St Michael's Playgroup

St Michael's Playgroup Church House, Mount Pleasant, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 9DR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 7 September 2017 18 September 2014

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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 provider has not given Ofsted the information they need to check the suitability of all committee members.  Observations and assessments of children's learning in the baby room are not frequent or precise enough. This means that not all children are provided with enough challenge to make good progress in their learning.  Systems to monitor the quality of teaching is not fully effective. As a result, the quality of teaching is variable.  Self-evaluation is not robust enough and does not involve the views of staff or committee members, to accurately identify and target areas for improvement.  Staff do not gather enough information from parents when children first start about what they already know and can do.

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It has the following strengths

 The manager and staff maintain a safe environment for children. They ensure the premises is clean and tidy. Staff promote good hygiene practice when changing nappies and when preparing for snack and mealtimes.  Staff provide children with comfort and cuddles, promoting their emotional well-being. They meet children's care routines well.  Staff praise children when they demonstrate good sharing and taking turns, reinforcing positive behaviour.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and the Childcare Register the provider must:

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Due Date

 ensure Ofsted are provided with all the necessary information about committee members to enable them to ascertain their suitability in a timely manner 15/09/2017

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Due Date

 improve how well staff observe and assess children's learning in the baby room to consistently identify where children are in their development and to plan more precisely for the next steps in their learning, so that they make good progress 07/10/2017

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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

 develop robust systems to monitor the quality of teaching to ensure that staff more effectively support children's learning and development  develop an effective self-evaluation process involving staff and committee members to identify and address areas of weakness  gather more information from parents about children's abilities on entry to help staff plan for their learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the playgroup manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the playgroup manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the playgroup.  The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. The manager ensures that staff attend training to keep their knowledge of child protection up to date. Staff know where to report concerns about children's safety. Some committee members have not had their suitability checked with Ofsted. However, there is no significant impact on children. Disclosure and Barring Service checks are in place and committee members do not work directly with children. Staff work well with schools when children move on. They invite teachers to speak to the children and staff share information about their learning. The manager has started to monitor the quality of teaching. However, this is not robust enough and as a result, teaching is variable and the planning of activities do not fully support children's learning in the baby room. The manager does not involve staff or committee members in the self-evaluation of the playgroup. Weaknesses in teaching are not identified quickly enough.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff provide children with resources that are easily accessible. However, staff working with babies do not always observe and assess children's progress well enough. This means that planning is not always effective. It does not ensure that children make good, sustained progress in the baby room. However, teaching in the pre-school room is good. Staff encourage older children to learn about themselves as individuals. For example, they show children a reflection of themselves in a mirror and ask questions about the colour of their eyes and features on their face. Children say 'it looks like me'. Staff use mathematical language, such as asking children to count how many eyes they have. This helps children to develop their awareness of numbers.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff gather information from parents when children first start about children's care routines at home. However, they do not gather enough information about what children already know and can do when they first start, to help them to plan for children's progress from the outset. Staff provide children with a range of healthy snacks. They encourage older children to prepare their own food, by asking them to use knives to cut fruit. Older children pour their own drinks and wash their plates after eating, supporting their independence. Staff sit with children during mealtimes and talk to them about their interests. This helps children to develop their social skills.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children in the baby room do not make good enough progress. However, children over the age of two years reach their expected levels of learning. Babies explore using their senses, for example, they shake and bang musical instruments. Older children extend their physical skills outdoors and enjoy exploring the garden. They develop a good imagination, for example, they pretend to put petrol in ride-on cars and toy vehicles. Older children are confident and give other children instructions as they play alongside them. They use a wand and pretend to magic children into different animals.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 509653 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 1109228 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 46 Name of registered person St Michael's Playgroup, Voluntary Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 September 2014 Telephone number 01507 606 194

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reference number

St Michael's Playgroup registered in 1986. The playgroup employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The playgroup opens from Monday to Friday, from 8am until 6pm, all year round except for bank holidays and two weeks over Christmas. 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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