Romsey Mill Pre-school (Hemingford Road)

Romsey Mill Playgroup (Hemingford Road) Hemingford Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 3BZ

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17 May 2016 6 March 2012

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 The management and staff team are highly ambitious. They work tirelessly towards achieving the highest standards of care and education. Continuous evaluation and improvement, together with participation in training, enables staff to successfully build on the exceptional provision and improve outcomes for children.  Parents are highly valued as active contributors towards their child's learning and development. There is an excellent two-way flow of information. This supports parents to become actively involved in their children's welfare and learning, both at home and when their child is attending the playgroup.  The quality of teaching and staff's interactions with children are outstanding. Children experience exciting and varied activities that cover all areas of learning in depth. Children are challenged extremely well in their thinking and they thoroughly enjoy being at the vibrant playgroup.

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Children settle very quickly and flourish. Younger children are naturally nurtured and cuddled by caring staff. Older children demonstrate high levels of confidence. All children demonstrate that they feel safe and emotionally secure.  Staff support children who speak English as an additional language and children who have special educational needs or disability extremely well. They have an in-depth understanding of each child's unique needs and plan for children's future learning and care needs very well.  Management and staff work exceptionally hard to create a welcoming and highly stimulating environment. Children confidently build on their natural curiosity as learners and they eagerly explore the extensive range of activities and resources available.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 evaluate the effectiveness of the new system for tracking the progress made by children and sharing information with parents.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the playgroup coordinator.  The inspector held a meeting with the playgroup coordinator.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, discussed self-evaluation and viewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the playgroup.  The inspector spoke to some parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Children and their families are enthusiastically welcomed into this warm, friendly and inspiring playgroup. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The manager and her staff have an in-depth understanding of how to manage any child protection concerns. The manager has robust procedures in place for the recruitment of staff. She monitors their ongoing performance through regular supervision meetings. The management and staff team work extremely well together. They are well qualified, committed and highly motivated. Staff's ongoing professional development is extremely valued. This knowledge is reflected in the outstanding care and learning provided, and contributes substantially towards the consistently high rates of progress children make in their learning. There is excellent communication and sharing of information about children's progress with parents. The manager plans to build upon this outstanding practice with the

p.3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

implementation of a new system for tracking children's progress.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The learning environment is exceptionally well tailored to the needs of two-year-olds. Children flourish in this inspiring and exciting learning environment. They freely choose from the extensive range of resources, and staff skilfully support them in their discovery, exploration and play. For example, staff follow the interest that children show in planting seeds and growing by providing a role play allotment. Here children re-enact planting and growing with real vegetables, and use torches and cameras in the pretend shed. Staff interact extremely effectively with children to ensure that children's learning is continuously extended. Children experiment and instinctively use their problem-solving skills. For example, they become highly engaged as they observe the changes made, when they add ladles of water to sand.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children settle extremely quickly into the playgroup. Every effort is made by staff to ensure that children are offered a settling-in procedure that is very carefully tailored to suit their particular needs. Children have a wealth of opportunities to do things for themselves. They pour their own drinks and enjoy snacks which are healthy and nutritious. Staff are excellent role models and empower children to take responsibility for themselves as they learn to listen to others, share and take turns. Praise and encouragement supports children to develop high levels of self-esteem. The continuous access to the outdoor area and well-planned use of the hall for riding bikes and using climbing equipment, provides children with wonderful opportunities to develop their physical skills.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children make high rates of progress in relation to their starting points. Children form friendships, develop high levels of independence and have lots of fun. They are prepared particularly well for school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 221864 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 854604 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 30 Name of registered person Romsey Mill Trust Limited

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 6 March 2012 Telephone number 01223 566 092

p.4

reference number

Romsey Mill Playgroup (Hemingford Road) was registered in 1992. The playgroup employs four members of childcare staff and an early years coordinator, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 3. The early years coordinator holds qualified teacher status and early years professional status. The setting opens from Monday to Friday during term times only. Sessions are from 9am to midday. The playgroup provides funded early education for two- and three-year-old children. The playgroup supports children who speak English as an additional language and children who have special educational needs or disability.

p.4

reference number

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.

p.4

reference number

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.5