Marcham Pre-School Playgroup

Inspection of Marcham Pre-School Playgroup Marcham C of E School, Morland Road, Marcham, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX13 6PY

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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 confident and happy and feel secure in the pre-school. Staff provide appropriate support to help them adjust to changes in their environment and routines. Children respond positively to this and explore different spaces, playing with familiar toys and equipment. Children have good social skills, happily talking to others about the volcanoes they are making.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from the high expectations that staff have for them. For example, staff know each individual child well and plan focused opportunities to help them with their next steps in learning. Staff support children's physical development particularly well, such as when children learn to step along obstacles. After repeated opportunities to do this with support, children gradually build the confidence and balance to do this on their own.

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The provision is good

Children demonstrate good levels of concentration and enjoyment during their play. For instance, they persevere to connect building blocks to make their own house. They explain why they have constructed their model in a particular way to those playing with them and go on to act out storylines in their play. Children enjoy learning about the world around them. For example, when exploring their 'wild patch', staff help them to learn the names of birds, leaves and flowers in their environment.

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need to do better?

n Staff support children's language development well. For example, they find out about the languages children speak when they start attending. They use simple words in children's home languages to help them communicate their needs. Staff sequence the curriculum well and provide regular opportunities to listen to stories in English and sing songs and rhymes. This builds children's vocabulary. n The manager ensures that the pre-school curriculum is ambitious and includes opportunities that enrich children's experiences. For instance, children learn about differences between themselves and others. Staff help to raise awareness about disabilities. Through planned activities, children learn to appreciate what life might be like for a wheelchair user in their building. n Children behave well, and staff promote positive behaviour effectively. For instance, they provide gentle guidance and support to help children begin to

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need to do better?

resolve problems for themselves. This helps children learn how to show kindness, respect and tolerance towards others. n Staff provide a range of opportunities for children to be active and make choices in their play. However, at times, they are not fully effective at helping children to explore their thinking further to help embed essential knowledge for their future learning. For example, when children make large models, they push construction

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need to do better?

19 June 2023 blocks onto the floor. Staff are not fully effective at exploring with children how this could impact others playing around them. Children develop their large- muscle movements in activities such as 'wake up, shake up'. However, staff do not recognise how to extend children's thinking and routinely explore the impact and benefits of exercise with children to help them develop an early understanding of the positive impact of exercise on their health. n Staff develop good relationships with schools that children go on to attend. For example, the pre-school is based in a school site and children become familiar with the building and the teacher who will go on to teach them. Staff actively seek opportunities to share transfer information and ask questions about expectations for children before they move on. This helps to ensure that children's move to school is successful. n The manager uses additional funding effectively. For instance, she ensures that

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need to do better?

all children have access to the resources they need while they attend pre-school. Staff also complete appropriate professional development to help them to support children's communication and language needs. This is helping to close gaps in children's learning. n Staff ensure that they offer an inclusive service. For example, they find out relevant information about children's health and dietary needs and have robust procedures in place to meet these. Support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is highly effective. For instance, staff discuss children's needs with parents as early as possible and share information. They plan and implement strategies to enable children to adapt to the pre-school routine and make good progress.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have robust procedures in place to keep children safe. For example, they conduct regular visual checks of the environment and take prompt action to rectify any issues of concern, such as broken toys or equipment. Staff consider how to minimise risks on outings and they teach children how to keep themselves safe. For example, children learn age-appropriate first aid and learn how to call for help in an emergency. The manager ensures that her team maintain an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding, such as in relation to recognising signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know the procedures for reporting any potential concern about children or about staff practice.

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should:

n use opportunities more effectively to extend children's understanding and help them develop essential knowledge and skills to apply to their future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY364409 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10295232 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Marcham Pre-School Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01865 392101 Date of previous inspection 5 December 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Marcham Pre-School Playgroup registered in 1968 and runs from Marcham Church of England School, near Abingdon. It is open each weekday between 8.45am to 3pm, during term time only. The pre-school is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The provider employs five staff, all of whom are qualified at level 3 and above.

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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 provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and met the chair of the committee. n A large number of parents gave their views to the inspector and these were taken into account. n Staff talked to the inspector at relevant points during the inspection. The inspector also spoke to children and considered their views.

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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

19 June 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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