Beaminster Playgroup

Beaminster Playgroup St. Marys C E Primary School, Clay Lane, BEAMINSTER, Dorset, DT8 3BY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/09/2014 24/03/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Children are motivated learners. The staff team's positive interaction, and modelling of language, helps develop children's communication skills particularly well.  Staff take account of children's interests and preferences to successfully plan a stimulating learning environment that contributes well to children making good progress in their learning and development.  Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff continually share information, and actively involve parents in their children's learning, which helps staff meet children's needs.

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It is not yet good because

 The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of changes to the nominated person and committee members, as required.  Staff do not always make the most of opportunities to encourage children to write for a purpose, in readiness for school.  Children do not have ready access to toys and resources to help develop their understanding of how to operate programmable equipment, to gain valuable technological skills ready for the next stage 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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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 playroom and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation including a sample of children's records, planning and records to check staff suitability.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the playgroup manager, and completed a joint observation with her.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection, and of the systems used by the provider to evaluate the provision.

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Information about the setting

Beaminster Playgroup registered at the current premises in 2008. The playgroup operates from a dedicated classroom within Beaminister St Mary's Academy School, Beaminster in Dorset. Children attend from the age of two years nine months to four years. The playgroup is open between 9am and 12 noon, and between 12.30pm and 3.30pm during term time, from Monday to Friday. The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register, and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 50 children on roll, all in the early years age group. The playgroup is funded to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. The playgroup provides supports who are learning English as an additional language. There is a team of 11 staff including the manager; nine members of staff hold a relevant early years qualification.

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

 prepare children exceptionally well for the next stage in learning, or for school, by extending the play opportunities to encourage their early writing skills, such as learning to write for a purpose, and by providing a good range of readily accessible toys and equipment for children to gain and practise early technology skills.

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who attend

The staff have good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development requirements. They provide children with an extensive range of interesting and challenging play experiences. These successfully promote children's progress through active learning. These include a good balance of both adult-led and child-led play activities. Staff link closely with parents when children first start. Doing so helps staff build a picture of children's abilities, likes and preferences. They use the information to plan for each child's individual learning. This means that all children find something to play with that interests them.

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who attend

Staff have a flexible approach towards planning of activities. They continually adapt the activities and change resources to take account of children's interests. These changes motivate and engage children well, so they play happily and explore what is available. Staff plan play experiences to incorporate all areas of learning effectively. As a result, children progress well in their learning and development in relation to their abilities on entry. Staff complete regular observations of children which are collated, with photographs, in each child's individual learning record. Parents receive good levels of information about children's achievements, progress and their activities. Staff encourage parents to support their children's learning at home, such as by borrowing books to read with their children.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good. Staff interact positively with children. They continually talk to them to describe what they are doing, and to repeat what children say. They add new words to model language and help build on children's vocabulary. Staff skilfully questioned the children to develop their thinking skills, such as asking, 'Why do you think we need to put more flour on the playdough?' Children replied, 'Because it's sticky', then confidently relayed this information to others. Staff made effective use of signs and pictures to aid the understanding of children who learn English as an additional language. This means that staff supporting all children's language skills effectively to help them become confident communicators.

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who attend

Staff promote children's early literacy effectively. They regularly introduced rhymes to enrich children's learning experiences, such as 'Roll, roll, roll the dough'. Children benefit from having easy access to inviting book areas, both indoors and outside. These encourage children to develop a love of books. Staff provide children with a wide range of writing implements for them to make marks and have a go at early writing . However, staff do not always have very high expectations of children. For example, they do not make the most of encouraging children to write for a purpose, such as by expecting them try writing their names on their artwork.

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who attend

Children have fun as they explore the outdoor play environment. They showed good physical control when they used pedal bikes and negotiated these around the tyres on a path. Several children became deeply involved in their activity when they played in the large 'beach area' full of sand. They used spades competently to dig. They eagerly selected various resources to transfer sand and create their individual structures. This activity allowed children to follow their interests and successfully promoted their physical coordination.

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who attend

Children gain a good understanding of mathematics through both planned and spontaneous activities. Staff encourage children to count in practical ways, so the task has meaning for them. For example, children counted how many chairs were in a circle. An adult- planned group activity captivated the children's interest as they each had a turn to guess what was inside the various boxes. Children took turns well to open a box and counted the different objects hidden inside. Staff extended children's learning by introducing number rhymes. They showed children how to use their fingers to work out the numbers of currant buns left when they took one away. Children counted confidently and began to represent numbers using their fingers, showing their early understanding of representing number. Staff do not help children develop and practice their early technology skills sufficiently. This restriction does not help children be exceptionally well

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who attend

prepared in readiness for the move to school, or the next stage in learning. Similarly, staff do not make the most of opportunities for children to learn how to operate a range of programmable toys.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to use their senses to investigate an extensive range of media and materials. Children enjoyed experimenting with paint, empting and filling containers with water, and pressing, pushing and rolling the playdough. This active play introduces children to different textures and allows them to play and explore through enjoyable learning experiences.

