Leesfield Pre-School Group

Leesfield Pre-School Group Barn Fold, Lees, OLDHAM, Lancashire, OL4 5DN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/07/2014 15/09/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Practitioners work well in partnership with parents, sharing information on a regular basis. Parents are happy with the care their children receive and speak highly of the setting.  Children are happy and settled, their general well-being is effectively promoted by a caring and nurturing practitioner team, who work closely with parents to meet the children's individual care needs.  Managers have a secure and full understanding of procedures to take in the event of a safeguarding concern; as a result, children are well protected.

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It is not yet good because

 Managers are unable to demonstrate practitioner's suitability to work with children as information regarding Disclosure and Barring Service checks is not recorded for all practitioners.  Information gained on children's entry to the setting, does not always provide practitioners with the detailed information they require to help them to further enrich the planning for children's future learning needs.  Although, observation and assessments are carried out, the next steps in children's learning are not completed frequently enough; as a result, some children are not making good progress in their learning.

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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 main playroom and the Sunshine room.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with one of the managers.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children and the provider's improvement plan.  The inspector took account the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Leesfield Pre-School Group was registered in 1992 and opened in its current premises in 1994 and is run by a committee. It operates from a purpose built youth centre in Lees in a residential area in Oldham. The setting opens five days a week, from 9am until 3pm, term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting operates from the ground floor of the building and children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 38 children on roll in the early years age range. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for three- and four-year-old children. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently six staff members working directly with the children, four of whom have an appropriate early years qualification. One member of staff holds Qualified Teacher Status and Early Years Professional status. The setting receives support from the local authority. The setting is

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must:

 use information obtained from observing children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles. Shape learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations to help children make the best possible progress in their learning and development

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must:

 ensure that Disclosure and Barring Service information is recorded for all practitioners, in order to demonstrate their suitability to work with children.

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

 enhance the depth of information gathered about children's learning and development on entry to the setting in order to further enrich the planning process.

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who attend

Children are offered a variety of educational programmes that provide interesting and challenging experiences. Practitioners have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and plan activities around children's interests. However, practitioners are not always using the information gained from day-to-day observations to plan the next steps in children's learning. Practitioners complete summaries of progress for children aged between two and three years. These are shared with their parents, to support their future learning and development. However, practitioners do not always gather the detailed information they need about children's learning and development to have an extensive knowledge of children's starting points to enrich the planning for individual children's learning and developmental needs. Children are offered free-flow opportunities between the indoors and outdoors this allows them to have opportunities to

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who attend

decide where they want to play. Outdoor play is offered in all weathers. Practitioners support the children in being able to do this by offering them umbrellas as it starts to rain. As a result, children can explore the outdoor environment regularly. Children are able to access resources themselves. A small group of children enjoy playing cooperatively and imaginatively. They sing 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' while making music with the pans and utensils hanging on the fence. Children also enjoy developing their physical skills climbing and balancing on the indoor climbing frame and the slide outdoors. Practitioners offer the children opportunities to develop their language skills and to think for themselves through the use of open-ended questions.

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who attend

Children are encouraged to be independent and to develop independence skills. For example, the children take their own plates and milk from the snack bar, ready to enjoy their snack. The children know where their own folders are and know to put their pieces of work in them ready for when their parents arrive. The older children enjoy learning about letters and sounds, through an activity called 'Metal Mike'. The children are encouraged by the practitioners to identify the sounds of the objects he is eating, helping to develop their literacy skills in readiness for school. The setting is welcoming and the environment is rich with displays and pictures that support children's learning, such as number lines and letters of the alphabet.

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who attend

Parent partnerships are good. Parents are happy with the care their children receive, they are offered opportunities to come in and discuss their children's progress. Practitioners have an open door policy for parents should they want to come and see them or their children. They have a regular verbal handover to the parents, so parents know what their children have been doing that day.

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

Children are supported by being assigned an individual key person. This enables children and parents to establish a relationship with a familiar person to support the settling-in process. Consequently, children become confident and settled. Key people ensure that children's individual care needs are catered for. For example, children can bring their own drink cups to the setting as these are familiar to them. When children start at the setting parents fill in an 'All about me' document, which details information about their children's interests and their abilities.

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

Children are happy and settled in the setting and they generally behave well. Practitioners are caring and nurturing towards the children and key people establish secure bonds and attachments with their key children. Children's work is displayed around the rooms so that they can see their achievements and be proud of them. The main playroom is divided up into different areas of learning. Consequently, children can independently access these and they are able to make choices where they play. Children are able to learn about the importance of being healthy. They are offered healthy snacks, and drinks and are able to keep hydrated throughout the day as there is fresh drinking water available for them to access. They independently use wipes to clean their hands before eating. One child explains that they 'wash their hands to stop germs getting on their food' demonstrating their understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. Children also independently wash

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

their own hands after messy activities. They are offered opportunities to benefit from fresh air and physical exercise within the outdoor area. Practitioners use good hygiene procedures when changing nappies or changing children, promoting children's understanding of good hygiene procedures. Older children access the child-size toilets helping them to develop their own self-care routines. Children manage their own risks, for example, they confidently play on the slide themselves without needing support from a practitioner.

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

Children are supported in their move on to school, through a transition report and by taking the children to visit their new schools and teachers. Children develop their skills ready for school through learning to recognise their written names. For example, in the snack area the children take their name card off the wall and place it in the post box showing that they have had their snack. They also have their names labelled on their water bottles and coat hangers around the room.

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provision

The managers and practitioners have a secure understanding of the procedures to follow in the event of a concern about a child. As a result, children are well protected. The group has all the required policies and procedures in place, which ensure that children's welfare and safety are maintained. There are satisfactory recruitment and selection procedures in place. However, the information from Disclosure and Barring Service checks is not recorded for all practitioners. Consequently, managers are unable to demonstrate their suitability to work with the children. Risk assessments are carried out for areas the children access. They are also carried out for visits and outings children are taken on. The setting has secure entrances and children are kept safe as only authorised people are given permission to collect the children. Accidents are recorded and parents are informed of these ensuring that children are given any necessary treatment.

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provision

Children benefit from practitioner's expertise and knowledge. The practitioners and managers meet weekly to discuss improvements that can be made; informal supervisions are carried out for all practitioners. The managers support them in their continuous professional development through further training and by accessing local authority training courses. Practitioners work well as a team and support each other with new initiatives. Managers oversee the educational programmes and the assessments of children. However, they do not always gather the detailed information they need about children's learning to have a good knowledge of children's starting points to support the planning for individual children's learning and developmental needs. It has also not been identified that information from observations and assessments are not always used to plan activities to fully support children's progress towards the next steps in their learning. The managers

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provision

use support from the local authority and from attending regular network meetings to support them in making improvements.

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provision

Parents are kept informed of events and things happening at the setting through a regular newsletter. There is a parent's noticeboard in the foyer, which gives them information on the Early Years Foundation Stage and activities that the children are enjoying. The setting works in partnership with external agencies to support children with additional needs and this has proved successful in supporting their development.

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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 508061 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 877245

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 38 Name of provider Leesfield Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 15/09/2008 Telephone number 0161 633 0325

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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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