Playway Kindergarten

Playway Kindergarten
The Royal British Legion, Memorial Hall, 1a Salisbury Street, HESSLE, North Humberside, HU13 0SE
Inspection date
Previous inspection date
The quality and standards of the
early years provision
24/05/2013
20/06/2011
This inspection:
2
Previous inspection:
2
How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who
attend
2
The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children
2
The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision
2
The quality and standards of the early years provision
This provision is good
 Children benefit from a wide range of play materials to support their learning and
development because practitioners set up areas of play to encourage children's interest
and promote their independence.
 Practitioners undertake well-organised and thorough observations, which are reflected
in the planning and meet the unique needs of every child. As a result, children make
good progress in their learning and development from their starting point.
 There are good partnerships with parents and others who are involved in the care and
learning of the children. This ensures that children's emerging needs are well met
because they receive relevant support, consistency and continuity in their learning and
development.
It is not yet outstanding because
 More able children are not consistently supported to talk about what is happening and
think about the cause and effect within experiences and activities.
 The supervision of practitioners is not yet fully embedded to ensure the quality of
teaching is consistently shaped and managed.
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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
2016
 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.
The provision is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This
report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.
Inspection activities

The inspector observed activities in the pre-school room and in the outdoor
environment. She also observed snack time.

The inspector looked at children's folders, containing observations and assessment
records. She also looked at a selection of policies and risk assessments.

The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and had discussions
with the key persons.
 The inspector held meetings with the manager and the deputy.

