St Cuthbert's Playgroup

St Cuthbert's Playgroup Village Hall, Sand Lane, Doveridge, ASHBOURNE, Derbyshire, DE6 5JQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/11/2014 26/01/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 2 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children are developing the skills, attitudes and dispositions they need to be ready for the next stage in their learning extremely well because the quality of teaching is outstanding.  The manager monitors the educational programmes for all areas of learning with full effect. As a result, every child participates in purposeful play and exploration. Children are consistently challenged to reach the next stage in their development.  Children show excellent levels of independence and have caring relationships with each other and with members of staff. This is because the routines of the day and moves between other settings are exceptionally well managed.  Children benefit from an excellent, safe and secure environment because safeguarding is given the highest priority. Staff are constantly vigilant and dedicated to protecting children and ensuring their safety.  Partnerships with parents and other professionals are highly effective. This helps to

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This provision is outstanding

ensure that children are given excellent levels of support to fully meet their individual needs.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 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.

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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 had a tour of the two rooms and the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and the self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager, observed teaching and learning activities and held discussions with staff.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a meeting with the manager and viewed policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

St Cuthbert's Playgroup was registered in 1992 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from the Village Hall in the Doveridge area of Ashbourne in Derbyshire. It is a committee run setting and serves children from the local and surrounding areas. It is open term time only and operates from 9.30am to 12 noon, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 1pm to 3.30pm on Wednesdays. There are currently 20 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. The playgroup currently employs five staff. Three hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3. One has a degree in early years practice. The pre-school supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The pre-school receives support from the local authority.

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

 extend the already high quality teaching and learning environment by exploring exceptional educational programmes in other settings and by sharing these with the staff team and, wherever possible, disseminating to other providers.

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who attend

The staff at the setting have an excellent understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children's individual learning and development needs are exceptionally well met because the quality of teaching is inspirational. For example, children show high levels of concentration as the staff engage them in scientific experiments to make potions. The children are supported to develop their communication and language, and early reading skills, as they follow a sequence of photographs and written instructions left overnight by the Witches. The consequent chemical reaction of combining the ingredients promotes high levels of participation, interest and amazement for the children. Staff have a thorough knowledge of all children's stages of development. Staff promote effective teaching and learning across all areas of learning. They are skilled in all aspects of their teaching of the children. They talk to them

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who attend

about what they are doing and seize timely opportunities to extend children's learning and challenge their thinking. As a result, children are developing the skills, attitudes and dispositions they need to be ready for school or their next stage in learning.

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who attend

Staff's thorough and accurate observations and assessments support children's learning effectively. They take a pre-planning record to staff meetings in order to share their key children's needs and interests most effectively. Focused observations of specific areas of learning are implemented daily. This enhances the regular observations of children's learning. Children's learning files are monitored by the playgroup supervisor. The impact of this is that planning and provision are constantly modified and improved. As a result, children make exceptionally swift progress in relation to their starting points.

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who attend

Partnerships with parents and other professionals, to support children's learning, are highly effective. Staff arrange meetings with parents to discuss the children's learning and development and regularly encourage the parents to take the children's learning file to read at home. The staff and the parents agree the children's next steps and targets together. This exceptional practice ensures that children benefit from a consistent approach. The playgroup's home diaries also consistently support regular communication between staff, children and parents. Staff involve parents, health professionals and the staff of other settings, in the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. As a result, assessments are accurate and used to target additional support if needed. This excellent approach to working in partnership means that all staff and parents know the children's needs and interests exceptionally well.

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

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at playgroup. They benefit from highly positive interactions from staff who are extremely caring in their responses to each child's needs. This enables children to feel safe and have a strong sense of belonging. For example, children talk about their interests from home as they place their individual sharing sticker on the Wow board, next to their picture and name. The information from the sticker is put in the children's learning file to contribute to the evaluation of their development. Therefore, children's self-esteem and confidence is very effectively promoted as their experiences and ideas are valued. Children's behaviour is consistently very good. This is because staff are excellent role models using the same language and actions to consistently promote children's social skills. Children show excellent levels of independence and have caring relationships with each other and members of staff. They are extremely

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

confident and settled because moves between activities, daily routines, and transitions to other settings are exceptionally well managed. As a result, children's attachments are very well supported and children are emotionally prepared for their next stage in learning.

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

Staff effectively plan for and support children's physical development. For example, children develop a good understanding of the importance of looking after their bodies and choosing a healthy lifestyle. At snack time, children choose from different fruits to eat, and milk or water to drink, and can accurately explain which foods are healthy. They independently help themselves to tissues when they need to blow their noses and pour out their own drinks. Children routinely wash their hands before eating food and enjoy following the skilfully placed picture and text instructions which begin, One, two, soap on you. Children manage their own risk as they actively and safely explore large and small physical play in the indoor and outdoor areas.

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

Partnerships with parents are strong and children are given good levels of support to meet their individual needs. Parents are supported to share information about their children's specific dietary, health and medical needs during their induction. Following this, parents and staff talk on a daily basis and relevant information is updated as children's needs and preferences change. As a result, partnerships with parents ensure continuity of care for all children.

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provision

The supervisor's understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage is excellent. Children benefit from being cared for in a safe and secure environment. Safeguarding is given a high priority. Staff are vigilant and consistent about protecting children, and ensuring their well- being. There is a safeguarding lead who ensures all staff have are kept up to date with any changes in requirements. Staff know the signs and symptoms to be aware of and know the procedures to follow if they have to report a concern about a child. Recruitment procedures are rigorous. The committee ensures all staff have been subject to relevant checks to assess their suitability to work with children. Regular fire drills ensure there is a safe escape plan in the event of needing to evacuate the building. Children's health care is supported as medicines are appropriately stored and administered where needed.

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provision

Therefore, children's welfare is extremely well promoted.

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provision

The supervisor's understanding of her responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage is also excellent. She monitors children's files to check for quality and accuracy, and effectively uses the detailed data to improve children's learning. Fortnightly team meetings address any areas for modification and any relevant staff development. The staff complete a pre-planning record which they bring to the meeting. This maximises the detail of the information shared about each child's interests and needs. The manager has a focused structure for monitoring staff performance. For example, staff experience a range of appraisal activities over the year which include peer observations. The self-evaluation is an accurate account of the playgroup's strengths and areas for development. Parents, staff and children make valuable contributions. The areas for development from the last inspection have been

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provision

extremely well addressed. As a result, the supervisor now ensures rigorous monitoring of all aspects of practice, and is highly focused and effective in her approach.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and other professionals are superb. For example, the Building Foundations Together project, funded by the local authority, has resulted in four-year-old children attending the local primary school on a weekly basis, to help them become familiar and confident with the school environment. The support of the speech and language therapist results in children making excellent progress from their starting points. The supervisor and the staff team demonstrate an admirable commitment, dedication and drive to sustain the highly effective practice and continue to improve the already excellent childcare. There is now a desire to share this exceptional practice with other providers and gather further ideas for outstanding practice from viewing other high quality provision. This ensures the playgroup continues to enhance and develop as well as having a wider impact on the quality of childcare in the area.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 206865 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 865447

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 20 Name of provider St Cuthbert's Pre-School Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 26/01/2011 Telephone number 07999 886 739

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Type of provision

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 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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