

 develop further the system of supervision, support and coaching of staff, to improve the quality of teaching and ensure that the children receive quality learning experiences, particularly in the Hedgehog room.

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must:

 develop further strategies to engage and support parents in helping them build on their child's learning at home, to promote consistency for children's learning and development.

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who attend

The quality of teaching at the setting is variable. Children generally enjoy their time and are occupied, particularly in the Butterfly room where the staff plan activities that engage the children's interest. They encourage children to persevere, using effective teaching methods, such as varying the tone and pitch of their voice, to encourage the children to listen carefully when they take part in a posting activity. Teaching in the Butterfly room is good and, therefore, children in this room make more rapid progress because they are supported by skilled staff. Staff in the Butterfly room observe and assess children's progress regularly, and have an accurate understanding of what their children know and can do. Activities are then planned, that effectively build on their existing skills. These children are well prepared for school or the next stage in learning. For example, they are beginning to recognise and write their own names. Staff support the children well and, as

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who attend

a result, the children have a good levels of personal independence. For example, they put on their own coats, use tools and equipment that support early writing, and serve their own snack, peeling and cutting the fruit themselves. Staff use effective teaching methods to ensure that the children are encouraged to stay on a task and develop their concentration. Children enjoy extending their learning outside, taking part in role play and copying each other's movements as they pretend to be aeroplanes, moving amongst children and adults with skill.

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who attend

However, activities in the Hedgehog room lack the same level of stimulation as those in the Butterfly room. On occasion, staff fail to engage the children sufficiently to ensure that they persevere at a task. For example, children begin to thread lace with beads and buttons, but give up quickly when they find it difficult and staff are not available to support them. Staff in this room do not always monitor what the children can do closely enough, to ensure that assessment of children's development is accurate, planned activities and experiences are suitably aligned with their needs, and children are offered good levels of challenge. Nevertheless, children are making sufficient progress in areas, such as early language and self-care skills. For example, staff encourage the children to wash and dry their own hands after taking part in a painting activity and before snacking, enabling children's level of personal independence to develop appropriately. When taking

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who attend

part in role play outside, staff engage children well, encouraging them to take part if reluctant and extending their language by helping them to decide what they need to take in their holiday suitcase.

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who attend

Overall, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for whom English is an additional language are supported appropriately within the setting. Staff work closely with outside agencies, and are quick to engage their services if a child is identified as needing additional help. For example, the local authority's special educational needs support teacher comes into the setting, to work directly with children who are identified as needing further support. Staff talk to parents regularly about their child's progress, sharing observations of their child's learning within the setting daily. However, strategies to engage parents in supporting their child's learning at home are not always successful and, as a result, some children's learning and development lacks consistency.

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

Each child and their family works in partnership with a key person who is very friendly and cheerful with the children, successfully helping them form appropriate and secure attachments. Teachers are effective in safeguarding the children and encourage them to take appropriate risks in their play. For example in the outdoor area children enjoy walking along a small wall within the play area. Staff observe them carefully and explain how to walk safely; they offer a supportive hand for those children who are less confident. They also help younger children to safely go up and down the steps that take them to the outdoor area. The children have regular access to outdoors, meaning that they have fresh air and some exercise. The children from the Hedgehog room do not have easy access to the outside area, but staff manage this well using a rope with rings on to encourage the children to stay together and stay safe.

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

Effective transitions, within the setting and other schools, ensure that staff enable children to be emotionally prepared for the next stage in their learning. Independence skills observed during the inspection were good. The children in the Butterfly room all help to tidy away before lunch. Although the children cannot have independent access to the bathroom, they are encouraged to toilet themselves, when appropriate, and to wash their own hands. The children in the Hedgehog room have the use of a portable sink and are encouraged to use the soap dispenser independently. Staff provide fresh fruit daily for snack, alongside carbohydrates, such as a plain biscuit. They talk to the children about the importance of healthy eating and have recently followed the theme of "Well Being", which has produced some stimulating, colourful displays in both rooms.

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

Staff in both rooms have put good hygiene practices in place, spraying tables before the children sit down for snack, encouraging them to use plates when appropriate. Staff provide children with many opportunities throughout the day to self-select resources, and to find their own coats and put them on before the regular outdoor play. They praise the children for their achievements and, as a result, children are happy and confident in their learning. Staff and parents work together to ensure that the care needs of children are supported. For example, they share information about children's personal care and dietary needs. Discussions on a daily basis mean that children's care remains consistent. Overall, behaviour within the setting is good, staff provide good role models, encouraging the children to be kind to each other and share.

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provision

Children are safeguarded well. The manager knows and understands the safeguarding and welfare, and the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff have undertaken safeguarding training and are confident in their knowledge of how to report any concerns, meaning children are safe in their care. The manager has implemented a robust recruitment and induction process for staff, with ongoing suitability checks for existing staff; this ensures everyone is and remains suitable to work with the children in the setting. For example, she regularly updates their suitability checks with the relevant authorities and, working closely with all staff, monitors any changes in their personal life that may affect their suitability to work with the children.

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provision

The manager and deputy are motivated and strong practitioners. Since the last inspection, the setting has made satisfactory progress with the recommendations that were raised. For example, they have reviewed the daily routines for the children, providing them with more opportunities to develop their personal independence. The setting has also developed systems for sharing relevant information with each other and parents. Staff attend any training that is available to them, passing anything relevant they have learned on to others, enabling children to benefit from new skills and developments. Management are in the process of implementing appraisals and supervisions of staff, to identify weaknesses in the quality of teaching. However, while these processes are in place, they are still in the early stages of development. For some staff the information about improvements needed has not been clearly communicated or effectively monitored.

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provision

Therefore, improvements in the quality of teaching are not happening swiftly. As a result, children, particularly in the Hedgehog room, are not progressing consistently to the next stage in their development.

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provision

The setting generally works well in partnership with parents. They visit the setting with their child, sharing information about them before they start. This information forms part of each child's learning journey. Parents report that overall, they are happy with the setting. Parents of children with special educational and/or disabilities needs feel particularly well supported by the manager. The setting work well with outside agencies, including the local authority development officer, who was recently invited in at the request of the manager to support improvement in the quality of teaching in the Hedgehog room. Staff attend transition meetings with parents if required, and have open access to their child's learning journey, which in the butterfly room, is of good quality and reflects the attainment of the children well. However, accuracy in the assessment of the children in the Hedgehog room is inconsistent and disorganised, meaning the information

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provision

that parents receive about their child's progress is not always accurate.

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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 224731 Local authority Stoke on Trent Inspection number 864338

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 45 Name of provider Patricia Cooke Date of previous inspection 14/06/2010 Telephone number 07714 330002

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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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