The Totally Different Playscheme

The Totally Different Playscheme Meadow Wood School, Cold Harbour Lane, BUSHEY, WD23 4NN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/08/2014 07/04/2010

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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 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, so that they can aim to reach their full potential. The manager and deputy are very experienced in caring for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are good role models and demonstrate a good awareness of individual children's needs.  Children have good relationships with the staff, who provide a safe and secure environment for them. Safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented effectively. This contributes to ensuring children's safety and welfare is protected.  There is a positive and trusting partnerships with parents and carers. Frequent communication promotes continuity of care for children and the sharing of information about their individual needs.  Children's dietary and medical needs are well known and these are managed sensitively and effectively.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always reflect on the different ways children learn by using more time-lines and visual aids during the routine of the day, such as story sessions. This is so that children's communication, both verbal and non-verbal, are developed further.

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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 taking place both indoors and outside. She spoke to staff and children and observed the interactions taking place during routines and children's play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with the manager. She looked at and discussed the policies and procedures used and the impact on their practice. These included the safeguarding policy and procedures.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed the self-evaluation process and how this is used to continually identify future improvement.

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Information about the setting

The Totally Different Playscheme was registered in 1997. It re-registered in 2007 due to changing to a limited company. It is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is committee-led and operates from Meadow Wood School in Bushey, Hertfordshire. The school has been specially designed to accommodate children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children have access to a hall, a soft play room, a sensory room, a library area and a playground with apparatus adapted for the use of children with limited mobility and wheelchair users. The holiday playscheme is open for four days during the Easter holiday and for three weeks during the summer holidays from 10.30am until 3.30pm. The holiday playscheme serves children from the local and surrounding areas. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 11 children on roll. Of whom, two are in the early years age range.

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Information about the setting

The holiday playscheme employs two members of staff who have relevant qualifications. Other staff consist of 11 volunteers, many of whom are experienced in caring for children with specific needs and/or disabilities. Some of the volunteers are training for Qualified Teacher Status and two have related qualifications, which include physiotherapy and a visual impairment specialism. The holiday playscheme receives support from the local authority.

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

 extend children's communication skills even further, for example, by using time-lines and visual aids during story sessions to introduce new words and provide a more rich and sharply-focused imaginative learning experience for children.

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who attend

Staff treat every child with respect and as individuals. The manager and her deputy are very experienced in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They share their experience with the dedicated team of volunteers, some of whom are also experienced in this area of expertise. Staff are effective in ensuring that all children are fully integrated and supported in their learning, regardless of their starting points. Detailed information about children's individual interests and needs is obtained from parents prior to children starting. This is shared with all staff so that they are well informed about identified goals. Each child has their own individual profile, which is easily available for key persons and all staff. This is well used along with ongoing observations to plan activities and purposeful play. This helps children to make progress in their learning and development according to their individual abilities. Information about the children's

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who attend

day is shared through daily discussions and the use of a whiteboard. For example, staff write information about what the children have enjoyed doing during the day. This means that parents and/or carers can discuss these with their children when they are home. As a result, there is continuity of learning between both parties.

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who attend

Children are provided with a wide range of activities to aid their readiness for school. For example, they enjoy experimenting with paint and are provided with resources to ensure that they can fully participate. They love cooking and recently enjoyed making individual trifles. During this time, they learnt about quantities needed and the process of liquids turning to solid food. They also learnt about using equipment, such as electric mixers safely. Children particularly enjoy story sessions. They are provided with opportunities to choose their favourite stories and some children enjoy listening to these using compact discs and headphones. The quality of teaching is good and staff use effective teaching strategies, such as facial expressions and tone of voice to enhance the story sessions. Some staff use sign language with children who use this form of communication. However, staff do not consistently use visual aids and time-lines with new children to

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who attend

support children's communication skills.

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who attend

Children enjoy free play as well as adult-led activities. They particularly enjoy taking part in group activities outdoors. The attentive staff provide one-to-one support as necessary. The manager and the deputy are good role models. For example, they use open-ended questions to obtain responses children. They are natural communicators with children and give them choices throughout the day. This promotes children's self-esteem. As a result, children feel secure and are happy to join in with the adult-led activities. For example, children smile and giggle in delight when they join in with a popular outdoor game. Their numeracy knowledge is supported when they count the number of paces that they need to take during the game. This is also supported during the wide range of activities offered, such as art and craft, construction and the singing of popular songs. These activities also support children's personal, social and emotional development. Children occasionally visit a

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who attend

nearby park. This contributes to helping them to experience the wider world.

