Highview Playgroup

Highview Playgroup Under 108 Palmers Road, London, N11 1SL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/11/2014 30/01/2012

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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

 Staff support children well in the development of communication skills. Children become confident talkers. They are keen to join in conversations and learn about letters of the alphabet.  Staff help children learn about healthy eating effectively. Children enjoy a selection of healthy foods at snack times and take part in creative activities on the theme of healthy eating.  The manager has good checking systems. Staff are particularly proficient in understanding children's progress, enabling them to plan relevant learning experiences.  The manager works closely with parents and carers. She talks with parents daily involving them well in their children's learning and to better support children with special educational needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The playroom is a little untidy and disorganised, making it difficult at times for children to make independent choices.  Staff do not always plan group times well so that they have the highest expectations for all children.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children taking part in a variety of indoor and outdoor play activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with the owner/manager and with staff, and observed their teaching.  The inspector spoke with some parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled the pre-school's documentation, in particular documents relating to children's progress and safeguarding.  The inspector invited the owner/manager to undertake a joint observation.

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Information about the setting

Highview Playgroup opened in 1992 and registered with Ofsted in 2001. The playgroup is privately owned by the manager. It operates from premises on the ground floor of an apartment block, which is situated on a housing estate in Arnos Grove in the London Borough of Enfield. The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register. Children have the use of an indoor playroom and an outdoor play area. The playgroup is open during term-time, every weekday from 9.15am until 12.15pm. There are currently 12 children on roll in the early years age group. The playgroup is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are four members of staff, including the owner/manager. All staff hold recognised early years qualifications. The playgroup supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who learn English as an additional language.

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

 improve the organisation of resources in the playroom so that children can readily make their own choices

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

 improve the planning of group times so that these activities offer high quality learning experiences for all children.

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who attend

Staff are effective in meeting the learning and developmental needs of children. They offer children good support during play activities. In particular they help children to develop good communication skills, so they learn to use language in different ways to express themselves. Children show much interest in books, often sitting and looking at books independently or sharing books with adults. This helps them acquire useful attitudes to using books ready for the next stage in learning.

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who attend

Children quickly acquire new language skills. Younger children learn songs by copying words and actions and older children are able to talk in detail about pictures they have drawn. Staff extend children's learning by talking about letters and numbers. Children learn to write their names, use numbers to count and mathematical words to compare. In this way staff help children prepare for their future learning at school.

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who attend

Staff include several group times during each session, often concentrating on giving children opportunities to join in informal discussions. For example, children talk about the weather, seasons or experiences at home. Children enjoy listening to stories and singing rhymes or songs with staff. However, these group times are not always l planned to offer the best experiences that extend children in their learning.

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who attend

Staff offer a range of opportunities for children to take part in creative activities. Children use different tools and materials to make pictures and models. For example, children enjoy free painting; they learn how to print pictures and how to make collages using paper shapes. Staff encourage children to think carefully about what they make and to express their own ideas. For example, they help children to look closely at the materials they are using and suggest different creative techniques. In response children carefully work out how to fit shapes together or choose thoughtfully from a selection of recycled materials.

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who attend

Children especially enjoy taking part in imaginative play activities with members of staff, who readily take on roles themselves. For example, staff pretend to talk on telephones with children or play the part of a patient when children pretend to be doctors. Staff help children to talk about their families and local communities, for example, when drawing pictures of family members or building models of nearby tower blocks. Staff provide opportunities for children to learn about different cultures, for instance by bringing in African drums or inviting a parent to make Indian sweets. These activities help children to become more aware of a wider world.

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

Children have close relationships with staff and are very content. They often become absorbed in their own exploration. They are well behaved and play well together in groups, for example, when joining others around a table of playdough or at the sand pit. Staff remind children of the need to share resources fairly and to take turns. Children respond positively to the requests of adults, for instance when asked to help tidy up. They learn to sit attentively at group times and to use good manners at snack time. In this way children acquire useful social skills. They are well prepared emotionally for the next stage in learning.

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

Staff encourage children to be independent and to respect the needs of others. Children learn to use the toilets independently and to wash their hands. At snack times they learn to serve themselves. Children have high levels of self-confidence. They readily talk with adults and often initiate their own play. They learn to make decisions through choosing from the play resources on offer. However, the play room is somewhat cluttered and untidy, making it difficult at times for children to find what they want or need despite the resources being accessible to them. As a result they tend to give up on their ideas and move elsewhere.

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

Staff encourage children to adopt healthy lifestyles well. Children are able to play outdoors at various times during the session and enjoy the experience of being outside in the fresh air. They go on walks in the local area, for example, to the shops or park. Staff offer children a variety of healthy foods at snack times. They sit with children and encourage them to try the different foods. They talk with children about healthy eating, for instance, when making pictures of fruits and vegetables. Children take part in various cooking activities. Staff are attentive to good hygiene practices and make sure that children are aware of good hygiene themselves.

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provision

The playgroup's owner/manager provides good leadership and support for her staff. She liaises with other early years professionals in order to help staff continually reflect on their teaching and to make improvements to the educational programme. For example, since the previous inspection they have worked together on developing an effective assessment. This has resulted in a consistent approach amongst staff and clearer understanding of children's progress. The owner/manager is keen to maintain further improvement and has relevant ideas for the future; for example, she hopes to develop the outdoor play provision for children. This means the manager has a good capacity to drive improvement in the provision.

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provision

The owner/manager has appropriate policies and procedures to promote the safeguarding of all children. She oversees the effective implementation of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She displays important information about safeguarding so that staff and parents are aware of their responsibilities. Staff are well trained in safeguarding issues and know what to do if they have any concerns relating to child protection. The owner/manager carries out an annual risk assessment of the premises and also daily safety checks. She is vigilant regarding children's safety, ensuring that staff are well deployed across the indoor and outdoor play areas. She is efficient in her maintenance of health and safety records. All these actions contribute to children being kept safe and playing in safe environments.

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provision

The owner/manager meets regularly with staff and encourages them to attend extra training courses for their professional development. All staff attend mandatory training, for example, first aid, safeguarding and food hygiene. They are particularly effective in their roles as key persons. They make good use of their observations of children to plan interesting free-choice activities. The manager checks observations as well as children's individual progress. In this way she can highlight any areas of learning that require more attention.

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provision

The owner/manager works closely with parents and carers to ensure that children's individual needs are met effectively. She maintains a flexible approach when settling in new children, so that parents can stay with their children for as long as necessary. She helps parents complete an initial information booklet to establish children's abilities and continually updates them on their children's progress. She liaises with other professionals in order to support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. In addition she supports children when they move to school by taking them on visits and offering reports. Parents comment that they are very happy with the provision for their children. In particular they appreciate the opportunities to talk with the owner/manager daily. This close working partnership contributes positively to the quality of outcomes for children.

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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 135305 Local authority Enfield Inspection number 842970 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 16 Number of children on roll 12 Name of provider Highview Community Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 30/01/2012 Telephone number 020 8361 0853

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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

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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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