Ladybird's Play And Toddler Group

Ladybird Play and Toddler Group The Salvation Army Hall, Impington Lane, CAMBRIDGE, CB24 9LT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/01/2015 19/05/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Staff are warm and caring which means children settle quickly into the playgroup and are ready to learn.  Partnerships with parents, carers and other professionals are sound because they work together to support children's learning and development.  Safeguarding procedures are robust. Staff have sound knowledge about child protection and recruitment processes are thorough. This means that children are kept safe.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff do not consistently manage children's behaviour. Therefore children are not learning to behave in appropriate ways.  Planning of learning experiences does not sufficiently challenge all children. As a result, some children do not make good progress.  The monitoring of staff performance is not sufficiently established to ensure that all staff offer consistent, good quality support for 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 activities in the hall and the outside area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a selection of documentation including policies, evidence of suitability, qualifications, procedures and information provided by the provision.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and the committee chairperson.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed a selection of children's observation and assessment development files with key persons.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children, and took their views into consideration during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Ladybird Play and Toddler Group was registered in 2004, and is on the Early Years Register. It operates from the Salvation Army Hall in the village of Impington, and is managed by a committee. The playgroup serves the local area and is accessible to all children. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The playgroup employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The playgroup opens Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 12.15pm with an optional lunch club. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 27 children attending who are in the early years age group. The playgroup provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children. It receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 ensure that staff consistently manage children's behaviour giving explanations so that children learn appropriate ways to behave

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must:

 ensure a balance of adult-led and child-initiated play is planned and implemented to make certain that children are sufficiently challenged to make good progress.

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

 develop further the monitoring of the teaching and learning processes, such as peer observation, to raise the quality of teaching.

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who attend

Staff have a sufficient understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They make regular observations and assessments of children's learning including the progress check between the ages of two and three. Staff identify next steps for children and are diligent with planning learning across the seven areas of development. However, planning is not sufficiently rigorous to ensure all children receive a challenging learning experience. For example, a matching game is set up on the table but the children use the resources to fill, pour and transport the item around the hall. Staff do not support children in extending their learning further in this way or in the intended matching activity. Furthermore, adult-led activities do not always engage all the children. Therefore, some children do not make good progress are not well prepared for school. Staff help older children to concentrate and begin to problem solve. For example,

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who attend

they encourage children to fit pieces of a puzzle together and complete it.

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who attend

Children are able to choose whether to play indoors or outdoors in all weathers. Staff use the garden creatively in the rain by adding detergent to the puddles creating bubbles for children to explore. The children use their whole bodies with paint brushes on the path to explore the bubbles. They further investigate the outdoor elements with magnifying glasses. This means children are making connections about the world around them. Parents help children to find their name on arrival. Staff read stories at children's request adequately fostering children's early reading skills. Children are able to practise their writing skills in a variety of ways. They freely use the easel to paint and draw and are also able to mould and squish playdough. This develops children's small finger muscles in preparation for later writing skills. Children have the opportunity to use their imagination during group times as they pretend to go on a bear hunt and sing songs. They move their

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who attend

bodies and make noises to join in with the familiar words and actions.

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who attend

Children enjoy their time at the playgroup and have positive relationships with practitioners. This supports children in learning to communicate their needs and to ask for help when required. Parents are able to share information and receive updates on their child's learning regularly. Staff and parents share ideas about how to support learning at home. The playgroup also shares next steps with other providers. Consequently, children enjoy some continuity of learning between their home and playgroup.

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

The key-person system works well to support children through the settling in period. Staff are warm, caring and calm and they know their key children well. Some children struggle to start the session and adults support them sensitively, enabling children to feel happy and secure. Staff gather relevant information about the children from the parents, which supports the foundation for a strong, ongoing relationship. They work together to support children suitably. Parents say that they are happy to approach their child's key person at any time with any issues. As a result, children's emotional development is appropriately supported.

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

Children have choice in their play and move around the play room and garden independently to access an activity that interests them. However, at times, some children are disruptive with the toys and do not always follow staff guidance. For example, children crawl under the easel while others are using it. While staff ask them to move, they do not give the children clear, consistent guidance at their level of understanding and as a result, children do not learn appropriate ways in which to behave. Staff regularly support children to acquire self-help skills. For example, they are encouraged to put their coats on themselves before an adult helps and they skilfully pour their own drinks at snack time. Furthermore, familiar routines highlight how children are learning to keep themselves safe, such as walking in the narrow hallway to the garden and using scissors at the craft table under supervision of adults. Children are able to choose when they would like to be

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

outside or go back inside, helping them to regulate their own needs. The children benefit from using bikes and outdoor equipment in all weathers to develop their large body muscles and coordination.

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

Children are offered a fresh, nutritious snack. Fresh drinking water is readily available on the table in drink bottles so children are able to help themselves. This helps children to gain an understanding of how these aspects contribute to their good health. Staff change nappies swiftly and hygienically to prevent the spread of infection. Children readily use soap when washing hands learning why good hygiene is important.

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provision

Due to an administrative error not all the committee are known to Ofsted. This is a breach of the Early Years Register requirements. However, the nominated person remains the same and all members of the committee have a current Disclosure and Barring Service check, which minimises any risk to children. A sound recruitment and induction procedure ensures all staff understand their basic roles and responsibilities and are suitable to work with children. Staff have a secure understanding about the signs and symptoms of concerns to do with children or adults, and how to raise these concerns. Leaders ensure children's safety because ratios are met and regularly exceeded. Furthermore, because of the awkward layout of the premises, deployment of staff is well thought out, ensuring neither children nor staff are left alone. The staff carry out appropriate risk assessments of the hall and garden. Daily safety checks ensure that hazards are minimised or removed,

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provision

promoting children's safety. All policies and procedures are available for parents to view on the website and in their initial information pack.

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provision

Since the last inspection, staff provide trolleys for children to choose resources from, giving them more choice in their play. Regular questionnaires gain parents' views and those of the children. Staff feed this into the improvement framework to self-evaluate and continuously develop. The management and staff display a strong sense of commitment to further develop the practice and understand the areas of weakness. Staff have suitable qualifications and regular supervision allows them to develop their professionalism further. Although peer observations have recently been introduced, they are not being used effectively to ensure the teaching and learning is consistently good. This means that staff do not monitor children's learning sufficiently to ensure that that all children make good progress from their starting points.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are sound and they are welcomed into the playgroup. Partnerships with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage are solid and constantly developing. For, example, the nursery school teacher visits the playgroup before children move on. This means children benefit from some continuity of learning. Practitioners have experience in working with other professionals. This supports them in seeking any further help required by children and their families.

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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 EY280989 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 877702

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 27 Name of provider Ladybird Play And Toddler Group Committee Date of previous inspection 19/05/2011 Telephone number 07786 752949

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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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