Redwood Early Years

Inspection of St Pauls Playgroup Emmbrook Infant School, Emmbrook Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG41 1JR

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Children are happy, safe and secure. Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, parents and carers are currently unable to enter the setting. Despite this, children settle easily on arrival. They enjoy sharing their news with staff, who respond with interest and warmth. Children are developing a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They discuss risk when challenging their physical skills in the garden. Children explain why it is important to wash their hands before mealtimes.

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The provision requires improvement

Children show curiosity and concentration as they select toys and activities that capture their interests. However, staff do not consistently engage all children in purposeful play to extend their knowledge and skills. Furthermore, some staff do not consistently expand children's learning through discussion and questioning. For example, children show interest as they find a crane fly on the wall. They excitedly show staff the 'spider' they have found. Staff do not use this opportunity to build on children's knowledge and understanding.

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The provision requires improvement

Children are polite and, generally, well behaved. Staff respond sensitively to children's feelings and help them communicate these to their friends. As a result, children are starting to learn the impact their behaviour has on others. However, at times, staff do not consistently support or address children's behaviour.

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need to do better?

n The manager and deputy have a clear vision for children's learning. They continue to develop the curriculum to ensure this reflects the children that attend. They gather information from parents to establish children's starting points and use assessment to identify what children need to learn next. However, the learning intentions for some activities are not focused enough to enable children to reach their full potential. n Although staff's teaching skills are variable, some staff provide good quality interactions. For example, staff follow children's current desire to learn more about kites. They sit together and discuss the different parts a kite has. Staff check what children already know about kites before building on this further. n Staff support children's speech and language development. Children develop a love of books as they share stories and predict what is going to happen next. Staff model language as they commentate on children's play. However, the

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need to do better?

varying quality of interactions and teaching mean some children, including those who speak English as an additional language, have better quality exposure to language than others. n Children are developing an understanding of early mathematical concepts. For example, children use positional language and explore 'fast' and 'slow', when

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need to do better?

27 September 2021 playing with cars. While experimenting with water, children discuss 'heavy' and 'light', 'full' and 'empty', as they fill containers and pour water down guttering. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are, generally, well supported. Leaders and staff have a clear, shared vision for quality inclusive care. They work closely with parents and professionals to identify gaps in children's development. These are then actioned through partnership working. Parents speak positively about the setting. They receive regular updates about their child's day and the progress their children are making. n Staff use funding to support those who need it most. For example, the manager identified a gap in children's physical development, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The manager uses funding to enhance gross motor skills through sports programmes. Most children are making progress in this area as a result.

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need to do better?

n The manager and deputy support staff through supervision. Staff receive regular training, both formal and informal. For example, they receive a weekly bulletin with links and additional reading. This promotes ongoing development. Training has impacted positively on some aspects of practice. For example, staff attended training around building children's attention skills. Children's concentration has improved as a result. n Children develop independence skills and show determination. For example, staff model and discuss the actions needed, as children attempt to open containers. Children show perseverance in their attempts, which often leads to success. This also raises their self-esteem and builds resilience. n At times, staff do not consistently manage changes in routine as children transition from one activity to another. This, occasionally, results in unwanted behaviour and lengthens the time it takes children to settle into the next activity.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff benefit from regular safeguarding training. The designated safeguarding lead ensures staff have good understanding of the policy and procedures to keep children safe. Staff monitor children's welfare closely and take appropriate action within required timescales. Robust suitability procedures are in place to ensure that those working with children are suitable. Children are learning how to take measured risks in their play, as they negotiate obstacles and walk on low-level walls.

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Due date

27 September 2021 develop staff's skills to enable them to provide children with a well-planned curriculum and consistently good interactions, to help engage all children in their learning 17/10/2021

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Due date

strengthen staff awareness of the learning intentions for all children so that they can better support and extend children's learning. 17/10/2021

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should:

n improve staff's knowledge of managing children's behaviour and how to prevent disrupted learning and unwanted behaviour.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2578566 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 10195886 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 36 Name of registered person SLPG Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07814386967 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

St Pauls Playgroup registered in January 2020. It is located at Emmbrook Infant School in Wokingham, Berkshire. The playgroup operates on Monday to Friday from 8.30am until 4pm, term-time only. It employs 10 staff qualified from level 7 to level 2. The playgroup provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The deputy manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the manager and deputy manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The deputy manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during outside play. n Parents and carers shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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Inspection activities

n The deputy manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

27 September 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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