St Andrews Playgroup

St Andrews Playgroup St Andrews Hall, Grimshill Road, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 4LH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 7 June 2018 30 March 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 Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 Parents value the frequent availability of the staff to discuss their children's daily needs and progress. They are grateful for the good advice they receive to support their children's learning at home.  Children develop highly positive relationships with staff. This helps to support their self- confidence and emotional well-being. Children are extremely happy and demonstrate that they feel safe. Their behaviour is exemplary.  Staff have good relationships with local schools and with other settings that children attend. Information about children's achievements and friendships are shared and this helps to support a consistent approach to their learning and care.  Children's key persons work with parents to establish the next steps in their learning when they first start at the setting. Suitable activities are planned, and the key person makes regular observations, to help to support children's learning and progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always provide sufficiently challenging activities, especially for older children who are due to go to school.  Sometimes, staff do not allow children enough time to think and formulate a response to a question, before providing their own suggestions.

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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

 provide more challenging activities, particularly for the older children who are due to go to school  give children more time to think and formulate a response before providing additional suggestions, to develop their thinking and problem-solving skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector and manager observed activities both indoors and outdoors, and discussed the quality of teaching.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation and policies, including those relating to the safeguarding of children, the management of their behaviour and the suitability of staff.  The inspector spoke with children and parents and took account of their views.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and discussed the setting's priorities for improvement.  The inspector checked children's learning and progress records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. All staff know the procedures to follow to help keep children safe, including who to contact if they have any concerns about a child's safety or welfare. Staff effectively use the expertise of external professionals to help to support children who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. Additional funding is effectively used to help to provide greater opportunities for children's physical development. Staff regularly check the premises to ensure that they are safe and secure. The manager evaluates the effectiveness of the provision, is ambitious and has identified areas where they can improve. For instance, new planning has been introduced to help support children's independent learning. Staff benefit from regular meetings with the manager to discuss their practice and training needs, and this helps to develop and improve their knowledge and skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children confidently lead their own learning and involve their key person. For example, children create a bus to go on holiday, snuggling down to sleep in their tent when they arrive. Children are fascinated as they create a home for snails and observe them at close range. Staff build on children's knowledge effectively. For instance, they explain how the snails use their feelers to explore their environment. Children's communication and language skills are well developed. For example, staff repeat words and phrases back to children clearly, to help to encourage correct pronunciation. A range of resources, which depict different nationalities and disabilities, help children to recognise similarities and differences between the people of the world.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children have an excellent understanding of the routines and of turn taking. For instance, they understand the rota and enthusiastically help to wash up the plates and cups after snack, taking turns to wash and dry. Children demonstrate excellent social skills. At mealtimes, they chat amicably with each other and with staff about their morning activities. They discuss their food, commenting on what is or is not healthy, saying 'sugar rots your teeth.' Staff provide excellent advice to help children understand about safety. For instance, when they pretend to drive the car, they remind children about putting seat belts on. The very stimulating activities, based wholly on children's interests, help children to be highly motivated. Resources are extremely accessible and this helps to promote children's growing independence and confidence.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are well prepared for the next stage of their education, including their eventual move on to school. They learn to recognise their own names and have opportunities for mark making to develop early writing skills. Children can count confidently. They learn to blend sounds together to build words to help support their early reading skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY358047 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1093105 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 34 Name of registered person St Andrews Playgroup Partnership

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 March 2015 Telephone number 07776425512

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reference number

St Andrews Playgroup registered in 2007. It operates in Whitstable, Kent. There are seven staff, including one of the owners, who work with the children. Five staff hold relevant childcare qualifications at level 3. One member of staff holds an early years qualification at level 6. The playgroup is open on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8.45am until 2.35pm, and on Wednesday and Friday from 8.45am until 11.45am, during term time. The playgroup 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

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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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