Thornton Playgroup

Thornton Playgroup Community Centre, Main Street, Thornton, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 1AG

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Inspection date 11 January 2019 Previous inspection date 16 September 2015

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision is good

n Management and staff work well together as a team and create a welcoming environment where children feel happy, safe and settled. n The manager and staff reflect on their practice and encourage parents and children to participate in this process. They identify what works well and develop an action plan to address identified areas for improvement promptly. n Partnerships with parents are effective. Staff successfully help parents to understand how they can support their child's learning at home. They keep parents well informed about their children's progress and next steps in learning. Parents are happy with the care that their children receive. n The manager and staff use effective methods to observe and assess children's progress. They accurately monitor progress and use the information they gather to plan activities to close gaps in learning. All children make good progress from their starting points.

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This provision is good

n Staff provide a range of activities that teach children to value people's differences and similarities. For example, they help children to learn about festivals from a number of religions. n Occasionally, staff automatically do a task for children that they are capable of doing themselves. n Managers have identified that staff would benefit from further training. The programme for staff's professional development is not sharply focused on raising the quality of their teaching to the highest levels, in order to help better meet the needs of children.

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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

n provide more consistent support for children to develop skills in managing tasks for themselves n develop the programme for staff's professional development to help ensure teaching is consistently of a very high quality.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector had a tour of the pre-school. She spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and held discussions with the manager. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with the manager and discussed children's learning and development. She looked at children's learning records and discussed the progress they make. n The inspector took into account the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection. n The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including evidence of staff suitability checks, their qualifications and documentation linked to managing staff performance.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager and staff have a good awareness of child protection and the indicators that may mean a child is at risk of harm. They fully understand the procedures that they should follow to report any concerns that they have about a child's welfare. The manager makes sure that the play environment is safe for children. She follows safe recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that staff working with the children are suitable. The manager uses supervision, appraisals and staff meetings to monitor staff performance effectively. She and her staff work extremely well with other professionals to help identify and target specific support for children. Staff share the ideas they use, such as how to support children's communication and language development, to promote children's speaking skills and understanding.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The manager and staff interact with children in a positive manner. They provide a wide range of activities that challenges and motivates the children effectively. For example, children thoroughly enjoy painting the fire station. They mix paints, use paintbrushes well and talk about firefighters. Staff inspire children's problem-solving and investigative skills. For example, children find building a tower taller than themselves fascinating. They estimate how tall the tower can be, count the bricks and use mathematical language effectively. Staff support children effectively during activities. For example, they extend children's learning through conversation and timely questions.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff form positive relationships with children and are attentive to their individual needs. The youngest children who need more emotional support are nurtured and cared for well. Staff collect detailed information from parents when children first start to support their entry into the pre-school. Staff teach children about good eating habits. They encourage healthy food choices and talk to children about the benefits of eating fresh fruit. Staff provide opportunities for children to develop their physical skills. They encourage children to explore equipment, such as the stepping stones, and children demonstrate that they can jump from one to the other. Staff also provide opportunities for children to use the equipment in the local park on a regular basis. Children behave very well. They play cooperatively with their friends and build very positive relationships with the friendly, caring staff.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including school. They are confident and well motivated. Children have fun as they learn and are eager to join in what is on offer for them. They demonstrate that they are able to listen, follow instructions and concentrate. Older children develop their early literacy and mathematical skills well.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 226495 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10064448 Type of provision Sessional day care Registers Early Years Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 14 Name of registered person Booth, Coral Christine

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 16 September 2015 Telephone number 07908999356

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reference number

Thornton Playgroup registered in 1996. The playgroup opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until midday. Four members of staff are employed at the playgroup. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 3. 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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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