Sconce Hills Pre-School Playgroup

Sconce Hills Pre-School Playgroup Christchurch Hall, Boundary Road, NEWARK, Nottinghamshire, NG24 4AJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/09/2014 07/01/2010

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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

 Children's safety is effectively promoted within the pre-school as staff continually risk assess activities and have a suitable understanding of child protection issues.  The environment is safe and welcoming. Children are happy and benefit from the wide range of resources that successfully support their learning and play.  The manager and staff work closely in partnership with parents and the local authority to improve the provision and provide consistency for children.

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It is not yet good because

 Children's well-being is not fully supported because staff involved in preparing and handling food have not received training in food hygiene.  Some documentation and resources are not always kept on the premises. As a result, they are not always easily accessible and available.  Children are not always well supported to develop their thinking and problem solving skills, for example, through the use of open-ended questions.

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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 main hall and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and a range of other documentation.

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Information about the setting

Sconce Hills Pre-School Playgroup has been operating since 1966. It is a committee run provision and operates from Christ Church Hall in Newark. The playgroup have access to a large hall and associated facilities and use the church grounds for outdoor play. Access to the property is via two steps although there is ramp access, by arrangement, at the rear of the building. The playgroup serves families from the surrounding local areas and adjoining villages. The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register and also on the compulsory and the voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is registered to provide care for 26 children under the age of eight, and accepts children from two to five years. Children attend a variety of sessions each week depending on the individual requirements of each family. There are currently 12 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. The playgroup is open each week day during school terms, from 9am to

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Information about the setting

12noon. On a Tuesday and Friday the playgroup is open from 9am to 3.45pm. A breakfast club and lunch club are also provided with extended opening for children attending this provision, from 8.30am until 12.30pm. Three staff work with the children. All three hold relevant childcare qualifications. The playgroup receives support from the early years specialist team and the pre-school coordinators from the local authority.

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must:

 ensure that all staff involved in preparing and handling food receive training in food hygiene

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must:

 review where documentation is kept to ensure that it is always accessible and available.

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

 increase the use of open-ended questions to promote children's critical thinking skills

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who attend

Children enjoy their play and learning time at the pre-school because they are welcomed by caring staff and are offered a range of fun and exciting activities. Staff identify individual starting points through appropriate systems, such as encouraging parents to complete an all about me record and parental discussions at settling in time. Here, they gather information about children's preferences and capabilities. As a result, staff can plan activities that are of interest to children, right from when they start at the pre-school. Consequently, children settle well into pre-school life. Assessment procedures are suitable. Staff observe children's progress and record their play experiences in developmental records. They take the information they have obtained and use it appropriately to identify children's next steps in their learning and to inform future planning. Parents are involved in children's learning effectively from the start. They have opportunities to look at their

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who attend

children's learning records and talk to staff daily. This provides them with information about how their children are progressing. Parents spoken to during the inspection were pleased with the progress of their children. They commented that they had two-way communication with staff, which helped them to continue the learning at home. Staff complete the progress check for children between the ages of two and three and share this with the parents.

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who attend

Staff support children in following the routines of the playgroup and learning a range of skills. This promotes children's independence and helps them prepare for school. The routines of the day include a balance of adult-led and free time when children initiate and choose their own play. Although most children make progress and receive attentive support from staff, teaching does not always challenge them enough to make the most of activities provided. For example, children are not always successfully encouraged to think critically or solve problems for themselves because staff do not make good use of open- ended questions to prompt children. Literacy development is promoted well at this playgroup. For example, children gain an interest in books because staff have created cosy areas where children can read books independently. As a result, children choose this activity for themselves. Staff read stories to children and ask appropriate questions to

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who attend

further the children's understanding of the story. In addition, the children visit the library, and this encourages them to socialise with new adults and explore new books. They also learn about keeping themselves safe on such outings, as, for example, staff help them to understand about stranger danger and how to cross the road safely.

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who attend

Children love playing outside. They have opportunities to use toy cars and trikes to promote their physical skills. They also enjoy using a variety of resources, for example, hoops, a see saw, chalk, golf clubs and balls. Staff interact well outside and engage the children appropriately. For example, they play on the see saw and sing row your boat and see saw songs. Staff praise their efforts, which encourages the children to repeat the activity, which in turn builds their confidence well. Parents are continually involved in their children's learning. They chat to staff about this at drop off and pick up times. They state that the staff are approachable and friendly and that they are happy with the activities that the pre-school provides.

