Hempsted Playgroup & Toddlers

Inspection of Hempsted Playgroup & Toddlers c/o Hempsted Primary School, St. Swithuns Road, Hempsted, Gloucester GL2 5LH

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children display a strong sense of belonging at this warm and welcoming playgroup. They follow consistent daily routines, which help them to feel safe and secure. Each morning, shortly after children arrive, they form a circle and sing familiar songs and rhymes together. Children gain key skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning, such as the move to school. They confidently greet the staff and their friends. Children display a good understanding of early mathematical concepts. For example, at registration time, children count how many people are present. They discuss the numerals required to form the given number. Children proudly announce '17 is a one and a seven'.

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The provision is good

Children behave well. They understand staff's expectations and eagerly make choices about their play. Children decide if they would like to play inside or outside. They remember that because it is hot they need to wear their hats and sun screen. Children enjoy a range of activities that support their physical development. They climb and balance on apparatus and display confidence when using the slide. Children develop their arm strength and coordination. They use a large paintbrush to paint a face with water. Children use their imagination as they ride around on wheeled toys, and pretend they are driving cars on the road.

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need to do better?

n Staff plan a curriculum led by children's interests. They know children well and use their knowledge to identify what children need to learn next. Staff interactions encourage children to extend their knowledge and skills. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have a positive attitude to the activities on offer and make good progress. n Children's literacy skills are good. Staff provide a number of opportunities to support children's small-muscle development. Children make marks with pens, pencils and paint. They accurately form letters and write their name and other familiar words, such as 'Daddy'. n Children display familiarity with certain books and stories. They predict what will happen next and retell parts of a story using picture prompts. Children excitedly act out parts of the story in order. For example, they wrap their arms around their body and pretend they are caterpillar inside a cocoon. They then stretch

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need to do better?

and flap their arms as they run around and model the movement of a butterfly. n Managers ensure that any additional funding that children receive is well spent. For example, those in receipt of additional funding have opportunities to take part in activities that they may not usually experience. Children relish the time spent outdoors in the fresh air. They demonstrate a clear knowledge of natural growth and change over time as they participate in gardening and planting activities.

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need to do better?

23 June 2022 n Managers are reflective of practice and regularly review the standards of care and education at the playgroup. They are ambitious and meet with the staff team to identity professional development opportunities and areas for improvement. Managers have plans in place to raise their own qualification level, as well as the qualification level of some members of staff. n Children enjoy playing a range of educational games offline on the playgroup's laptop. They learn cause and effect as they use a mouse to navigate the cursor on screen. However, staff are yet to consider how to use opportunities when children use the laptop to support their understanding of online safety and to promote positive attitudes towards screen time. n Staff value the diverse nature of the setting and embrace a wide range of festivals and events celebrated by the children and families in their care. Staff encourage children to discuss unique members of their family. This supports

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need to do better?

children to learn and value everyone's differences and promotes a mutual respect for those in the community around them. n Overall, partnership working is strong. Staff form links and share information with the nearby school as well as other early years settings that children attend. Parents speak highly of the caring and friendly staff. They receive newsletters and have daily discussions with staff about their children's time at playgroup. However, current arrangements to support and extend children's learning at home are not strong enough. The deputy manager acknowledges this and discusses her intentions to reintroduce 'wow vouchers' to seek information from parents about children's experiences at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure knowledge knowledge of signs and symptoms that may show a child is at risk of harm. They benefit from regular training to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date, and demonstrate a good understanding of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child in their care. Staff understand their responsibility to maintain a safe environment for children to play and learn. They supervise children effectively as they play. Robust recruitment procedures are in place. Managers complete thorough background checks to ensure staff are suitable for their role. Staff receive effective inductions to ensure they are competent to carry out their duties.

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should:

n enhance opportunities to support children's understanding of online safety and promote positive attitudes towards screen time n build on the already good partnerships with parents to share even more

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should:

23 June 2022 information about children's individual learning to guide and support them to extend this at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 101762 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10233539 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 24 Number of children on roll 37 Name of registered person Hempsted Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01452 500040 Date of previous inspection 22 September 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Hempsted Playgroup and Toddlers registered in 1997. It operates from a purpose- built unit in the grounds of Hempsted Primary School in Gloucester. The playgroup is open from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. The playgroup receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. Five staff work with the children. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications between level 2 and level 4.

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Inspection activities

n This is the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the deputy manager and has taken this into account in her evaluation of the setting. n The deputy manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss activities and intentions for children's learning. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector and deputy manager carried out a joint observation of staff practice. n The inspector gathered the views of parents during the inspection. n The inspector looked at required documentation, including evidence of 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

23 June 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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