Ofsted Report - March 2011

Inspection report for early years provision

• Unique reference number: 136112
• Inspection date: 08/03/2011
• Inspector: Rachael Williams
• Setting address: 20 Deanery Road, Kingswood, Bristol, Avon, BS15 9JB
• Telephone number: 0117 9674282
• Email:
• Type of setting: Childcare on non-domestic premises

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) 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 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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© Crown copyright 2011

Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable.  The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration.

Description of the setting

Warmley Community Centre Playgroup was first established over 40 years ago. It operates from the main hall of the community centre Tuesday to Friday and from a smaller room on Monday. Children are escorted to toilet facilities in the foyer and have sole use of these during the session. There is a fully enclosed outdoor area.

The pre-school serves the local communities, the closest of which are Warmley and Kingswood. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 9:15 am until 12:15 pm. The group is registered on the Early Years Register for a maximum of 30 children on Tuesdays to Fridays and 24 children on a Monday. There are currently 36 children on roll in the early years age group. The provision caters for children with special educational needs and/or difficulties. The voluntary committee employs six part-time staff; all of whom have relevant child care qualification.

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

Children make good progress in their learning. On the whole, their welfare is promoted well by experienced staff that are committed to continuous improvement. Good systems are in place for staff to evaluate the provision. Positive relationships have been established with the children, their families, health professionals and other early year's providers to ensure continuity in children's care, learning and development.

What steps need to be taken to improve provision further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

• develop assessment arrangements to link learning priorities to learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure children are effectively challenged
• improve systems to gain parental contributions with regard to their children's learning and to the settings self-evaluation process
• extend the system to record risk assessments carried out of all areas used by the children with particular regard to the frequent use of shared facilities by the community.

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the early years provision

All staff have good understanding of safeguarding issues through an effective policy and dissemination of information from the designated member of staff who has attended relevant training. Staff are knowledgeable of child protection issues and are aware of an appropriate procedure should an incident occur. There are good systems in place to ensure all staff are appropriately vetted and suitable to care for children. Through daily checks the staff provide a safe and secure environment. On the whole, comprehensive risk assessments have been established for each area used by the children, however, some information has been omitted and, due to improved use of the community building, more consideration is needed on how to further protect children, for instance, when using the toilet facilities.

A committed staff have high aspirations for continuous improvement in particular, with regard to children's ongoing safety. The suitably qualified and experienced team ensure a welcoming environment is promoted. They have good knowledge of the provisions strengths and weaknesses and actions are well-targeted to reflect the needs of the children. For instance, in the development of the outdoor area to provide frequent opportunities for children to be physically active in the fresh air.

The group have established good partnership working with health professionals to ensure children are well supported, for example, speech and language therapists. Therefore, appropriate individual play plans are established and regularly reviewed. There are effective arrangements in place to ensure the smooth transition of older children to the local schools, for instance, through relevant information sharing. Parents and carers receive a wealth of information, for instance, well-written and regularly reviewed policies and procedures. Parents are well-informed of who is caring for their child, for instance; relevant details and photographs are displayed in the foyer. Parents willingly offer their time within the group volunteering their skills during the session and as part of the committee. However, systems to gain contributions from parents are not fully utilised, for instance, in children's learning profiles and in the self-evaluation process.

The play space is well thought out to ensure children can engage in a broad range of experiences. An abundant range of high quality resources, including those to reflect diversity, are regularly rotated according to themes and interests. Children have some independent access to resources to support their play and a photograph box may also be used for children to select toys and resources which are stored in the cupboard. Staff deploy themselves well to meet the needs of the children.

The quality and standards of the early years provision and outcomes for children

Children settle quickly and confidently within the well-organised environment. Caring relationships are established and children have a good sense of belonging, for instance, through the self-registration system. Children are actively engaged and behave well. They show good understanding of routines and expectations, for instance, on entering the setting at the beginning of the session children eagerly sit on the carpeted area to discuss what activities are available. Likewise, they listen attentively when the tambourine is sounded and respond appropriately to the instructions given.

Planning reflects a good balance of experiences which include both focused activities such as, a creative exercise to link with the nursery rhyme theme, and child initiated play. For example, children competently engage in a selection of computer programs. They create well using an art program and show good coordination as they manipulate the mouse. Children enjoy a broad range of experiences when playing outside which reflect their interests. One activity encourages children in their fine motor development as they match and peg socks on the fence; they also enjoy pegging the numbered T-shirts out showing good number recognition and ordering skills. Children relish the one-to-one attention they are given. For instance, one child thoroughly enjoys the discussions with a member of staff as they create Humpty Dumpty. The child mark-makes well explaining how the circles are not curly hair but a blanket right up to Humpty Dumpty's eyes to keep him snug. The child is able to create freely and is supported well by the member of staff, for instance, to identify the shapes to create a wall. The child enthusiastically recites the rhyme.

There are good systems in place to plot children's progress, for instance, through the use of learning stories, which are routinely completed for each child, and pertinent observations of the activities children engage in. Although the staff know their key children well learning priorities are not fully identified and reflective of children's stage of development to ensure that they are fully challenged.

Children benefit from a safe and secure environment, for instance; the main exit is alarmed so that staff are aware if the door is opened. The large hall is well-organised to prevent accidents, for example; barriers and displays are strategically placed to prevent children accessing the stage and the kitchen. Children become aware of their own safety. For example, all children attending confidently complete a fire drill and are fully aware of expectations and how to keep themselves safe. An intercom system is effectively used to ensure good communication between staff when they visit the outdoor area which ensures children's well-being.

Children's independence is thoughtfully encouraged through day-to-day routines. For example, when they have finished their snack they are encouraged to wash their cup and bowl and to dry it independently. Children are aware of routines and wash their hands using soap before they eat. Children enjoy healthy and nutritious snacks such as, banana, pear and apple, and are able to make healthy choices. There are clear procedures in place to ensure that medication is administered appropriately following parental consent. All staff have appropriate paediatric first aid training therefore; minor incidents are dealt with promptly. Consequently, outcomes for children are good.

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean.

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the early years provision

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

Any complaints about the inspection or report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk