COMBINED INSPECTION REPORT

URN 109390

DfES Number: 523442

INSPECTION DETAILS
Inspection Date	23/11/2004
Inspector Name	Fran Fielder

SETTING DETAILS
Day Care Type	Sessional Day Care
Setting Name	Broad Oak Playgroup
Setting Address	Broad Oak Village Hall Burwash Road Broad Oak East Sussex TN21 8SS

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS
Name	The Committee of The Management Committee

ORGANISATION DETAILS
Name	The Management Committee
Address	Broad Oak Playgroup Village Hall,Burwash Road Broad Oak East Sussex TN21 8SS

ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents.

If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

Information about the setting

Broad Oak Playgroup opened in 1985. It operates from two rooms in the village hall on the main road through Broad Oak. There are toilet and kitchen facilities. An outdoor play area is under construction. The group serves families from the local community and surrounding villages.

There are currently 26 children, aged from 2 to 4 years, on roll. This includes 11 funded three and four years olds. The setting has experience of caring for children with special needs and for those who speak English as an additional language.

The playgroup opens Tuesday to Friday during school term times. Sessions are from 09.45 until 14.00 on Tuesday and Wednesday and from 09.45 until 12.15 on Thursday and Friday. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

There are four members of staff who work with the children. Two members of staff have a recognised early years qualification and two are on training programmes. Two members of staff hold a current first aid certificate. The setting receives support from an advisor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). The playgroup is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA)

How good is the Day Care?

Broad Oak Playgroup provides good quality care.

Staff work hard to create a welcoming environment for adults and children. They organise the space well so that children can move freely from one activity to another. There is a good range of resources, many of which reflect diversity, that staff use skilfully to provide stimulating opportunities for children. The committee is proactive and have good recruitment procedures and effective induction to ensure staff are fully aware of their role. All mandatory records are in place but there are some minor omissions in some policies and procedures.

Daily checks ensure the premises are clean and safe for children. Staff gather all relevant information about children's background, health and diet so that appropriate care is given and individual needs are met. Good daily routines ensure children learn and understand the importance of good personal hygiene. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. They know how to proceed if they have concerns about a child in their care.

There are good relationships between staff and children. Staff plan a well-balanced range of activities that allow children to be involved in quiet and active play. The stimulating range of activities supports children's learning and development. Staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management and most children respond to requests for good behaviour. A few children can be disruptive when waiting for snack or circle time, as they sometimes have to wait for lengthy periods.

Parents receive good information about all aspects of the provision. Staff are friendly and approachable. They make themselves available to talk with parents to give informal feedback about the children's time in the group. Parents' consultations, newsletters and displays inform parents of activities and local events.

What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the playgroup agreed to write the procedures for outings and to include details of the procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse against member of staff.

There are now clear guidelines for outings. Staff take appropriate information and equipment to ensure the safety of the children.

The procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse being made against a member of staff are clear. Staff know they will be suspended until a full investigation has been completed. This ensures the safety and welfare of the children and staff.

What is being done well?

Staff use bright posters and examples of children's work to create a very welcoming environment for adults and children. The space is used effectively and there are soft furnishings in the book corner for children to relax and enjoy reading. There is always a range of large equipment for physical play and a range of quieter activities that are both stimulating and fun.
The health and safety of the children are given high priority. Regular risk assessments ensure all potential hazards are quickly identified and addressed. Staff are good role models and observe good hygiene practice. This helps children understand the need to wash hands before eating and after messy play or visiting the toilet.
The partnership with parents and carers is exceptionally good. Parents receive lots of valuable information about the group through newsletters, notice boards and informal daily chats. Parents have regular formal feedback so they can discuss their children's progress in detail. Parents have the opportunity to be fully involved by helping in the group or by joining the committee.

What needs to be improved?

the detail contained in some of the policies and procedures
the organisation of snack/circle time to avoid children waiting for lengthy periods
the strategies to handle challenging behaviour

Previous Complaints (This section applies only to inspections carried out from September 2004. The complaint record relates to complaints from the last inspection or 1st April 2004 whichever is later.)

Ofsted have not received any complaints about this provision.

Outcome of the inspection

Good

CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration.

As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NEXT?

The Registered Person should have regard to the following recommendations by the time of the next inspection
Std	Recommendation
3	organise snack/circle time to avoid children waiting for lengthy periods
11	devise effective strategies to handle challenging behaviour
14	ensure all policies and procedures include sufficient and necessary detail

INSPECTION OF THE NURSERY EDUCATION PROVISION FOR FUNDED THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.

How effective is the nursery education?

Broad Oak Playgroup provides good quality education that allows children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children make very good progress in physical development and generally good progress in all other areas.