The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day and also
looked through their feedback sheets.
Inspector
Caroline Stott
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Full Report
Information about the setting
Playway Kindergarten registered in 2010. It is registered on the Early Years Register and
the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It operates from the Royal British Legion
Memorial Hall in Hessle, east of Hull. Areas of the building used by the kindergarten
include the main hall, the kitchen and toilet facilities. Children also have use of two
separate, fully enclosed outdoor areas. The setting serves the local community and
surrounding areas.
The kindergarten employs nine members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years
qualifications at level 3 and 2. It opens Monday to Friday, each morning from 9am until 12
noon, during term time. Afternoon sessions are also held between 12.10pm until 3.10pm
on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There
are currently 69 children attending who are within the early years age group. The setting
provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a
number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting receives
support from the local authority.
What the setting needs to do to improve further
To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:
 challenge and support more able children through enabling them to talk about what
is happening and help them to think about cause and effect.
 strengthen the supervision of practitioners by consistently evaluating and
monitoring teaching practice to ensure the good quality already achieved is
sustained and constantly improved upon.
Inspection judgements
How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children
who attend
The kindergarten practitioners have a good understanding of delivering developmentally
appropriate experiences and activities for children. The indoor and outdoor environments
are developed to gain children's interest and offer a wide variety of play materials in well
set up areas. For example, children dress-up in a variety of costumes and occupy
themselves in the kitchen role play area. This supports children to become engaged and
motivated across the seven areas of learning. They use their imaginations as they discuss
their play and create roles for each other based on their experiences.
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Overall the practitioners' have a secure knowledge and understanding of how to promote
children's learning and development. However there are times during activities where
children are not always supported and encouraged to talk about what is happening and
explore cause and effect to further extend the learning opportunity for more able children.
For example, when children mix colours during free painting.
Children's communication and language is promoted effectively through various means,
such as circle times, using Makaton sign language successfully. Children talk to their
friends and engage in a range of conversations during their play. Children have access to
a wide selection of attractively presented books, which they enjoy sharing and discuss the
pictures. They also learn to recognise their names as they self-register when they arrive.
This means children are offered a language-rich environment where they listen and
engage in a variety of discussions in order to encourage their understanding and speaking
skills. Children become absorbed in making play dough with the support of the
practitioners; they add ingredients and mix the dough. They experiment with adding
glitter to enhance the dough as they squeeze and mould it. This supports children's senses
well as they push the dough over the glitter in order to touch and feel different textures.
Parents are kept well-informed of their children's learning through a variety of different
ways. For example, parents are able to stay and watch their children play. New children
are supported to settle and parents are encouraged to stay for as long as necessary for
children to feel safe. Parents complete an 'all about me' form when children enrol. This
information enables practitioners to understand children's likes, dislikes and individual
routines. Key persons complete an entry profile and baseline check to clearly identify
children's interest and abilities. This helps to develop positive relationships through
effective sharing of information between practitioners. Parents receive regular newsletters,
are encouraged to look at their children's development folders and receive termly progress
reports. Suggestions are offered to promote home learning and parents add their ideas to
support their children further. Therefore, parents feel involved in their children's learning
and that their children are well-prepared to make a smooth transition to school.
The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children
The kindergarten practitioners set the room and outdoor area up daily with varied
activities and experiences in order to engage children interests and promote their
curiosity. Children arrive happily and immediately find their friends and resources to
engage with. For example, children call to their friends from the hexagon climbing
structure in the centre of the room. Children become involved in completing jigsaws with
their friends and the help of supportive practitioners. This means children are supported to
make secure attachments with practitioners and their peers. Children's behaviour is good
because practitioners give clear messages to children about acceptable behaviour and
manners. Children play cooperatively with their friends and talk confidently with visitors.
For example, children are keen to show off the construction models they have made, such
as a dinosaur, and discuss its features. This means children can explain their ideas about
their representations successfully.
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Children learn about how to lead healthy lifestyles. For example, they know to use hand
gel on their hands before snack and know that tables have to be wiped to ensure they are
kept clean. Children are provided with a healthy range of snacks which they collect
independently. Furthermore, children regularly access the outdoor area where they
exercise and develop their physical skills. For example, they roll balls down channels to
develop their manipulative capabilities. Physical development is supported further as
children follow movement instructions through dancing to music, using sticks and musical
instruments. This means children's control and coordination in both large and small
movements is effectively encouraged in a range of ways. Children are stimulated to think
about how exercise is important because the practitioners encourage them to think about
how they feel afterwards. For example, noticing the change in the bodies when they feel
hot or out of breath. They also help the children to think about others nearby as they
move their sticks, in order to ensure they understand about not hurting their friends close
to them. This means children gain an understanding of managing their own safety and the
safety of others, as consequences are discussed, such as bumping into and hurting
themselves or others.
Transitions into the kindergarten and onto other settings are supported effectively
because practitioners complete thorough assessments on their key children. Information
on children's interests, knowledge and achievements are shared through termly progress
records between the different settings children attend. This effective sharing of
information provides continuity in children's experiences. Transitions to school are also
supported efficiently; practitioners meet with the reception teachers and pass on valued
transition forms. These are completed by key persons and parents to establish a wellrounded picture of where children are in their learning and development. Consequently,
the pre-school take all reasonable steps to prepare children for their next stage in their
learning, whether it is to nursery or school.
The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years
provision
The kindergarten's practitioners have a good knowledge and understanding of the seven
areas of learning. The planning and assessments are robust and incorporate individual
children's interest and needs in order to promote their attention further. By monitoring the
observations relating to what children can do, key persons are able to identify any gaps in
children's learning or development and support their progress effectively. For example,
gaps in any area of learning is quickly acknowledged, observed further and discussed with
parents. Baseline checks, termly reports and overview grids on children's development are
monitored by the management team to ensure that children's progress and abilities are
accurately understood by their key persons. Consequently, children's aptitudes and
present stage of learning are recognised and supported throughout the Early Years
Foundation Stage. The pre-school has completed a detailed self-evaluation and identifies
strengths and weaknesses and has set targets for improvement. For example, enhancing
the garden area with a sensory space and monitoring the new supervision meetings for
practitioners.
The safeguarding and welfare requirements are used effectively to ensure the
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kindergarten is a safe environment for children. Practitioners have a clear understanding
of how to keep children safe because they have all attended safeguarding training.
Training is regularly updated and specialised safeguarding courses have been accessed.
For example, the manager has attended a safeguarding course at level 3 and all
practitioners have completed the Common Assessment Framework. This means
practitioners know what to do if they have a concern regarding a child's welfare. The
premises are kept safe and secure and regular risk assessments are conducted to ensure
children can move around the kindergarten safely and freely. Recruitment procedures are
thorough to ensure practitioners are safe to work with children. Practitioners all have
individual training and professional development plans, identifying ways to improve their
knowledge and practice. The manager supports the team well and completes annual
appraisals. However, the new supervision arrangements need to be more consistently
monitored so that practitioners' knowledge, understanding and practice is shaped and
matched to the individual needs of all children attending, and high quality practice is
maintained at all times.
Partnerships with parents are well-established and parents are very happy with the service
provided. They are regularly consulted on changes to the kindergarten and the manager
seeks their views through questionnaires. An informative website, newsletters and leaflets,
notice-boards and wall displays promote a two-way flow of information. For example, web
links and leaflets for external organisations that can offer parents support and advice. This
means important information is shared to support children and their families through
regular communication. The kindergarten practitioners attend local focus and cluster
meetings with other local providers and schools, to share good practices and knowledge
for the benefit of children and themselves. Individual case meetings for individual
children's emerging or identified needs are also attended as required to ensure the
support children and their families need is gained and specialist assistance sought. This
ensures children's different levels of abilities and needs are met effectively.
The Childcare Register
The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are
Met
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What inspection judgements mean
Registered early years provision
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
Satisfactory
Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations
in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in
order to be good.
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
is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of
the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again
within 12 months of the date of this inspection.
Met
The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement
is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for
registration.
Not met
The provision has no children on roll. 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.
Setting details
Unique reference number
EY417269
Local authority
East Riding of Yorkshire
Inspection number
874355
Type of provision
Registration category
Childcare - Non-Domestic
Age range of children
0-8
Total number of places
34
Number of children on roll
69
Name of provider
Playway Kindergarten Ltd
Date of previous inspection
20/06/2011
Telephone number
07896289943
Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures
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
[email protected].
Type of provision
For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:
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.
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
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and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years
Register and pay the lower fee for registration.
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.
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.
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The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to
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