Playhouse Preschool

Playhouse Preschool Allington Community Association, Castle Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME160PZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26 May 2016 9 January 2013

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3

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:

 Children who speak English as an additional language are not provided with sufficient opportunities to see and hear their home languages during their play.  The quality of teaching is variable. Staff interactions do not always challenge children successfully to extend their learning and help them to make the best possible progress.  Self-evaluation processes are not sharply focused enough to identify all areas for improvement.  Staff do not always fully support children with opportunities to consider different mathematical concepts, such as shape, space and measurement.  Staff do not always provide a wide range of opportunities to support children's creativity and independent choices.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff develop good partnerships with parents. They share information with parents about their children's progress and offer suggestions to help support home learning.  Staff make regular observations of children's interests and achievements, to assess their progress and identify their next steps in learning.  The manager monitors children's progress well to help identify gaps in their learning and development.  Children form secure relationships with their key person and staff. They feel happy and confidently explore the environment.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve opportunities for children to see and hear their home language during their play and learning 30/06/2016

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Due Date

 improve the quality of teaching to ensure that children are consistently challenged and motivated to learn. 30/06/2016

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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

 make effective use of self-evaluation to clearly identify areas for improvement, which raise outcomes for children  increase opportunities to extend children's understanding of mathematics, such as shape, space and measurement  increase opportunities to support children's creativity and independent choices.

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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 carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views.  The inspector spoke with the manager, staff and children at convenient times throughout the inspection.  The inspector viewed documentation, including children's records, attendance registers, self-evaluation and the suitability of staff working in the pre-school.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff keep up to date with safeguarding issues and know what to do if they are concerned about a child's welfare. Staff receive some mentoring support from the manager, such as through supervision, team meetings and further training opportunities. However, the quality of teaching is variable. The manager and staff have made some improvements since the last inspection. For example, observation and assessment processes identify children's individual learning needs. The manager does not use self-evaluation effectively to help monitor the quality of teaching, and identify and make ongoing improvements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

At times, staff do not always support children effectively during their play to challenge and broaden their learning. They do not always provide children with a wide range of opportunities to help support their creativity. Staff encourage children's interest in books and their early reading skills. For example, they read to children and support their understanding that print carries meaning, such as showing them the printed words. Staff support children's communication and language skills well. For example, they talk to children as they play and share stories. However, they do not effectively support children learning English as an additional language to develop and use their home languages to help them build on this further. Children have sufficient opportunities to learn to count within their play. However, staff do not always extend children's mathematical learning further.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

The quality of some staff's interactions do not always motivate children's learning well enough. At times, staff do not support children's independent choices. For example, some resources are not easily accessible to help children extend their play and learning. Staff know the children well and support their individual care needs effectively. Children settle quickly on arrival and they behave well. Staff help children learn about healthy lifestyles. For example, they provide children with a selection of healthy snacks and children have daily access to fresh air and exercise. Children learn to manage their personal-care skills well. For example, they understand to wash their hands at appropriate times.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children make steady progress; however, they are not always effectively supported to make the best possible progress in their learning and development. Children are happy and form friendships with each other. They learn some skills to help prepare them for school, such as recognising their name and taking turns in their play.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY448617 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1028434 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 46 Name of registered person Preschool Playhouse (Kent) Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 January 2013 Telephone number 07761 697 295

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reference number

Playhouse Preschool registered in 2012 and is situated in Allington, in Maidstone, Kent. The pre-school is open each weekday from 9am to midday, during term time only. The pre-school employs eight staff; of whom the manager and four staff hold relevant early years qualifications, including one member of staff who holds qualified teacher status. The pre-school receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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.

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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.

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reference number

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reference number

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

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