Chestnut Playgroup

Chestnut Playgroup The Portakabin, Old Wells Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5XN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 November 2016 16 July 2013

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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 provider does not ensure they organise staff effectively. Staff do not always notice when quieter children need support to challenge their learning. Children do not make consistently good progress.  The provider does not ensure group activities effectively engage all children. Staff spend time focusing on individual children and do not motivate others, who soon lose interest.  Staff miss opportunities to encourage children to be more independent, and they sometimes do things for them that they could manage for themselves.

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It has the following strengths

 The newly appointed manager is working hard with the provider and staff to evaluate their practice, implement new procedures and bring about improvements.  Staff encourage children to manage their own feelings. For example, children learn to use kind hands and to use words not actions when they feel cross, so their behaviour keeps improving.  Staff attend regular training and know what to do should children be at risk of harm. They understand their responsibility to keep children safe and follow their recently reviewed policies and procedures well.  Staff support children's physical skills well. For example, children squirt water from a pipette, and they learn to use scissors, chopsticks, and tongs.

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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 the organisation of staff to ensure all children, especially those who are quiet, are consistently motivated, engaged and challenged in purposeful play to help them make good progress 30/11/2016

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Due Date

 improve the planning of group activities to ensure staff meet the needs of all children. 30/11/2016

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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

 help children become more independent and manage age-appropriate tasks for themselves.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke with the chair of the committee and the manager, and carried out a joint observation.  The inspector spoke with parents, staff and children present on the day of the inspection and took account of written evaluations.  The inspector checked safeguarding information and the safety of the premises.  The inspector sampled documentation, including policies and procedures, children's development records and planning.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The provider and the new manager have sought advice from the local authority and are implementing some positive changes. For example, the manager has improved the key- person system to strengthen children's emotional development. They have improved the outside area and now provide wet weather gear for children to make the most of outdoor learning. They support staff and seek training to help raise the quality of the provision. However, the organisation of staff is not fully effective and not all recommendations from the previous inspection have been met. The manager has a new system to check how different groups of children are achieving. The staff team works closely in partnership with parents and outside agencies to support children who have special educational needs. Safeguarding is effective. All staff know how to keep children safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff provide activities to support children suitably in all areas of learning. They ask good questions to get children thinking. For example, when children noticed the marks they left with water on a dry wall, staff asked 'what will happen if we squirt water onto wet paving?' Children tried it to find out. Staff make regular observations and are implementing a new system to monitor children's learning. They have begun using the information well to identify children's next stages of development. However, they do not engage all children fully in group activities. For example, during group time, while one child looked for items beginning with a certain letter, others became distracted and disengaged. Staff help children in their mathematical development and provide opportunities for them to practise their early writing skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children settle quickly on arrival and, overall, enjoy the activities and explore the resources freely. Staff help children understand their expectations and routines. However, when some children demand more attention, noise levels increase. This was raised as a weakness at the last inspection. Staff do not always notice when quieter children have limited engagement. For example, when staff suggested a story, a child chose a book but staff became distracted and the child abandoned the book. Staff meet children's physical needs well and help children gain a good understanding of healthy practices.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children do not make as much progress as they could to prepare them for school. Some children have fewer opportunities to engage in discussions, concentrate fully and challenge their learning. Children gain some independence. For example, they put on their coats, and older children manage to do up their zips; although at times, staff complete tasks that children are capable of doing for themselves.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 142974 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 1028815 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 22 Number of children on roll 14 Name of registered person Chestnut Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 16 July 2013 Telephone number 01749-344110

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reference number

Chestnut Playgroup registered in 1987 and is run by a committee of parents. It is situated in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. The playgroup is open Monday to Friday from 9.15am to 12.15pm during term time, with an optional lunch club until 1.15pm. The playgroup receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. The playgroup employs four members of staff. Of these, the manager holds a degree in early childhood studies and the rest of the staff hold an early years qualification at level 3.

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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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