Treetots Playgroup

Inspection of Treetots Playgroup Blenheim Centre, Tedder Road, Watton, Norfolk IP25 6HU

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

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

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The provision is inadequate

The provider has failed to ensure that they meet all their legal responsibilities. This means children's welfare is compromised. However, children are happy and relaxed during their time at this welcoming setting. Parents praise the 'lovely' staff and comment how much their children enjoy attending. They note how well their children settled in and the bonds they have built with staff. Children develop self- care skills and a helpful attitude. They serve themselves a range of healthy foods at snack time and practise pouring drinks from small jugs. Children use a dustpan and brush to sweep up rice and a cloth to clean spilt milk.

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The provision is inadequate

Children develop social skills and learn to play alongside and cooperatively with others. They delight in making their friends laugh, using dressing-up jumpers to make a 'mane' and pretending to be a lion. Staff model key social skills, such as turn taking. They explain how to ask a friend to share and model fair ways to take turns with a popular toy. Staff promote children's understanding of expected behaviours and rules with positive statements. For example, they remind children to use their 'walking feet' and warmly praise their helpful acts. Staff use their observations and assessments of children's development to identify their next steps in learning. This informs the activities they plan within the wider curriculum and supports their high expectations for all children.

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need to do better?

n The provider has failed to inform Ofsted of changes to the committee. As a result, suitability checks have not been completed for new members. This has been raised as an action at the last inspection. n The new manager and staff have worked hard to address actions from the last inspection. For instance, they reflected on the design and implementation of their curriculum, to develop a carefully sequenced approach to supporting children's learning. Staff deliver an ambitious curriculum, which builds securely on what children know and can do. They also access training to support their delivery of the curriculum. For instance, staff attend conferences to gain new ideas on how to support children's well-being, especially during their transition to school. n Staff have developed their partnership working with parents since the last inspection. They gather information from parents about their children's needs

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need to do better?

and development on entry and put in place targeted plans to support children with additional needs. However, staff do not share detailed enough updates on children's progress to help parents to understand how to support their child's learning at home. n Staff know children well. They offer induction sessions to support children's transition into the setting as well as providing support for older children who are

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need to do better?

12 July 2023 moving on to school. Staff work well with external professionals to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive high-quality support that helps them make progress from their unique starting points. n Staff explain plans to children clearly. They provide encouragement and enthusiasm, which draws children's interest. Staff use a wide range of resources to support children to create portraits from interesting loose parts, such as shells, natural sponges, coconut shells, glass pebbles, wooden shapes and fabric scraps. Children select glass pebbles to represent their eyes, carefully checking the colour in the mirror. They select fabric and wooden shapes to add features, such as their hair or nose. n Staff talk to children about their feelings, particularly in anticipation of big changes such as going to school. They model facial expressions and describe how emotions might feel.

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need to do better?

n Children are active, curious learners. They practise digital skills, taking photographs of their temporary artworks made from different resources. They are keen to show their friends and to look at each other's pictures. n Children concentrate as they stack different shapes and make towers. They carefully balance hoops and wooden tubes, slowly adjusting them, so they do not slide or topple. Later, children practise their own balancing skills as they navigate an obstacle course created from milk crates, foam bricks and planks. n Staff use adult-led group activities to support children's learning. Children enjoy listening to stories and are keen to talk about things they have done during the session or at home. Occasionally, staff do not organise large-group activities well enough. This means some children become distracted or disengaged from their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

Weaknesses in leadership and management mean that children's safety is not assured. The provider has not notified Ofsted of new committee members, so that checks can be carried out to assess their suitability. However, the manager ensures that staff have a good understanding of safeguarding and regularly refresh their training on child protection and wider topics, such as the 'Prevent' duty. Staff understand their responsibilities to protect children. They know how to identify and report concerns, including those regarding children's potential exposure to extreme views. When appointing new staff, the manager follows thorough recruitment processes to ensure that staff are suitable for their role.

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Due date

12 July 2023 ensure Ofsted is provided with the necessary information about new committee members to enable the relevant suitability checks to be carried out. 09/08/2023

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should:

n enhance partnerships with parents further to include more detailed information on children's current learning and how parents can support this at home n review the organisation of large-group activities to increase children's engagement and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY379746 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10258020 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 28 Number of children on roll 46 Name of registered person Treetots Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 07743 097618 Date of previous inspection 9 September 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Treetots Playgroup registered in 2008. It employs eight childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The setting opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Sessions run from 8.30am until 3.30pm. It provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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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 nursery. n The deputy manager took the inspector on a learning walk across all areas of the setting to explain how the early years provision and curriculum are organised. n The inspector observed the quality of interactions during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector held a number of discussions with the manager, staff and nominated individual. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of all persons working on the premises. n The manager completed a joint observation and evaluation of an activity with the inspector. n The inspector spoke to children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection. She also took account of the views of parents through written

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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

12 July 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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