Weston Rhyn Playgroup

Weston Rhyn Playgroup The Family Centre, Weston Rhyn Primary School, Old Chirk Road, Weston Rhyn, OSWESTRY, Shropshire, SY10 7SR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/12/2014 14/12/2009

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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

 The quality of teaching is consistently good because staff use highly skilful questioning techniques to encourage children to think critically and develop their own ideas. As a result, children are enthusiastic and creative learners.  Leaders and managers are effective in providing a good overview of children's progress. They ensure children's individual needs are identified and interventions sought, so that any gaps in learning and development are swiftly closed.  Safeguarding of children is a priority for the manager. She ensures that robust recruitment procedures are followed resulting in a staff team that are suitable and competent to provide a safe and secure environment. Consequently, children feel safe and have confidence to independently play and explore their surroundings.  Partnerships with parents, committee members and other early years providers are a particular strength of the playgroup. As a result, parents and other professionals make

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This provision is good

positive contributions to children's learning and effectively support the acquisition of new skills at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although the use of the shared outdoor area has greatly improved since the last inspection, rules on how to use the equipment are not consistently applied across settings. This causes confusion for children who attend both the settings.

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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 play activities and staff interaction with children both indoors and in the outdoor environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a representative sample of documentation, including staff suitability records and qualifications, children's records, complaints and safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of inspection.

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Information about the setting

Weston Rhyn Playgroup opened in 1979 and registered in 1992 on the Early Years Register. It is run by a committee and operates from a room in a purpose built building, which is shared with the local authority nursery and Sure Start. It is located in the grounds of the local primary school in the village of Weston Rhyn, Oswestry. The playgroup serves the immediate locality and the surrounding areas. The playgroup opens Monday to Friday, from 12.20pm to 2.50pm, term time only. There is also a lunch club facility from 11.30am until 12.20pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 38 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. The playgroup receives funding for the provision of free early education for two- three- and four year-old children. The playgroup supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently three staff working

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Information about the setting

directly with the children, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The manager has Early Years Professional status. 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:

 provide consistent rules for the appropriate use of outdoor equipment, to enable children to understand what is expected of them.

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who attend

Children are highly motivated and enthusiastic explorers. They are confident learners who enjoy investigating in this warm and friendly playgroup as they are effectively supported and encouraged by staff to develop their own ideas, to try new things and take risks to succeed. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is enriched by their participation in a wealth of learning experiences and activities. For example, children enjoy learning about traditional stories as they use natural resources to act out stories with wonderful imagination in the outdoor environment. They have fun collecting twigs and straw to re-enact the events in the story and staff play alongside them encouraging them to excitedly recall the pictures in the storybook of the pigs building houses of straw, twigs and bricks. An absorbing discussion ensues as children consider why they might use sticks and mud to build a house and which trees are stronger. Children express their ideas

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who attend

becoming instantly absorbed in creating their own impressions of a strong wooden house. They dress up as characters from the story and enjoy extending their imagination in their play. Staff use nurture groups effectively to encourage children to listen to instruction and to promote speech and language. This results in an enjoyable story time where all children are attentive and contribute to the story. Staff use different emphasis and tones of voice for various characters, adding a sense of fun, evident by the sound of children's laughter.

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who attend

Educational programmes have depth and breadth across all areas of learning, enhanced by a range of excellent resources, which create a stimulating and exciting environment for children. Staff provide interesting and challenging experiences that meet the needs of all children, based on an accurate knowledge and understanding of how to promote the learning and development of children. The large playroom is bright and colourful. Children are fully involved in initiating their own play experiences and organising resources, indoors and out, with the inspirational 'choosing sheds', making access to resources fun and exciting. They are fully supported by staff who value children's preferences and interests. The quality of teaching is consistently good because staff use skilful questioning techniques to extend children's learning and re-shape tasks to accommodate children's ideas. Staff organise activities to enable children to have sustained time for concentration,

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who attend

engagement and extended thinking. For example, children may choose when to enjoy their snack rather than having a set time for this routine, enabling time for sustained thinking in their play. An activity in the sand tray with dinosaurs and flour provides great excitement, as children show they are proficient in problem solving, and are able to build their own dinosaur bridges with pipes and scaffolding. Staff encourage children to work cooperatively to secure the structures. Children learn to count in sequence as they follow patterns of numbers. Staff praise children's efforts and extend more able children, by providing additional challenge. This promotes confidence and self-esteem as children show enjoyment in creating their own dinosaur den. Children extend their own learning when the wind blows the flour, as they pretend it is snow and sprinkle it over the landscape.

