Dogsthorpe Community Playgroup

Inspection of Dogsthorpe Community Playgroup Poplar Avenue, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE1 4QF

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is inadequate

Children who attend the setting do not receive the education they deserve. Staff interactions with children are not purposeful. They do not help children to focus on activities or sustain interest for periods of time. Children do not receive high-quality learning experiences that stimulate and motivate them to learn. Play areas are uninviting and there is a severe lack of resources to promote children's learning. As a result, some children wander around the setting unsure of what to do. Staff are not quick to recognise this and throughout most of the day, these children receive very little interaction from adults. However, despite this, most children appear happy and confident. Children have daily opportunities to listen to stories and sing songs.

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The provision is inadequate

Children play in areas that are not safe. Staff have not assessed all risks to children when using the outdoor area. They do not always deploy themselves well enough to be able to supervise children sufficiently when outside. Children can easily access some areas currently not being used, due to thorny brambles and the high level of the grass. Staff spend a lot of their time fetching children back from this area. This also means that their interactions with other children are often interrupted. Where children play, resources such as car tyres, are stacked against spiked fences and children can climb and reach the top. Children have access to limited resources outdoors and staff do not plan effectively for children's learning. For example, water was not available for a 'water wall' activity with drainpipes and funnels.

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need to do better?

n Management of the setting is weak. Although leaders recognise that the quality of education is poor, not enough is being done to drive improvement. Staff have had limited professional development opportunities to help them improve their childcare knowledge and teaching skills. Staff do not work together well as a team and morale appears low. This contributes greatly to the inadequate early years' experience children are receiving and means that they are not being well prepared for their future learning. n Leaders have not ensured that Ofsted have been provided with the necessary information to carry out suitability checks on a nominated individual. This is a legal requirement of registration and means that the setting has been operating incorrectly for some time. n Leaders confidently discuss their recruitment procedures, including the requirement to carry out an enhanced criminal records check. However, on the

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need to do better?

day of the inspection, evidence that these checks had been carried out on the adults working in the setting could not be provided. n Staff can talk about their key children and give a general overview of their

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need to do better?

11 June 2021 current development. However, not enough focus is given to providing activities that take into consideration children's emerging interests or what they need to learn next. Planned activities rarely happen as too much emphasis is given to just supervising children or focusing on daily tasks, such as nappy changing times. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not get the support they deserve to meet their needs. During the inspection, some children with speech and language delay were rarely spoken to by an adult, which means they had limited opportunities to hear and practise words and sounds during play. Staff do not always seek advice and support from other agencies quickly enough and leaders do not have effective systems in place to monitor that this process has been correctly completed. n Children are physically active. They demonstrate good control and balancing

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need to do better?

skills on an obstacle course. They are confident to use it and understand the rules for turn taking and giving each other space. n Relationships with parents are positive. Parents speak well of the staff. They feel they receive good communication from staff about their child's time in the setting.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Although recruitment procedures are in place and meet the requirements for assessing the suitability of staff, evidence that the procedure had been fully completed was not available at the inspection. Staff demonstrate a sufficient understanding of safeguarding procedures. They can recognise the signs and symptoms of different types of abuse and know how to report concerns about children and adults in the setting. Staff complete regular safeguarding training to keep their knowledge up to date.

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Due date

ensure Ofsted is supplied with the necessary information to be able to carry out suitability checks on the nominated individual for the setting 09/07/2021

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Due date

ensure a record is kept of the vetting processes that have been completed and that it is easily accessible and available for inspection 09/07/2021

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Due date

11 June 2021 take steps to ensure children are not exposed to risks in the outdoor area and demonstrate how these risks will be managed 02/07/2021

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Due date

improve the quality of teaching and ensure children engage in planned, purposeful play that supports their individual needs and interests 08/10/2021

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Due date

ensure that the arrangements in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities meets their needs and that advice and support is sought from other agencies in a timely manner 16/07/2021

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Due date

create an environment that enables an ambitious and sequenced curriculum and ensure the resources that are provided promote a focus on learning 08/10/2021

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Due date

provide effective support, coaching and training to all staff to enable them to develop a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and to ensure that they offer quality learning and development experiences for children. 08/10/2021

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Setting details

Unique reference number 256758 Local authority Peterborough Inspection number 10137464 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 27

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Name of registered person

Dogsthorpe Community Association Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01733 569922 Date of previous inspection 19 October 2012

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Information about this early years setting

Dogsthorpe Community Playgroup registered in 1972. The playgroup employs five members of staff, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The playgroup opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions run from 9am until 3pm every day except for Tuesday when the playgroup closes at 12pm. The playgroup provides funded education for two-, three- and four-year old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the setting and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector observed activities indoors and outside and assessed the impact it has on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together. n The inspector talked with staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector spoke to parents and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

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

11 June 2021 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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