The Owl Playschool

The Owl Playschool Owl Play School, Valley Lane, HOLT, Norfolk, NR25 6SF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/11/2014 06/03/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff have a secure understanding of how to effectively promote children's learning and teaching is very good. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning and development while receiving support and guidance from a very dedicated team.  Through good, positive role modelling by staff, children are developing very effective independent skills, good manners and, as a result, their behaviour is exemplary.  Staff are highly attentive and sensitive to the children's needs and requests, helping children to form strong emotional attachments with their peers and the adults caring for them.  Children are kept safe because the manager and staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding issues. They understand what to do in the event of a child protection concern.  Parents speak highly of the staff at the playschool and they are partners in the child's learning from the outset. This means children's learning is consistently supported.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Monitoring systems for tracking children's progress are not sufficiently refined to enable trends and gaps to be identified and addressed, with specific regard to groups of 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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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 inside and outdoors.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager of the playschool, the staff and the children.  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 and discussed the playschool's self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

The Owl Playschool was registered at its current premises from 2000 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a purpose-built classroom in the grounds of Holt Primary School in Norfolk, and is managed by a committee. The playschool serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from one main playroom and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The playschool employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications. The playschool opens Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9.15am until 3.15pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 9.15am until 12.15pm, school term time only. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 32 children attending who are in the early years age group. The playschool provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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

 refine the monitoring of groups of children, so that any trends or gaps in learning for particular groups can always be identified and addressed swiftly.

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who attend

Staff have a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children make good progress in their development because staff are use good teaching techniques and have a positive impact on children's learning. Parents are involved in their child's learning and development from the outset. Information is gathered through in-depth discussions and home visits so that children's starting points are clearly identified. Children are regularly observed and their next steps in learning are clearly identified. Staff have good knowledge of each child and their current interests. They use this knowledge to make sure that children are challenged in their play and fully supported to achieve their next steps in learning. The staff demonstrate that they know children well. They are able to talk confidently about children's starting points in learning and the progress they have made while attending the playschool. The manager and key

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who attend

persons regularly track individual children's progress across the different areas of learning and identify any children who are not working at the expected level for their age.

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who attend

Staff complete the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years and this is shared with the parents. As a result, staff implement effective, targeted strategies and interventions at an early stage, to support children's future learning. Staff present themselves as good role models for children and have high expectations of them. Good quality teaching provides children with a secure foundation to support their learning. For example, staff recognise that children like to be creative, so they ensure they can independently access a range of media and materials to support their ideas. Staff then extend children's learning by asking appropriately challenging questions, such as 'what colour do you think we can make if we mix red and green?' As a result, children practise new ideas and use their imagination. This sustained level of teaching means that children are making good progress across all seven areas of development. Children are given a

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who attend

range of opportunities to talk with one another. For example, snack time is organised as a social occasion where they can sit and eat with their friends. This practice contributes and supports children in communication and language skills. Children's listening, attention and mathematical development is enriched as staff engage children in a number memory game. Staff ask children to recognise and name numbers. Children cover their eyes and then staff take a number away. Staff model being a thinker as they pretend they do not know which number is missing and they take a few attempts to get the right answer.

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who attend

Furthermore, staff make good use of the end of the session to teach children listening and attention skills and encourage them to interact with a story book. Consequently, children are gaining confidence and learning skills required for their next stage of learning, such as starting school. The staff demonstrate strong teaching skills during their interactions with children. They become completely engaged with the member of staff, talking about the different features of ice they find in the outdoor play space. The member of staff talks to them about why the ice is cold and why it is melting. In addition, she suggests children pick up pieces of ice to look at the bubbles. Children show they are fascinated as they shout, 'Look what we've found'. Children are engage well in activities, displaying the characteristics of effective learners. Parents are encouraged to look at borrowed books with children, in order to support children's literacy at home. Parents state they are very

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who attend

happy with the progress their children are making. They feel their children are happy and confident and staff have supported children's development well. The playschool regularly send home the children's learning folder and parents are encouraged to comment on their children's learning and development from home. The good partnerships with parents ensure consistency of care and learning.

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

Throughout the playschool, children are extremely happy and very well settled. They are highly confident as they engage in conversations and welcome visitors. Children make very secure attachments to caring and affectionate staff, and in particular, their key person. This means that children are extremely confident and their emotional well-being is very secure. New children and their parents are invited into the playschool to visit and spend some time with staff, other children and familiarise themselves with the surroundings and daily activities. By working closely with parents, this helps to ensure continuous and consistent care for children and aids transitions from home. On occasions, the manager and the key person conduct home visits to get to know children and their families. Staff are very positive role models for the children. As a result, the learning environment is very calm and extremely safe. This allows children to explore with a great

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

deal of confidence and assures their safety. Children play extremely well together and are well behaved. Children are effectively reminded to share and take turns with resources. Staff immediately acknowledge disagreements and work calmly and sensitively with children to resolve these.

