Leading Strings Playgroup

Leading Strings Playgroup ST. JOHN'S CHURCH HALL, BOURNE HILL, PALMERS GREEN, LONDON, N13 4DA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25 February 2016 13 October 2011

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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

 Leaders do not check that arrangements to mentor, coach and support staff are sufficiently effective. The arrangements do not lead to improvements in the overall quality of teaching. Leaders have not sustained the previous extremely high standards of service.  The quality of teaching and staff interactions with the children does not always stimulate and challenge children's learning and development. Children sometimes become bored and disengaged in their learning.  Staff do not consistently manage children's behaviour to help children to understand how to behave well, such as when indoors and when playing on climbing frames.  Staff deployment does not always effectively support all children's emotional security, including those who are new to the playgroup and the younger children.  The manager does not use the self-evaluation process to effectively monitor and address all areas of development and improvement.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are confident, independent and enjoy spending time playing with their friends.  Staff have strong and trusting partnerships with parents. There are effective procedures in place to share information and celebrate children's achievements.  Staff understand the importance of helping children to adopt healthy lifestyles. They take into account dietary requirements and ensure that children have daily exercise in the fresh air.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Due Date

 improve the quality of teaching to provide children with consistently challenging activities and experiences to help them make good progress 30/03/2016

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Due Date

 provide consistent guidance about behavior management across the staff team 30/03/2016

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Due Date

 ensure staff are deployed effectively to meet all children's needs well, including those who are settling. 30/03/2016

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 extend the methods used to check and evaluate the effectiveness of staff teaching practices  use self-evaluation to identify and address weaknesses quickly in order to raise outcomes for all children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed its impact on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the playgroup manager.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, policies, procedures and the pre-school's self-evaluation form.  The inspector looked at the children's assessment records and at planning documentation.  The inspector took into account the views of children, staff and parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. Staff know what to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare. All staff working directly with children are qualified to do so, but they do not always use their qualifications to good effect, for example, to manage children's behavior consistently. Staff have some opportunities to develop their practice, including updating their child protection training. The deputy manager provides learning and development training, and she meets with staff to discuss aspects of their professional development. However, there is insufficient focus on individual teaching skills, such as through consistently observing teaching practice. Leaders are developing systems further to monitor children's achievements over time.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff know children well. Since the last inspection, they have developed ways to encourage parents to contribute to their children's learning and development; for example, through developing children's learning records. Children make suitable progress and staff respond to children's interests, such as in snails, which are been incorporated into planning. This helps to interest the children in learning. However, the quality of teaching varies; it is not always consistently strong. The manager does not monitor staff deployment and practice to ensure that staff consistently provide good support to children. In addition, the range of resources that children use does not always engage them fully. Staff do not always notice when children need additional resources to extend their play and learning further, and to keep them well motivated. For example, children soon lose interest in activities such as play dough, painting and building bricks.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Overall, children are happy. They are keen to find their friends and decide what to play with together. Staff promote healthy lifestyles effectively. Children develop an understanding of what contributes to a healthy diet and they all eat healthy lunches. Children develop positive relationships with the adults that care for them and are keen to be in their company. However, staff are not deployed to support the needs of every child well, including those new to the setting. Generally, children behave well, but not all staff give children clear explanations to help them to understand the effect on others when they do not share equipment during activities.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Overall, children, including those who are learning English as an additional language, are suitably prepared for the move to school. Children learn to count, to recognise their names and to manage their personal hygiene, for example.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 135311 Local authority Enfield Inspection number 825610 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 64 Name of provider Sandra Bennett and Tina Eaves Partnership Date of previous inspection 13 October 2011 Telephone number 07516 452392

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Setting details

Leading Strings Pre-School registered in 1996. It is located in Palmers Green, London. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9am to 3pm during school terms. The nursery is funded to provide free early years education to children aged two, three and four years. There are 11 staff employed. All staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications, with one holding Early Years Professional Status and Qualified Teacher Status, and another staff member holding Qualified Teacher Status.

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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

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Setting details

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