Hadrian Park Playgroup & Childcare

Inspection of Hadrian Park Playgroup & Childcare Hadrian Park Primary School, Addington Drive, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear NE28 9RT

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are motivated to learn from the moment they arrive in playgroup. They are happy and separate with ease from their parents and carers. Children clearly know the routines of the day and demonstrate that they feel safe. For instance, they gather with the manager in a circle before heading off to explore the extensive range of activities provided for them. The managers and staff team implement a very well-thought-out curriculum, overall. Activities and experiences reflect children's interests and are based around their age and stage of development. Cultural events, such as Pancake Day, are woven very well into the curriculum and children thoroughly enjoy this. This is evident when staff help children to make pancake batter so they can eat pancakes at snack time. Children are highly motivated as they combine their ingredients and mix it together. During this activity, staff have high expectations of what children can achieve. For

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The provision is good

instance, they help children to recognise numbers on the scales, and children are delighted when they have the desired amount of 40 grams of flour.

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The provision is good

Children's behaviour in playgroup is excellent. They are very eager to join in with activities alongside other children and cooperate very well with each other. Staff help all children to understand the age-appropriate rules of the playgroup. For example, staff use signing for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to support their understanding of boundaries.

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need to do better?

n Support for children with SEND and those in receipt of funding is exemplary. The managers and staff maintain a highly focused team approach which ensures children receive targeted help to support their development. All children are included in activities throughout the session. For example, while other children are singing rhymes, children with SEND explore resources with the manager. To include them in the wider group, the manager asks the group to sing their favourite song. Upon hearing the familiar tune, children turn and move towards the group, showing that they are listening and are included. n Children's early literacy skills are developing very well. Staff provide excellent support for those children who are ready to begin writing their name. During the inspection, children used chunky chalks outside to form letters on the ground. Staff guided them successfully as they completed their name, using an alphabet

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need to do better?

frieze on the wall for additional help. n Children clearly enjoy large group-time activities where they gather together with staff. They concentrate well while listening to stories and join in with phrases they know from popular books. Managers acknowledge that some activities, particularly those during morning circle time, are less well planned for. They do not always focus sufficiently on the skills they want children to develop.

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need to do better?

1 March 2022 For example, children are not always given the time they need to talk and share their ideas due to routine discussions, such as the weather. n The managers and staff team place children's emotional well-being at the heart of their practice. They help children to develop very strong relationships with staff and other children. Exceptional practice was evident during periods when the playgroup was only open to children of key workers during the pandemic. For example, staff helped to maintain children's friendships by sending videos of those who were in playgroup to those children who had to remain at home. n Partnerships with the host school are strong. Ongoing communication and shared strategies help to support children's individual needs, when they attend the school nursery alongside the care provided in playgroup. Staff develop good partnerships, overall, with other day care settings children also attend. However,

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need to do better?

occasionally, they do not always develop these links quickly enough to provide a consistent, complementary approach to children's learning. n Managers are committed to continually improving the playgroup, to support children's learning even further. For instance, extensive plans are in place to develop an additional space outdoors. Managers share how children's views will inform this work and give children an active voice in the playgroup. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Those parents spoken to during the inspection praise the staff team for providing very high levels of support for their children. They say they enjoy using the electronic system used by staff to keep them informed of their children's learning in playgroup. Strong communication with parents during the COVID-19 local restrictions ensured that children's learning was continued at this time.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's safety is paramount while they are in playgroup. They access a secure environment, free from risks or hazards. Staff have strong understanding of child protection issues. They know how to recognise any signs or symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of possible harm. Staff understand procedures to report any concerns they may have about a child. They access ongoing training to ensure their safeguarding knowledge is current and up to date. For instance, staff access training courses on the local authority learning pool.

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should:

n focus more precisely on the skills and knowledge children need to learn next, during large-group activities, to maximise their learning n extend partnerships with other settings children attend, to provide even greater consistency in their care and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY377056 Local authority North Tyneside Inspection number 10117730 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 20 Number of children on roll 50

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Name of registered person

Hadrian Park Playgroup and Childcare Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 07756569079 Date of previous inspection 25 January 2013

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Information about this early years setting

Hadrian Park Playgroup & Childcare registered in 2008. It is located in Hadrian Park Primary School, North Tyneside. The playgroup employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The playgroup opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm. The playgroup 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 providers received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the providers and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The playgroup managers and the inspector completed a learning walk together and discuss the early years curriculum. 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 inspector completed a joint evaluation of an activity with one of the managers. n The inspector held discussions with the managers. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the playgroup. n Parents provided their views, which the inspector took account of. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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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

1 March 2022 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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