The Dales Playschool

The Dales Playschool Moor Lane, Grassington, SKIPTON, North Yorkshire, BD23 5BD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 2 May 2018 7 May 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

 Children develop close relationships with the staff and settle quickly in the playschool. They are calm and happy as they pursue their own interests in play.  Staff monitor children's development robustly. They quickly identify children who may need more support and work closely with other professionals to put effective strategies in place.  The manager holds regular supervision meetings with staff, and they observe and evaluate each other's practice. This helps to improve the overall quality of teaching.  Staff have an effective planning system in place. They identify what children need to learn next and plan activities that are fun and challenging. Children make good progress.  Children learn to be independent. For example, they practise pouring their own drinks at snack time and wash their own hands before lunch.  Parents are complimentary about the playschool. One comments, 'The staff are amazing and their empathy with the children is second to none'.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not make the best use of opportunities outdoors, particularly for those children who prefer to learn outside.  Staff do not consistently organise adult-led group time sessions effectively, in order to further promote children's listening, attention and communication skills.

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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

 improve the range of outdoor opportunities for children who prefer to learn outside  review adult-led group times to help further promote children's listening, attention and communication skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager of the setting.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and discussed self-evaluation. She looked at relevant documentation, such as children's assessments, planning, policies and procedures and evidence of the suitability of staff and committee members.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection and also took account of their written views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager reflects on the overall quality of the provision with the staff and identifies targets for the year ahead with the committee members. This helps to drive continual improvement in the playschool. Staff access a variety of professional development opportunities, such as a course to learn how to best support two-year-old children. This helps to provide staff with new ideas for activities. Safeguarding is effective. Staff understand what action to take if they have concerns about a child's welfare. They teach children how to keep themselves safe, for example, they talk about why they need to take a first-aid kit when leaving the building. They practise how to exit the playschool safely in the case of a fire or how to protect themselves from a potential threat outdoors.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff gather a variety of information from parents when children first start at the setting. They encourage parents to share learning from home and keep them well informed about their child's progress. Staff promote children's literacy and mathematical skills well. For example, children use dough to mould the different letters in their name and count how many different sounds they can hear. They thoroughly enjoy making marks on paper, for example, drawing their own maps. Staff ask children questions to help them think about life cycles, such as a caterpillar changing to a butterfly. They support children to use simple programmes on a tablet. This helps to promote children's understanding of the world.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children behave well. They cooperate with others and follow routines well in the playschool, such as tidying up. Staff use the large hall to help promote children's physical development, for example, they play parachute, running and ball games together. Staff encourage healthy eating, such as providing parents with guidelines about healthy lunchboxes. Staff are vigilant regarding children's individual needs, for example, they monitor children with allergies effectively. Children show good engagement and concentration during self-chosen activities. They problem solve how to fix pieces of train track together, and explore how to fill and empty different containers in the water.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children grow in confidence and build strong friendships with others. They are imaginative, for example, they dress up and pretend to be the police. Children are creative and enjoy exploring water, sand, paint and dough. They choose instruments and make their own music while they sing rhymes. Children use number, shape, colour and measure in their play. They look at books and practise writing in a variety of ways. This helps children to develop key skills in readiness for school and in preparation for their future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 400291 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 1087822 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 - 4 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 24 Name of registered person The Dales Playschool Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 7 May 2014 Telephone number 01756 753515

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reference number

The Dales Playschool registered in 1994 and is situated in Grassington, Skipton. The playschool employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and level 6. The playschool opens Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

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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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