Buckden Preschool Playgroup

Buckden Pre-school Playgroup The New Millennium Hall, Burberry Road, Buckden, St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 5UY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/11/2014 02/12/2010

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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

 The quality of teaching is good. Staff understand how children learn and provide a wide range of planned and freely chosen play opportunities to enhance children's development.  Staff manage children's behaviour well. The established rules of the setting are clear and consistently implemented. As a result, children promptly follow instructions and listen to staff to help keep themselves safe.  Children are protected from harm because staff are knowledgeable about how to implement the setting's strong safeguarding policies and practices.  The management team make good use of self-evaluation to accurately identify the setting's strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, targeted plans are in place for improvements and many have already been implemented to enhance the outcomes for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There are opportunities to strengthen the engagement of all parents in sharing information about their child's ongoing developments and achievements from home, to help staff further support children's learning in the setting.  There are limited information and communication technology resources available for children to explore and use for a purpose 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 had a tour of the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and the outdoor learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the nominated person and manager and spoke to staff throughout the inspection when appropriate.  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 staff working with children, the self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Buckden Pre-school Playgroup opened in 1969 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is managed by a voluntary committee and operates from two purpose-built rooms within Buckden Village Hall in Cambridgeshire. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The playgroup opens Monday to Thursday from 9am until 3pm and on Fridays from 9am until 12noon, during term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 26 children on roll in the early years age range. The playgroup receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently six staff working directly with the children. Of these, four hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and one holds level 5. The playgroup receives support from the local authority.

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

 strengthen the already good links with parents to further support children's learning and development in the setting, for example, by obtaining greater parental involvement in the progress check for children aged between two and three years and sharing ongoing achievements from home

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

 build on the resources available to further support children to access and explore a wider range of technology.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good. Staff understand how children learn and provide a wide range of planned and freely chosen play opportunities to enhance children's development. As a result, children are progressing well towards the early learning goals. Children independently use number, shape and colour talk in their play as they explore malleable dough. They develop their physical skills as they competently use rolling pins and cutters to make shapes. Children play imaginatively as they use pots and pans to pretend to cook their cut-out shapes. Staff have a strong focus on promoting children's language development and literacy skills, for example, they provide activities to encourage children to recognise letters. Children enthusiastically engage in play with lettered building blocks. Staff encourage children's curiosity and interest by modelling the sound of each letter. Staff praise children as they successfully find the letters of their name, supporting their

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who attend

self-confidence and sense of achievement. The well-organised art area allows children to self-select from a wide range of materials, enabling them to develop their creative ideas. Children's name cards are available on the mark-making table to help them to recognise and write their own names. In addition, the setting makes good use of the local community as children regularly visit the nearby library for focused literacy sessions. Consequently, the broad range of activities offered within the setting help children to develop the key skills required to support their future learning in readiness for school.

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who attend

Children's starting points are identified using information gathered from parents on entry to the setting and through the completion of a baseline assessment by staff during the settling-in period. Subsequent observations, focused assessments and regular tracking of children's development allow for staff to plan specifically for each child's needs. Staff accurately assess children's abilities and plan suitably challenging experiences to extend learning. They base activities on children's interests and identified next steps in learning, which means that children are motivated to learn. Staff meet the requirement to complete the progress check for children aged between two and three years. However, there is scope to further develop parental involvement as some parents do not fully engage in this process. This means, on occasion, staff obtain limited information from parents about children's ongoing developments and achievements from home, to enhance the planning

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who attend

for children's next steps. The setting's special educational needs coordinator fully understands the responsibilities of the role and effectively supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff discuss concerns regarding individual children's learning and development with parents at an early stage, in order to work together to ensure good progress is made by each child.

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who attend

The organisation of the environment supports children to be active and independent learners. Children freely choose toys and resources from accessible low-level storage units. There is a good range of print displayed at child height, particularly in the indoor environment, including numbers, letters and words. This supports children's understanding that print carries meaning. Children take part in a range of stimulating activities; however, there are fewer resources available to promote children's access to a wider range of technology. This means that children have limited opportunities to explore and use information and communication technology for a purpose in their play.

