Hillview Under Five's Pre-School Playgroup

Hillview Under 5's Pre- School Playgroup Beechwood Avenue, Beechwood, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 3HB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 March 2015 12 October 2009

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Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Requires improvement The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Requires improvement The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Requires improvement The setting does not meet legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Children's learning experiences are varied. This is because monitoring of practice and supervisions with staff are not yet focused enough in raising the quality of teaching.  Assessment methods are not yet sufficiently robust. As a result, children's initial starting points and ongoing progress are not always accurate, to plan for their next steps in learning. Staff have not effectively completed the progress check for children aged between two and three years.  The management team are not yet fully effective in evaluating and setting clear targeted plans for ongoing improvement. Consequently, their ability to meet all requirements and identify accurate priorities for improvement are reduced.

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It has the following strengths

 Children behave well and demonstrate a sense of belonging in the setting. This is because children form positive relationships with staff who are responsive and caring towards them.  Children are safeguarded well. Staff have a secure understanding of how to safeguard children, including minimising potential risks across the environment, both indoors and outdoors.  The manager is confident to work together with parents and other professionals, including schools. This means that parents are well informed of their children's development, as well as promoting a collaborative approach to their learning and emotional well-being.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 improve the quality of teaching by implementing effective supervisions with staff, to improve their skills in carrying out accurate assessment of children's starting points, ongoing progress and planning of their next steps in learning  improve and embed systems for performance management by including regular observations of staff practice, so that they gain the skills to enable them to offer a quality learning experience for all children  ensure the progress check for children aged between two and three years is effectively completed, to ensure early intervention may be sought if required.

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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

 improve self-evaluation by evaluating practice and implement clear action plans to bring about identified improvements to raise the quality of the setting.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed the areas used by the children. She observed activities and the quality of teaching in the designated playroom situated in the school and outdoors.  The inspector discussed methods of self-evaluation and sampled policies and procedures, including the safeguarding policy and staff files.  The inspector undertook a shared observation with the manager during an adult-led activity. She interacted with children and spoke to staff and some of the parents at appropriate times.  The inspector looked at children's learning files, assessment and planning records, and checked for evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff, including paediatric first aid.

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who attend. This requires improvement

The quality of teaching is variable. As a result, not all children make the best possible progress. For example, planned activities do not always meet the needs of all children, which means some lose interest. Staff meet with parents before children start and use this opportunity to assess their starting points. However, staff do not revisit these assessments to confirm their accuracy. Staff do not always ensure that observation and planning records are completed. As a result, some information used to inform tracking of children's progress is not meaningful, to plan effectively. Children are supported in the prime areas of learning as staff help to develop children's social skills, as they join them in their play. Older children play purposefully and are imaginative as they use various resources, such as dinosaurs to act out play scenarios. Children's communication and language skills are promoted well because staff use different strategies, such as signing.

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requires improvement

Children's emotional well-being is promoted through caring and responsive interactions with staff. The environment is safe and resources are developmentally appropriate. Settling-in procedures are flexible and support children's move into the setting. Healthy snacks are provided and children learn basic hygiene practices. Children enjoy being active. Older children show increasing skill and motivation as they ride scooters and trikes. Younger children enjoy exploring sensory materials, such as sand, water and mud from the outdoor play kitchen. Partnerships with other professionals, such as teachers, helps to prepare children for their move to school. For example, teachers are invited to the setting and staff accompany children on visits to the host school.

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provision requires improvement

The manager ensures staff attend training, in order to support their understanding in promoting children's safety. As a result, they are confident to talk about indicators of potential abuse. Although, staff supervision meetings are held, these are not frequent enough to ensure their understanding of practice is robust. Furthermore, monitoring of practice and identified training needs are not yet focused on identifying gaps in staff skills. As a result, staff do not always receive appropriate coaching to improve their practice and their qualifications are not having a big enough impact on children's learning. Self- evaluation provides an overview of the setting's strengths and includes the views of both parents and staff. However, the failure to identify accurate priorities means that there are weaknesses in staff's practice. For example, they do not fully understand how to complete the progress check for children aged between two and three years. Therefore, parents are

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provision requires improvement

not made aware of any gaps of children's learning that may require early intervention. The manager demonstrates, through discussion, her eagerness to improve practice. For example, assessment records now include levels of development and electronic tools are used to support information sharing with schools. Positive relationships with parents are well established as relevant information is exchanged.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 303469 Local authority Halton Inspection number 864775 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 22 Number of children on roll 24 Name of provider Hillview Under Fives Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 12 October 2009 Telephone number 01928 714666

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Setting details

Hillview Under 5's Pre-School Playgroup was registered in 1998. The setting employs four members of staff, three of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. It operates from a designated playroom within Hillview County Primary School, in Runcorn, Cheshire. The setting opens Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 8.35am to 11.35am daily, with two additional sessions operating from 12.05pm to 3.05pm every Monday and Wednesday. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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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