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

Children receive individual attention from the caring and supportive staff team. As a result, children are settled and emotionally secure. Staff know children well. They recognised when some of the less confident children needed a little additional support, and readily provided this, to help them gain confidence. Staff value children as individuals. They implement a successful process in which each child has a particular member of staff who looks after them especially. This approach means that staff support children's emotional health and well-being effectively, so children are well prepared for the next stage of learning. Children show increasing independence as move around the play areas. They enjoy carrying out small tasks. They take turns to help with the daily jobs, such preparing fruit at snack time. This responsibility boosts children's confidence and helps them become more independent in readiness for school.

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

Staff complete careful daily checks to enable them to identify and minimise any risks to children. As a result, children are able to move about freely and safely in their play. Staff teach children how to use tools and equipment safely, such as suitable knives. Such guidance helps children to learn how to keep themselves and others safe.

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

Children behave well. Staff talk to children to help them understand how to play with others. For example, when some children wanted to fill in the holes that other children had created in the sand pit, the staff helped them to play together. This helps them to form friendships. Staff give children lots of encouragement and praise their achievements, which helps to raise children's self-esteem and motivates them to do well.

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

Children benefit from the well-resourced and welcoming environment, both indoors and outdoors. The extensive selection of play equipment and resources is well-organised, enabling children to make independent choices about their play. However, staff do not make full use of technological resources. For example, during the inspection no computer was available to children. This weakness restricts children's chances to practise and develop necessary skills.

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

Staff make good use of the outdoor play environment allowing children to choose whether they want to play indoors or outdoors. This accommodates those children with a preference for outdoor play, which adds to their enjoyment. Children get plenty of fresh air to help maintain their good health, and exercise to aid their physical development. Staff promote children's good health by teaching them good hygiene procedures, such as the importance of washing their hands before eating. Children enjoy a wide range of nutritious snacks, including toast on arrival and fresh fruit during the session. This means children are well nourished and ready to learn.

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provision

The provision is generally well organised, with necessary records kept, and required policies and procedures in operation, to support the running of the playgroup. This includes suitable recruitment and vetting procedures to check staff's suitability to work with children. However, the provider has failed to notify Ofsted of changes to the nominated person and to committee members. It is a requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage safeguarding and welfare requirements to do so. However, there has been no significant impact on children as a consequence of this failure. The requirements of the Childcare Register are not met.

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provision

Staff are clear on their role in providing children with a safe and secure environment. They conduct effective risk assessment, and check play areas visually often to make sure these remain safe for children's use. The manager reviews accident records to indentify any patterns in minor mishaps to put measures in place to help reduce any risks to children. All staff regularly attend safeguarding and first-aid training to refresh their knowledge, and keep their skills updated. This means that staff have a clear understanding of child protection issues, and how to respond to accidents. They know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a child. All these actions help them to support children's safety and welfare.

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provision

The experienced staff team work together well. They share information so that children's individual needs are met effectively. The manager supports the staff team's professional development effectively. She has regular supervision time with individual staff. She encourages the staff to attend training events to continue to develop their knowledge and skills, although only one staff member holds a relevant qualification above level 3. Information gained from the training is cascaded to the staff team to help improve practice.

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provision

Assessment arrangements monitor children's progress successfully. The manager is clear about her responsibility to monitor the delivery of the education programmes. She reviews children's development to help her identify any gaps in children's learning so she can incorporate what is needed into planning. Staff evaluate play activities to help them improve what they provide for children. For example, they recently revamped the outdoor environment to create a large sandy area for children to explore, and a secret garden for quieter activities. These changes enriched children's outdoor play and learning experiences. However, aspects of literacy, and the programme for understanding the world, require further development to help children gain valuable skills for their future lives. Staff welcome feedback from parents to help them develop the service they provide.

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provision

Staff work effectively with other professionals when they identify children who require some additional support. This joint working means that the children receive the support they need to help them progress in their learning. There are strong links with the school. Regular visits help prepare children emotionally for their eventual transfer.

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provision

Staff have established strong partnerships with parents. Parents receive comprehensive information about the provision in a variety of useful ways. Parents comment positively about the playgroup and report that their children have, 'settled well', and 'really love coming to playgroup'.

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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

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

 inform Ofsted of changes to the nominated person of the childcare provision (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  inform Ofsted of the name, date of birth, address and telephone number of any partner, director, or other member of the governing body (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  inform Ofsted of changes to the nominated person of the childcare provision (voluntary 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 EY378660 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 829577 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 21 Number of children on roll 50 Name of provider Beaminster Playgroup Ltd Date of previous inspection 24/03/2009 Telephone number 01308 863959

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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

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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