Levendale Under Fives Group

Levendale Under Fives Group Levendale Primary School, Mount Leven Road, Yarm, CLEVELAND, TS15 9RJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26/06/2014 09/12/2008

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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

 Partnerships with parents are strong. This demonstrates to children that there is a mutual respect and the positive relationships between parents and staff help to ensure that children receive the support they need.  Staff are deployed very effectively and the knowledge of individual staff is disseminated in order to share good practice. This helps staff to provide more coordinated and streamlined care for children.  Staff have a good understanding of how to protect children and keep them safe. They implement robust procedures in order to keep children safe from harm.  The quality of teaching is good because staff fully understand how to promote children's learning. They have high expectations for all children and plan activities that motivate children to be enthusiastic in their learning and play. As a result, all children make good progress from their starting points.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children do not always have rich opportunities to make choices during their play, to encourage them to further engage in more exploration and investigation.  Children have fewer opportunities to practice their early writing skills, both indoors and outdoors.

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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 observed activities in the room used as well as the outdoor environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the supervisor of the group and spoke to staff at suitable times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment files and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with the children.  The inspector looked at the self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with parents and carers on the day and took account of their views.

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Information about the setting

Levendale Under Fives Group registered in 1976 and is on the Early Years Register. It operates from a from a single storey building within the grounds of Levendale Primary School in Yarm. The group is run by a committee and serves children in the local area. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The group employs seven members of childcare staff. All staff members hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and above. The group opens Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 8.40am to 11.30am Monday to Friday, with extended sessions until 3pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Children attend for a variety of sessions and some children also attend the school nursery on the same site. There are currently 40 children attending who are in the early years age group. The group supports children who speak English as an additional language and 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:

 review how additional resources and play equipment are stored so that children can see what is on offer and can freely choose to enhance their opportunities to explore and investigate

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

 provide even more opportunities for children to engage in spontaneous early writing activities, both indoors and outdoors, to enhance their learning experience.

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who attend

Staff demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the needs of the children in their care. As a result, staff can identify where children may need additional support. They use information gained from observations to plan for the next steps in children's learning. Staff and parents work in effective partnership to ensure continuity of care and learning. Strong communication between them ensures both parties are kept informed about each child's achievements and progress at home, in the group as well as at other settings where children attend. Staff work with parents to complete the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, in order to share information with health professionals as they wish. Children are supported very well through routines and activities, which encourage their developing skills in readiness for nursery. Consequently, all children make good progress in their learning.

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who attend

Children play and learn in a bright, spacious, welcoming environment where artwork is displayed, enabling children to share their topic work with their parents and recall the activity. Children have formed good relationships with their peers and develop an understanding of the need to share and take turns in play. Children's communication and language is promoted very well. Staff introduce new words into discussions and ask questions to extend children's critical thinking, re-enforcing their language development. Children engage well in the activities and they are enthusiastic and eager to become involved. Staff encourage children to 'have a go' during their play and this helps the children to become more confident in their actions. The indoor area is spacious and children can move about freely. They also have daily opportunities to develop their physical skills outdoors by using large apparatus, such as slides and climbing equipment.

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who attend

Children have good opportunities to explore the habitats of insects and other creatures, for example, through the 'bug hotel' the staff team have developed in the outdoor area. This enriches children's experience of the natural world. However, children have fewer opportunities to make marks in both the indoor and outdoor areas, in order to develop and enhance their early writing skills.

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who attend

A range of resources and activities, such as role play and books, helps children gain awareness of diversity and the wider world. Staff understand the importance of working closely with parents of children who speak English as an additional language, to encourage children's feeling of inclusion and they find out key words in their home language. This supports and welcomes parents as well as children. For example, one parent said 'I am happy because I feel they are safe'.

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

Children are happy and settled in the group. Staff and children have formed strong bonds and attachments with each other. This is because staff place a high priority on developing trusting relationships with children and their families. They get to know about children's backgrounds and their individual needs by gathering good information from parents, which ensures these needs are fully met. This helps children to feel emotionally secure and promotes their sense of well-being while supporting children as they move from home to the group. Children are encouraged to become as independent as possible in their own care routine, which enhances their self-esteem and confidence. However, children do not always have opportunities to choose some of the available resources so they can explore and investigate. The staff team are positive, calm and consistent in their approach to managing behaviour, taking into account children's understanding and stage of

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

development. Staff act as good role models for children, treating them with respect and modelling good manners. Consequently, these young children behave appropriately and, with a little help, recognise boundaries and respond to expectations.

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

Staff take all reasonable steps to keep children safe and secure. Children are encouraged to learn how to keep themselves safe and minimise risks in a purposeful and developmentally appropriate way. Staff effectively promote children's health, well-being and self-confidence. Children have free access to the outdoor area every day, enabling them to be physically active and benefit from fresh air. Staff talk to children about the importance of physical exercise and its effect on their bodies. Children are provided with healthy snacks and drinks each day and during lunch time and staff help children to understand about healthy eating. Staff promote hygiene practices by encouraging children to wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating. Children are taught the importance of caring for other people as well as the wider living world, for example, staff encourage children to show interest in and care for plants and insects in the environment,

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

showing respect for other living things.

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provision

Staff demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. They understand their role and responsibility in protecting children from abuse and neglect. Staff members are aware of the procedures they need to follow in the event of a concern about a child in their care. Risk assessments are in place and are carried out on a daily basis to minimise any risks to children. Accident, incident and medication records are kept and shared with parents to ensure continuity of care. Detailed written policies and procedures are in place and shared with parents. All members of staff are qualified to work with children and all have up-to-date first-aid certificates. Although staff turnover is infrequent, robust procedures are in place for safe recruitment, to ensure all staff members working with children are safe and suitable to do so. Staff-to-child ratios are good and staff supervise children well, which maintains their safety.

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provision

Staff members benefit from individual supervisions and regular team meetings, to enable them to share their ideas and any information gained from training courses they have attended, to maximise the impact of such training. This knowledge benefits the care and education of children and ensures that staff practice and the quality of teaching is monitored well. Self-evaluation is good and staff actively seek the views of parents through discussion and questionnaires. These, alongside the views of staff about the service they provide, enable the identification of strengths in the group and areas to be developed further.

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provision

Staff understand their responsibility towards children's learning and have a good knowledge of the learning and development requirements. The supervisor monitors children's progress towards the early learning goals, to ensure any gaps in learning are identified promptly. Their support of children's individual needs is appreciated by parents, as a result, children are making good progress socially as well as educationally. Parents speak positively of the service provided. They feel staff are supportive, approachable and that the group has really helped their children to be happy in their surroundings and to make progress. For example, one parent comments, 'Overall, I am very happy with the playgroup and I am very happy leaving them here where they are happy and learning lots'. Strong partnerships have been established with the local nursery to ensure continuity in children's care and learning. Staff work effectively with external agencies and services

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provision

so that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully supported to make good progress, given their staring points.

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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 305960 Local authority Stockton on Tees Inspection number 867636

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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 40 Name of provider Levendale Under Fives Group Committee Date of previous inspection 09/12/2008 Telephone number 01642 784968

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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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