St. Nicolas Playgroup (Taplow)

St. Nicolas Playgroup (Taplow) The Reading Rooms, Taplow Village Centre, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 0EX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 February 2018 22 May 2015

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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

 Staff are positive role models. They provide children with many good examples of how to interact positively, be kind and listen to others. They remind children about their expectations, such as being kind and using good manners. Children behave well.  Children develop good social skills. They take part in a variety of group activities, where staff ensure each child has the opportunity to take part and share their ideas. Children develop good self-esteem and an eagerness to learn.  Partnerships with parents are effective. The manager and staff exchange information with parents about their children's progress and changing interests, which helps them to work together well to support good outcomes for children. For example, they develop successful ways to manage children's behaviour.  Self-evaluation is effective. The manager includes staff well to frequently reflect on their practice to identify areas for improvements. They also encourage children to make

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This provision is good

suggestions about the types of activities they would like, such as dressing-up clothes.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Although staff organise a vast range of activities indoors, there is so much choice that some children do not always concentrate on one activity as well as they could.  Activities outdoors are not challenging enough to support and extend children's increasing physical skills.  The manager does not have strong links with the other settings children attend, to ensure they work together consistently to meet children's needs, as well as they could.

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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

 review the range of activities indoors, to help extend opportunities for children to concentrate and focus more in their activities and learning  increase activities outdoors to help children build on their existing physical skills  develop stronger links with other providers that children attend, to support a more consistent approach to children's individual care and learning needs.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children playing in different learning environments, with their friends, staff and independently.  The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager of an organised activity.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager to discuss how she organises staff and plans for children's progress and development.  The inspector sampled a range of documents, including staff suitability checks, children's records, and policies.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff know how to identify potential signs and symptoms that may indicate children's safety and welfare are at risk. They know to whom to report any concerns and keep their knowledge of child protection up to date successfully. They ensure they have relevant contact numbers to report any concerns promptly. The management team follows secure procedures to recruit new staff safely, and ensures new staff undergo suitable vetting checks. The manager supports staff well. She meets frequently and monitors their individual practice, suggesting courses or training to enable them to extend their skills further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff gather relevant information about children from their parents before they start. This helps them to plan experiences children enjoy and that are based on their interests. Staff complete ongoing assessments, which the manager checks to help her monitor children's progress and development effectively. She also meets with key staff frequently to help identify, support and close any gaps in children's learning. Staff interact successfully with children as they play. For example, as children line up to move to another room, staff encourage them to count the amount of children to support their mathematical awareness and interests.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The manager and staff have made good improvements since the last inspection and successfully addressed the recommendations. For example, they help children to manage changes in their routine more effectively, such as by using sand timers to understand time and sharing. Staff maintain children's safety well. They constantly complete risk assessments to help them identify and minimise potential risks to children, so they can play uninterrupted and safely. Children learn to become independent as they complete simple tasks on their own, such as putting on aprons to play with water. Children learn to recognise their own name and register themselves into playgroup, supporting very early literacy skills.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children enjoy a range of experiences across all areas of learning. They learn to develop their imagination skills well through small-world play, such as toy garages and houses. Children build on these skills well and use a range of materials to make 'stew' with resources, such as pinecones and pasta. Children benefit from activities that extend their smaller muscles, such as manipulating dough and using scissors, which help strengthen their hands to prepare for very early writing. They make good progress in relation to their starting points and prepare well for their eventual move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY240777 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 1091514 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 36 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person St. Nicolas Playgroup (Taplow) Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 22 May 2015 Telephone number 01628 664 476

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reference number

St. Nicolas Playgroup (Taplow) registered in 2002. It operates from the village of Taplow in Buckinghamshire. The sessions operate each weekday from 9.15am to 12.15pm, during term times only. The provider receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. The setting employs seven staff. Of these, five are qualified to level 3 and one to level 4. The manager is qualified to level 3.

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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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