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

Staff are friendly and approachable and work in close partnership with parents to ensure children's needs are met. A high ratio of staff and effective deployment means that children's individual needs are well met and they are very well supported. As a result, children have warm relationships with the staff and show that they have secure attachments with them. Staff provide a bright and stimulating environment. Consequently, children have the opportunity to explore the good quality resources, including a soft-play room and a sensory room. Continuous discussions with parents and/or carers means that staff are very aware of targets set by other professionals to support children's care and development. The manager records detailed information about each child and all required information is obtained and shared with staff. This contributes to helping children make a comfortable and smooth transition from home to the holiday playscheme. However, visual

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

aids, such as timelines are not consistently used with new children, so that they can understand what will happen next during their day.

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

Children's behaviour is managed in a positive manner and staff sensitively manage any occasional instances of challenging behaviour. The manager is very aware of each child's behaviour patterns and takes positive steps to ensure that these are not disruptive to others. For example, she ensures that children are provided with sufficient space during activities and mealtimes to ensure they continue to feel safe and secure. Children develop a sense of achievement and their self-esteem is promoted during the routine of the day. For example, the terms 'good asking' and 'good listening' are regularly used. Care routines are managed effectively and children's dietary needs are well met. This is due to the close partnership with parents, who supply their children's lunches. Some staff are trained in specialist feeding techniques and carry this out efficiently. Food supplied by parents is appropriately stored and drinks of water are encouraged, so that children remain hydrated

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

during the day. Since the last inspection, the process for administrating medications has been reviewed. This is now always witnessed by two people, which further protects children's welfare.

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

Children's understanding of safety is promoted during the routine of the day. Gentle reminders ensure that children are considerate of each other during their play. For example, when playing running games, they are reminded to give each other space to play safely. Children are able to take supervised risks in their play when they play in the soft-play area. During this time, they are encouraged to develop their physical skills. Positive staff interaction means that each child makes independent decisions in their play. Praise is frequently used, so that children develop confidence to take safe risks within their play. Staff sensitively assist children according to their individual needs.

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provision

The provider has a clear understanding of her legal responsibilities to implement the welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This ensures that children are safe and secure. Safer recruitment procedures ensure those that work with children are suitable to do so. Clear inductions at the beginning of the playscheme contribute to staff having a secure understanding of safeguarding issues and how to protect children in their care. Clear management responsibilities related to child protection have been established. This includes having named designated persons responsible for ensuring the correct safeguarding procedures are followed if there is a concern. Policies are available for parents and a copy of the safeguarding policy is sent to parents before their children start. This means that they are clear about staff's responsibilities in keeping children safe from harm. Risk assessments are carried out daily in all areas used by children and for all

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provision

activities, including outings. Any identified hazards are quickly minimised. The premises are secure and children are always very well supervised to ensure that they are safe at all times.

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provision

The playscheme is well led by the manager. She is well supported by her deputy and staff so that there is a caring, calm nurturing atmosphere for the children. The committee members who attend meetings to discuss the organisation and continued development of the playscheme also assist her. Some volunteers have been volunteering for a number of years and they share their experience and knowledge to ensure children's needs are met. Training needs are discussed at staff meetings at the beginning of the day and these, such as first-aid and safeguarding, are supported. The manager has a clear vision for the playscheme and has a positive attitude to continue to deliver high quality care for the children. She evaluates her practice so that targets for continuous improvement can be made. The recommendations made at the previous inspection have been successfully addressed. For example, since the last inspection all polices have been reviewed to ensure

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provision

that they contain all the necessary information and the sharing of information about activities children participate in has improved.

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provision

The close partnership with parents contributes effectively to children's well-being and ensures their care and learning needs are fully supported. There are good systems in place for gathering important entry details from parents about children's care and learning needs. Information about their children's ongoing needs is regularly exchanged. Parents value the time staff spend with their children and speak highly about the provision. The manager and deputy also have close links with other professionals working with the children and with the teachers of the school where the holiday playscheme is held. These links mean that children's needs are well known and any adjustments to the planned activities can be made. They are also very familiar with the resources available to children and use this accordingly to meet children's needs, such as the sensory room.

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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 EY364508 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 863812

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 14 Number of children on roll 11 Name of provider Totally Different Playscheme Date of previous inspection 07/04/2010 Telephone number 0208 420 720

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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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