Koalas Swindon Opportunity Group

Koalas Swindon Opportunity Group C/O Saltway, Pearl Road, Middleleaze, Swindon, SN5 5TD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/07/2014 11/06/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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

 Partnership with parents and other professionals are strong, and overall they are fully included in the setting and in their children's learning and development.  Staff have a good understanding of the procedure to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare and they are deployed effectively to meet children's care and learning needs.  Children benefit from warm, affectionate bonds with familiar and trusted staff. This helps children to feel settled and secure within the setting.  The physical environment, resources and activities are good. Staff provide children with exciting play experiences in an environment that meets their individual needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 At times, the questioning techniques used by staff are not consistent, resulting in some children having fewer opportunities to consider the use of numbers in their play.

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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 play room and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the setting manager and staff at appropriate times throughout the session.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation including children's records, learning and development information, staff records, risk assessments, self evaluation and a selection of policies and procedures.  The inspector invited the manager to undertake a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents and grandparents through discussion.

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Information about the setting

Koalas Opportunity Group was first established in 1987. It operates from Saltway in the Middleaze district of Swindon. The group supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently 39 children on roll .The setting is open for four morning or afternoon sessions a week for 49 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area that is accessible from the main playroom. The provision employs six members of staff including the manager and one voluntary assistant. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications. The group has a dedicated room for sensory play. The opportunity group receives support and advice from the local early years team.

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

 increase children's understanding of numbers and counting through daily routines and events, for example, by including the use of numerals in their play.

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who attend

Koalas Swindon opportunity group is a provision for children with special educational needs and/or physical disabilities. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage in meeting children's individual care and learning needs. Staff assess children's base line starting points through information obtained from parents and through well-established settling in sessions. Staff develop individual educational plans for inclusive activities based on their observations of what children can do and skilfully adapt, plan and prepare activities so that they are tailored to each individual child. Staff also incorporate any information and targets set by other professionals involved with supporting children's learning and development. For example, physiotherapists. As a result, planning and next steps are precise for individual children's developmental needs, and draw on a wide range of sources. This enables staff to see if progress is as expected,

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who attend

above, or below for their age and stage. Consequently, staff can address any gaps in learning that may emerge, so that early intervention can prevent greater future difficulties. Children's learning journals contains a range of information including 'wow' moments and this information is regularly shared with parents. This means that parents are fully informed about their child's care and development. There are good links with other settings that the children attend; this helps to ensure continuity of care is maintained.

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who attend

Staff give priority to promoting children's development in communication and language and provide good support for children who need additional measures to stimulate their verbal communication skills through the use of pictures. For example, staff encourage children to select the correct picture for the next item they would like from their lunch box, staff then model the use of the correct word such as 'yogurt' and 'cracker'. This helps to develop children's vocabulary. Staff also take care to use specific praise frequently with children, such as 'good sitting' to reinforce the importance of this at small group times. Staff provide an environment that is rich with print which shows children words have meaning. For example, labels are used on toy boxes and furniture. Children are encouraged to find their name card and use this to register their attendance. Children have a good selection of fiction and non-fiction books and sit happily looking at books,

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who attend

turning pages and pointing at pictures with a familiar adult. This means they are beginning to understand that text carries meaning and appreciate reading as a pleasurable pastime. Additionally staff use sign language well to reinforce children's language development.

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who attend

Staff provide opportunities for children to promote mathematical development. For example, Children laugh and shout with delight as they play with sand and water and have a selection of games, puzzles and construction toys. However, opportunities are missed for more able children to count, sort and match during their play. For example, by counting at snack time or simple problem solving during routines to further extend their learning. Children freely access mark-making materials. Children express themselves freely as they explore a variety of media, such as jelly cubes, and they create pictures and choose from an assortment of paints. Children choose to play indoors or outside and the wide range of activities in the outdoor learning environment successfully complement and match those provided inside. For example, staff push children in the 'bus' around the garden and use this opportunity to positively develops children's knowledge, respect and understanding

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who attend

Staff share relevant, useful information with parents about their child's learning and development on a daily basis. Parents often stay with their children for a part of the session and take this opportunity to meet with other professionals and discuss any learning that takes place outside of the setting. This helps to ensure that learning and development is complemented between environments, in order to provide an appropriate degree of consistency for children's learning between home and the group.

