Memorial Hall Playgroup

Memorial Hall Playgroup Stamford Street, Glenfield, LEICESTER, Leicestershire, LE3 8DL

p.1

Inspection date

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

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 Children are happy and making good progress in their learning and development. This is due to the well qualified staff who interact positively with children, offering a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated play opportunities.  Children are enthusiastic and confident in the setting. They form strong attachments with known adults who support their personal, emotional and social development well. Consequently, children are well behaved and show respect to others.  Children show good independence as they move freely between the indoor and outdoor areas and support their own personal needs well. As a result, they are learning the skills needed for the next stage in their learning, such as school.  Staff give good attention to safeguarding children. This is because they have a good knowledge of their role and responsibility in this area, which means they can respond promptly to any concerns and keep children safe.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities to fully engage parents have yet to be established; as a result not all parents contribute to children's learning journals or have opportunities to build on children's learning in the home environment.  Children are not always able to celebrate or talk about their achievements as alternative ways to display their work, have not been considered.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children and staff during activities indoors and outdoors.  The inspector toured the premises with the manager.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the registered person and manager and looked at children's development records, evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working in the playgroup and a range of policies and procedures.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the registered person, manager and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector spoke with three parents and carers during the inspection.

p.2

Information about the setting

Memorial Hall Playgroup was registered in 1982, and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in Glenfield Memorial Hall in the area of Glenfield, Leicester and is privately owned. The playgroup serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a large hall and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The playgroup employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The playgroup opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 12 noon, Monday to Friday and from 9am until 3.25pm on a Tuesday and Thursday. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 39 children attending who are in the early years age group. The playgroup provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.3

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

 extend the partnerships with parents in order for them to contribute more information and comments about their children's learning and help them to build on children's learning in the home environment

p.3

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

 explore ways in which children are able to celebrate their own achievements, for example, by displaying what they make and encouraging them to share this with their parents and others.

p.3

who attend

Children make good progress in their learning and development because staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They experience a wide range of interesting activities to support their curiosity both indoors and outdoors. Such activities are either planned by each child's key person or initiated by the children. As a result, activities are closely matched to not only their interests, but the next steps in their learning, contributing to children's engagement and inquisitiveness. For example, while playing outdoors in the rain, children notice a muddy puddle; they place their feet in this and observe the marks this makes. A member of staff suggests they could print the shape of their wellingtons onto a play mat. Children do this, showing excitement at the pattern this leaves, supporting their active learning and understanding of the world. Teaching is good and staff interactions are

p.3

who attend

consistently positive and cheery. They observe and assess children as they play and use this information effectively to make assessments about what the children know and can do. As a result, they accurately identify what children need to do next in order to make further progress.

p.3

who attend

The playgroup are taking positive steps to increase children's readiness for school. For example, children occasionally visit the local school to play on their equipment and listen to their assemblies. In addition, teachers are welcomed into the setting to learn more about the children attending their school. This also enables the teacher to speak with children's individual key person's to source as much information on their care and learning before they start their journey in school. Alongside this, children are developing good independence skills. For example, they choose their own snacks, pour their own drinks, use the toilet independently and put on their own shoes and coats. Partnerships with parents are good overall. For example, they share what they know of their children at the point of entry, completing a range of information about their child's care and learning. Parents comment they feel informed about how their children learn and develop, and

p.4

who attend

know that individual learning journals are maintained for them. However, parents are not yet contributing information and comments about their children's learning, for example, in their children's learning journals or given ideas about how they can build on children's learning in the home environment.

p.4

who attend

Children's language and communication skills are successfully enhanced. Staff value what the children have to say and show a genuine interest in their home life. For example, they ask children to tell them about their visit to the park and about their siblings who used to come to the playgroup. Further to this, staff sit with children during snack time and the lunch time club to encourage them to speak with adults and each other. Children love to make marks and actively participate in this pastime as they independently access a range of paper, pens, pencils and scissors. This enables children of all ages to practise their literacy and physical skills. For example, four-year-old children take great joy in showing the staff how they had written their name while three-year-old children spend over twenty minutes creating their piece of art. Staff praise them highly for their achievements. However, staff have not considered other ways to display children's achievements, given

p.4

who attend

that they are unable to use the walls to do this. This limits children being able to feel proud of their achievements or show others what they have done. Children's understanding of the world develops as they explore festivals from around the world and engage in role play and small world activities using a range of positive image resources, such as dressing-up and dolls. Children's physical skills are good. They use the space available to them well and in safety. They also handle and use a range of tools and resources appropriately.

