Sunflowers at St Peter's

Sunflowers at St Peter's St Peter's Catholic Church Hall, St Peter's Road, CIRENCESTER, GL7 1RE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31 October 2017 22 September 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

 The manager is committed to developing the provision. She seeks the views of parents and children regularly, and uses these to support continuous development.  The manager and staff work effectively to meet the needs of each family, and children thrive in these supportive partnerships. Parents particularly value the individual care their children receive.  Children have good opportunities to learn about the world around them. For example, they talk about seasonal changes, such as leaves changing colour. They have collected harvest festival donations and taken these to a local food bank. Staff teach children how to use tools safely, for instance, when children eagerly hammer pegs into pumpkins.  Children learn about people in their community, such as through a range of outings. For example, they visit the local doctor's surgery where they are able to weigh and measure themselves and explore medical equipment. They visit shops, such as a

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This provision is good

butcher's, and explore the natural environment in a nearby garden.  Children of different ages play happily together. Older children have concern for the needs of younger children; they willingly share and take turns. Children are becoming increasingly able to resolve their conflicts and staff provide gentle support for this.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 On occasion, staff tend to overdirect creative activities, which does not support children to use their imagination and follow their own ideas.  Staff do not make full use of opportunities for younger children to develop their independence skills and manage achievable tasks for themselves.

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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

 increase opportunities for children to explore a wide range of media and materials to extend their creative development  help younger children to develop further their independence and skills in managing tasks for themselves.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents both verbally and through written testimonials.  The inspector observed care and teaching practices, indoors and outdoors.  The inspector held a leadership and management meeting with the manager, and viewed a range of documentation.  The inspector carried out a joint observation of practice with the manager.  The inspector spoke to children and staff and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff understand all of their safeguarding responsibilities. They know the signs that would alert them to have concerns and the actions they should take. The manager regularly observes staff practice. She uses appraisals well to involve staff in planning for their own development. For example, staff identified a need to understand influences on children's behaviour. They attended training to learn what might trigger negative behaviour and are now alert to warning signs, such as children being hungry or tired. The manager and staff monitor children's progress well. When children start, staff gather information about children's routines, their families, and their likes and dislikes. Staff and parents complete a progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, and parents receive regular updates on their children's learning. The manager monitors groups of children, such as those born in different months. She takes swift action

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

to close any gaps in children's learning. For example, by identifying and supporting any social development needs for summer-born children, ready for their move to school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff ensure that children have an interesting range of learning experiences across the curriculum. For example, children have many opportunities to explore mathematical learning as they count children and bowls at snack time and park numbered cars in sequence at tidy-up time. Staff are skilled in encouraging children's interest in books. Staff read animatedly and encourage children to share in telling the story. For instance, children excitedly count three bowls and three chairs and pretend to sleep. Even the youngest children handle books competently. They turn the pages in sequence, follow a story through its pictures, and talk enthusiastically about what they see.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The manager and staff quickly establish effective partnerships with parents. The manager runs a weekly parent and toddler group at the playgroup. This helps children and parents to become familiar with the playgroup before they start and so eases children's settling in. Staff liaise well with other settings that children attend to promote consistency of care. For example, they visit children in their other settings and invite staff from these settings to the playgroup. Older children have good opportunities to develop the independence skills they will need for their move to school. For instance, they make decisions about when to play outdoors and readily change into their shoes and coats.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are happy and confident; they enjoy their time at playgroup. Children settle easily and quickly become comfortable with the staff. They welcome visitors and excitedly talk about what they are doing. Children who are learning English as an additional language make rapid progress. They enjoy exploring new vocabulary, such as 'peckish' at story time, and they have many opportunities to talk and listen in a small group.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY377431 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 1071028 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 27 Name of registered person Lisa Judith McKie

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 22 September 2014 Telephone number 07817 362029

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reference number

Sunflowers at St Peter's playgroup registered in 2008. It operates in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. The setting operates from 9am to 2.30pm from Monday to Friday, term time only. There are six members of staff. Two staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and two staff hold early years qualifications at level 2. The playgroup receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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

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