Teaching is generally good. Staff create a stimulating environment where children's work is neatly displayed and labelled. This shows children's work is valued and gives them a sense of belonging. Staff are good role models and demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning by showing enthusiasm, consequently children are well motivated to learn. Staff's knowledge of the stepping stones is developing well although observations indicate some staff are still a little insecure in their understanding. The planning is good but not fully effective yet. As a result, some children lack challenge and this, at times, leads to some disruptive behaviour.

There are good relationships in the group and staff focus on the needs of the children at all times. A range of practical activities based on real life situations help children progress in all areas of learning. Staff encourage children to make choices by making the toys and resources easily accessible.

Leadership and management are generally good. There is good communication between committee and staff and all are very committed to improving all aspects of the provision. Staff work well as a team and all understand their role and responsibility. They have the opportunity for professional development. There is no formal system to monitor and evaluate teaching to identify areas for improvement

The partnership with parents and carers is very good. They receive good information about the foundation stage. A good two way flow of information ensures staff and parents are fully aware of children's achievements. Any concerns are quickly raised and discussed privately.

What is being done well?

Children's physical development is very good. They use large equipment confidently and experiment with different ways of moving. Topics such as 'Ourselves' help children understand the need for a balanced diet and sufficient rest. Children understand the importance of keeping healthy and maintaining good personal hygiene.
Planning is very good. All activities available are well planned and show a learning intention. This enables staff to support children's learning during all activities. It also enables staff to identify children's learning needs. Through regular assessment staff can ensure children revisit areas where they need more practice.
The partnership with parents and carers is very effective in supporting the children's learning. The information given to parents outlines what children are expected to learn and how they will learn. This ensures parents understand that play has an important role in developing children's skills for the next stage of learning. Parents and staff work together and share information about children's individual progress and development.

What needs to be improved?

opportunities for children to look at maps of the local environment and to become familiar with other cultures
the system to monitor and evaluate the teaching
staff's knowledge of the stepping stones

What has improved since the last inspection?

The playgroup has made generally good progress since the last inspection when they agreed to develop the system for observing children and recording their progress. They also agreed to ensure written records reflect all aspects of the six areas of learning. The system for observing and assessing children is very good. Staff make regular observations and assess children against the stepping stones. This ensures staff know where children are in their learning. This information influences the planning but is not used effectively to plan for individual learning needs. Written records reflect all aspects of the six areas of learning so that children have a well-balanced curriculum. Observations are made across all areas but there are limited observations for knowledge and understanding of the world.

SUMMARY OF JUDGEMENTS

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Judgement:	Generally Good
There are good relationships between children and staff. Children are independent and see to their personal needs such as going to the toilet and washing hands. They choose confidently from a range of activities that staff lay out ready for them. Children happily approach staff for support and guidance indicating good relationships. Concentration skills are good and most children spend a good length of time working at self-chosen activities. Some poor behaviour, at times, can lead to disruption.

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY
Judgement:	Generally Good
Children's spoken language is developing well. They use good vocabulary that staff introduce during activities. They speak confidently to adults and readily initiate conversation by asking questions. They talk openly about themselves and families. Children enjoy books and spend time 'reading' and sharing stories. They enjoy story time and respond well to questions. Children are confident writers and can relate what they have written. Some children do not listen well to instructions.

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT
Judgement:	Generally Good
Children count confidently and recognise numbers that are important to them. They choose mathematical activities during free play and use their fingers to represent numbers. They can recognise a group of three objects without counting. Children learn about space, shape and measure through a range of practical activities. They use appropriate mathematical language during free play. Although children are beginning to understand concept of simple calculation staff do not always reinforce this.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD
Judgement:	Generally Good
Children select and use a range of tools and materials competently to create their own designs. They show good cutting and joining skills when making models. Children are confident in using information and communication technology and show good mouse control when using the computer. Children use magnets and magnifying glasses to explore objects. There are insufficient opportunities to look at maps of the local environment and to learn about other cultures.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Judgement:	Very Good
Children are competent when using the climbing frame. They show good co-ordination when jumping, running and balancing. They respond and move enthusiastically during music and movement sessions. Children's fine motor skills are developing well. They are competent when selecting and using small equipment such as scissors, glue sticks and paintbrushes. Children's hand and eye co-ordination is good. They are skilful when playing throwing and catching games.

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Judgement:	Generally Good
Children use their senses to explore and describe experiences such as tasting and smelling food and feeling a range of textures. Children enjoy music and respond enthusiastically during music sessions. Children express themselves creatively through a range of mediums. They paint, draw and make collages that represent their experiences. Children enjoy acting out well-known scenarios and stories during role-play but daily opportunities are not available.

Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered appropriately.

OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

introduce more opportunities for children to look at maps of the local environment and to learn about other cultures
introduce a rigorous system to monitor and evaluate the teaching
continue to increase staff's knowledge of the stepping stones so they can accurately assess children's stage of learning and plan effectively

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

SUMMARY OF NATIONAL STANDARDS

STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

STANDARD 10 - SPECIAL NEEDS (INCLUDING SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

		Home