Ladybird Playgroup & Pre-School

Inspection of Ladybird Playgroup & Pre-School Thriplow C of E Primary School, School Lane, Thriplow, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8 7RH

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children enjoy attending this friendly playgroup and separate from parents and carers happily. Staff have a very nurturing approach and their interactions with the children are warm, which helps them feel secure. For example, children seek out staff to sit quietly and read with in the cosy book corner. Strong partnerships with parents and the community mean that children benefit from a wide range of learning opportunities. Parents regularly visit the setting, sharing their knowledge and skills. Their close links ensure information regarding children's learning is shared regularly to support their further development.

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The provision is good

Children demonstrate that they are confident in the setting. They happily select their own resources to play with but are also secure enough to ask staff for support when needed. Children delight in having responsibilities, such as carrying their plates to the tables at snack time. Additionally, they all participate effectively when they hear the 'tidy up' song. Children have opportunities to move between indoor and outdoor play. They enjoy carefully planned activities and experiences and have space to explore the wide range of activities available to them. Children value and learn to take care of new outdoor equipment by being involved in the fundraising activities necessary to purchase them.

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need to do better?

n Children benefit from an interesting range of learning experiences. They have good opportunities to explore a safe area of green land called 'the wild space'. Children develop their self-confidence in learning to manage risks when building dens and navigating the rough terrain. n Staff promote children's personal, social and emotional development. Children are given a lot of praise for their achievements. This encourages them to continue trying and develops their self-esteem. n Staff are very aware of children's strengths and areas for development. Staff's consistent monitoring of children's learning means they know what children's individual next steps in learning are. Strong partnerships with parents ensure that staff are mindful of children's changing interests and use this knowledge when planning activities. However, staff do not always use this information when interacting with children and, therefore, opportunities to extend children's

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need to do better?

knowledge further are sometimes missed. n Children are beginning to develop an understanding of healthy lifestyles. They enjoy fruit for snacks, and at lunchtime staff join them and discuss the healthy choices in their lunch boxes. Children follow good hygiene routines. For example, they talk about washing the germs off their hands before eating and after playing outside. n Staff encourage children to take turns. They support children to manage their

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need to do better?

7 January 2020 own feelings. For example, when children disagree over a toy, they ask staff for the sand timer in order to resolve the dispute independently. However, when children are not able to resolve conflicts independently, staff are not always quick to intervene. This means disagreements are not always settled quickly and effectively. n The manager has established strong relationships with parents and she encourages them to be involved in their children's learning. For example, parents attend various playgroup sessions to share their skills and knowledge with the children. n Parents and carers speak highly of the playgroup. They praise the staff and manager for their caring approach with the children and value the strong communication links provided. Staff update parents with a range of photos in a closed online group. This gives parents an insight into the daily activities their children explore. Parents also have access to an informative website with useful

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need to do better?

external links to enable them to support their children's learning and development. Parents comment on how well staff and management prepare children for their move to school. n Staff are well supported. Supervision meetings are structured to ensure that staff develop their teaching and have access to a variety of training opportunities. Staff are also supported to gain qualifications. This has a positive impact on the good quality of teaching. n Partnerships with other settings, such as the link school, are strong. For example, children attend some physical exercise sessions within the school organised by playgroup staff. This helps them to prepare for their move to the next stage of learning. n Children's communication and language development is supported by regular story sessions, which they listen to attentively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a strong understanding of how to keep children safe. They complete daily risk assessments of the indoor and outdoor areas and are vigilant in ensuring that children are supervised in all areas of the setting. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and know who they must report any concerns to. The management ensures recruitment and induction procedures are robust. Staff and management attend various training courses to ensure that their safeguarding knowledge is up to date. Strong safeguarding knowledge is extended to the committee members, who demonstrate a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe within the setting.

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should:

7 January 2020 n implement more robust and consistent methods of supporting children to learn how to manage their feelings and behaviour n support staff in extending the learning of all children in the setting as well as providing additional challenge for the most able children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY547516 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10133700 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care Age range of children 2 to 4 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Ladybird Playgroup Thriplow CIO

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reference number

Telephone number 01763208055 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Ladybird Playgroup & Pre-School registered in 2017. The pre-school employs five members of childcare staff, four of whom hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 and above. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9am until 3.15pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector tracked the learning experiences of children within the setting. n The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation and evaluated the quality of teaching. n The inspector walked around the playgroup with the manager, who explained the organisation of the setting and the learning opportunities. n The inspector spoke to staff, children and several committee members at various stages of the inspection. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents and took account of their views. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and looked at a sample of documents, including staff suitability checks and first-aid certificates.

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Inspection activities

7 January 2020 We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

7 January 2020 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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