Monkton Under 5's Playgroup

Inspection of Monkton Under 5's Playgroup Monkton Men's Institute, 122 Monkton Street, Monkton, Ramsgate, Kent CT12 4JQ

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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 happily enter a calm and welcoming space. They are warmly greeted by friendly staff who develop strong relationships with the children. They celebrate children's achievements and offer them meaningful praise. This builds children's confidence and self-esteem.

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The provision is good

Children show a positive attitude towards learning. They are engaged and motivated in their chosen activities. The indoor and outside environments are set to provide a range of activities where staff carefully consider what it is that they want children to learn. Children explore as they independently select what they would like to play with. Older children are able to effectively negotiate their play ideas as they take on different characters within their role-play experiences. Children are thrilled when it is their turn to lead a 'show and tell', and demonstrate confidence as they present to their friends.

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The provision is good

Children are learning to become independent and begin to take care of themselves. Children put on their own coats before they go outside to play and are learning to pour their own drink from a jug. At snack time, children clear their plates and cups away once they have finished eating. Children are well supported for their next stage of learning and eventual move on to school.

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need to do better?

n Staff get to know the children well from the start. They gather detailed information about the children and use this to plan their learning. Staff structure the curriculum to support individual children to learn through play. They make ongoing assessments and observations of children, and use these well to develop children's skills. n Children enjoy listening to stories in small groups and individually. Staff understand the importance of helping children to develop a love of reading. They ensure that children have ready access to a good range of books that support their interests. Staff focus on sharing a book each term. This helps to deeply embed new language and learning. n Overall, staff support children's emerging communication and language skills well. They introduce new vocabulary as children play. For example, children repeat new words, such as 'herbivore' and 'tusks'. Staff encourage children to

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need to do better?

discuss their ideas and share their thoughts. However, staff do not always support children to develop their listening skills as much as they could. For example, in their enthusiasm, children sometimes speak loudly over one another or interrupt their peers. n Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. The staff organise the garden to fully support children who prefer to learn outside. Staff

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need to do better?

29 March 2023 provide climbing equipment, bicycles and beams to help support children with their balance and coordination. Children are gaining a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. For instance, children practise good hand hygiene routines and identify that milk is good for their teeth. n There is a strong focus on developing children's literacy skills. For instance, children use chalk to make marks on the ground and gain a sense of pride, as they write their own name on their creations. Children demonstrate they can grip a pencil effectively to form the letters of their name. n Staff effectively incorporate mathematics into children's play. For example, children are challenged to solve simple problems and create colour sequences, as they explore with the large building blocks. Children explore quantity and number and gain a good understanding of concepts such as length. n Parents speak highly of the setting. They are kept up to date with their

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need to do better?

children's learning and development. Staff provide daily feedback and invite parents into the setting to discuss their children's learning. Parents appreciate the progress their children make and the support that staff provide. However, staff have not fully established partnerships with other settings that children attend to share children's next steps and provide continuity in their learning. n Regular self-evaluation and effective teamworking contribute to a well-organised provision. There are good opportunities for staff's professional development and staff feel valued and respected. Recent improvements to the curriculum have ensured that children can deeply engage in their play and activities, as planning supports the children's interests well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have the knowledge and understanding of child protection issues to confidently carry out their duty to protect children. They understand how to recognise the signs and symptoms which may indicate that a child is at risk of harm or neglect. Staff know who to inform if any allegations are made about them or another member of the team. The manager uses regular supervision and conversations to update staff knowledge, and ensure that they continue to be suitable to work with children. All areas of the playgroup are clean and safe from hazards. Staff carry out daily checks to minimise any potential risks in the environment.

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should:

n strengthen support for staff to consistently develop children's listening and turn- taking skills n enhance partnership working with other settings which children attend to share

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should:

29 March 2023 information about their next steps in learning, and provide a more consistent approach to their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127388 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10279882 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 12 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Monkton Under 5's Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01843446490 Date of previous inspection 25 September 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Monkton Under 5's Playgroup has been operating since 1977. It is located in Monkton, near Ramsgate, Kent. It is open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 3.30pm, during term time only. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The playgroup has four members of staff, two of whom hold relevant early years qualifications at level 2 and level 3. They also have two members of staff who hold degree level qualifications.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider 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 Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection and talked about what they like doing at the playgroup. 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 viewed written feedback from parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager .

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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

29 March 2023 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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