St Laurence Playgroup

St Laurence Playgroup Hurford Hall, Corbets Tey Road, Upminster, Essex, RM14 2BB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 June 2016 2 October 2015

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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 managers have been active in addressing the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. They have acted on advice and worked well to make improvements.  All children, including those who need extra support, make good progress from their starting points. Staff plan activities that spark their imagination. For example, they encourage children to act out popular stories and use props to bring them alive.  Children develop warm, trusting relationships with the staff. Children who are new to the playgroup or those less confident, often seek out the reassurance they need from their key person to help them feel secure.  Staff are successful in working in partnership with parents to support children's learning in the playgroup and at home. Parents comment positively about their children's progress and how much they enjoy attending.  The managers have a secure knowledge of how to keep children safe. They implement

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This provision is good

thorough recruitment procedures to ensure staff are suitable.  Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour and are good role models. For example, they actively encourage children to share, take turns and to be kind to others.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always challenge the most-able children to recognise and use sounds, and link these with letters, to enhance further their early reading skills.  Staff miss some opportunities to support fully children's understanding of number.

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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

 strengthen opportunities for children to hear the correct sounds that letters make, in particular, to challenge further the most-able children so they achieve to their highest ability  make better use of all opportunities to introduce number recognition, to develop children's mathematical understanding even further.

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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 completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  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. Staff know how to identify possible signs that may indicate a child being at risk of harm, including the appropriate action to take if they have any welfare concerns. Risk assessments and daily checks of the premises and for outings are thorough. Staff's qualification levels and their regular attendance at training courses have a positive impact on improving outcomes for children. The manager regularly monitors children's learning and progress to ensure that staff are accurate in their assessments, and know what to do to meet children's individual learning needs. Staff have developed extremely successful partnerships with other providers that children attend, to support consistency in children's learning and care.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff are well qualified and have a good understanding of how young children learn. They skilfully get involved in children's play to support their learning. They encourage children to think and develop their language skills, for example, with challenging questions. Children play very well together and remain engaged in their learning. Staff provide them with a range of resources and allow them time to develop their play. For example, a group of boys became absorbed in pretend play outside and used lots of wooden blocks to make a large 'animal hotel'. They had in-depth discussions about how high the hotel needed to be and where the small world animals should stay. Children proudly showed off the finished structure to their friends and took photographs for memories.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff support children's independence well. They encourage children to attend to their own personal care, such as toilet needs and putting on their coats. Children have many opportunities to make choices, for instance, when to play outside or when to have a healthy snack. Fresh water is always available. Children show good physical coordination, such as when pouring their own drinks. Staff supervise them well and are deployed effectively to support children's safety and well-being. Children are happy, confident and show high levels of self-esteem. Staff support them to identify hazards for themselves so they develop an understanding of how to manage their own safety. Children have many opportunities to experience fresh air and physical exercise, and learn about their local community and the natural world around them.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are gaining the necessary skills for the next stage of their learning, for example, they develop good listening and speaking skills. They learn to be independent, such as to manage their own lunch box and practise changing into their gym kit.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 118578 Local authority Havering Inspection number 1030374 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 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person Wendy Louise Fox

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 2 October 2015 Telephone number 077 7368 7179

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reference number

St Laurence Playgroup registered in 2001. The provider employs seven members of staff to work with children. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications, including two with qualified teacher status. The playgroup opens Monday to Friday, from 9.15am to 12.15pm, and Wednesday from 12.15pm to 2.15pm, during term time only. The provider receives funding to offer free early education for children aged 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

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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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