Carleton Rode Preschool

Carleton Rode Playgroup Jubilee Hall, Mill Road, CARLETON RODE, Norfolk, NR16 1NQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/10/2014 09/12/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children are supported well, to settle into the playgroup. Children who struggle to separate from their main carer are sensitively encouraged by staff to become involved in activities.  Children are confident communicators because staff pay good attention to promoting their language and communication skills.  Management and staff have a good understanding of child protection issues. They are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and are confident to report concerns, to ensure that children's well-being is safeguarded.  Children play well together and develop good friendships with each other. This is because consistent boundaries are implemented; supporting children to understand what is acceptable behaviour.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children's sense of belonging is not as developed as it could be, because staff do not pay sufficient attention to displaying children's artwork, or photographs of them engaged in activities, to fully promote an enabling environment.  Planning for outdoor play does not promote all areas of learning, so that those children who learn best in the outdoor environment are able to do so.

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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 the public playground/park.  The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at activity planning, records of children's learning and a selection of policies and records.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager of the playgroup.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, and the improvement plan.  The inspector spoke to parents.

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Information about the setting

Carleton Rode Playgroup opened in 1985. It is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from the Jubilee Hall in Carleton Rode, Norfolk. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The playgroup is managed by a voluntary committee made up of parents. It serves the local area and is accessible to all children. The playgroup employs four members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The playgroup opens on Monday and Tuesday during school term times. It is open from 9am to 3pm. Children can stay for the morning or afternoon session or can stay all day. On Thursday and Friday the playgroup operates sessions from Carleton Rode primary school. The opening times there are 8.45am to 11.45am. There are currently 20 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. The playgroup provides funded early

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Information about the setting

education for three- and four-year-old children.

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

 support children's sense of belonging, with regard to displaying their art work and photographs of them as they play

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

 improve the outdoor provision, to promote all areas of learning and ensure that those children who learn best from being outdoors are able to do so.

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who attend

Staff know the children well and talk confidently about where they are in their learning and development. They gather useful information from parents when children first attend the playgroup and use this information, along with their own observations, to identify the starting points in children's learning. Children's progress is recorded and shared with parents, to keep them informed about their children's progress. The progress check for children between the age of two and three years are carried out and the findings are also shared with parents. This ensures that any concerns can be quickly identified and acted upon, to support children to make the best possible progress that they can. Staff continue to observe children as they play. New systems for evaluating what they see and record have recently been introduced because it was found that planning was not sufficiently rooted in children's interests or their individual stage of learning. Early indications are that

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who attend

these new methods are successful. Observations of children are now clearly evaluated, to identify where they are in their learning and what staff need to do to support their continuing progress. Activity planning is now firmly linked to children's individual needs and interests. As a result, children's learning experience supports them well to develop the broad range of skills, knowledge and attitudes to prepare them for future learning when they move on to school.

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who attend

Staff participate well in children's play and the quality of teaching and learning is consistently good. They engage children in conversation and children chat comfortably with them. For example, children talk with staff about what they can see through the magnifying glass as they play in the builder's tray filled with bark, soil, leaves and small branches. Children show a good interest in the natural world and understand that things look bigger when they are looked at through a magnifying glass. Staff encourage them to look at the bark and talk about the texture of it. Children extend their understanding of nature and talk confidently about the animals that they see around them or recognise from illustrations. Staff talk to children about nocturnal animals and ask children if they stay awake all night. Children readily suggest that they go to sleep. Children recognise other animals that are nocturnal, such as, foxes and also talk about other animals that

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who attend

they see. They make links with their home life, telling staff about the squirrels that they see in the orchard. Staff extend the conversation to ask children about their pets.

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who attend

Children operate independently in the environment and happily play alone as well as with adult support. They show a good level of confidence, inviting staff to come over and look at their art work. Children develop individual creativity because staff do not over-direct art and craft activities. For example, when completing collage pictures using foam leaves and sticky-backed pictures of animals, children are encouraged to select the materials they want to use and decide where they want to put them. Staff support younger and less able children to spread the glue across the paper and talk to them about why we need the glue to enable the collage materials to stick. Children persevere in activities of their own choosing, continuing to concentrate on completing their collage even when the adult has moved away. Children understand that print carries meaning. They are encouraged to find their written name as they self-register on arrival. Children confidently find their own

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who attend

name and also recognise the written name of others. They enjoy looking at books, sitting alone or in a small group with an adult. They hold the book the right way up and turn the pages one at a time. Staff are careful to ensure that children are able to access books when they are indoors. However, they do not plan for outdoor learning across all areas of learning. Outdoor play usually takes place on the public playground next door to the village hall. As a result, they develop good physical skills but are not able to access other areas of learning, such as, accessing books and writing materials. This means that those children who learn best from being outdoors are not able to do so.

