Taunton Opportunity Group

Taunton Opportunity Group Wooden Spoon House, Crowcombe Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 7NF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 October 2017 9 February 2017

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The strong partnerships with parents, outside agencies and other providers have a positive impact on children's care and development. Staff work consistently well with all adults involved with the children to know how to meet their individual needs. Parents comment positively on the good communication and support for their family.  Since the last inspection, the manager has improved planning and supported staff in following children's interests to motivate their learning more successfully. They have shortened the time children spend in group activities to help them engage and focus better. They review their planning daily for the different needs of the children.  All children make good progress from their individual starting points. The manager monitors children's overall development effectively to see if any specific groups are developing less well than others, to make any necessary changes and narrow any gaps.

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This provision is good

 Children are happy and settled. Staff help them to understand their feelings and find alternative ways to communicate their needs. For example, staff use a choosing board for non-verbal children to indicate why they are cross. As soon as staff acknowledge children want to go on the swing they show their joy.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff sometimes miss opportunities for older and the most able children to manage age-appropriate tasks for themselves.  Staff do not consistently enable children to use resources from adult-led activities to revisit their learning and extend their ideas.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 help older and the most able children to manage age-appropriate tasks to prepare them further for school  extend the opportunities for children to use resources from adult-led activities in their own way to develop their creativity further.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke with staff and parents, and took account of the provider's improvement plans.  The inspector checked safeguarding information and the safety of the premises.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and carried out a joint observation.  The inspector sampled documentation, including policies and procedures, children's development records and planning.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff carry out regular risk assessments and keep the premises secure. There is a good range of specialist equipment to support children's individual needs safely. The management team and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities. They know the procedures to follow if they are concerned a child may be at risk of harm. Staff receive training to confidently manage children's medical needs. The manager recognises staff's different strengths and each staff member has areas of responsibility. The manager works directly with staff, providing a good role model. She gives ongoing support to ensure staff use correct techniques and children have good outcomes. Staff are trained to use music therapy and are passing their skills on to other providers to share good practice. Through self-evaluation they have developed the garden to make it inviting and safe, especially for those children who prefer to learn outdoors.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Through good observations, staff know the children well. They adapt activities effectively to meet the children's specific needs and individual goals. Staff provide good support for children's language and communication skills. For example, they get down to the children's level and made eye contact, using children's names. When children say, 'Baa baa', staff praise them, then role model the correct use of words, saying and using sign language for sheep. Staff use their training from other professionals to plan good small- group activities to help children pay attention and understand how things work. For example, children watch with fascination as staff operate a spinning top and a string of lights. The final stage of the activity enables children's hands-on involvement. Staff challenge older children well, such as learning about numbers through fun activities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Parents value the unique bond their children have with their key person. Staff acknowledge and show immense pleasure at children's achievements, recognising them no matter how small. The high ratio of staff to children enables children to safely use the indoor and outdoor environments. Some children clearly love being outdoors. For example, as staff throw leaves in the air, they watch, laugh and copy the actions to make the leaves fall onto themselves. Staff observe children's engagement and level of enjoyment to monitor their well-being and know how to adapt the activities or environment. For instance, they now have more floor space to enable all children to move around freely. They also sing when it is time to change routines, as some children react better to this and it helps them to feel emotionally secure.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children have fun learning and staff help them to gain skills to prepare them well for their next stages of development. Children enjoy a wealth of sensory experiences and enjoy being creative. Children develop some self-care skills, such as washing their hands and feeding themselves or finding their coat. They develop their physical skills well, such as rolling balls and hooking toy fish on a line. Most-able children climb and balance.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 143087 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 1085289 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 17 Name of registered person The Taunton Opportunity Group Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 February 2017 Telephone number 01823 284550

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reference number

Taunton Opportunity Group (TOG) registered in 1992 and specialises in supporting children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The group operates from premises situated on the site of Wellsprings Primary School in Taunton, Somerset. It is open each weekday morning during term time from 9.15am to 1.10pm, which includes a lunch club. On Tuesday afternoon from 1.15pm to 3pm, there is a group for the under twos, which parents or a main carer attend with their children. The group receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years old. There are 10 members of staff employed, of whom four are permanent supply staff. One member of staff holds an early years qualification at level 6 and one at level 5. The remaining eight hold qualifications at level 3.

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reference number

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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reference number

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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