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

Children are extremely confident and self-assured, and demonstrate their excellent understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle and self-care skills. For example, they attend to their personal needs and wash their hands independently before snack time. Staff support children exceptionally well in understanding the importance of a healthy diet. Snacks provided by staff are healthy. Staff sit with children as they eat their meals, engaging in conversations which heighten children's awareness of the food which are good for them. This helps children to understand how to eat healthily. Parents provide a packed lunch for their child. In order to promote healthy eating staff talk with children about the healthy food in their boxes, which they are asked to eat first. Children's physical development is given a very high priority. They are encouraged to be physically active at playschool and their development is enhanced with trips to the grounds within the school.

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

They enjoy flexible use of the outdoor play environment where activities include sand, exploration, digging and role play.

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

Staff routinely reinforce safe practice. For example, children are reminded to use their walking feet when moving around indoors. An emergency evacuation plan is in place and fully understood by staff. Regular fire drills are practised with the children, ensuring they are familiar with the procedure and raising their awareness and understanding of how to stay safe. The learning environment is exceptionally clean, bright, well presented and provides experiences that cover all seven areas of learning. Excellent organisation of resources encourages children's independence as they are able to choose and select resources for themselves. Community life is supported very well by the playschool as children spend quality time out and about. For example, visiting the church or the library. Children receive excellent support to embrace their future move to school. For example, children meet with the host school Reception class children and their teacher on the

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

school field, once a week. This provides opportunities for children to become familiar with their new teaching staff and school environment, supporting a seamless transition when they move to different settings.

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provision

Staff are very clear about their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. They know about the different types of abuse and the signs and symptoms of each. There are clear procedures to follow and appropriate documentation is in place to record any concerns the manager or staff may have about children in their care and/or to report an allegation about a member of staff. Staff are fully aware of their obligation in relation to whistleblowing and all staff have attended safeguarding training. In addition, at each staff meeting opportunities to discuss safeguarding issues are always incorporated into the agenda. Detailed risk assessments are carried out and staff make daily checks of the playschool to ensure that it safe for the children. As a result, children's health and well- being is well supported. A range of written policies and procedures underpin staff's practice, all of which are available in the foyer to share with parents to promote children's

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provision

safety and protection. All accidents in the playschool are regularly monitored, enabling staff to act quickly to collate and analyse information and minimise further accidents. As a result, children are kept safe.

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provision

Recruitment and selection procedures ensure that all adults employed at the playschool are suitable to work with children. For example, Disclosure and Barring Service checks are completed on all staff. Therefore, children are fully safeguarded. The staff at the playschool work well together, they regularly hold staff meetings to discuss best practice and children's progress. The manager makes good use of regular supervisions to identify staff training needs. Staff are encouraged to continue to progress in their own professional development through attending courses and through the manager sharing her knowledge in specific areas. Consequently, all staff feel supported to develop their knowledge and understanding. The manager is well qualified and this has a positive impact on children's learning. As a result, she a good understanding of the requirements to effectively monitor all children's skills, abilities and progress. Consequently, children's care and learning needs

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provision

are well addressed. However, these systems are not sufficiently refined to enable staff to robustly monitor the progress of specific groups of children, such as boys or girls. This reduces how well they are able to identify any gaps in the learning of these specific groups and address any issues in an even timelier manner.

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provision

Managers and staff demonstrate a good commitment to continuous improvement. For example, the manager updates the playschool's action plan on a regular basis. This demonstrates a willingness to continue to improve their practice. Consequently, the self- evaluation process is fully effective in helping to focus on areas for future improvement that will have the most impact on children and their learning. The current development plan includes major improvements to the already enticing outdoor space. In addition, recommendations from the previous inspection have been successfully met. For instance, children's starting points reflect the learning and development from home. Information is shared with parents through good quality information boards, newsletters and ongoing chats. Positive verbal feedback demonstrates parents' high regard for the playschool and the service offered. The manager has strong links with the host school and children join

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provision

the Reception class and their teacher once a week. The teacher also visits the children at the playschool once a fortnight to share a letters and sounds lesson. As a result, children get to know teachers before they move into school and staff share information about their progress. Staff are aware of the importance of building relationships with other professionals and providers where children attend more than one setting, therefore, ensuring a consistent approach towards children's education and care.

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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 257941 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 867103

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider Owl Playschool Committee Date of previous inspection 06/03/2012 Telephone number 07867 757661

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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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