Heathfield Playgroup

Heathfield Playgroup The Acorns Primary and Nursery School, Pooltown Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 7ED

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 October 2016 4 October 2012

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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:

 The procedures for vetting members of the management committee are not robust enough. Consequently, not all members have had required checks completed to ensure they are suitable for their role.  Staff are not always effective in teaching children to listen and concentrate. This means, at times, some children do not fully engage in activities and routines. Consequently, not all children make good progress in their learning.  The arrangements for monitoring staff performance are not strong enough to fully support staff to improve their teaching skills.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff show a strong commitment and a proactive approach to helping children develop and improve their communication and language skills.  The playgroup is inclusive and staff work well with parents and other professionals to meet the needs of children who have special educational needs and disabilities. Parents say that staff are really good with their children.  Children enjoy moving freely between indoors and outside. This means they benefit from plenty of fresh air and exercise, which promotes their health and well-being.  Staff involve parents well in their children's learning. They hold regular meetings and complete progress reports to share with parents. They help parents to guide children's learning at home.

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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

 provide the necessary information to Ofsted to enable the suitability checks on all members of the management committee to be carried out. 02/11/2016

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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

 develop more effective ways to help children listen, concentrate and fully engage in activities and routines  improve the monitoring of staff performance and the sharing of good practice, in order to help strengthen the quality of teaching and learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nominated person.  The inspector held a meeting with the nominated person and manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the playgroup.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of 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 premises are safe and secure. All staff attend child protection training. They know how to respond to concerns about children or adults. However, managers do not fully understand the process for vetting members of the management committee. As a result, not everyone serving on the committee is appropriately vetted to ensure they are suitable for their role. Managers assess the quality of the environment and identify where improvements can be made. They keep a close check on the progress of different groups of children. This helps them to tackle any emerging gaps in their learning. Staff benefit from attending further training. However, overall, performance management is not strong enough to help strengthen the quality of teaching. For example, managers do not rigorously monitor staff practice and give feedback on their performance. Staff are not supported well enough to understand

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

what they do well and where they can improve further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff offer good opportunities for children to play freely and work in smaller groups with their key person. However, teaching is not yet consistently good. Staff are not always effective at encouraging children to sit, listen and concentrate at appropriate times. As a result, not all children engage well, for example, at story time and snack time. The playroom is inviting and well organised. A number of children enter the playgroup with starting points below those expected for their age, particularly in communication and language. Staff take effective steps to tackle this issue. They attend focused training and use targeted assessment to identify where support is most needed. They also employ a speech and language consultant to work with the children.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Gaps in leadership and management and some aspects of teaching mean children's welfare is not promoted as well as possible. Nevertheless, staff adopt a calm, gentle and friendly approach towards the children, which fosters positive relationships. They help children to express their choices, for example by using simple sign language. Staff model good manners and praise children for being helpful. Children behave well and cooperate with requests. Children are confident to help themselves to drinks from the water container. They eat healthy snacks and they learn to take some manageable risks, such as, when balancing on the stepping stones.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

On the whole, children make steady progress in their learning and development. They enjoy sensory play using sand, water, paint and bubbles. They learn to care for living things, such as giant African land snails. They also participate in music and dance sessions. However, teaching is not yet strong enough to help ensure outcomes for children are consistently good.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY440811 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 1059981 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 3 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 18 Name of registered person Heathfield Playgroup (Great Sutton) Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 October 2012 Telephone number 0151 355 1546

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reference number

Heathfield Playgroup was registered in 2011. The playgroup employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The playgroup opens from Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 9am until midday, term time only. The playgroup provides funded early education for two- and three-year-old children. It supports children who have special educational needs and disabilities.

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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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