Ashes Lane Playgroup

Ashes Lane Playgroup Springhead Community Centre, Ashes Lane, Springhead, Oldham, Lancashire OL4 4PF

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Inspection date 20 March 2019 Previous inspection date Not applicable

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Not applicable 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 The manager and staff effectively assess and monitor children's development. The analysis of this information feeds directly into the manager's evaluation of the setting. This allows her to focus specifically on the needs of children as she makes decisions about future developments. n Staff skilfully promote children's writing skills. For example, they ensure children can access pencils and notepads as they play. Children pretend to write shopping lists before going to their make-believe shops. Other children pretend to be making notes at work. n Staff highly prioritise children's emotional well-being. They use additional funding to improve staff ratios, which allows staff to focus on building children's self-esteem and confidence. This supports children with initial delays to make good progress in all areas of learning. n Children develop well. They work comfortably within the stages expected for their age.

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This provision is good

n Although staff take children on regular walks in local woodlands and within the community, the manager recognises that developing the outside area would provide enhanced learning opportunities, especially for those children who prefer to learn outdoors. n Where children also attend other settings, there is not yet a highly effective system for sharing information about children's development.

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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 enhance further the outdoor area to improve learning opportunities, especially for those children who prefer to learn outside n build on links with other settings to develop an even more effective system of sharing information about children's development.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector toured the setting and considered the learning environment. n The inspector spoke with staff and conducted an interview with the manager to discuss her evaluation of the setting. n The inspector listened to the views of parents. n The inspector and the manager observed an activity and discussed their findings. n The inspector viewed a selection of documentation, including the setting's policies and procedures.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The manager puts in place systems to keep children safe. She ensures staff know how to identify signs and symptoms of abuse and how to report any concerns they may have. Partnerships with parents are a strength of the setting. Staff and parents share information daily and meet termly to discuss children's development. The manager provides information through newsletters and a parents' handbook. The experienced and knowledgeable manager assesses staff's performance regularly. She provides feedback to staff members and gives them targets to help them develop professionally. The manager ensures new staff become familiar with the routines and policies of the setting. Staff access training courses. For example, the special educational needs coordinator attends courses and meetings with other professionals to help develop her knowledge.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The routine of the day successfully supports children's development. For example, on arrival children take part in welcome activities that promote mathematical, language, physical and social skills. Staff effectively use the interests of children to support their progress. For example, as children make monkeys out of dough, staff count with the children and help develop their language by singing songs about monkeys. This helps to ensure that children are motivated to learn. Teaching is strong. Staff ask questions about how things feel and how they smell. They encourage children to use their senses and develop new vocabulary when they are describing the experience. Staff support children to recognise their own name. For example, they are encouraged to find their own coat hooks and water bottles by looking for their own name labels.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff ensure new children feel secure. They distract them when parents leave and skilfully support them to play and take part in the daily routines. Staff manage behaviour calmly and effectively. This means that children know their boundaries and manage their own behaviour very well. Staff provide children with a selection of fruit at snack time. Children make their own choices and some choose to try celery for the first time. Parents say that staff prepare children well for school. Parents receive information about the transition to school and have meetings with staff to discuss school readiness. Staff encourage children to be independent. For example, they reward children with stickers for taking off their jumpers by themselves. Staff promote diversity. They encourage children to value choice, respect other views and to consider the feelings of each other.

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Outcomes for children are good

Friendly children are curious about the actions of others. They ask questions and use good vocabulary to talk about themselves. Imaginative children build airports out of blocks and then change it into a castle. Children enjoy reading. They make references to storybook characters and incorporate them into play. Children enthusiastically join in with physical exercises. They jump, hop, stretch and touch their toes. Children demonstrate caring natures. They help each other to recognise shapes and help younger children to get a tissue when they need to blow their nose.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY540804 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 10079859 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Ashes Lane Playgroup Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07514013397

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reference number

Ashes Lane Playgroup registered in 2016 and is based in the Springhead area of Oldham. Opening hours are from 9.15am until 12.15pm, Monday to Friday, during term time only. The playgroup employs five members of staff, including the manager, who holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6. Two members of staff hold a level 3 qualification. 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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