Farnsfield Pre-school Playgroup

Farnsfield Pre-school Playgroup Methodist Schoolroom, Chapel Lane, Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire, NG22 8JP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/06/2014 06/07/2009

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early years provision

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

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This provision is good

 Children are safeguarded effectively. This is because practitioners complete regular child protection training, have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities and follow effective procedures to protect children.  The outdoor play offers children an enticing and stimulating environment which further enhances the already good resources inside. This is supported by the good quality of teaching, enabling children to make good progress in their learning and development.  Children effectively receive the necessary support because practitioners clearly understand and value the importance of sensitively working with parents and actively involve them in their child's learning.  The key person system is well-embedded promoting children's confidence and independence. As a result, children are happy, settled and have high self-esteem.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some group activities, such as outdoor games, do not always maximise the benefits for enhancing children's counting skills.  There is scope to further enhance the already good tracking of individual children's progress by focusing even more sharply on groups of children so that all children make rapid progress.

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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 spoke with the manager, practitioners and interacted with the children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents as discussed with them during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a selection of documentation, including practitioners' qualifications and suitability checks, documents relating to children's welfare and learning, and written policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

Farnsfield Pre-School was registered in 1970 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from two rooms within Farnsfield Methodist School Rooms, which is situated in the village of Farnsfield in Nottinghamshire. Children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The playgroup employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and three at level 2. The playgroup opens Monday to Friday, mainly during term time, but does on occasions also open during some school holidays when older children may attend. Sessions are from 9am to 12 noon with afternoon sessions from 12 noon to 3pm, with a lunch club starting at 12 noon. Children may attend on a sessional or full-time basis. There are currently 54 children in the early years age group old on roll. The pre-school supports a number of children with special educational

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

 maximise the benefits for children's counting skills during outdoor games to further enhance their already good mathematical skills

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

 offer a higher level and sharper focus on tracking groups of children so that all children make even more rapid progress.

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who attend

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the pre-school. They have formed secure friendships. They organise their own games, such as, accessing a particular area which requires a password for anyone wanting to join in the game. Children show good levels of cooperation and social skills as they enter and leave the area, adhering to the rules that they have set up. Other children make marks creating pirate hats and objects that are then stuck on the pirate boat representing a brake and accelerator to control the speed of the boat when they pretend to sail it. They also enhance their imaginative skills further adding crates and boxes and lining them up as part of the pirate game. Children show good literacy skills in their writing, clearly forming letters and writing their full name. Children enjoy particular group games, such as 'What time is it Mr Wolf?' Practitioners gently remind children of the rules, such as turn taking and using numbers. Children show

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who attend

confidence as they take on the role of the wolf. They extend their own imaginative skills by changing the role into different characters to the enjoyment of all the other children. However, practitioners on occasions do not maximise the activity to further enhance children's already good mathematical skills. For example, they miss the opportunity to help children understand and match the number of steps they take to the numbers they count out loud. Children use numbers in everyday tasks and activities, such as, counting how many boys and girls there are in small, structured group sessions.

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who attend

The language skills of children is maximised because practitioners ask open-ended questions and question children effectively to get them to work out problems by themselves. For example, during creative activities practitioners use good teaching skills to talk with children about the size of watches and how they will fit on their wrists and compare sizes of wrists and watches. Children use good language skills and engage very well with practitioners, eagerly sharing their thoughts and ideas and describing various sizes of wrists, watches and numbers. The physical skills of children are enhanced very well. They thoroughly enjoy their time outside, accessing the enticing activities which are attractively presented. They make marks with paint brushes and pencils, enhancing their already good small muscle skills. Children run around, climb in and out of crates and crawl through low-level tunnels, which enhances their already good large muscle, balance and

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who attend

coordination skills. Practitioners help children thrive in their all-round development by encouraging children to be independent and make their own decisions, and provide extra resources to enable children to extend their own learning and play. For example, as children want to make more pirate hats, practitioners guide them and provide safe opportunities for children to collect more resources inside so that they can continue in their play.

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who attend

From the outset, staff observe children during their play and successfully track each child's individual progress. Discussions are held with parents when their child first starts, which enables practitioners to plan relevant and pertinent activities and experiences for individual children. Parents are kept updated about their child's progress because practitioners understand the importance of maintaining positive relationships with them. They also offer good levels of support to help parents continue enhancing their children's learning at home. Children's progress is recorded in their own development file, supported by colourful photographs and clearly identified next steps in their learning. Individual children's progress is successfully tracked. However, the tracking of more specific groups is not as established in order to offer a higher level of focus so that all children make even more rapid progress. Practitioners provide good activities to help children develop the

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who attend

necessary skills to prepare them in readiness for school. For example, practitioners praise children for their good listening and attention skills, reminding them of the importance of this for when they move on to school. Practitioners have a secure understanding of child development and knowledge of the learning and development requirements. Practitioners implement good teaching skills in practice and as a result, children are making good progress given their starting points.

