Kings Stanley Playgroup

Kings Stanley Playgroup Kings Stanley Village Hall, Marling Close, Kings Stanley, Glos, GL10 3JA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/09/2012 28/01/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend 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

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This provision is good

 Key persons effectively support children to make good progress as they move on from their starting points.  Staff support children's learning particularly well, including those speaking English as an additional language, through being calm, patient and offering ample open comments and questions.  Key strengths of the playgroup are the support for children to settle and the fostering of self-esteem so children achieve good personal and emotional development.  Staff meet safeguarding and welfare requirements well for each child.  Relationships with parents are strong and parents are keptwell informed; leadership effectively involves staff in purposeful ways and improves provision through ongoing professional development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children are not always fully concentrating and participating in routine, large group story times  Not all parents are using current systems, such as 'wow vouchers', to regularly contribute to their children's learning and development records.

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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  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as 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 for inspection 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  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the pre-school room and garden. A shared observation of children's indoor play was completed with the play leader.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the chairperson, a member of the committee, the play leader and staff, including some key persons.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's learning journeys and at a representative range of documentation. This included the playgroup's self-evaluation form, and samples of policies, activity plans, staff files and daily records.  The inspector also took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Kings Stanley Playgroup opened in 1989 and is managed by a committee of parents. It operates from two playrooms in the village hall annexe in the centre of Kings Stanley near Stroud in Gloucestershire. Children have access to two, enclosed, outside areas. The playgroup is open each weekday during term time. On Monday, Thursday and Friday it opens from 9.10am to 12.10pm. On Tuesday and Wednesday it opens for pre-school children from 9.10am to 12.20pm or 2.40pm.

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Information about the setting

The provider is on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The playgroup currently has 34 children on roll aged from two years nine months to under five years. It is in receipt of funding for free early education for children aged three and four years. The playgroup currently supports a number of children speaking English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The playgroup employs five members of staff and all hold appropriate early years qualifications, including two at level 5. Of these, two are gaining a further qualification. Partnership arrangements are with the nearby school, a nursery and a playgroup in the next village.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 support children to maximise their learning through concentration and involvement, for example, in group stories

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 enable parents to regularly contribute to their child's learning and development record about their learning at home.

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who attend

Staff have strong impact on children's learning and development so that children make good progress in relation to their starting points. They are well aware of children's backgrounds and capabilities, taking good account of the length of time children have been at the playgroup and how often they attend. The educational programmes for all seven areas of learning effectively help children to comfortably reach expected levels of development. Children achieve good personal, social and emotional development, particularly through strong relationships with their key persons. They enjoy the challenges to develop physically, handling a wide range of tools with skill and being physically active in the spacious accommodation. They receive plenty of stimulation from attentive staff to extend their communication and language skills. Children gain good confidence to engage in conversation with the attentive staff. Where children are learning to speak English as an

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who attend

additional language, staff focus well on their communication and language skills. As a result, they make good progress and work effectively towards achieving expected levels of progress. They receive particularly good support through individual attention at their chosen activities and personally planned story times. Children gain good levels of understanding in literacy and mathematics, for example, in use of the initial sounds of their names and extended counting of toys to high numbers. They have ample opportunities to explore their surroundings to gain understanding of their environment. For example, children excitedly point out a helicopter flying overhead and watch it avidly with staff until it disappears. Children receive good support through a wealth of resources to express their ideas through art and design. They create and paint models using huge cardboard boxes; they focus for a long time on group projects, including printing with toy

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who attend

tractor wheels. They use considerable imagination to explore small world toys, including trains. They enjoy particularly well resourced, imaginative, play areas to explore different roles, including travelling in space.

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who attend

Staff have good knowledge and understanding of how to promote children's learning. They demonstrate consistent expectations and, through their enthusiasm, effectively engage and motivate children to further extend their play. They plan the rooms so that children have ample space to play and access many resources for themselves. Staff give good support so that new children confidently choose what they want to do. They extend their use of words and confirm each child's play by talking about their chosen play. They extend children's thinking by making comments and questions that help children to consider different aspects. As a result, use of training on the 'Every child a talker' programme is having good impact on the children's language and communication skills. Overall, staff plan group activities well to engage and motivate children. They use small key groups regularly, including for snack times, so children receive encouragement to feel

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who attend

included and effectively participate. Acting out stories in a large group well involves each child. However, reading picture books to large groups does not maximise young children's concentration and opportunities to join in conversations about the story. Children enjoy their activities, focusing and persevering at them. For example, they are fascinated to pour water over their chalk marks on the ramp outside and to watch this run away and evaporate. This means that they receive good support to acquire the skills and positive attitudes to develop and learn effectively. Over their pre-school year, they become ready for the next stages in their learning at school.

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who attend

Staff effectively understand the consistent, updated, planning and assessment systems used in the playgroup. The play leader is well aware of how to conduct the progress check for children aged two to three years. Staff work closely with parents of new children to learn about them and their family backgrounds, As a result, children settle noticeably well. Staff effectively engage parents in their children's development and learning in the playgroup. They take good account of what parents tell, and occasionally write, about their children's activities at home. They have devised a system of 'wow vouchers' but do not promote this consistently to help parents regularly contribute to children's learning records. Staff successfully keep parents informed about their children's achievements and progress. They make good use of ongoing, observational assessment . Through this, they effectively evaluate children's play and incorporate their next steps and interests into the

