St Mary Magdalene Playgroup

St Mary Magdalene Playgroup Windmill Hill, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 7AJ

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 9 February 2015 24 February 2014

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

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

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

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

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

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

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

p.1

This provision is good

 Staff provide a wide range of resources for children to explore in the outside area which is bright and welcoming.  The manager demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement. She monitors how children learn and play and supports staff in adapting activities to match children's interests.  Overall, teaching is good. Staff effectively plan group sessions to teach children about letter sounds in a fun and stimulating way. These sessions prepare children well for their next stage in learning and move to school.  Staff welcome children warmly into the setting. They provide reassurance to new children and effectively support children who are learning to speak English as an additional language.  Staff provide healthy snacks and children enjoy outside play activities for long periods in each session. Therefore, children are learning how to promote their good health.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 The organisation of snack time by staff can sometimes interrupt children's flow of conversation. This means they do not fully benefit from meaningful conversations with others.  The current arrangements for staff supervision mean that some staff do not always benefit from specific support to help them fully plan for further development.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 review snack time arrangements so that children benefit from uninterrupted time to speak with staff and other children  strengthen the effectiveness of staff supervision by providing staff with more clearer guidance on how to further improve their practice.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector reviewed documentation, including children's development folders, staff files, policies and statutory records.  The inspector observed children during play and took part in routines during the day.  The inspector took account of the views of parents by speaking with them on the day of the inspection.  The inspector spoke with children, staff and the manager at appropriate times during the inspection.

p.2

who attend. This is good

Staff provide a varied range of activities for children. They give careful thought to how individual and groups of children learn and use this information well to plan ways to encourage them to join in with activities. For example, staff observe that some children prefer drawing pictures at floor level. Therefore, they provide a range of resources to enable children to do this without interrupting their play. Staff know children well. Consequently, they are able to identify and make plans for the next steps in their learning based on their interests as well as information they gather from parents. This means that children make good progress due to the close monitoring of their learning. Staff work well with other agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are sensitive to children's emotional needs and meet these well. Staff are skilled at using effective questioning skills to foster children's language development. However, the

p.3

who attend. This is good

current organisation of snack time, results in fewer opportunities for children to converse with others to further promote their language skills.

p.3

good

Staff welcome children warmly and, as a result, they settle quickly. Staff support children who are learning to speak English as an additional language by using words in children's home languages. This particularly helps to comfort them if they are upset. Children are learning to be independent as staff provide lots of opportunities for them to develop their self-care skills. As a result, children are keen to manage small tasks themselves. Staff organise hygiene routines well and children understand the importance of washing their hands before they eat. There are strong partnerships with parents who comment on how children enjoy their time at the setting. Children's behaviour is good which creates a positive environment for them to thrive and make bonds with other children and staff.

p.3

provision is good

The manager understands the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has addressed the weaknesses from previous inspections and works closely with the local authority advisor to further improve practice. In addition, the manager and staff have identified areas for improvement, such as developing the range of outdoor resources. Staff receive regular supervision and demonstrate a secure knowledge of the statutory requirements by attending relevant training. However, at times, the manager misses opportunities to identify ways to address specific areas to enhance their professional development. Nevertheless, staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding issues and the manager checks the suitability of all adults working with children. Parents give their written permission for the administration of medication and provide staff with ongoing information to support their children's learning. The manager has made links with local

p.3

provision is good

nurseries and schools to further support children as they make their move onto school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 135391 Local authority Enfield Inspection number 962624 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 37 Name of provider Sandra Pearce Date of previous inspection 24 February 2014 Telephone number 020 8363 3953

p.4

Setting details

Mary Magdalene Playgroup registered in 1993. It operates from a large hall in the Mary Magdalene Church in Enfield Town, in the London Borough of Enfield. There is an enclosed outdoor play area. The playgroup is open each weekday during term-time only, from 9am to 3.15pm, except on Wednesdays when it opens from 9am to 12pm. The playgroup receives funding for the provision of free early education for three- and four- year-old children. The playgroup is registered on the Early Years Register. The playgroup employs five staff and of these, three hold relevant early years qualification.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

Setting details

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.5

Setting details

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

p.5