Bathampton Playgroup

Bathampton Playgroup Bathampton Village Hall, Holcombe Lane, Bathampton, Bath, Avon, BA2 6UL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 1 March 2017 15 July 2014

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3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The provider has not notified Ofsted of the changes to all committee members within the required timescale. Ofsted has not been provided with the required information to check the suitability of all committee members.  Although staff keep records of children's attendance, they do not record their arrival and departure times. This means that they cannot monitor all aspects of children's attendance.  Leaders do not use effective processes to monitor staff's ongoing suitability, as required.  At times, children do not get the opportunity to draw their play to a conclusion when staff interrupt children's play and learning with little warning.  Leaders do not evaluate the provision well enough to help identify and address all areas for improvement.

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It has the following strengths

 Leaders establish strong relationships with teachers, providing consistent support for children as they prepare to move on to school. They work closely with other professionals involved in children's care and learning to meet children's needs.  Staff use effective systems to observe, assess and plan for children's progress to build on children's knowledge. Leaders monitor these systems successfully to check children's progress and evaluate staff practice. Children make good progress in their learning.  Staff work closely with parents when children first start. They find out about children's interests and abilities so they can plan for their learning from the outset.

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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

 make sure that staff are clear about their responsibility to disclose any information that may affect their ongoing suitability to work with children 31/03/2017

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Due Date

 maintain an accurate record of children's hours of attendance. 31/03/2017

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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 understand when there is to be a change in activities so they can finish what they are doing and end their play for themselves  develop the self-evaluation process to identify and target all areas for improvement.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff and their interactions with children during play and learning activities, and viewed the play areas and resources.  The inspector held discussions with the leadership team, and spoke with children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including staff suitability checks, self- evaluation, children's assessment and planning records, and documentation linked to monitoring children's progress  The inspector conducted a joint observation of staff practice and discussed this with the manager.  The inspector took into account the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and staff have a good understanding of what to do if they have a concern about a child's welfare. They attend regular training to keep their knowledge up to date. However, the provider has failed to notify Ofsted of a change to a member of the committee within the required timescale. This means that Ofsted has not been able to determine the suitability of all committee members. Nevertheless, this does not affect children's experiences or their safety because committee members are never on their own with children. Leaders follow recruitment procedures to ensure staff are suitable at appointment. However, there are no systems in place to monitor staff's ongoing suitability, as required. Staff are well qualified and are supported effectively by leaders. For example, staff access training to update their professional skills. They have used new knowledge well to help children to develop essential muscles for pre-writing skills.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

However, self-evaluation is not effective in identifying all areas for improvement.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff skilfully follow children's lead in play and extend their learning well overall. For example, children learnt about cause and effect as they added water and sand together to support their imaginative play using toy diggers. Staff plan engaging storytelling sessions. For example, children were enthralled as they listened to a story being told that included lots of seasonal props. Children thoroughly enjoyed retelling the story using the toy woodland creatures. Staff challenge children well to develop their mathematical skills. For example, children learn to sing number songs in reverse order. However, at times, children are not able to follow their own play and learning to their satisfaction.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children benefit from being able to move freely throughout the setting, making some independent choices in their play. For example, children choose to spend a great deal of their time in the outdoors where they practise their physical skills. Staff record children's attendance in the setting. However, they do not record the times children arrive in the setting or leave. This means that leaders and staff are unable to monitor effectively all aspects and patterns of children's attendance if any concerns arise. Children develop a positive awareness of similarities and differences between themselves and other people.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop effective skills to prepare them well for the next stage in their learning. Children gain good independence skills. For example, they enjoy helping to prepare fruit for snack. Children show good levels of concentration in their play activities. They understand how to use information from books to support their ideas. For example, children looked closely at illustrations and created collages of flags from other countries.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 133004 Local authority Bath & NE Somerset Inspection number 1070246 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 30 Number of children on roll 30 Name of registered person Bathampton Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 July 2014 Telephone number 07716 600269

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reference number

Bathampton Playgroup registered in 1977. The playgroup is situated in the local village hall in Bathampton, on the outskirts of Bath. The playgroup is open on Monday and Wednesday from 8.30am to 1pm, on Tuesday from 8.30am to 3pm, and on Friday from 8.30am to midday, during term times. The playgroup receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. The playgroup is run by a committee which employs five members of staff. Three staff hold a relevant qualification at level 3 and two hold a qualification at level 2.

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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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