p.4

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

Staff in the playgroup create a welcoming, safe, clean and stimulating environment for children. Toys inside and outside are safe and presented well to encourage children to explore independently. Suitable use is made of the main room, and the door in the playroom remains open, allowing children to access the outdoors as they wish. This enables children choose where they want to play. The playgroup has a calm and relaxing atmosphere, where children are constantly busy and occupied, resulting in good behaviour. Staff offer consistent messages, such as reminding children not to run when indoors, and of the need to hang their coats up when they take them off. In addition, when managing inappropriate behaviour, staff gain eye contact with children, using a calm voice, to establish the cause of the problem and seek ways to resolve this together. As a consequence, children learn to listen and follow the rules that contribute to their safety.

p.4

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

Staff ensure that provision is made in the playgroup for children to be active along with opportunities to sit in quiet play spaces. This is shown in the pop-up play spaces staff offer, supporting younger or less confident children to access resources in a safe and calmer environment. This develops their confidence and enhances their emotional well- being.

p.5

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

Children's good health and hygiene is promoted effectively. A varied range of healthy snacks are provided and parents are encouraged to provide healthy options in their children's packed lunches. Outdoor play is freely available to support children's physical play, and regular outings to the adjacent park and school grounds ensure that children have many opportunities to have fresh air and exercise. Children learn about their own safety. For example, they are involved in practising the fire drill. As a result, they understand how to keep themselves safe in the event of an emergency evacuation. Staff allow children to take manageable risks in their play, for example, using scissors independently and confidently climbing on small apparatus.

p.5

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

There is an effective key-person system, which ensures that staff know children well. As a result, children and staff form close relationships and strong emotional attachments. Children new to the setting are happy to seek comfort from familiar staff, showing they feel secure. Staff seek information about children's individual interests and cares needs from parents when they begin. This information helps with supporting children's move from the home to the playgroup enabling them to gain confidence and feel self-assured from the start.

p.5

provision

The registered person, manager and staff have a good understanding of the requirements to safeguard children. Through discussion, staff demonstrate an awareness of the signs and symptoms of potential abuse and of the whistle-blowing procedure. The designated person has attended appropriate training, and procedures to follow are available in the accessible policy file for easy reference. Parents are appropriately informed of the safeguarding procedure before their child begins at the setting to ensure they are fully aware of the action the playgroup would take should they have a concern regarding a child's welfare. Risk assessments are effective and staff are well deployed. Supervision of the children is good and ratios of staff to children are met at all times. Staff ensure that visitors to the playgroup sign in and are asked to show their identification. Appropriate recruitment, vetting and induction procedures are in place for all staff to ensure they are

p.5

provision

suitable and safe to care for children. All staff have been subject to appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service checks and understand to declare any changes to their suitability to the management. Therefore, children are fully safeguarded.

p.5

provision

The registered person, manager and staff team demonstrate their commitment to the continual improvement of the playgroup. They use self-evaluation to assess what they do well and what needs to improve. They value parents feedback about the playgroup, either verbally or through a regular questionnaire, and use these to contribute to this process of development. Since the last inspection, the action and recommendations raised have been addressed resulting in an improvement in the overall quality of the playgroup. The registered person and her manager monitor the educational programmes and staff's practice through appraisals and regular sharing of information, and feedback sessions. Staff identify suitable training, and attendance at early years events promotes their professional development. As a result, children's learning needs are met effectively.

p.5

provision

Positive relationships are in place with parents and carers. They comment favourably on the setting stating that their children are happy and enjoy their time in the playgroup and that staff are very approachable and know their children well. Opportunities are offered at any time, for parents to speak with staff at the setting to discuss any issues they may have, ensuring their opinions are listened to and acted upon. The playgroup have developed appropriate strategies to work with other early years settings should any of the children in their care attend more than one provision. This helps to contribute to children's continuous care and learning.

p.6

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

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number 226443 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 818327

p.8

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 39 Name of provider Karen Jan Fenton Date of previous inspection 02/02/2010 Telephone number 07790 946575

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10