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who attend

quality planning. Key persons revise these plans on a daily basis to keep themselves well aware of, and support, children's current learning needs.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The playgroup's care practices well support children to feel emotionally secure and effectively help them to be physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. Staff consistently implement well established procedures so that children receive focused support from their caring key persons. These supervise their key groups' personal care and are well aware of their play preferences and learning requirements. As a result, support and conversations are personalised and all children form close bonds and secure emotional attachments to their carers. Children confidently seek staff out for reassurance and extra resources when needed. They have a positive approach to new experiences. Well-known routines that are displayed on a picture 'time line' successfully help them feel secure and confident. For example, children take it in turns to announce snack time by carrying a sign through the play areas. This means that the atmosphere remains quiet and calm, and children enjoy

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

the responsibility. Staff prepare children well for their transitions. They effectively got children ready for the move to different premises so that those returning after the summer holiday soon settled. Staff successfully prepare children for their next stage in learning as their skilful practice has good impact on children's confidence and self-motivation. For example, children gain good independence in managing their healthy lunch boxes during the extended pre-school sessions.The playgroup's effectively thought-out systems for caring for children result in their being happy and content. Children make good relationships with the adults, both staff and visitors. They relate well to each other, offering help and amicably sharing resources, such as 'moon rock' dough and tools. Throughout their time at the playgroup, many form increasingly strong friendships. Children respond well to the clear boundaries that they help to set, for example, as they

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

hear gentle reminders to say 'please' and 'thank you'. As they are, mostly, interested in adult-led activities and often occupied in self-chosen play, their behaviour is good. Staff set a positive example by being considerate and thoughtful for others. Children willingly take on responsibility, for example, tidying away before moving for meals; they notice pieces of equipment to clear these away without staff asking them. As staff constantly expect children to do things for themselves, children gain particularly good independence. From the time they start at the playgroup, children organise considerable periods of play for themselves. They collect and return items from the considerable, accessible storage. They use a sand timer to negotiate turn taking to operate the computer where they enjoy, for example, matching games and operating the car-shaped mouse.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Staff support children particularly well to feel safe and to learn about potential hazards. Well considered care practices enable children to be aware of safety and to take appropriate risks. Children help to devise positive rules, for example, about moving around the building. They learn to negotiate wheeled toys in an enclosed space and to look out for each other. Children effectively learn about healthy lifestyles. Staff encourage children to develop a good understanding of the importance of physical exercise. Children choose to go out into the fresh air and are keen to play outdoors. They benefit from discussing and helping to prepare healthy foods for their snacks and learn to manage their own hygiene and personal needs. Staff have worked hard to prepare the newly acquired premises. As a result, ample, good quality resources and the attractive, stimulating, learning environment successfully support children's all round development.

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provision

Leadership is good and management is effective because the provision includes good understanding of the responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. There is an accurate overview of the curriculum through close monitoring of the educational programmes and of the levels of delivery by individual staff. This means that the playgroup offers a broad range of experiences to help children progress towards the early learning goals. The basis of the teaching is a good, secure understanding of each area of learning and how children learn. The play leader monitors the levels of planning and assessment, in and out of doors, to make sure these are compatible, consistent and display an accurate understanding of all children's skills, abilities and progress. Staff target individual children identified as being in need of support, such as those learning to speak English as an additional language. As a result, these children receive supportive

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provision

The leadership and management have good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements, including arrangements for safeguarding and suitability. They implement these consistently to create an environment that is welcoming, safe and stimulating. All staff and committee have completed safeguarding training and the lead practitioner has undertaken enhanced child protection training. As a result, they have effective knowledge of how to keep children safe and how to respond to any concern about a child. Staff well implement all required policies and procedures. Written risk assessment is detailed and frequently reviewed so that staff keep children safe, indoors, outdoors and on outings. All required documentation is effectively maintained, including the record of staff suitability. Management well understands and carries out effective employment and vetting procedures. The provider conscientiously

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provision

monitors and manages staff's performance and their professional development through regular appraisal. New staff, including apprentices, are well supervised throughout their induction periods so that they successfully learn to adopt the playgroup's robust standards of teaching. The committee encourages staff to regularly attend relevant early years courses and best practice meetings. Staff have completed a wide range of training, including 'Bly sky thinking', which has had a good impacted on improving children's well- being. The playgroup well promotes effective arrangements for safeguarding, including recruitment, employment and safe practices, to effectively promote a culture of safety.

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provision

The quality of self-evaluation is good so that management and staff gain from being confident in their strengths and use evaluation well to plan to improve areas for development. The management and leadership have well implemented all actions and recommendations from the previous inspection and monitoring visits, including those concerned with safeguarding. They use rigorous and effective systems for self-evaluation, including thoughtful completion of the on-line form and an evaluation book. These well inform the playgroup's priorities and are used to set challenging targets for improvement. For example, staff made early revisions to well embed in practice the assessment reflecting the new Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff contribute to weekly meetings; these include using the 'principle into practice' cards to discussed and improve practice. The management and leadership are committed to valuing the views of parents and

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provision

children. Each child has free access to their learning journey and their key person sits with them and talks about the photographs or pictures they have created to find out how they felt about a particular activity, event or situation. Staff focus their planning and teaching on children's requirements and interest. Parents have a good platform to express their views in management meetings and staff plan special mornings for them to share their thoughts.

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provision

The playgroup works well in partnership with parents. Families receive plentiful information about the provision and about the new Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff recently offered a 'stay and play' session for parents and carers to attend; they offered an introduction to activities and games with links to the Early Years Foundation Stage statements, to explain the learning intentions behind the play. The playgroup establishes effective arrangements for information sharing and partnership working with other providers and the local school. As a result, there are good procedures to identify all children's needs and help them to make progress. The playgroup also has good links to make effective partnerships with external agencies if required, such as speech and language therapists.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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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. 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.

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 101487 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 813191

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 34 Name of provider Kings Stanley Playgroup Date of previous inspection 28/01/2009 Telephone number 07812 853866

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘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 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

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.

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Type of provision

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 and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

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 that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

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. 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,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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