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

Children feel safe and secure in their relationship with staff and mostly separate readily from their main carer on arrival at playgroup. Those who do not are given caring, one-to- one support by a familiar member of staff. Each child is allocated to a key person who takes responsibility for their care and learning needs and develops positive relationships with the child and their family. Children are supported to develop a firm base from which to build their growing confidence and independence. All staff are caring and responsive to children's needs but they do not pay sufficient attention to displaying children's art work or photographs of them as they play, to further support children's self-esteem and sense of belonging and fully promote an enabling environment.

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

Toys are stored well in low-level units, to enable children to select what they want to play with. Staff also set out toys before the session starts, so that children can engage in activities as soon as they arrive. Consequently, they are occupied in purposeful play and develop the necessary skills which help them embrace new experiences with confidence. Good links are established with the local primary school, to help support children's transition into school. Children respond well to the regular routines and they know what happens next at any point during the session. For example, children know to find their written name on arrival at the playgroup and put it on the 'who is here' board. Staff are good role models, providing children with consistent boundaries to help them know what is expected of them. As a result, children behave well. Any unwanted behaviour is managed sensitively, taking into account children's age and level of understanding. Staff

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

use verbal praise to place a meaningful value on children's individual efforts. Consequently, children learn right from wrong and develop self-esteem.

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

Children's health and safety is managed well. The emergency evacuation drill is practised regularly, to ensure that everyone knows what to do to keep themselves safe. Children have daily opportunity to be outdoors, where they mostly use the public playground for active play. Children are encouraged to have regard for their own personal hygiene. For example, they wash their hands before eating and after toileting. Younger children are supported through potty training and nappy changing procedures ensure that the risks of cross-infection are minimised. Children have constant access to fresh drinking water and a healthy diet is encouraged. They are offered a range of fresh and dried fruits at snack time. Children who stay for lunch bring a packed lunch and are encouraged to eat the savoury products before moving onto yoghurts and sweet items. Parents are encouraged to provide healthy options.

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provision

The playgroup premises are safe and secure. Necessary steps are taken to limit risks so that children can play safely indoors and outside. For example, children are regularly taken to the public playground next door to the village hall, where they can be active. Staff check the playground before taking children out and ensure that the external gates are locked. Management and staff have a good awareness of the signs and symptoms of abuse, to ensure that they recognise when a child is at risk. They know how to report concerns, in line with Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines and are confident to do so. The committee chairperson has attended safer recruitment training, to help ensure that new staff are suitable to work with children. Records of suitability checks are maintained and a regular programme of supervision and appraisal is in place for all staff. This supports management to identify underperformance and plan for training needs.

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provision

Management and staff are committed to continuous improvement and good steps have been taken to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the playgroup. Staff have regular meetings to discuss practice issues and a comprehensive action plan is in place that is challenging but achievable. The action plan is reviewed, to monitor any changes made to practice and the impact it has on children's learning and well-being. Good steps have been taken to address the actions set at the last inspection, including a revision of how staff evaluate children's learning and plan for their next steps in learning. The playgroup manager monitors the learning and development requirements. She checks written records and the tracking of children's progress. All documentation, necessary for the safe and efficient running of the playgroup, is in place. Good information is readily available to parents, including leaflets detailing healthy eating, how to access the local children's

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provision

centre and booklets about special educational needs and/or disabilities. Policies and procedures are available to parents, enabling them to make informed choices about their children's care.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents report that they find staff friendly and approachable and have no hesitation in recommending the playgroup to others. They state that their children enjoy coming to playgroup. Partnerships with others who provide care and learning are established, ensuring that concerns about children's well-being or learning are quickly identified and managed. Partnerships with the local primary school are also strong, supporting children in their transition into the reception class.

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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. 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 254007 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 876536

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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 20 Name of provider Carleton Rode Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 09/12/2010 Telephone number 07806097517

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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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