Willows Pre-School Playgroup

Willows Pre-School Playgroup Overdale Infant School, Eastcourt Road, LEICESTER, LE2 3YA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27 September 2017 13 March 2013

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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

 The well-qualified staff team has a good knowledge of how children learn and develop and staff know the children well. Staff make regular and precise assessments of children's learning. They use these to plan effectively and ensure that children continue to move forward in their learning and develop all the skills they need for their move on to school.  Partnerships with parents are good. Parents feel very involved in the setting and their children's learning. Regular meetings and discussions enable parents and staff to share information about children's care, learning and development. Parents are very happy with the service provided.  Staff make good use of a range of teaching methods, such as pictures to help children who have difficulties with speech and language and those who speak English as an additional language to understand routines.  Partnerships with local schools and other professionals work very effectively and make

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This provision is good

a strong contribution to meeting children's individual needs. Children who have special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are supported well through a range of strategies by caring staff in collaboration with external agencies.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff occasionally follow routines inflexibly and do not consistently encourage children to explore and learn at their own pace.  Staff do not seek precise information from parents about what children already know and can do when they first start, to identify accurate starting points in their learning.

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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

 allow flexibility in routines and provide children with more opportunities to direct their own play and learning  gather more precise information from parents about children's prior achievements when they first start and use this to assess their starting points and inform future planning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's play and staff interaction with children, and viewed the toys, resources and equipment.  The inspector held discussions with the provider, who is also the manager, the assistant manager, staff and children.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the assistant manager.  The inspector checked evidence of safeguarding practices, staff recruitment, staff training and professional development, and the evaluation process. The inspector looked at children's records and discussed how staff assess children's progress.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. All staff have a good knowledge of safeguarding issues and the correct procedures to follow if they have any child protection concerns. The manager completes thorough risk assessments of the premises and deploys staff effectively, to meet adult-to-child ratios, supervise children and meet their needs. Strong recruitment procedures are followed. The leadership team uses effective supervision and ongoing appraisal programmes to help ensure all staff are confident, suitable and capable in their roles. The manager regularly checks children's progress and provides support to close any gaps in their development. Self-evaluation is effective in identifying areas for development and ensuring that children receive consistently good-quality care.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff play alongside children and respond well to their interests. They provide activities that encourage them to be imaginative and play together with other children. Children enjoy being creative and making pieces of art. They are proud of their achievements. Children have fun building with blocks and playing with toy animals. They are able to name the animals and make the sounds that they make. Staff are enthusiastic as they encourage children to join in as they sing, dance and move to action songs. Children have regular access to outdoor play, which helps to develop their physical skills. For example, they ride wheeled toys and enjoy using the climbing frame and slide.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are engaged and settled in the calm and welcoming pre-school. They demonstrate good levels of confidence, showing that they feel safe and secure as they move around and choose what to play with. Children benefit from plenty of attention, reassurance and praise from staff, supporting their emotional well-being successfully. Staff model good manners, speak to children appropriately and nurture children's social skills. Children are encouraged to be independent. For example, they choose whether to play inside or outside and put on their coats and shoes. Staff encourage children to share and take turns. They use discussion and gentle reminders to successfully support children's understanding of others' feelings and of sharing. Children's behaviour is good and staff support them well to understand the pre-school rules and routines. Staff provide healthy and nutritious snacks and teach children about making healthy food choices to build on

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

their understanding of healthy lifestyles.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children learn to listen and concentrate well. They help to tidy when informed that it is time to do so. Children develop early literacy skills, for instance, as they listen to stories and join in with repeated refrains. Their language development is enhanced as they sing songs and rhymes. Children develop confidence in using technology. All children show good progress in their learning and gain skills that help to prepare them for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY400764 Local authority Leicester City Inspection number 1113956 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 2 - 4 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 90 Name of registered person Kathryn Janet Green

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 13 March 2013 Telephone number 0116 288 7663

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reference number

Willows Pre-School Playgroup and out-of-school care registered in 2009. The setting employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6, three at level 5, two at level 4 and 10 at level 3. The pre-school opens Monday to Friday during term time and offers a holiday club for three weeks during the summer. Sessions are from 7.45am until 6pm. It 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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