The Owl Playschool

The Owl Playschool Owl Play School, Valley Lane, HOLT, Norfolk, NR25 6SF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 9 February 2018 25 November 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 playschool is a welcoming and friendly environment. Children play happily with their friends and enjoy the well-planned range of activities.  The manager provides good leadership for staff, who work very well together as a team. Her organisational skills contribute to the smooth running of the playschool and help staff to be clear about their roles and responsibilities.  Staff make the most of the outdoor play areas. They teach children about the world around them. Children enjoy playing and exploring in the secure wooded area, where they look through their toy binoculars and make dens with material and large pegs.  Older children are developing the skills they need to be ready for school. Staff help them to count objects carefully, identify numbers and learn the letters in their names. Children listen very well and are keen to join in with the activities.  Parents are very pleased with the quality of care and learning at the playschool. They

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This provision is good

talk highly of the staff and the individual attention given to their children. Staff keep parents well informed about their child's care and overall development.  Children develop secure bonds with their key person and their good behaviour shows that they feel comfortable and settled at the playschool.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 At times, staff do not make the best use of opportunities to extend children's knowledge and understanding further, to help them make rapid progress 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

 support staff further to make the most of opportunities to extend children's learning to the highest level.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities inside and outside and assessed the impact these have on children's learning.  The inspector held discussions with members of the committee, the manager, and all members of staff. She also spoke with children to find out their views.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector viewed relevant documentation, including the safeguarding policy and the playschool's self-evaluation.  The inspector spoke to a number of parents to obtain their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Children are well supervised. The manager and staff work well together to continually check that there are enough adults for the number and ages of children. The manager, who holds a foundation degree, has a good overview of the quality of the playschool. She has clear action plans in place for future improvements. Since the last inspection, the manager has developed effective systems to compare the progress of different groups of children, such as girls and boys. She discusses this information with staff and, together, they put plans in place to ensure that children get the support they need. Staff talk highly of the support that the manager gives them. They say that she helps them to reflect on their practice and identify future training needs as part of their professional development. For example, staff are taking part in training on promoting children's outdoor learning. They are using their increased

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

knowledge to provide a wider range of activities in the playschool's wooded area.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff accurately assess children's development. They plan activities to help them to achieve their next steps in learning. For example, when children plant their own daffodil bulbs, staff help them to count the scoops of soil and think about what the plant will need to grow. Two-year-old children choose their own activities and have opportunities to pursue their interests. They select objects to play with in the water and find out what happens as they scoop the water into a colander. Older children start to solve their own problems, for instance, as they look for 'heavier' objects to experiment with in the water tray. Staff plan interesting adult-led activities, such as creating Valentine's cards with heart-shaped sponges and paint. They help children to create patterns with the sponges, while encouraging them to be imaginative and create their own individual card.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff help children to learn how to keep safe. Older children help to check that the outdoor play area is ready for use, recording their findings on a clipboard. Children enjoy this responsibility. They identify that the slide is wet and needs to be dried before they can use it. Two-year-old children are supported well to manage their feelings. Staff offer calm reassurance and praise as they support children to work through their frustrations. Staff have strong links with the local school. They provide opportunities for parents to meet the school teachers and find out what to expect when their child moves on to school. The playschool staff work with the school teachers to run story sessions, where parents and children listen to stories and take part in activities together.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children listen very well to staff and show good levels of concentration. They are polite and kind to their friends. Two-year-old children learn to play alongside their peers and follow routines. Older children talk with confidence about their ideas. For example, they explain how worms help to make the compost they need for their plants to grow.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 257941 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 1103381 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 - 5 Total number of places 29 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person Owl Playschool

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 November 2014 Telephone number 01263 715 617

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reference number

The Owl Playschool registered at new premises in 2000. It is run by a committee. The playschool employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications, including the manager who holds an early years foundation degree. The playschool opens Monday to Friday from 9.15am until 3.15pm, term time only. The playschool 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

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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