Uplands Playgroup

Uplands Playgroup Thompson Road, Uplands, STROUD, Gloucestershire, GL5 1TP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 January 2015 4 February 2009

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This inspection: Good 2

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

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Staff work well to provide a welcoming, safe environment with a broad range of well- planned activities and resources that support children's learning.  Children form strong attachments with the caring staff. This means children's individual needs are well met. Good partnerships between parents and staff ensure that parents are well-informed about their child's developmental progress.  Staff use good open-ended questions during play and activities to encourage children to think and respond, which helps children to learn in all areas of learning.  Children are confident and well behaved because staff offer calm, consistent guidelines.  Staff fully support children's preferences to learn and play outdoors and enable them to access the full curriculum in the outside areas.  Staff have excellent links with the local school, other providers and professionals, which ensures all children are ready to move on to the next stage in their learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always maximise opportunities for literacy, to extend children's early reading skills.  There is scope to develop the monitoring of children's progress and coaching of individual staff, to ensure the best possible outcomes for children.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 maximise learning opportunities for literacy, for example, by developing children's knowledge of letter sounds and names  strengthen the systems to monitor the quality of practice, particularly children's progress and the continuous development of staff, to ensure the best possible outcomes for children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning both indoors and outside.  The inspector had discussions with the play leader, the chair of the playgroup committee, staff, children and parents.  The inspector invited the play leader to hold a joint observation.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation including self-evaluation plans, children's records and planning, safeguarding procedures and a range of policies.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability checks and qualifications of staff working with children.

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who attend. This is good

The quality of teaching is good. Staff follow and extend children's individual interests and needs, which supports their future learning. Staff gain effective information from parents about their children's interests and learning needs on entry and regularly update this information with monthly requests. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work closely with all involved to ensure they meet children's individual needs. Staff are very aware of the skills, attitudes and dispositions children need to be ready for school. Children are confident communicators. Staff promote a love of books as they read to the children. They learn to listen, handle books carefully and turn pages correctly. Children are encouraged to mark-make in a variety of ways. They have many opportunities to count and become familiar with numerals, such as exploring with plastic numbers in corn flour mixture. However, staff do not always maximise

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who attend. This is good

opportunities for literacy, to extend children's early reading skills. For example, staff did not routinely talk about letters, and the sounds that they make, whilst writing children's names, or identify similar sounds in words such as, 'Frozen', 'Frost' and 'Freezing'.

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good

The key person system supports children's well-being and learning. Staff plan the indoor and outside environment well, selecting resources and activities following children's interests and capabilities. They also offer children a 'choosing book' of photographs to pick other available resources. This enables children to independently extend and initiate their own play. Children learn about healthy eating and enjoy the fresh water, milk and snacks provided for them. Children understand the importance of hand washing before eating, and after playing outside. Staff regularly explain to children about keeping themselves safe and include them when carrying out risk assessments. For example, after snack, staff and children checked all gates were closed and bolted before they played outside again.

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provision is good

The committed play leader, staff and committee, have a secure knowledge of the learning and development requirements and how to keep children safe. Staff work very well as a team and intuitively know how to support each other. They deploy themselves well and are clear about their roles and responsibilities within the group, helping to ensure it runs smoothly. All required records, policies and procedures are in place and are clear and up to date. Self-evaluation is effective and management can clearly identify the strengths and areas for future development. Regular staff appraisals help to promote staff's professional development and assess what the staff and setting can offer to the children. However, there is scope to develop the monitoring of children's progress and the coaching of individual staff, to ensure the best possible outcomes for children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 101750 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 839128 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 28 Name of provider Uplands Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 4 February 2009 Telephone number 01453 762205

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Setting details

Uplands Playgroup registered in 1993 and is registered on the Early Years Register. It operates from a mobile in the grounds of Uplands Primary School. The playgroup is open from 9am to 3pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and 9am to 12noon Thursday and Friday during school terms only. Children share access to a secure enclosed play area. The setting receives funding for free early years education for children aged two, three and four years old. The playgroup employs three staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualification at level 3 and one is working towards a level 2 early years qualification.

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Setting details

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

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

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Setting details

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

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