Yeovil Opportunity Group

Inspection of Yeovil Opportunity Group Balidon Centre, Summerlands Hospital Site, Preston Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 2BX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Children settle quickly upon arrival. They are individually welcomed by a familiar and friendly member of staff. Staff know children's interests very well and use this when setting up activities. As a result, children are keen to start playing, gaining new skills and revisiting previous experiences to further increase their confidence.

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The provision is good

Staff plan a targeted curriculum that focuses on what children need to achieve. They ensure a safe environment for children to enjoy a good range of activities and toys that interest them. Children laugh and smile to demonstrate how proud they are of their own achievements. Staff set realistic focused next steps for each child and are quick to praise even the smallest of achievements that children make. This encourages them to have a go and keep trying.

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The provision is good

Children gain confidence and independence due to the effective support they receive from staff. For example, children learn social skills as they all sit around the large table to eat their snack. They receive high levels of support from the attentive staff. Children learn how to manage their behaviour. Staff are very kind and act as good role models. They teach children about sharing and taking turns. Staff take time to prepare children for changes in routine and their expectations. They use pictorial signs to help children understand what is happening now, and what is happening next.

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The provision is good

The pre-school remained open throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Staff made changes to routines to protect children's health. For example, children were cared for in small and consistent 'bubbles'. Parents and children were greeted at the door by staff, to avoid them entering the pre-school. This meant that children continued to receive good support for their learning and development without compromising their health.

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need to do better?

n The well-planned curriculum is carefully tailored to individual children's needs. Staff accurately identify what children need to learn next using the information they gather from other professionals and parents, and from their own observations of children. Key persons are clear how they can help children to achieve these goals. However, sometimes, other adults working with the children are less clear about these goals, to ensure children receive the very best support possible. n Staff prioritise children's safety and well-being. Children play and explore freely, as staff are always close by to supervise them to help keep them safe. For example, staff place safety mats on the floor to allow children to experiment as they move their bodies and learn how to control their movements. Staff provide

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need to do better?

13 October 2021 lots of clear space indoors and outside. This particularly helps those children who are learning to become mobile. n Staff work closely together as a team and meet weekly to reflect on the provision and share ideas of how to improve experiences for children. Recent staffing changes have meant that staff do not benefit from frequent opportunities to receive individual guidance or support from senior staff, to further promote continuous improvements. n Children learn to use a wide range of communication methods based on their specific needs. These include the use of sign language, speech and pictures, to enable them to express themselves. From a young age, children learn to use the pictures to inform staff what they want. For example, 'more' at snack time. During the group circle time, children learn to sign when welcoming each other, showing that they are learning to recognise others. n Managers use funding effectively to help close any gaps in children's learning.

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need to do better?

For example, specialist staff, such as speech and language therapists, work alongside key persons to provide specific support and instruction to improve children's communication skills. n Partnerships with parents are very strong. Parents' access to the pre-school has been limited due to the pandemic. Despite this, staff make sure they talk to parents each day to share children's achievements and gain information about how they are progressing at home. Parents speak highly of how they value the positive support they receive from leaders and managers. They talk about how staff go 'over and above' to ensure their children achieve as much as possible. n Leaders work hard to establish strong links with others working with children. For example, staff welcome visits from staff working at other settings that children also attend. Key persons share any specialist techniques or strategies that they use, to ensure they work consistently to support children's learning.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and managers provide good support to the staff team to help ensure children receive the help they need to make good progress. They are ambitious and regularly review how they can make improvements that focus on further enhancing the experiences of children and their families.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team and staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children. They are clear about possible signs or symptoms that may mean a child is at risk of harm, which includes wider safeguarding issues such as grooming and county lines. They recognise their individual roles to act promptly to escalate any concerns, to ensure steps are taken to protect children from harm. Staff keep their knowledge up to date, for example through attending training. Robust procedures are followed by managers when new staff or volunteers are recruited. This helps to ensure that anyone caring for children is suitable to do so.

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should:

n further develop the staff supervision arrangements, to ensure that all staff receive regular opportunities to reflect on their practice and identify where improvements can be made n provide even greater support for children's learning so that all adults working with them have an in-depth understanding of what each child needs to learn next and what they need to do to support this.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 143103 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 10206709 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 11 Name of registered person Yeovil Opportunity Group Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01935 384157 Date of previous inspection 5 July 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Yeovil Opportunity Group registered in 1992 and is situated in the grounds of Summerlands Hospital, in Yeovil, Somerset. The group is open during school term times, from 9am to midday each weekday. The group receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. Children attending have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The group employs four members of staff to work directly with the children, all of whom hold childcare qualifications at level 2 or 3.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors Samantha Powis Janet Armstrong

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager joined the inspectors on a learning walk and talked about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n The inspectors spoke with staff and children during the inspection to gain their views. n Parents, grandparents and carers shared their own experiences of the pre-school with the inspector. n The inspector spoke with the manager, nominated individual and business manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager.

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Inspection activities

n The inspectors looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

13 October 2021 regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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