St. Martin's Playgroup

St. Martin's Playgroup St Martin's Church Hall, Camborne Road, Grand Drive, Morden, Surrey, SM4 4JJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 2 March 2016 21 June 2011

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3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Good 2

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

 Although staff provide children with daily opportunities to be physically active indoors, the manager does not ensure that they plan and provide opportunities for children to play outdoors each day, to explore, investigate and engage in physical activities outside.  The manager provides regular supervision for staff to discuss their practice. However, she does not make the best use of this to focus more sharply on how staff can extend their teaching skills even further to raise the quality of outcomes for children.  Systems to involve parents more in the assessment process are not fully effective to ensure that parents are clear about their children's progress and learning needs.  Staff do not extend opportunities for children to solve problems and think of solutions for themselves.

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It has the following strengths

 Children settle quickly, behave well and have strong emotional attachments. The manager and staff have introduced effective ways to monitor the children's activities and their well-being.  Staff provide good support for children who are learning English as an additional language, helping them gain confidence in communicating.  Staff motivate children to learn, and plan challenging activities that support their good progress.

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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

 ensure that children have opportunities to play outdoors on a daily basis, unless circumstances make it inappropriate. 02/04/2016

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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

 strengthen the arrangements for staff supervision, to focus more sharply on aspects of their teaching that they can develop to improve children's outcomes even further  involve parents more in the assessment process, so they are clearer about their children's progress and learning needs  help older children gain confidence in solving problems for themselves.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching indoors.  The inspector spoke to staff, parents and children, and took account of the playgroup's self-evaluation.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and carried out a joint observation.  The inspector sampled documentation, including policies and procedures, children's development records and planning.  The inspector checked safeguarding information and the safety of the premises.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff know what to do to protect children from harm and the procedures to follow if children are at risk. The manager has effective systems to gain feedback from staff, parents and children to contribute to her evaluation of the provision. However, she does not ensure that children have daily opportunities to be outside, which was a recommendation at the last inspection. The manager provides regular support for staff and encourages them to attend training to improve children's language, for example. However, she does not extend their professional development opportunities to develop their teaching skills and children's achievement further. The manager monitors children's overall development well to help close any gaps.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff make regular observations of children's development and use the information effectively to plan for children's next stages of learning. They have high expectations and encourage children to listen well and engage, for example, during story times, so children ask questions and predict what will happen next. Staff take note of children's interests and engage in their play well to extend learning. They talk to the children about what they are doing and help children to notice what effect their actions have. Staff work well with parents to support children's developing communication and language skills, and liaise with them daily to share information about children's activities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff deploy themselves effectively indoors to enable children to make full use of the space. They provide opportunities for children to use large equipment indoors daily; however, staff do not plan opportunities for children to be outdoors each day, to explore and investigate, and to be more active and energetic. Staff work well with parents to help them get to know the children and their personal care needs, helping children to feel secure. Staff support children well to understand the importance of exercise and healthy eating. Staff follow hygienic nappy changing procedures to protect younger children's health. Following the last inspection, staff have purchased small jugs so that children can help themselves to drinks when they are thirsty.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress from their starting points and develop key skills for future learning and moving on to school. Children use mathematics confidently during their play and develop good early reading and writing skills. Children are polite and have good manners. They know how to behave to keep safe. Children value each other's differences and gain a positive awareness of themselves and others.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 138252 Local authority Merton Inspection number 836537 Type of provision Sessional 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 24 Number of children on roll 14 Name of provider The District Church Council of St Martin's Church Committee Date of previous inspection 21 June 2011 Telephone number 020 8542 9143

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Setting details

St Martin's Playgroup registered in 1980. It is situated within St Martin's Church in Lower Morden, Surrey. The setting is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during school term times. Sessions are from 9am to 12 noon. There are seven members of staff. Of these, three hold early years qualifications at level 3 and one member of staff holds a qualification at level 2. The playgroup receives funding to provide free early education to children aged two, three and four years.

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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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