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

The team of practitioners are well-motivated and enthusiastic in their attitude and approach to supporting children's all-round development. Their effective teaching skills ensure all children thrive and that their overall needs and well-being and met successfully including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Practitioners understand and promote an inclusive environment successfully. Children's behaviour and self-esteem is good. They are independent learners and also help tidy away the toys they have been playing with. Practitioners are kind and caring and treat each child with respect and uniqueness. They deliver consistent messages enabling children to understand what is expected of them. For example, a large egg timer is used to help remind children of how much time they have left to finish off what they are playing with before tidying away for lunch. Children are settled and have strong, established relationships between themselves

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

and practitioners. This is because practitioners understand and value the importance of gathering indepth information from parents from the start and maintain a positive approach to partnership working throughout the time the children are at the pre-school. Practitioners also plan and provide relevant activities pertinent to the child to help them settle. The key person shares relevant information with parents about their child, such as, their current targets for the next steps in their learning, as well as formal written assessments when they move on to school.

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

Children's health and safety is effectively promoted because practitioners are good role models. They help children learn about keeping healthy through daily tasks and activities, such as, hand washing before eating. Practitioners also help children understand that if they eat too much sugar that it is not good for their health and diet. Healthy snacks of fresh fruit, milk or water is offered. Parents provide their own child's lunch to which practitioners monitor the contents to ensure these are healthy and well-balanced to continue to promote the health of children. Children also learn about keeping safe. For example, practitioners remind children of the importance of wearing sun hats outside to protect them from being burnt by the sun. Practitioners also provide plenty of drinks to ensure children are hydrated. Children show good levels of independence skills as they help themselves by pouring their own drinks of water, showing good levels of muscle

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

control as they do not spill it. Children's health is further promoted because they spend time outside everyday, enjoying the fresh air while exercising.

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

Practitioners promote a welcoming, safe and stimulating environment which engages children's curiosity and interest both inside and outdoors. Colourful displays of children's own art work are attractively displayed, helping children feel valued. The outdoor play area has significantly improved, enticing children to explore and investigate. Children benefit very well from the improvements as they excitedly use the resources that are attractively displayed and presented to them to enhance their all-round development. Furthermore, the toys and activities outside complement the already good toys and activities inside, offering children a continuous range of good quality play experiences. Practitioners oversee the two areas, deploying themselves to support all children effectively.

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provision

Children are effectively safeguarded. This is because practitioners have a secure knowledge and understanding of what they need to do should they have any concerns regarding a child in their care. Robust procedures are in place for any eventualities regarding the safety of children and if there are any concerns regarding the suitability of practitioners. Clearly written and robust policies and procedures for dealing with any concerns are successfully embedded in practise. Practitioners regularly undertake training to ensure all current practice is effective. The designated person for protecting children is knowledgeable and has a clear understanding of their role and responsibility to support practitioners in their role to safeguard children. A robust range of information is accessible for all practitioners to review and follow which covers all eventualities for protecting children. Robustly written policies and procedures are in place and accessible for

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provision

practitioners to view. These include a good range of information, such as, 'whistleblowing procedures' and 'the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting'. Children are closely supervised, practitioners deploy themselves effectively and adult-to-child ratios are met successfully. All risk assessments for inside, outdoors and for outings are robust and thorough, promoting children's overall safety. The manager oversees all records regarding risk assessments, enabling her to track any emerging patterns and take swift action if necessary. Furthermore, the manager and team of practitioners work well together and take action if necessary to ensure children's safety is maximised. All records are maintained accurately and written policies and procedures are comprehensive. Practitioners adhere to them effectively which successfully underpins the smooth running of pre-school.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and other professionals are good. Parents spoken to are happy with the service they are provided with and value the support to meet their child's ongoing and changing needs. For example, parents feel listened to and valued. They also feel supported in helping their children to continue enhancing their learning at home because of the positive attitude, professionalism and approach offered by all practitioners. Children receive the necessary support for their individual needs because practitioners work sensitively with parents, which also offers a strong contribution to effective partnerships with parents. An abundance of information is displayed around the pre-school helping parents with childcare issues and understanding various ways to help children learn through play. Practitioners also value the input and support from other professionals to assist in meeting the needs of children. For example, practitioners work closely with

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provision

speech therapists to further enhance children's communication and language skills. Links with local schools are well-established, which enables practitioners to work closely with teachers to share information about children when moving on to their next stage in their learning. For example, practitioners use phonics associated with the local school practice which supports children in enhancing their already good listening, attention and literacy skills.

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provision

The manager oversees the educational programmes by observing play and discussing this further with practitioners. This ensures all children receive a good balanced range of play and experiences at the pre-school so that they continue to make good progress. The manager and practitioners also have a good understanding of reflecting on the service that is offered. They actively involve parents and children by talking to them and also encourage parents to complete a written questionnaire about their ideas and suggestions for improvements for the outcomes for children. Recommendations made at the last inspection have been successfully addressed which promotes children's learning and welfare effectively. For example, children are independent learners and make choices in their play, such as, whether they wish to play outside or inside because practitioners deploy themselves according to where children like to play. Furthermore, practitioners are

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provision

secure in the way they track individual children's progress. They robustly observe and assess each child which informs future planning for children's individual next steps in their learning. The manager is a good role model and an effective leader. She oversees the practitioner's performance closely. The manager is also supported effectively by the committee. The whole team work very well together having a clear focus on supporting all children to thrive in a happy, safe and stimulating environment. This is because the manager completes regular supervision and annual appraisals which identifies practitioner's training needs and suitability effectively.

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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 509224 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 877251

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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 54 Name of provider Farnsfield Pre-School Committee Date of previous inspection 06/07/2009 Telephone number 01623 882499

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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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