St Anthony's Playgroup

St Anthony's Playgroup Thomas Gaughan Community Association, Yelverton Crescent, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE6 3SW

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27 April 2017 21 January 2015

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Staff provide a stimulating range of activities indoors and outdoors based on children's interests. This helps all children to be motivated and eager learners, who make good progress in their development.  Strong emotional attachments are in place. Children are comfortable and confident with adults and peers. Staff provide a balance of nurture and challenge appropriate to children's ages.  The manager and staff work effectively to ensure that all aspects of the provision meet the needs of the children. They identify the strengths and weaknesses accurately and focus on improving the outcomes for children and parents.  Children's communication and language skills are well supported. Staff are knowledgeable and use a wide range of strategies to help develop young children's emerging speaking and language skills.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not gather detailed information from parents about children's development when children start at the setting.  Staff do not consistently share information about children's achievements and levels of learning with other early years settings that children attend.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 gather more detailed information from parents about what children know and can do when they start at the setting  develop methods of sharing information with all other early years settings that children attend to help complement children's learning experiences further.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact on children's progress. The inspector spoke to children throughout the inspection.  The inspector jointly observed an activity with the playgroup manager and held discussions regarding children's learning and progress.  The inspector held a meeting with the playgroup manager. The inspector looked at documents and records, including evidence of the suitability of adults within the group.  The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their comments.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of how to ensure that children are protected and kept safe. They have accessed training on child protection and are aware of the signs and symptoms and the procedures to follow. There are good arrangements for staff supervision meetings to monitor the quality of the provision and support staff. The well-qualified staff team demonstrates a good understanding of early years practice and shows a commitment to extending their knowledge further. Parents are kept informed about every aspect of their child's day. Parents comment that children are happy settled and making good progress.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff motivate children effectively to make independent choices about what they want to do and where they want to play. Children use a variety of tools to experiment with making marks. Children write with pens and pencils on the whiteboards. This is one way that staff help children to enhance their early literacy skills. Staff play alongside children and extend their language and communication skills, for example, through the use of a broad range of questioning techniques. Children use their imaginations well. Staff encourage children in role play, as they make and sell ice creams. They laugh and giggle as they drop these and staff skilfully introduce counting and colour matching. Staff use their own observations of children's play to identify their next steps for learning and plan activities to support these.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff skilfully support children's personal, social and emotional well-being. They help children learn to share toys, take turns and to be kind and considerate to others. Staff talk to children about the importance of personal hygiene and healthy eating. Children's independence is effectively supported from an early age. They choose their own snack, pour their own drinks and learn to tidy up resources. Children engage well in outdoor activities. Children ride wheeled toys around the paths and enjoy balancing on beams. Children explore natural materials and enjoy digging in soil for more worms for their wormery. Staff undertake regular and thorough checks on the premises and resources to minimise risks. They give clear guidance to children about how to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Outcomes for children are good

All children, including those in receipt of funding, make good progress in their learning and development. From an early age, children start to develop good early reading skills. Good opportunities for exploratory play encourage children to be inquisitive, to want to find out how things work and to try new things. They are acquiring good skills and attitudes to support their future education.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY399767 Local authority Newcastle Inspection number 1094061 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 - 8 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 11 Name of registered person Heaton Community Association Committee

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 21 January 2015 Telephone number 01912766712

p.4

reference number

St Anthony's Playgroup was registered in 2009. It employs four members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The playgroup is open Monday to Friday from 9.30am until 12.30pm, term time only. The playgroup provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

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

p.5