Pierremont Pre-School

Pierremont Playgroup Holy Trinity Youth Centre, Pierremont Road, Darlington, County Durham, DL3 6DG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 June 2017 25 March 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Children are independent in their self-care. They competently get themselves ready for outdoor play. They listen and respond well to staff instructions. Children develop an understanding of risk and how to keep others and themselves safe.  The outdoor environment is exciting, stimulating and interesting for children. They show high levels of involvement and sustained learning in a wide range of activities.  All children make good progress during their time in the playgroup. The quality of teaching is good with some outstanding features. Staff accurately assess children's starting points and help them achieve well in all aspects of their learning.  Children's well-being is given the highest priority. Children thrive in this happy and welcoming environment. Their behaviour is excellent. They make decisions together about the group rules, talk about behaviour that is acceptable and understand the

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This provision is good

reasons why. Staff provide a calm environment where children learn to share and take turns as they play.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The programme for the professional development of staff is not yet highly focused enough to target areas for improvement in order to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently outstanding level.  The manager and staff do not routinely use contributions from parents to better inform the self-evaluation process.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 build on the programme of continuous professional development, so that the quality of teaching is constantly improving  seek more focused feedback from parents to fully evaluate the quality of the provision and help make improvements.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching and assessed the impact on children's progress. The inspector spoke to children and staff throughout the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation of an activity with the playgroup manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the playgroup manager. She looked at various records and documentation, including evidence of the suitability of staff working in the playgroup.  The inspector spoke to parents throughout the inspection and took account of their comments.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager uses effective systems to support and monitor staff practice. Staff receive supervision meetings and regularly discuss children's progress. They have developed good relationships with parents based on mutual respect. Parents are kept very well informed about every aspect of their child's care and education. Parents comment that the staff are dedicated to their work and give their children an excellent start in life. Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and the procedures to follow if they have concerns about the welfare of any child. For example, they keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date with regular training. Recruitment procedures are robust.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop and know all children extremely well. They gather information about children's capabilities when they start and use this information well to plan targeted activities for them. The manager effectively monitors children's development and ensures staff regularly observe and assess children accurately. Staff use this effective monitoring to overcome gaps in learning and provide activities to meet the needs of each individual child. Staff have high expectations of children and plan exciting and interesting activities to promote their interest. Staff help children to develop early reading and writing skills. They challenge the most able children successfully to extend their skills. For example, children are starting to understand rhyming sounds and simple phonics. Staff maximise every opportunity to extend children's interest in the natural world. Children are animated as they play outside,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

collecting rainwater and measuring who has the most. Older children collect items to test out floating and sinking.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children have a strong sense of belonging and are emotionally secure. They are happy, settled and enter the playgroup confidently, benefiting on arrival from the enthusiastic and welcoming staff. Staff are good role models for children and encourage their independence and self-care skills. Children have good opportunities to play outside, be physically active and develop coordination and control.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are confident, happy and play well with their friends. They are self-motivated and enjoy their time at the playgroup. Children learn valuable listening and recall skills through stories, songs and rhymes. Children are successfully acquiring the key skills they need to move on to the next stage of their learning or school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 301170 Local authority Darlington Inspection number 1087739 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person Pierremont Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 March 2014 Telephone number 01325 461561

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reference number

Pierremont Playgroup registered in 1999. The playgroup opens Monday to Friday during school term times. Sessions are 9am to 3pm on Monday and Tuesday and 9am to midday on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The playgroup employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including two who hold qualified teacher status. The playgroup 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

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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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