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

The key-person system is implemented effectively. Staff know the children well and show a comprehensive understanding of each child's unique needs. Staff skilfully support children during the settling-in process, helping them to feel secure and form good relationships with their key person, successfully promoting children's emotional development. As a result children are happy, confident and settled in the setting. Children demonstrate secure attachments with staff and settle quickly as they arrive at the setting. Children move around the setting with ease, accessing the wide range of resources and learning opportunities available to them, including free access to outdoor play. A board is displayed at child height to display photographs of faces showing different emotions. This supports children to recognise and begin to talk about their feelings using the emotional language they need to express themselves. The staff continue to develop close links with

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

reception teachers to share information, in order to support children as they move on to school. Teachers are invited to meet the children within the setting. In addition to this, the children visit the school to familiarise themselves with the environment. This supports children to prepare emotionally for the next stage in their learning.

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

Staff manage children's behaviour well. The established rules of the setting are clear and consistently implemented by staff, for example, staff remind children about the rules using simple instructions, such as 'kind hands, kind words, kind feet and walking legs'. As a result, children are acquiring knowledge of how to keep themselves safe. Staff use visual prompts appropriately to support children's understanding, for example, a sand timer is used to give children a five minute warning before tidying up for lunch. This helps children to manage themselves emotionally as they prepare for change throughout the day. The consistent use of effective strategies means that children's behaviour at the setting is good. Staff are good role models and support children to play cooperatively. As a result, children are able to play confidently alongside one another and develop good personal and social skills.

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

Children are encouraged to develop self-help skills during snack time, for example, they are provided with small jugs of milk and water to pour their own drink and select what fruit they want to eat. This develops children's independence and self-management. Staff use snack time as an opportunity to use number talk as they suggest children take 'two pieces of apple' and ask children 'How many grapes have you got?' Staff reinforce language development by repeating back key words and extending children's answers, for example, 'Yes, you have three grapes, three red grapes'. Lunchtime is a social occasion where staff sit and talk with children. Children eagerly join in with a conversation about brushing their teeth and getting ready for playgroup in the morning. Throughout the day, staff promote healthy practices by reminding children to wash their hands at relevant times. They also encourage children to manage their own basic hygiene and personal

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

needs, such as using a tissue to blow their nose and using the toilet independently. This helps children to understand the importance of maintaining good personal hygiene. Children have opportunities to be physically active at the setting, for example, outdoors they have space to walk, run, jump and move in different ways and manoeuvre trikes with increasing control.

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provision

The leadership and management of the setting is strong. The management team and staff have a good understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The setting has established effective staff recruitment and induction procedures to help keep children safe. All staff have a good understanding of the setting's safeguarding procedures and know what to do if they have concerns about a child in their care. Steps are in place to prevent unauthorised access to the setting, ensuring children play in a secure environment. Visitors are asked to sign in and out and identification is checked. There are clear procedures in place for the safe use of cameras and mobile phones in the setting. To ensure that staff and committee members are suitable to work with children and be involved in the running of the setting, Disclosure and Barring Service checks are obtained. Staff effectively implement the policies; therefore, children are protected from harm.

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provision

The manager is fully aware of the needs of all children through the organisation of weekly planning meetings. Therefore, staff are supported to plan purposeful activities to target learning. The manager has a good overview of the progress children are making in their learning and development through the use of the setting's tracking system. Staff receive ongoing mentoring through focused one-to-one supervisions. They are supported to access further training courses to enhance their knowledge and strengthen the development of the setting. The management team make good use of self-evaluation. Staff, parents and children are encouraged to contribute to the evaluation process through discussions, suggestions and annual questionnaires. The management team demonstrate they are striving for quality and accurately identify the setting's strengths and weaknesses. Consequently, a targeted action plan is in place identifying areas for development.

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provision

The setting have established a good range of ways to provide families with information, for example, there are regular newsletters, a setting website and an informative parent display board in the entrance. Staff recognise the benefits of working with parents and the positive impact this has on children's learning and development. They invite parents to view children's development records and provide daily feedback about the types of activities the children have been involved in. However, some parents are not as fully involved in a two way flow of sharing information about their child's ongoing achievements and development at home. All parents spoken to on the day of inspection commented that they were very pleased and happy with the setting. In particular, parents feel they are well supported by the staff team; for example, there is effective communication to offer reassurance to parents as children settle in at the setting. Parents acknowledge the

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provision

positive improvements in the setting and have confidence in the staff's capacity to continue to build on this. Staff have formed strong partnerships with other local childcare professionals and external agencies, to ensure all children receive early intervention and appropriate support to help them reach their full potential.

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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 221840 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 818206

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 26 Name of provider Buckden Pre-School Playgroup Association Committee Date of previous inspection 02/12/2010 Telephone number 0794 167 1999

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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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