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who attend

An exceptionally well-established key-person system ensures staff carry out regular spontaneous and planned assessments on children to plan next steps in learning, tailoring activities to meet individual children's needs. Since the last inspection, the Early Years Professional has developed children's profiles, so that progress is shared more effectively with parents, and all early years workers who work directly with children contribute to the profiles. This ensures all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are progressing well towards the early learning goals and any gaps are closing rapidly. Children are working within the typical range, or exceeding levels of development, for their age. Parents are actively involved in their children's learning through strong partnerships with staff. Children's profiles are shared regularly with parents and they frequently talk to staff about children's learning.

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

Settling in procedures are effective. Staff hold discussions with parents to find out about each child's character and to meet individual family needs. Parents are very complimentary about the 'warm, friendly staff' and 'strong relationships' their children are making right from the start. Children demonstrate that they feel a strong sense of belonging and security. Children are actively encouraged to develop independence and to care for their environment. For example, children participate in setting out and clearing away their own plates, cups and cutlery; learning skills in preparation for starting school. They set out their own places and sit in a group socialising, which aids their personal, social and emotional development. Children are also encouraged to clear away their own play resources, into the 'choosing sheds' where boxes are numbered to aid organisation and number recognition. In this way, children develop key skills and independence needed for

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

school. In this way, children are prepared emotionally and socially for the next stage in their learning journey, including school. A lunch club is provided for children staying all day. This allows flexibility for families dependent on their individual needs and the choice of sessions is fully appreciated by parents who comment on 'the excellent flexibility of times and days' they are offered.

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

Children are supported in keeping themselves and others healthy as they address their own personal needs. They are supervised in the safe use of toilets and encouraged to wash their hands. This promotes well-being and limits cross-infection, instilling a healthy lifestyle for children. Children develop self-help skills and confidence in caring for themselves and others, appropriate to their age and level of understanding. A strong key- person system ensures children form happy, secure attachments with staff and each other. Staff generally give clear guidance on expected behaviour, providing secure boundaries for children. As a result, minor conflicts are minimised, strengthening relationships amongst adults, children and their peers. However, in the outdoor area, rules are not always consistently applied. This area is used by the playgroup and another early years provision, which some of the children also attend. The two settings have not

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

coordinated their approach to how the equipment is used, resulting in different rules. Consequently, this causes confusion for children who attend more than one provision.

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

Children learn to manage their own safety through some activities outdoors as they enjoy vigorous play in the fresh air. For example, children run and chase each other, learning to control whole body movement successfully as they safely negotiate equipment and each other. Children are busy in their play, laughing and learning together, moving excitedly from one activity to another. Children's safety and safeguarding are central to everything staff do. They effectively support children's growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Secure fencing and locked gates enclose the garden. A variety of trees and shrubs in the forest school area provide opportunities for children to work together in hunting for bugs and cultivating vegetables, modelling familiar farming activities in this rural location. This promotes self-esteem and a sense of belonging.

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provision

The safeguarding and security of children are a priority for the management team. They ensure rigorous daily risk assessments, both indoors and outdoors, are in place to ensure the children's environment is safe and secure at all times. Staff are able to demonstrate a good awareness and understanding of potential harm to children and are confident in dealing with any safeguarding issues or causes for concern. Children's behaviour shows they feel safe in the playgroup, as they share concerns with familiar adults. Visitors are challenged and their identity is checked. Robust recruitment procedures ensure children are cared for by suitable staff. Security arrangements are effective to ensure children's safety. For example, parents bring their children into playgroup through a secure front entrance, supervised by a member of staff. Daily attendance registers are completed. Staff monitor each child leaving the premises, as children are encouraged to put on coats,

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provision

collect art work and wait for parents to arrive. As a result, the transition from playgroup to home is managed effectively.

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provision

The manager has an excellent understanding of her responsibility to ensure that her provision meets the safeguarding and welfare, and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is a strong leader, who has a clear view of how to drive forward improvements for the benefit of children entrusted to her care. For example, an astute and targeted programme of professional development has been put together by the manager, to support staff in their teaching and assessment of children. This ensures staff are constantly improving their understanding and practice. An effective professional partnership has been created between staff and parents, to enhance parents' knowledge and understanding of their children's learning at the playgroup. This results in children making consistently good progress because parents and staff work together to help children fulfil their potential. The manager has an excellent overview of

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provision

the educational programmes and ensures planning is extensive, offering a broad range of challenging and interesting learning experiences for all children.

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provision

Partnerships with parents, other early years providers, outside agencies and the local school are robust. Staff forge strong links with teachers, so that children are supported in their learning now and when they move into school in the future. Professionals specialising in additional needs are brought in to support children with additional requirements, making a strong contribution to children's learning. Parents are abundant in their praise. They feel their children are safe and cared for by staff who are 'dedicated, friendly and full of enthusiasm.' Parents report that 'our children are very happy here and always looks forward to coming to playgroup'.

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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 224221 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 866154

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 38 Name of provider Weston Rhyn Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 14/12/2009 Telephone number 01691 774701

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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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