Little Explorers Playgroup, Sharnford

Little Explorers Playgroup, Sharnford The Evergreen Village Hall, Leicester Road, Sharnford, Leicestershire, LE10 3PP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 9 March 2016 17 October 2013

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The manager works closely with her staff team and together they effectively identify the setting's strengths and areas for improvement.  The quality of teaching is good. The well-qualified staff team is knowledgeable about children's individual development. Children are happy in this playgroup and they make good progress. Staff successfully plan challenging and enjoyable learning experiences.  Staff regularly observe the children and make accurate assessments of what the children know and can do. The active involvement of parents and the staff's strong knowledge of each child leads to effective planning for future learning.  Children have many opportunities and experiences that promote their mathematical development. They regularly compare size and solve simple mathematical problems through interesting activities.  Children's emotional well-being is successfully supported. Staff share warm relationships with the children in their care and children show warmth, care and

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Occasionally, staff do not take advantage of children's eagerness to talk about familiar people and experiences from home, in order to build on their speaking skills.  There are occasions when staff do not give children enough time to think about how they want to respond to questions and share their own ideas.

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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

 build on children's speaking skills, recognising when they show a desire to talk about familiar people and experiences from home as part of their language development  give children more opportunities to extend their thinking and speaking skills as they start to put their thoughts into words and share their ideas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor and outdoor play areas.  The inspector held meetings with the manager, and spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector conducted observations of the activities and evaluated the teaching methods with the manager.  The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, policies and procedures and a range of other documentation.  The inspector checked evidence of staff members' suitability, qualifications and training.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff complete appropriate checking procedures. Arrangements for staff recruitment are robust. References from past employers are obtained and questioning at interview includes discussion about gaps in employment. The manager successfully monitors the effectiveness of teaching and the impact on children's learning. She observes staff practice and helps them to identify where they can improve. Appraisal meetings are used to support staff's professional development and identify training that would improve outcomes for children and their families. Parents are very happy with the service. They especially value the support from staff to help their children with toilet training. They also appreciate how their children's communication and language skills are being enhanced.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

All children make good progress in relation to their starting points. Staff know the children well and effectively plan for their individual learning. Staff are aware of how and where children learn best. Staff support children as they play and take opportunities to extend children's learning. One example of this is when they pretend that they are in a jeep they have made and are going on safari. The children use binoculars to look for wildlife and when they discover an elephant. Staff ask about how big the elephant is and what they think an elephant might eat. Younger children in the group confidently explore the experiences on offer and are warmly welcomed by staff to join their older peers. For example, when the older children are comparing the size of dinosaurs' footprints in dough, younger children are encouraged to have a go at making some prints. Staff adapt the challenges in activities to best suit the children's individual level of development. For

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

example, some children use a ruler to measure the length of the dinosaur prints and other children are asked to count the number of prints they have made.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children arrive keen to learn and quickly settle into their chosen area of play. Staff provide a free-flow environment, enabling the children to choose between playing indoors and going outside. Children's physical skills are successfully promoted. Children's good health is well supported. The snacks provided consist of fresh produce, such as fruit and bread sticks. Children independently wash their hands, serve their own food and drinks and cut and peel their own fruit. Children's self-esteem is successfully supported and they are helped to feel good about themselves. Staff support children in learning right from wrong and take every opportunity to praise them for a job well done, regardless of how big or small their achievements may be.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are making good progress in all areas of their learning and in readiness for their move on to school. They demonstrate good skills in perseverance and pay attention to tasks the staff ask them to complete. Children are keen to learn and acquire good skills in becoming fully independent. Children's learning is effectively tracked by staff, who then plan for children's next steps.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY372199 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 1028404 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 26 Name of provider Alison Bates Date of previous inspection 17 October 2013 Telephone number 07896 496 403

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Setting details

Little Explorers Playgroup, Sharnford has been registered since 2008. It employs seven members of staff, the majority of whom hold early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The manager also holds Early Years Professional status. The playgroup opens term time only. Sessions are on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 2pm. The playgroup provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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