St David's Hill Playgroup

Inspection of St David's Hill Playgroup 41b Bonhay Road, St David's, EXETER EX4 4BP

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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The provision is outstanding

Staff provide a calm, welcoming and enabling environment for children. They are always on hand to support, motivate and inspire children as they play and learn. The manager makes sure staff know and understand the curriculum. Staff plan to meet the needs of the children superbly. They provide a challenging range of activities. which captivate children's interests and build on what they already know. For example, children have an excellent recall of stories. They confidently tell staff about the different animals the 'ten little monkeys' meet on their jungle adventure.

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The provision is outstanding

Children's behaviour is superb. Children are polite, considerate and friendly to others. Staff are excellent role models. They treat children and each other with respect, which helps children understand expectations. Staff reinforce messages using visual clues, signs and the children's home languages, so they can all follow and understand what to do next. For example, when getting ready to go outdoors, children sit on the carpet like 'Sid', a cuddly toy. Staff talk the children through the safety rules they need to follow.

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The provision is outstanding

The manager and staff have superb links with parents, other settings and professionals. They share information to make sure children receive consistent support. When children move on, key persons make sure they talk with the new setting or school. They talk with children about the move and what that will look like. Children are confident about changes and are well-prepared for the next stages in their learning.

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need to do better?

n Staff focus on communication and language skills exceptionally well. They make sure they know words in the children's home languages and use activities to enhance confidence in talking. For example, staff encourage children to choose musical instruments and sing familiar songs. They ask questions or provide choices for children and wait patiently for the responses. Children know staff value their views and opinions. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are learning English as an additional language, are becoming confident talkers. n Staff provide a rich set of experiences for children. They use children's interests, celebrations, seasons and world events to plan activities and outings. For example, children took flowers to the cathedral and sent a card to Buckingham Palace for the Queen's funeral. They grow plants and vegetables, which they

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need to do better?

then use in cooking or take home. Children gain a fantastic understanding of the world around them. n Children know the daily routines. They show exceptional care for others and their play environment. Changes in the routine happen seamlessly, with minimal

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need to do better?

14 October 2022 intervention by staff. Children readily put toys away, help tidy up outdoors and clear away after snack. They know they need to wash hands before eating. They look through books and talk with each other, as they wait for their turn. During story and song time, staff pause to enable children to fill in the missing word. Staff use children's names so that children know when it is their time to talk. When children ask to sing to the group, staff and children listen respectfully. They clap enthusiastically at the end. Staff foster children's self-esteem and confidence brilliantly. n Children engage in activities for long periods of time. They thoroughly enjoy being creative. Younger children paint pictures. They say what colours they use and that they have made a rainbow. Staff extend the learning; they help children to write their names, modelling the letter shapes for them when children find this difficult. Older children play with small building bricks. Staff

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need to do better?

provide magazines with design pictures in them. Children use these to decide how to make a 'kitchen' out of the bricks. They talk with staff about what they are doing, and carefully select the bricks they need. Staff ask the children what shapes they need, how many and what colours. Children concentrate superbly and proudly show off their finished model. n Children have high levels of self-control and persist at tasks even if they find them difficult. Staff are on hand to encourage and support them, so children keep on trying. At snack time, children persevere when using food tweezers to move pieces of fruit from the bowls to their plates. Outdoors, children work out which of the containers filled with water they can move. They call to friends for help if they find one that is too heavy. They work with staff and friends to place the containers in order from heaviest to lightest. Children are developing

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need to do better?

resilience and take pride in their achievements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff put children's well-being and safety at the heart of everything they do. Staff know the potential signs and symptoms that may mean children are at risk of harm. They know who and how to refer concerns about the welfare of children or allegations about staff. Children are very aware of how to keep themselves safe. They readily recall safety procedures for moving indoors to outdoors and tell staff what they need to do. Staff get them to help risk assess outdoors. Children check the lock is in place on the gate and that the toys are safe to ride on.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY419777 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10235488 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person The St David's Hill Playgroup

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reference number

Telephone number 01392 425 519 Date of previous inspection 12 December 2016

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Information about this early years setting

St David's Hill Playgroup registered in 2011. The setting is based in Exeter. The playgroup is open each weekday, from 8am until 6pm during term time, and a holiday club runs from 9am to 4pm during the school holidays. There are five members of staff and the manager who work with the children. Of these, three hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 and two hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 2. The playgroup receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the playgroup received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector spoke to children to find out about their time at 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 inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff and the committee.

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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

14 October 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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