There are currently 28 children aged from three to under five years on roll. Of these, 22 receive funding for nursery education. The playgroup supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and also supports children who speak English as an additional language.

There are six members of staff working with the children, four of whom hold relevant qualifications. There are two members of staff working towards a qualification and another two are currently working towards Early Years Professional Status. The playgroup staff are assisted by regular parent volunteers. The setting is an accredited member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and receives the support of the Devon Local Authority.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION
Helping children to be healthy
The provision is good. Children enjoy eating healthy snack items and are also able to identify which foods in their lunch boxes are good for them. Their snacks include different fresh and dried fruits, as well as a biscuit or rice cracker and a drink of water or squash. They are able to help themselves to additional drinks of water throughout the session if they feel thirsty, and this helps to keep them well hydrated. Care is taken to ensure that children with special dietary requirements are not exposed to any risks at meal times or during cooking activities.

Children are protected from the risk of infection by the implementation of a range of effective procedures that promote good hygiene. For example, tables are cleaned with anti-bacterial spray before meals and staff use colour coded cloths for different cleaning jobs. There is a clear sickness policy in place to ensure that children are not unnecessarily exposed to infectious illnesses. Children learn the routine of washing their hands before eating and after using the toilet. They use liquid soap and paper towels to limit the risk of cross infection and staff supervise them to encourage them to wash and dry their hands thoroughly.

Children are well cared for in the event of an accident as most of the staff hold current first aid certificates so there is always someone at hand to administer first aid. Details of accidents are recorded and shared with parents to support children's continuity of care. Procedures are also in place to support the safe administration of medication should any children require this.

Children have very good opportunities to be active and develop their physical skills. They use climbing and balancing equipment indoors, with increasing skill and efficiency and use a range of equipment outdoors to develop throwing and catching skills, manoeuvring wheeled toys and balancing on stilts. Children are encouraged to play outdoors in the fresh air on most days, promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
The provision is good. Children are kept safe and secure as the staff have a very good awareness of safety issues and implement effective procedures to ensure that the premises, which are shared with other users, are carefully assessed each day before children arrive. Children are protected from the risk of accidents as appropriate steps are taken to minimise potential hazards. For example, electric sockets are covered, safety gates prevent unsupervised access to the kitchen and the outdoor gates are bolted before children play outside. Doors to the building are protected by alarms and children know that when the alarm rings it means that someone has come in or left the building.

Children regularly practise fire drills to ensure they are able to evacuate the building quickly and safely in the event of an emergency. When they go on outings their safety is given good priority as staff implement additional strategies such as increasing the adult ratios and ensuring that any vehicles used for transporting children are fit for purpose.

Children access a range of resources that are maintained in good condition to ensure they are safe for use. They are well organised and a selection of what is available is presented each day so that children can safely make independent choices. For example, resources are stored in low level units, on tables or on floor mats. Children learn to use tools safely, with increasing control. For example, they use scissors to carefully cut out pictures of squirrels.

Children's welfare is given good priority as staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. Clear written policies and guidance are in place to support them in implementing appropriate procedures in the event of any concerns.

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is good. Children arrive happily and quickly settle at the playgroup, choosing from the range of activities offered. They enthusiastically participate in the familiar routines and enjoy new activities such as going on imaginary autumn walks. The range of available activities provide varied play opportunities both indoors and outdoors. Children play well together and also enjoy quiet times on their own, for example when concentrating to complete a jigsaw.

Nursery Education

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff plan a wide range of activities that support children's learning in all six areas of the curriculum. They regularly assess children's achievements and use this information to plan what children need to learn next, building on what they already know and can do. However, assessment records do not make clear how children's progress has been evaluated. Children's learning is supported effectively as staff interact sensitively with activities initiated by children. For example they join in with role play or suggest how resources can be used in different ways. Children also enjoy participating in adult-led activities, such as playing table top games that help develop a range of skills such as recognising colours and shapes, matching and turn taking.

Children are very confident and enjoy initiating their own play. They are familiar with the resources and use them to develop imaginative role play or to explore features of man made and natural materials. They use language well to organise their thinking and are able to develop co-operative play by explaining their thoughts and ideas to each other; for example when using the road track and vehicles to develop a crash and rescue scene. They are developing a good awareness that print carries meaning as they practise writing for different purposes and use magnetic letters and computer keyboards to build familiar words, such as their names. They are able to count, confidently linking numbers to objects, for example when playing table top games and using dice. Themed activities help them develop their knowledge and understanding of their local environment and the wider world. For example, they explore features of nature during the changing seasons, they learn about different roles within society, such as nurses and they explore the properties of natural and man made materials such as sand, water and play dough. Children's enthusiasm and positive disposition towards learning supports them in making good progress along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals in all six areas of the curriculum.

Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is good. Children's individual needs are met well. A key worker system is in place to help children settle and to promote effective exchange of information with parents. The children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They learn about diversity within society through using a range of resources such as books and dressing up clothes and by exploring different cultural traditions and foods from around the world. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported very well and their sense of belonging is promoted effectively as they and their families are encouraged to share their cultural festivals and celebrations within the group.

Children's behaviour is generally good. They regularly receive praise and encouragement to reward their good behaviour and they learn about taking turns when playing games in small groups. They sometimes seek adult support to help them negotiate sharing and playing together. Children who have difficulty in concentrating and participating in whole group activities are generally supported well as staff give them individual attention or offer alternative activities.

The partnership with parents and carers is good and has a positive impact on children's learning. Parents are well informed about their children's activities and the progress they are making. This enables them to extend children's learning at home through discussion about current themes or offering additional activities at home.

Organisation
The organisation is good. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Sessions are well organised and follow familiar routines to help children settle. Children have good opportunities to initiate their own play and to participate in adult-led activities. Occasionally whole group activities lack sufficient pace to sustain the interest of all children, particularly towards the end of the session.

All regulatory documentation is in place. A range of policies and procedures underpin the group's good practice. They are shared with parents and implemented effectively to support children's health, safety and welfare. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that children are cared for by appropriately vetted adults.

Leadership and management are good. The manager and supervisor work together well to provide a balanced curriculum that supports children's progress along the stepping stones. Regular observations and appraisals of the staff help to evaluate their practice, identify areas for improvement and highlight training needs. The staff team are well-motivated, enthusiastic and demonstrate a good commitment to improvement.

Improvements since the last inspection
Since the last inspection the playgroup has improved outcomes for children's health and safety by promptly informing Ofsted of committee changes so that appropriate checks can be carried out and by improving the nutritional content of children's snacks. They have continued to monitor and evaluate delivery of the nursery education curriculum to ensure that all children access a good range of developmentally appropriate learning opportunities.

Complaints since the last inspection
Since 1 April 2004 there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider, or Ofsted, to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION
On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:
The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.
The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.