St John's Playgroup

Inspection of St John's Playgroup St Johns C E Junior & Infant School, Leymoor Road, Golcar, HUDDERSFIELD HD7 4QQ

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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 are safe and happy. They enjoy their time in this warm and inviting playgroup. Children move freely between the different areas of the playgroup and decide what they would like to play with. This promotes children's independence and self-choice. Children show high levels of engagement and focus. They have access to a wide range of stimulating and challenging experiences that have been carefully planned to help them to make progress.

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The provision is good

Children have secure attachments with staff, who are cheerful, kind and nurturing. Staff have high expectations for children's learning and are good role models. They interact positively with children and engage them in conversations about their home lives and experiences. Children confidently chat about their weekend. They describe the sounds and colours of the fireworks, which they saw with their families.

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The provision is good

Children are well behaved and polite. Staff help children to understand what is expected of them at playgroup with gentle reminders to use 'kind hands'. As a result, children are considerate and enjoy helping each other. For example, children help their friends to put aprons on ready to play in the water or do a painting.

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need to do better?

n Staff plan a curriculum which is ambitious and well sequenced. They provide activities and experiences that are based on what children are interested in and their learning needs. Staff help children to develop their skills and knowledge across all areas of their learning. n Staff carefully observe children and assess their learning and development. They identify any gaps in children's learning and put support in place to close these swiftly. For example, staff have identified that mathematics is an area where children need more support. The strong focus on mathematics is evident through the wide range of activities on offer and staff's interactions. For instance, children explore concepts such as counting, shape, size and measure as they play. n Children's communication and language development is promoted well. Children enjoy listening to stories and show a love of books, songs and rhymes. Staff are

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need to do better?

animated as they read stories and enthusiastically change their voices as they pretend to be different characters. This helps to maintain children's focus and engagement. n Staff follow children's lead during play and extend their learning though conversations and discussions. However, at times, staff used closed questions, which do not consistently allow children to fully explore and develop their thinking skills.

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need to do better?

7 November 2022 n Children have access to a well-planned outdoor area, which they can access freely every day. Children develop their physical skills as they ride bikes and scooters and balance on different-sized logs. Staff help children to learn about safety as they discuss what happens to the logs when they are wet. n Children's independence and self-help skills are promoted well. Children wash their hands independently before they eat. They help themselves to fruit at snack time and pour their own water or milk to drink. At times, the organisation of routine activities, such as snack, impact on children's play and learning. For example, staff interrupt children's self-chosen play. This affects their focus and attention. n Staff collaborate well with other professionals and parents to support children's next steps in learning. They support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well and make sure they receive the help that they need.

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need to do better?

n Children's transitions on to school are seamless. Staff have good relationships with the local school and class teachers. They organise for teachers to visit the setting regularly to meet children. This helps to prepare children for their move on to school. n Parents are happy with the playgroup and say that their children benefit from attending. They praise the friendly and cheerful staff and state that they know their children very well. Parents say that staff share what is happening in the setting with them verbally at the end of each session. n The manager works closely with staff and monitors their practice well. She completes regular observations and supervision sessions to help staff to develop their practice. Staff attend regular training, which helps them keep knowledge up to date.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good understanding of their role and responsibility in protecting children from harm. They confidently explain the procedures they would follow should they have any concerns about a child's safety or welfare. Staff complete regular safeguarding and child protection training to keep their knowledge up to date, including training about female genital mutilation and radicalisation. Staff complete daily checks of the indoor and outdoor environment to make sure that they are safe for children. Staff teach children about keeping themselves safe with gentle reminders to be careful when using climbing equipment. There are effective recruitment and induction procedures in place for new staff.

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should:

7 November 2022 n extend the use of questions to support children's thinking and learning further n review the organisation of routine activities to maximise children's play and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 311284 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 10233597 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 20 Number of children on roll 30

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Name of registered person

St John's Church School Playgroup Golcar Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07976650452 Date of previous inspection 7 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

St John's Playgroup registered in 1984 and is located in Huddersfield. The playgroup employs seven members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The playgroup opens during term time from 8.45am until 3.15pm, Monday to Thursday. It 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 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk and discussed how staff deliver their curriculum. n A joint observation of an activity was conducted by the manager and the inspector. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and sampled documentation, including suitability checks of staff and first-aid certificates. n The inspector spoke to a parent during the inspection and looked at written feedback to take account of their views. n Children interacted with the inspector 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

7 November 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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