St Andrews Playgroup

St.Andrews Playgroup St. Andrews Church, Grimshill Road, WHITSTABLE, Kent, CT5 4LH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 March 2015 17 May 2011

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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 Outstanding 1

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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 form exceptional relationships with the children they care for. This means that they meet children's individual needs extremely well and children form strong attachments with the staff.  Excellent partnerships between parents and staff ensure that parents remain well informed about their child's developmental progress. Parents have regular meetings and opportunities to read assessments of their children's learning journey and next steps.  Children have access to a wide variety of resources, which the staff rotate to meet their interests and stimulate their learning.  The manager has a detailed set of meetings with the parents. She explains the policies and procedures and how they develop the children's learning and development.  Staff ensure that children follow highly effective hygiene procedures. All children understand that they need to wash their hands before eating and do so independently.

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This provision is good

Some children are able to explain exactly why they need to wash their hands.  Children enjoy healthy snacks and learn about healthy eating through discussions at mealtimes, books and growing vegetables in the garden.  Staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding and child protection issues. They regularly attend training to update their knowledge. Therefore, children remain safe.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, staff do not always consistently extend and challenge children's learning in the outdoor area. This is because staff rotate frequently between indoors and outdoors which does not enable them to become fully engrossed in children's play experiences.

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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

 review the opportunities for staff in the outdoor area to consistently extend and challenge the children's learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching inside and outside.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager of the provision.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including children's development records, the self-evaluation form and key policies.  The inspector took account of the parents' views through discussions.  The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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who attend. This is good

The quality of teaching is good. Staff plan interesting activities, for example, making different types of messy play for the children to explore, enjoy and talk about. These motivate the children's interests and help them to learn. Staff use observations and assessments to plan next steps activities to help children make good progress from their starting point. Staff are good at promoting and extending the children's mathematical language and knowledge. For example, at the snack table the children decided whether to cut their toast into rectangles or squares. Children enjoy reading books with the staff and the staff extend their early reading skills by asking the children to predict the stories or discuss details in the pictures. Staff ensure that children have plenty of opportunities to develop their early writing skills. For example, in the fancy dress shop, children write receipts for the clothes they are wearing.

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outstanding

Staff have excellent links with the local schools, and teachers visit to meet their new children. The key person makes a book for the parents and teachers containing the child's achievements. This ensures that teachers have an excellent understanding of the children's personalities and stages of development, which promotes a smooth move on to school. Staff are exceptional at developing the children's independence and encouraging them to manage risks. Staff help the children to use scissors safely and navigate on the bikes. They encourage children to independently self-select their own activities and butter their own toast. All staff work very closely with parents and other professionals to support and promote each child's emotional and learning needs. Staff work in small groups to give children extra support to develop their confidence and abilities. For example, staff use bean bags to give children extra support to develop their large muscle skills.

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provision is good

The manager is motivated and regularly encourages staff and parents to review the setting's practice. She has a very comprehensive self-evaluation form, which she prepares with the assistance of staff and parents. The manager has a thorough understanding of the strengths and areas for development, to identify how the practice can improve further. She has good arrangements for the recruitment of new staff and for regular supervision meetings to support and extend staff performance. The manager regularly monitors and analyses children's progress to ensure that all children make good progress in their learning and identify areas where children are developing more slowly. For example, boys are making less progress in the area of expressive arts and design so staff plan to develop activities that will engage and develop the boys' skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY358047 Local authority Kent Inspection number 835385 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 34 Name of provider St Andrews Playgroup Partnership Date of previous inspection 17 May 2011 Telephone number 0777 642 5512

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Setting details

St Andrew's Playgroup registered in 2007. It operates in Whitstable, Kent. The playgroup is open on Mondays and Thursdays from 9.15am to 2.30pm, and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.15am to 11.45am, during term time. There are seven staff, including one of the owners, who work with the children. Five of the staff hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3. Two members of staff hold early years qualifications at level 6. The playgroup is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early years education for two-, three-, and four- year olds.

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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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