Snakes and Ladders Playgroup

Snakes and Ladders Playgroup St Aidan's Community Centre, Princes Road, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE3 5NF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 November 2017 18 June 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 Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Teaching is exceptional. All staff demonstrate the highest expectations of what children can achieve. They use their expert and vibrant teaching to seize opportunities for learning that ignite children's interest and enthusiasm.  Children are eager and motivated learners. They become deeply engaged in their play and show sustained concentration and focus. Children make consistently high rates of progress in relation to their starting points.  Partnership working is strong. Managers are highly proactive in seeking professional support and creating a collaborative approach to meeting the needs of the children. Excellent information sharing and developing strong, effective links with all involved make a great impact on raising outcomes for children and closing achievement gaps.  Staff accurately assess children's learning and together with information from parents, they identify next steps, planning in the moment and thorough pre-planned activities.

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This provision is good

Staff are entirely flexible and skilfully adapt their planning where necessary. Parents are highly valued as co-educators and are widely involved in their children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Managers have not yet focussed their commitment and passion to driving all areas of practice to the highest levels, through uncompromising and incisive self-evaluation.  Staff do not always consistently apply the effective behaviour management techniques, for example, with newly started children, to help them understand the expectations of their behaviour from early on.

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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

 focus the commitment and aspirations from managers to drive the ongoing improvements that raise the standards of provision to the highest level  explain behavioural expectations more clearly to new children and manage this consistently to help children learn how to apply these expectations independently.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning, indoors and outdoors.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with one of the playgroup managers.  The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and held a meeting with the managers of the playgroup.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and other written comments from parents.  The inspector looked at children's records, evidence of the suitability of staff and a range of other documentation. The inspector discussed the playgroup's planning, policies and procedures, and self-evaluation.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff have a firm awareness of how to keep children safe from harm and ensure their welfare. Staff receive regular safeguarding training to support them in their role. The managers collate children's progress information to help them understand their progress over time. This helps to ensure emerging gaps in learning are swiftly identified and addressed. There is a strong focus on teamwork and staff are provided with good support. This includes supervision and performance management. The quality of teaching and practice is monitored closely as managers complete regular observations of teaching, formally and spontaneously. Staff are well qualified, experienced and have regular training opportunities. Accessing training on the different ways boys learn, means that staff now have a greater understanding of the differences between the genders and provide expert teaching as a result.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff effortlessly differentiate their teaching as they skilfully move from group to group, paying careful attention to children's play to sensitively join in with their ideas. Staff's excellent questioning and expert ability to steer children's learning in different directions, provides tremendous support and extends children's learning across all areas. For example, children enjoy playing at the dough table. Staff model different ways of moulding the dough, greatly encouraging children's small-muscle skills. Staff ask children questions about the size and number of their models, drawing upon their mathematical thinking and communication skills. They go on to compare their models with planets. Staff swiftly respond by drawing children's attention to a nearby display that encourages further deep conversation about space and what they might find.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are highly valued and provided with positive levels of interaction, supporting warm attachments with their key person and high emotional well-being. Children settle in well and are quickly reassured by the friendly and attentive staff. Children participate in range of activities that promotes their understanding of healthy lifestyles. For example, staff use a music and movement programme that encourages children to engage in different types of physical activity and to move their bodies in a range of ways. Children use tools safely and begin to understand safe behaviours. Staff promote well the diversity within the playgroup, as well as the wider world. Children participate in festival activities and enjoy visits from family members who share their experiences from home.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are extremely confident, highly self-assured and eagerly express their ideas. They make marks in a wide variety of ways, capably write for purpose and listen intently to stories. Children show excellent social skills as they share, take turns and play harmoniously as part of a group. Children rapidly learn the skills they need for their future learning and in readiness for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY269789 Local authority Newcastle Inspection number 1101939 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 - 3 Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person Snakes and Ladders Playgroup Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 June 2014 Telephone number 07890020182

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reference number

Snakes and Ladders Playgroup registered in 2003. The playgroup opens Monday, Wednesday and Friday term time only. Sessions are from 9am to 2pm. In total, six staff work at the playgroup, five of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. The playgroup receives funding to provide free early education for 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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