St Paul's Playgroup

St Paul's Playgroup Emmbrook Infant School, Emmbrook Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 1JR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 December 2017 2 December 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

 Effective procedures are in place to check that staff follow thorough risk assessments, to make play areas as safe as possible. All staff hold current certificates in paediatric first aid, and they promptly inform parents of any accidents or injuries that occur. The manager reviews these carefully to identify any areas for improvement in staff practice or the safety of play areas.  The key members of staff taking responsibility for safeguarding and child protection are highly experienced, informed and alert. Children's care and welfare are a priority for staff, and they work effectively with parents to nurture and protect children.  Staff plan and provide a wide range of activities and play opportunities indoors and outdoors. They skilfully nurture every area of children's learning and development.  Children initiate their imaginative play and investigations, and they persist with their exploration and learning. Their progress is good and well rounded.

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This provision is good

 Very effective partnerships with the local school, help staff to prepare children well for this next step and provide continuity in children's care and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not take full advantage of opportunities to encourage children to learn how to plan, do and review their activities, to extend their critical-thinking skills.  Sometimes during group discussions, staff do not promote children's self-confidence to the highest level because the classroom noise distracts the children from listening.

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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

 exploit everyday opportunities to help children develop their thinking skills further  manage classroom noise levels more effectively so that children's views can be heard more clearly and they gain high levels of self-confidence in talking in a group.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed, listened to and talked with children as they played indoors and outdoors.  The inspector talked with parents and listened to their views about the pre-school and their children's progress.  The inspector looked at children's records and discussed how staff plan and evaluate activities. She explored how they exchange information with parents.  The inspector reviewed records and procedures relating to safeguarding and risk assessment, and discussed a range of other procedures relating to children's welfare with the manager.  The inspector observed care routines and completed a joint observation with the manager. Together they discussed how staff training had contributed to children's learning and development.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager is highly qualified and uses her good knowledge to reflect on practice and target improvements, to raise the standards of education across the pre-school. For example, new ways of recording children's progress and sharing information with parents have proved very successful. Recent training is beginning to help staff to raise the level of challenge children receive, to support higher levels of achievement. The manager works closely with staff to evaluate the impact of their teaching. She recognises the benefits of further coaching to embed this higher level of practice. Safeguarding is effective. The manager and her staff use their knowledge of child protection promptly, to keep children safe from harm.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff are attentive and know all the children well. They make informed observations and accurate assessments of children's progress, and use these to identify children's strengths and needs. For example, they work very effectively with parents and outside agencies to identify ways to help children who need additional support promptly. This ensures that children make the best possible progress before they start school. Staff notice and follow children's interests. They use the activities that children choose, to successfully develop the next steps in their learning. For example, with the first signs of snow, the children wanted to make a winter wonderland. While facilitating this, staff promoted teamwork and the manipulation of different tools. Children learned about the world around them as they investigated ice and used torches in their 'snow cave'.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Experienced and caring staff quickly welcome and include all children into the community- focused pre-school. For instance, children thoroughly enjoy themselves on their settling-in visits and are reluctant to leave early. Staff make their vision and values about celebrating difference and diversity clear, through every area of their practice. They successfully support children to celebrate all aspects of themselves, such as their likes, dislikes and differences. For example, children confidently share their thoughts and ideas about favourite items. They know they are valued and respected.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress in their learning and are ready for the next phase of their education and care. For example, children play well together, negotiating and agreeing on the games they play and practising how to resolve minor conflicts more independently. They enjoy experimenting with different materials, such as chalk, paintbrushes and pencils, developing good foundation skills for early writing. Children successfully sort and order objects. For instance, they tidy toys into categories and sequence items according to size. They order and link the correct quantities to numbers.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 148682 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 1070369 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 23 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Mary Elizabeth Parker

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 2 December 2014 Telephone number 07788946123

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reference number

St Paul's Playgroup registered in 1992 and operates from premises on the site of Emmbrook Infant School, Wokingham, Berkshire. The playgroup opens five days a week from 8.30am to 4pm during school term time. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. There are nine staff, seven of whom hold a relevant qualification at level 3 or above. The manager holds qualified teacher status.

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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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