Lordswood under 5's playgroup

Lordswood Under 5s Playgroup Rear of 181 Ballens Road, Chatham, Kent, ME5 8PG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 March 2015 23 November 2011

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is outstanding

 Children make excellent progress in relation to their starting points and capabilities. This is because the quality of teaching is outstanding. Staff expertly use a wide range of resources to support learning and development. As a result, children are exceptionally well prepared for school.  Assessments of children's development are thorough. The manager robustly monitors children's progress and quickly identifies any gaps in the learning of individual children or groups of children.  The staff use the indoor and outdoor space exceptionally well to ensure that they provide children with an extremely wide range of learning opportunities.  Staff meet children's personal, social and emotional needs particularly well. They skilfully help children to develop their confidence and self-esteem. Children establish inspiring relationships with one another and with staff. As a result, they are very independent and their behaviour is exceptional.

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This provision is outstanding

 Safeguarding is given the highest priority. Staff use their expert knowledge to ensure children are completely protected.  The self-evaluation reflects the continuous drive for improvement. This clearly sets out plans for future development to raise the already excellent standard across all areas of learning.

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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

 offer children opportunities to explore with books outdoors to further enhance their early reading skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises with the manager.  The inspector observed activities in the playroom, outdoor area and forest school.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to members of staff, parents and children at appropriate times during the inspection, and held a meeting with the manager.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.

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who attend. This is outstanding

Staff have an excellent understanding of how children learn. They use comprehensive information from parents and their own assessments of children to plan for each child's individual progress. Staff skilfully and effectively develop children's creativity by asking questions based on something children say or do. This enables children to develop their own ideas and solve practical problems, as displayed when children decided to make kites at forest school using wool and leaves. Consequently, children are extremely well prepared for their next stage in learning. The staff use the excellent outdoor facilities to ensure that children have daily access to physical play. As a result, children's physical skills are exceptional. Parents receive excellent information about children's progress and next steps and receive support in guiding their children's learning at home ensuring children make significant progress. Children have abundant opportunities to see print around the

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who attend. This is outstanding

environment to develop excellent early literacy skills. However, staff do not always encourage children to use books outdoors.

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outstanding

The key-person system is highly effective and has a significant impact on children's emotional well-being because it helps children to form secure attachments with staff. All children are extremely well prepared for their move onto school. Staff effectively encourage children's personal care skills through putting on their own coat, shoes and waterproofs to play outside. Children benefit from regular forest school visits to develop their speaking and listening skills well. For example, children have an excellent understanding of the rules and boundaries and explain these to the staff. Older children effective support the younger children and show them how to do things.

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provision is outstanding

Leadership is inspirational. The manager is highly reflective and passionate in her drive to provide the best possible care and education for children. Staff have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities to ensure they meet all the requirements of the Early Years Foundation stage. Staff have received safeguarding training. Therefore, they have extensive knowledge regarding child protection and the procedure to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare. There are comprehensive procedures for recruitment, induction and support for staff performance. The manager observes and evaluates staff practice regularly through supervision meetings to ensure consistency in the high quality of teaching. The staff team form excellent partnerships with external agencies and local primary school teachers to support children's move into school extremely well.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 103823 Local authority Medway Towns Inspection number 835696 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 61 Name of provider Lordswood Under Fives Committee Date of previous inspection 23 November 2011 Telephone number 01634 867386

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Setting details

Lordswood Under Fives Playgroup opened in 1976 and operates from a single storey building. It is situated in a parkland setting, in Lordswood, Chatham. The playgroup is open Monday to Friday from 9.15am to 3.00pm, term time. The playgroup employs 10 members of staff, 9 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications, including one member of staff with Early Years Professional Status. The playgroup provides funded early education for two, three and four year old children.

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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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