Brightlingsea Playcentre

Inspection of Brightlingsea Playcentre The Pavillion, Bayard Recreation Ground, Brightlingsea CO7 0NL

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Children enter the pre-school excited and ready to begin their day. They greet staff with beaming smiles and tell them about things that have happened at home or on their way to pre-school. Staff respond enthusiastically, immediately engaging them in conversation. Children start their day by participating in a small group activity with the staff and their friends. Here, they talk about the days of the week, the weather and any important announcements, such as introducing the children to any visitors. Children clearly understand the pre-school rules and repeat them when asked. They behave exceptionally well. Children are kind and caring little people, who thoroughly embrace the friendships which develop through pre-school.

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The provision is good

Children have a strong sense of belonging. They are familiar with the layout of the pre-school. For example, they confidently fetch their coat from the lobby area when they want to play outside. Children form close relationships with their key person and approach them for assistance or reassurance. Staff are close by at all times to offer help or to give a caring hug to anyone who needs one. Children show that they feel safe and secure at the pre-school. They speak confidently to visitors and even assist them in their tasks, for example, they take notes for the inspector and talk about the things they like to do at pre-school.

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need to do better?

n Since the last inspection, the manager and trustees of the committee have improved the arrangements for record keeping and the manager's monitoring of documentation. Staff receive more effective supervision, support and coaching. n Managers and staff worked hard during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic lockdowns to ensure that all children who were not able to attend the pre-school were well supported. They provided activities and learning ideas for parents to help them to teach their children at home. On returning to normal working, staff have taken time to re-assess each child's development to identify if this period of time has had any impact on their learning. Where gaps have been identified, staff plan effectively to help to close them. n Parents speak very highly of the managers and staff. They comment on the excellent support that they received during the lockdown periods. Parents of children with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) feel that the

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need to do better?

manager and SEND coordinator go over and above to help them to seek appropriate interventions and to support them in managing their children's needs. n Children are keen and active explorers. They excitedly estimate how much water they will need to add to their cornflour mixture to make the right consistency for 'gloop'. They chat confidently to staff as they do, describing their different stages of the process. They think that the mixture is 'freezing, feels hard, feels

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need to do better?

29 June 2021 soft, looks milky'. They comment that 'it is snowing indoors' when children clap their hands and cornflour flies into the air. n Staff know the children well and proficiently build on their existing knowledge. They tailor some of the planned activities to individual children's next steps in learning. Staff use their observations of children's progress to provide parents with clear and accurate assessments of their children's development. n Children enjoy solving problems. When a tower of plastic bricks keeps falling because it is too high and unstable, other children suggest placing it on a base plate to make the foundations firmer. n Children have very good opportunities to play in the pre-school garden, which is set out with an exciting range of learning opportunities. There is, however, a section of the garden which is used less frequently. This area contains large wooden boat structures and exciting mounds to run over. Better and more

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need to do better?

frequent use of this area would enhance opportunities for children to extend their physical development and imaginative play greatly. n Staff, generally, work either in the pre-school room or the room for two- to three-year-olds. They gain a secure understanding of the needs of the children in their particular room. When covering for staff shortages, however, some staff are less confident in their knowledge of the children and how to adapt teaching, for example, for the younger children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding children. They regularly update their safeguarding knowledge. The manager has systems in place for testing staffs' understanding of the setting's policies and procedures. All staff know where they can access contact numbers should they need to seek advice or make a referral to the appropriate authority. The manager and trustees of the committee undertake thorough suitability checks when recruiting new staff to help to ensure that all staff working with children or are part of the governing body are suitable to do so.

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should:

n enhance children's physical development and knowledge of the wider world, for example by making better use of outdoor experiences and environments n continue to support staffs' professional development to create consistently strong practice when staff are covering to work with different aged children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY539971 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10109565 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 60 Name of registered person Brightlingsea Playcentre Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07951 268498 Date of previous inspection 20 May 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Brightlingsea Playcentre re-registered in 2017. The setting employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, all nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The setting opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 9.15am to 12.15pm and from 12.45pm to 3.45pm. A breakfast club is offered from 8.15am to 9.15am, and a lunch club operates from 12.15pm to 12.45pm. The setting provides funded early 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 manager and inspector undertook a learning walk and discussed how staff implement the curriculum. n The inspector observed staff practice and evaluated the success of planned activities. n Children, staff and managers spoke with the inspector at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including the suitability checks undertaken for staff and committee members. n Parents spoke with the inspector and their views have been taken into account.

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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

29 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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