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

Children develop warm and trusting relationships with staff, which appropriately supports their emotional well-being. Children settle quickly and are confident and happy, which demonstrates that they feel safe and secure at the playgroup. Staff implement the key- person system appropriately to support children's individual care and learning needs. The key-person system helps children to form secure emotional bonds with staff and to settle well at the playgroup. Children receive suitable support to manage their own behaviour so they learn what is expected of them. Behaviour is good and children learn to share and take turns. Positive reinforcement takes place and this helps increase children's self- esteem. Staff are positive role models and offer praise, encouragement and support for children's achievements. Children are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles because they have regular access to exercise and outdoor play. They also enjoy healthy snacks, for

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

example, raisins and bananas. However, not enough attention is paid to ensuring the staff have received the training they need in preparing and handling children's food, and this potentially compromises children's health. Nevertheless, the impact of this is minimised as staff mainly prepare low-risk foods for children, such as fruit. Children's independence and self-help skills are suitably promoted, as, for example, at snack time they serve themselves with their own milk.

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

The environment meets the needs of the children. They have access to resources that encourage cooperative and imaginative play. The learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, is inviting for children. Staff work hard to create a fun and welcoming place for children to learn, where they also feel generally safe and secure. Children learn independence skills as they put on their coats for outside play and some older children use the bathroom without support from staff. Healthy practices are adequately implemented. Most children remember to wash their hands after playing outside or using the toilet. Children are beginning to learn about their own safety appropriately. For example, staff explain why it is not safe to run around the room, in case they trip over. They are encouraged to use resources carefully. Children participate in the fire evacuation procedure, which helps them to learn how to keep themselves safe in an emergency.

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

The pre-school has an array of policies and procedures in place in order to make certain that children are safe and secure. Consequently, health and safety hazards in the indoor and outdoor environment are minimised. For example, risk assessments are carried out and are regularly reviewed. Daily checks supplement the risk assessments in promoting children's safety. The pre-school has regular contact with the families and builds strong relationships throughout. This aspect of the pre-school is positively commented on by the parents.

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provision

The manager and staff team suitably implement the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff have a clear understanding of what to do if they have any concerns regarding child protection issues and are able to recognise signs of abuse or neglect. All staff have undertaken appropriate safeguarding training. Staff understand the whistle blowing procedure. They know what to do if they have a concern about a child or an allegation is made about a member of staff. These processes support a consistent approach to protecting children from harm. There are effective procedures in place to establish the suitability of new staff. Staff are checked, for example, through the Disclosure and Barring Service, to ascertain that they are suitable to work with children. The management team follows safer recruitment procedures and have a clear induction procedure for all staff and volunteers. Staff have appropriate first-aid

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provision

qualifications and there are clear procedures and policies in place to administer medication and deal with accidents, which all staff understand. Staff are very vigilant about the safety of the premises and the outdoor area. For example, staff complete a daily checklist to minimise any risks. Staff also rigorously monitor the arrival and collection of children to ensure their safety.

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provision

The performance management of staff is suitable. The detailed induction checklist ensures that all staff are familiar with the policies and procedures and the routines of the pre- school. Policies, procedures and documentation are in place to aid the smooth running of the playgroup. However, not all these are kept on the premises. As a result, not all records are available for review when needed.

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provision

The process of self-evaluation is in place. The manager is supported well by the local authority. She has accurately identified areas for further development. This indicates that she has the capacity to bring about improvement. Staff undergo supervisions and annual appraisals to assess their professional development and to identify any training needs they might have. Records detail clear targets for improvement as well as additional training that staff or the management team identify as being necessary. This ensures that staff continue to be suitable for their roles in supporting children's learning and development. All of the actions and recommendations from the last inspections have been addressed appropriately. For example, a new outdoor area has been identified, to build on children's experiences. Hand-washing facilities are now available in the main hall for all children to use. Parents are positive about the quality of the provision for their children. They are

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provision

confident children are well cared for and that they enjoy attending. There is a strong partnership with parents that suitably promotes children's well-being. Staff and parents are friendly together and there is ample time given to talk to parents at the beginning or end of sessions. Parents speak positively about the pre-school and the staff. They like that it is a friendly place and feel their children are valued.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that any food and/or drink provided is properly prepared (Compulsory part of the Childcare Register).

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 253322 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 876519

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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 12 Name of provider Sconce Hills Pre School Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 07/01/2010 Telephone number 07772525092

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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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