Report on the Inspection of Happy Days Playgroup, Meadow Community Centre, Newry

Introduction

1.Happy Days Playgroup is a pre-school centre under voluntary management. At the time of the inspection, a total of 48 children attended the centre; eight were in their pre-school year.

2.The inspection is part of a programme to ensure that appropriate standards of education are provided in centres receiving funding as part of the Government’s expansion of pre-school education. All of the centre’s pre-school places are funded through the expansion programme. The centre operates two separate sessions each day. Six of the funded children attend the morning session and two attend in the afternoon. Neither of the sessions contains the minimum group size of eight children who are in their pre-school year.

3.The inspection provided opportunities for the parents to express their views about the centre. All of those who responded were satisfied or very satisfied with all aspects of the centre’s provision. A number of parents included written comments praising the work of the staff.

THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROVISION

4.The centre’s positive ethos contributes very effectively to the children’s development. There is a happy, friendly and caring atmosphere; relationships among the staff, the children and the parents are very good. The areas of play are organised effectively and are enhanced by displays of the children’s art work, photographs and an appropriate range of posters. The children are generally settled and well behaved; they are encouraged to play amicably and to help one another. They respond well to the staff’s high expectations.

5.The centre demonstrates a strong commitment to developing effective links with the parents. There are meetings and written information to guide parents before their children start attending the centre. Appropriate settling-in procedures are operated. Parents’ meetings, educational courses and monthly newsletters are designed to inform the parents about the pre-school programme and to encourage them to play a partnership role in the education of their children. The staff value the support given by the parents through sharing their talents and skills.

6.The centre has a suitable policy on child protection. The staff implement appropriate procedures to safeguard the welfare of the children. The parents are given information about the centre’s policy and procedures.

7.The staff work hard to compile detailed written planning. The planning identifies many aspects of learning which the staff intend to promote through the various play activities. Themes and topics are incorporated to provide a range of stimulating and varied

learning experiences. The staff should continue to develop the planning in order to outline more clearly how the activities offered provide increased challenge and progression over the year and take account of the children’s differing needs.

8.The daily timetable makes effective use of all the available time for learning. The valuable period of uninterrupted play provides the children with good opportunities to make choices, explore freely the full range of activities and develop their play. The snack time is organised informally and is used effectively to promote a range of learning. The children benefit from well-organised group activities involving stories, songs and energetic physical play.

9.The staff spend sustained periods with groups and individuals, promoting the children’s language and thinking and participating skilfully in the play to foster learning; the good quality of their interaction with the children is an important strength within the centre’s provision. The staff value the children’s ideas and give them much encouragement and praise.

10.The centre’s programme promotes very effectively the children's all-round development. The range of activities provides good opportunities for learning in most areas of the pre-school curriculum. The promotion of language and literacy, and the provision of early scientific and mathematical experiences are particular strengths. The points which follow illustrate specific aspects of the programme.

• The staff place a strong emphasis on promoting the children’s personal, social and emotional development. The children display high levels of independence and confidence as they explore the playroom and choose freely from the activities. There are many instances of concentrated and purposeful play. The staff foster successfully the children’s sense of responsibility for the playroom by encouraging the children to care for, and respect, their environment and play materials. In each session, the small number of children who are in their pre-school year limits their opportunities to play and interact with others in their peer group. The staff are alert to the needs of these older children, and make good efforts to provide them with appropriate and challenging activities. There is, however, some disadvantage to the development of the children’s social skills and imaginative play.

• There are good opportunities for the children to develop fine manipulative skills with a range of small equipment and tools. The children have daily opportunities for indoor and outdoor physical play. The staff set up a range of equipment and apparatus which the children clearly enjoy and use with increasing control and skill.

• The children’s abilities to express their ideas creatively are developed effectively through the use of a range of materials provided for painting, drawing and collage work. Some children are beginning to paint simple representations of figures and objects. On the day of the inspection, the creative area was used particularly well during the afternoon session. There are regular opportunities for the children to sing, dance and make music.

• A high priority is given to developing the children’s language through skilful talk and discussion and the introduction by the staff of a rich vocabulary and range of ideas. The children show a keen interest in books and stories throughout the sessions. The attractive book area is enhanced by the addition of a range of personalised books made by the staff and the children. Most of the children pay close attention during the enjoyable group story and rhyme session. Some of the children display an interest in experimental marking and writing as they explore a variety of tools and paper.

• The staff constantly use appropriate mathematical language when participating in the children’s play and during the routines of the day. The children are gaining appropriate ideas associated with number, shape, size and measurement. Stories, songs and rhymes are used effectively as starting points for learning about number.

• The staff stimulate the children’s curiosity about the world around them and encourage them to ask questions and to observe closely. During the inspection, the introduction of fruit into a number of activities was used effectively to promote interest and investigation. The staff encourage the use of constructional materials to foster the children’s understanding of shape and simple structures.

• The children are learning to care for their environment. There are opportunities for them to learn about living things as they plant bulbs and water the plants. The staff make good use of a range of visits and visitors to the centre to enhance the children’s experiences.

11.The staff are developing an appropriate system of assessment. Close links are maintained with the parents and information on the children’s progress and needs is shared through written reports and individual meetings. The staff know the children well and make thoughtful observations of the children’s responses to play. The assessment information is used to inform the planning of the programme. Information on the children’s progress should now be shared with the primary schools to which the children will transfer.

12.The staff make good efforts to identify and address the learning difficulties experienced by some children. They offer support to the children and liaise with parents and other professionals when appropriate. Presently there are no links with the local primary schools. The staff have identified this as an area for further development.

13.The centre is well organised and managed effectively. The leader has given many years of dedicated service and has a clear vision for the development of the centre. Relationships among the staff are good. The staff are hard-working and display a strong sense of commitment to the centre and the children’s welfare. The leader appreciates the support given by the parents, management committee and the early years specialist.

14.The quality of the premises is satisfactory. The staff make good use of all the available space. The toilets are located out of the play room which results in the staff having to leave the playroom to supervise children. There is a secure outdoor area. The centre has a satisfactory range of resources to support the implementation of a broad programme of play.

15.The strengths of the centre include:

• the very positive ethos;

• the development of effective links with the parents;

• the organisation of sessions which ensures that all opportunities are used for learning;

• the skilful interaction of the staff that supports and extends the children’s learning;

• the broad range of activities which provide good learning opportunities in most areas of the pre-school curriculum;

• the progress made in developing a system of assessment;

• the effective leadership and the dedicated, enthusiastic team approach.

16.Overall, the quality of the educational provision in this pre-school centre is good. The needs of the children are being well met.

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Copies of this report may be obtained from the Inspection Services Branch, Department of Education, Rathgael House, 43 Balloo Road, Bangor, Co Down BT19 7PR. A copy is also available on the DE website: