Invicta Park Playgroup

Invicta Park Playgroup The Craig Centre, Invicta Park Barracks, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 2NA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 9 June 2015 25 May 2012

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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

 Children are happy in the playgroup. They can choose their own activities which are readily available to them. They can also choose to play alone or in small groups.  Staff develop good relationships with the children to help ensure they are emotionally settled at the setting. Children move confidently around the setting.  The quality of teaching is good. Staff ask lots of questions and offer suggestions to children as they play. This helps children think about what they are doing and extend their own play.  Children who are learning English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive very good support. Staff work closely with other health and education professionals to help children progress in their development and learning.  All staff have a good understanding of the playgroup safeguarding procedures. The designated person discusses aspects of safeguarding at team meetings. Therefore, staff

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This provision is good

effectively promote children's well-being.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The staff teach children to recognise numbers and learn simple addition. However they do not always use language relating to other mathematical concepts, such as weight and measurement.

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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

 further encourage staff to use more language relating to weight and measurement to enable children to learn a wider range of different mathematical concepts.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a variety of paperwork including the playgroup's safeguarding policy and children's progress records.  The inspector talked to managers, staff, children and parents to gain their views of the playgroup.  The inspector observed the interaction between the staff and children during activities indoors and outside.

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who attend. This is good

The quality of teaching is good because staff have a good understanding of how young children learn and develop. Staff effectively use observations and assessments to monitor individual children's progress. They use this information to plan interesting activities for each child. Recent staff training on storytelling has had a good impact on the children. For example, staff encourage children to use puppets and role play as part of storytelling activities. Staff help to prepare children for their move to school. They teach children the necessary self-care skills, such as getting themselves dressed, and encourage them to put on their own shoes and coats. Staff provide a range of activities to extend children's concentration spans and letter and shape recognition skills. This helps children to be confident and ready for their move to school.

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good

The staff help children to learn vital social skills. Children learn to share their toys, take turns and show concern for each other. Therefore, children behave well and respect each other. Staff conduct good risk assessments of the premises, equipment and outings to local venues. They teach children about risks and hazards in different environments. Therefore, children learn to use equipment safely. They also practise road safety and participate in regular emergency drills. This helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe when on trips away from the playgroup. The staff support children's good health and well-being. Children use the outdoor area daily which means that they are able to enjoy playing and learning outside.

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provision is good

The manager monitors the staff's performance and the progress of children effectively. She conducts regular, individual supervision sessions and appraisals, and identifies staff training needs and arranges courses and workshops for them to attend. This helps to develop staff's knowledge and practice, and maintains the quality of teaching. She also tracks individual children's progress to ensure that all children are making good progress given their starting points and capabilities. The manager completes regular evaluations of the activities offered and takes into account the views of staff, children and parents about the quality of the service offered to children. She consults with the provider about any identified improvements. For example, the new static parasols in the garden have given children more opportunities to be outside in all weathers.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127276 Local authority Kent Inspection number 840635 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider Invicta Park Pre-School Playgroup Committee Date of previous inspection 25 May 2012 Telephone number 01622 767341 or 767240

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Setting details

Invicta Park Playgroup registered in 1996. It operates from a building on an army barracks site in Maidstone, Kent. The playgroup only serves the Armed Forces community from the army quarters on site. The playgroup is open each weekday from 9.30am to 12.30pm during term time only. The playgroup receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years old. The playgroup employs seven members of staff, five of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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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