First Steps Playgroup

First Steps Playgroup Church Road, Nuneaton CV13 0EE

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Inspection date 23 May 2019 Previous inspection date 25 October 2018

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 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 playgroup committee and manager have successfully made the improvements required following the last inspection. They have introduced rigorous monitoring procedures to raise the quality of provision and ensure that all children, including those who receive additional support and funding, make good progress in their learning and development. n Children are extremely happy at the playgroup. They thoroughly enjoy exploring the lively environment and freely choose their play and learning. Staff have worked hard since the last inspection to transform the outdoor areas. There is an abundance of activities to capture children's interest and imagination, such as the construction site and role-play village complete with postbox. n Staff focus sharply on developing children's language and communication skills. They take time to listen to children and promote interesting conversations. Some staff have further developed their teaching skills to provide targeted support to children in smaller

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This provision is good

groups. This helps children to gain confidence and make accelerated progress. Parents praise the skills of staff in this area. n Staff provide consistently strong support to help children learn about positive behaviour. They give frequent friendly, age-appropriate reminders about the playgroup's rules and expectations. Children's behaviour is exemplary. n The manager and committee place a strong emphasis on supporting staff's professional development. They have established partnerships with a local college where staff have embraced the opportunity to gain a wider understanding of children's mental health and well-being. Staff use their qualifications and learning successfully in their daily practice. n The performance management of staff does not precisely focus on helping all staff to raise the quality of their teaching to a consistently outstanding level. n At times, some staff do not use their questioning techniques to deepen children's

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This provision is good

thinking, to extend their learning to the highest levels.

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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 strengthen the existing performance management systems even further to focus precisely on helping staff to provide consistently outstanding teaching, to help children make the highest levels of progress in their learning n make better use of questioning techniques to deepen children's thinking and extend their learning to the highest levels.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the playgroup manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the playgroup manager. She reviewed relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the playgroup. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The playgroup committee has reorganised and strengthened its role in the leadership of the playgroup. Together with the manager, it successfully evaluates the quality of provision and drives continual improvement. For example, they have introduced effective planning systems which take greater account of children's interests. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff and some committee members complete training to understand how to recognise and respond to concerns about children's welfare. Staff deploy themselves well throughout the day to ensure children's safety, particularly during session changeovers. The manager and staff show a commitment to working in partnership with parents, other professionals and external agencies. They act on the information and advice that they receive to support children's learning and development. Additional funding is well targeted to close any gaps in children's learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff regularly observe and assess children's learning. They use the information they gather together with their knowledge of children's interests to target children's next steps in learning. Staff keep parents up to date with their children's progress and provide them with ideas to help continue their children's learning at home. Staff skilfully use children's interest in physical play to extend their mathematical skills. For example, they add numbered cones to running and ball games to help children recognise numbers to 10. Staff ask children to think about measures as they build a road from large construction bricks. Children chuckle together as they lie head to toe and count each other to say 'how many children their road measures'.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff actively promote children's understanding of how to stay healthy and manage their own self-care. They have recently received accreditation from the local authority for their programmes to support children's health and well-being. Staff encourage children to independently use toilet and handwashing facilities and reduce the spread of germs by correctly using and disposing of tissues. Children learn to explore and talk about their feelings and resolve conflicts with others.They develop strong friendships and play for considerable periods of time together. Children learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others. They learn that others may live in different families or different homes to themselves.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children acquire a range of skills in readiness for their move to school. They enjoy challenging activities and work together to solve problems. For example, they make decisions about the length and direction of piping which will help them to move water into a container. Children develop their understanding of the relationship between letters and the sounds that they represent. They happily sing songs to practise the correct pronunciation of sounds. Children have good listening skills and follow instructions and routines similar to those they are likely to follow in school. They clear away at snack time and dress and undress for physical education activities. Children use larger numbers in their play and enjoy counting those present during group 'welcome time'.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY538566 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10083808 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person First Steps Playgroup CIO

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 25 October 2018 Telephone number 01455 292083

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reference number

First Steps Playgroup re-registered in 2016. The playgroup employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3 and the manager holds a relevant qualification at level 6. The playgroup opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3.30pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from 9am until midday on Tuesday. 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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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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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