Little Argonauts Pre-School

Little Argonauts Playgroup 29 Cedars Avenue, COVENTRY, CV6 1DQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17 June 2016 Not applicable

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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:

 The quality of teaching requires improvement. Weaknesses in planning results in some adult-led activities not providing children with enough purpose and challenge. Consequently, children do not always make as much progress as they could.  Leadership and management systems for monitoring staff practice are not fully effective in ensuring that every child makes as much progress as they can.

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It has the following strengths

 The manager engages with her staff to identify their individual and combined team strengths and areas they can improve. Parents are also asked for their opinions to help management to develop ways to move forward and improve outcomes for children and their families.  Children's emotional security is supported. They share good relationships with the staff and their peers. They happily engage in their chosen activity and have fun playing with their friends. On arrival they happily separate from their parents and are keen to access the variety of experiences on offer.  Most children behave well and they are beginning to understand the expectations for behaviour. Staff explain to them consequences of their behaviour which helps them learn right from wrong. Staff intervene at appropriate times to prevent squabbles over the most popular resources.  The staff team are warm and friendly towards parents and visitors. They have created a

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It has the following strengths

welcoming environment and partnership working with parents, other providers and professionals involved in children's care are good.

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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

 raise the quality of teaching by ensuring that information from observations and assessments consistently informs the planning in order to provide children with purposeful adult-led activities that challenge and support them in making progress. 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

 extend procedures for monitoring and improving the quality of teaching to ensure that all children are effectively challenged and make as much progress as they can.

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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, including the setting's self-evaluation.  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 requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The staff are deployed well to ensure children are supervised. Staff discuss their whereabouts with one another to ensure ratios are maintained. Risk assessments are undertaken and all areas used by children are safe and secure. During arrival times staff monitor the doors and record children present in the register. Monitoring of staff practice is not fully effective to ensure that the quality of the planning for children's learning is consistent across the staff team. The manager has identified some areas for improvement and has accessed training for staff to attend to improve practice. All staff have access to courses in first aid and safeguarding children. Staff build secure relationships with parents and staff communicate regularly with them about their children's care, learning and development. Parents are complimentary about the service they receive. They appreciate that their children are happy to come to

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

playgroup. Parents also comment that since attending playgroup their children have made progress in their communication and language development.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Some activities provide the children with appropriate levels of challenge. However, inconsistencies in the planning of some of the adult-led activities means that activities do not consistently challenge all children. There is a suitable balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities, many of which stem from the children's current interests. For example, the children enjoy sharing umbrellas in the garden and talk about recent downpours of rain. Children are happy and enjoy their time at this playgroup. They often initiate their own play and confidently move from one activity to another. They especially enjoy making junk models and using resources such as sticky tape.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children are beginning to learn about how to keep themselves safe. One example of this is when staff explain to the children why it is not safe to run indoors. On entry to the playgroup staff spend time getting to know the children and their parents. Staff ask questions about children's individual needs and their parents' wishes. Children have opportunities to manage their self-care needs. They wash their hands at regular intervals, such as before snacks and meals and after using the bathroom. Children's self-esteem is promoted as the staff regularly praise them for their achievements. The staff comment when children sit nicely and contribute to group discussions. Healthy eating is promoted. Parents are supported to provide their children with good nutritional foods in their packed lunches.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children are acquiring some skills across the seven areas of learning. They are suitably prepared in readiness for the move on to school. Staff obtain information from parents to determine children's starting points. Some of the children's learning builds on what they already know and can do, and they reach expected levels of achievement. However, some children are not making as much progress as they might.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY479684 Local authority Coventry Inspection number 1053711 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Martina Lobban

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07513350853

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reference number

Little Argonauts Playgroup was registered in 2014 and is privately owned. It employs seven members of staff, all of whom hold early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school opens term time only from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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

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

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