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

Staff support children's well-being effectively, the key person system works very well throughout the setting. Staff deployment is observed to be highly effective to support children's welfare and learning. This is because the group provides greater ratios of adults to children than stipulated under statutory requirements, in order to effectively meet the needs of all children attending. Children demonstrate that they feel safe because they move between their chosen activities freely and they approach the staff for comfort and reassurance as they need it. For example, they seek out friends and staff to play alongside with the trains and to share their book. Children learn to play cooperatively together as they are encouraged to share and take turns. Children of all ages quickly learn the rules and expectations of the group and respond well to the warm and supportive guidance of staff who are good role models. Staff respond to children's needs, such as when they need

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

additional support or be redirected in their play. This includes the occasional prompt by staff about sharing and taking turns. Consequently, there is a positive atmosphere and children behave well.

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

Children have access to daily outdoor play, irrespective of their mobility. Adaptations are made to support their safety whilst allowing them to explore and enjoy outdoor exercise, including for those who are mobile but not yet walking. Outdoor areas are well resourced with equipment in order to develop children's whole body control, and to explore safely with staff supervision. Staff talk about sun cream as they apply this to individual children and all children are encouraged to wear hats when they play outside. This encourages children to understand about the effects of hot weather and how to protect themselves. Children are beginning to learn about a healthy lifestyle as more able children are encouraged to serve their lunch and drinks, and mealtimes are a social occasion where children and staff sit and eat together. For example, staff use this time to discuss with children how strawberries and grapes are healthy foods. Children are encouraged to

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

manage their own personal care and they learn about health and hygiene through washing hands frequently. For example children spontaneously wash their hands before eating their lunch. Children learn about safety issues through rehearsing the emergency evacuation procedure. They take manageable risks in their play and enjoy control over their time at the group as they make choices about activities and help to tidy away their own toys.

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provision

Since the last inspection a high, enclosed secure fence has been installed around the outdoor grounds of the group and access to the entrance is via secure gates that lead directly to outdoor grounds. Parents and visitors are welcomed in only by the staff, keeping children secure and safe while on the premises. Staff are very vigilant and ensure that children play in a safe and secure environment. Consequently, children are effectively protected. Children are safeguarded and cared for by experienced staff that have been fully vetted to ensure their suitability. All staff and volunteers complete safeguarding training and the group has clear induction policies and procedures in place to further support them which help to further protect children. Risk assessments are in place and carried out by staff, prior to the children arriving. Each child has their own risk assessment which is used to consider the provision as a whole to ensure it meets the needs and is

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provision

safe for all children. Risk assessments are shared with parents and help to ensure all areas of the premises are kept safe and are appropriate for use. This means that all children are safeguarded and risks are minimised.

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provision

Staff meetings are held on a regular basis and staff have ample opportunities to enhance their professional development through ongoing training. Staff are skilled, competent and highly experienced. There are strong organisational structures in place to ensure that staff are effectively deployed and staffing ratios are met and very often exceeded at all times. The manager plans in advance the individual needs of each child that attends and which staff are needed to care for children that are booked into the group on a particular day. As a result, staff and ratios in the nursery exceed requirements and children are well supported during their activities. The monitoring of children's progress and the teaching and learning are managed effectively on a regular basis by staff and management. This helps to ensures that children are making consistent progress, relevant to their individual needs and abilities, through ongoing focused observations and assessments. Key persons

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provision

play a significant role in putting together the child's individual education plan and ensure this is implemented and information is shared throughout all aspects of the child's learning and play.

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provision

The manager has a good range of policies and procedures, which are shared with parents. All members of staff receive regular supervision meetings, monitoring and observations of their practice. This helps to ensures that all children receive good quality learning and make good progress based on their starting points. Self-evaluation is thorough and includes an overview of what the setting does well, taking into account the views of parents, staff and outside agencies. Children's views and comments are noted as part of the observation and assessment process which helps to guide and improve practice further.

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provision

Partnership with parents are good. There is designated space on the premises for parents to remain whilst their children take part in sessions and parents appreciate the 'open door' policy that enables them to seek support from the staff, manager and other parents at any time. Support for parents continues after children leave the group, as parents are encouraged to use the expertise of the manager if they have queries about accessing services for their children. Parents comment 'I don't know what I would do without the group'. This demonstrates the good links between the group and parents. Effective transition arrangements are in place with feeder schools and assessments and tracking documentation is shared to ensure continuity of learning for the children.

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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 EY344140 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 963279 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 39 Name of provider Koalas Opportunity Group Committee Date of previous inspection 11/06/2013 Telephone number 01793 465361

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Setting details

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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