Ellistown Playgroup

Inspection of Ellistown Playgroup Ellistown Cp School, Whitehill Road, Ellistown, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 1EN

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

The management and staff team have worked hard since the previous inspection to elevate the standards of care and education for the children who attend. Children are warmly welcomed and excitedly enter the playgroup's safe and stimulating environment. They delve into a tray, with items frozen in ice. Staff help children to think about how to get the items out of the ice. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. They give children instructions on how to use pipettes. Children listen to the instructions as they practise their small muscle skills, dipping pipettes into water and transferring the water into containers.

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The provision is good

Children explore the exciting outdoor area. They construct structures with foam bricks, and are challenged to think about what they have made. Children use their imaginations as they create 'dinner' in the mud kitchen with play food, they exclaim, 'I'm making fruit, this pan is very heavy!' They sit together as they pretend to taste the food while staff talk to children about healthy foods as they enjoy their tea party.

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The provision is good

Children are encouraged to gleefully sing songs into large tubes. They listen to how their voices change and use their imagination to make up their own songs, singing loudly and confidently. Children practise their large muscles and coordination as they skilfully 'whizz' up and down the playground on their balance bikes, expertly avoiding obstacles.

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need to do better?

n The manager and her staff have worked successfully to address the previous weaknesses. They have worked together to create a program of learning that helps children prepare for the next stage in their education. Staff now benefit from regular supervisions to identify any weakness. They have accessed further targeted training to help them improve on their knowledge of child development and the curriculum. The manager ensures that she regularly monitors the quality of teaching. This has given the staff more confidence in their knowledge and interactions with children. n Children are familiar with the routines of the day while they are at playgroup. This helps build a sense of belonging and security. However, at times, children's routine activities, such as story times are interrupted. For example, staff call children over to get stickers. As a result, children are not able to engage in their listening and concentration skills.

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need to do better?

n Children's everyday language is developing well. They benefit from a wide range of stories and rhymes. Overall, staff communicate with children well. They ask questions to find out about each child's knowledge. However, staff do not always build on the children's language and introduce new words as they play.

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need to do better?

18 May 2023 n The manager and staff ensure that children learn about what makes them healthy. They talk to children about healthy foods as they eat. They provide children with healthy snacks and place an emphasis on the importance of oral health. For example, children are currently completing a toothbrushing challenge at home with their parents. Children engage in activities with toothbrushes, brushing out the 'germs' on a picture of teeth. n Overall, children display positive behaviour at playgroup. They are polite and are gently reminded to use their manners. However, staff do not always support transitions from one activity to another. This sometimes results in disrupted behaviour. n Parents speak highly of the 'supportive and friendly' playgroup. They receive regular updates on their children's development and are given activities to help children learn at home. Parents comment that the playgroup is 'welcoming' and

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need to do better?

provides lots of creative activities that their children enjoy. n The manager and staff ensure that the children gain experiences both at playgroup and in the wider community. They benefit from visits to the local library van, where they can select books to enjoy at playgroup. Children welcome visitors to the setting that teach them about different cultures. This helps children's understanding about the world around them. n Staff support children to understand early mathematical concepts. They achieve this by embedding maths into everyday play. For example, children dip paintbrushes into water and 'paint' on blackboards. Staff ask children to compare sizes and shapes of the flowers they have painted.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager ensures that all her staff receive regular training, to keep their knowledge of safeguarding up to date. Staff understand how to recognise and report concerns they may have about a child. They are confident in their knowledge about recognising abuse, such as female genital mutilation and neglect. The manager ensures that all staff received suitable checks to ensure that they are safe to work with children. Daily risk assessments ensure that children are kept safe at playgroup. Staff remind children for example, to stay sat at the table while they eat, and to take care when climbing up steps.

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should:

n review routines of the day to allow children time to consolidate and deepen their knowledge through uninterrupted play n support staff to build on children's language by introducing new vocabulary at a consistently high level

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should:

18 May 2023 n support staff to plan more effectively for children's transitions from one activity to another, to enable children to remain focused and engaged.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY561145 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 10244720 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Rennocks, Georgina

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reference number

Telephone number 07411215216 Date of previous inspection 19 May 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Ellistown Playgroup registered in 2018 and is located in Ellistown, Leicestershire. It employs five members of staff, including the managers. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The playgroup opens on Monday and Friday, from 9am to midday, and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 9am to 3pm, during term time.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at playgroup. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. 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 group activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of

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Inspection activities

their views. n The manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate 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

18 May 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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