Avenue Playgroup

Inspection of Avenue Playgroup Avenue Baptist Church, Milton Road, WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA, Essex SS0 7JX

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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 arrive happily at this setting and are greeted warmly by staff. They find their name cards and place them in the self-registration box before hanging their bags on their pegs. Very quickly, children are engaged in a range of activities and games with their friends and with adults. They demonstrate positive attitudes to their play, sharing the resources and waiting for their turn. Staff act as positive role models and gently remind children of the expected behaviours.

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The provision is good

Leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum. Staff use their comprehensive understanding of their key children to plan interesting and exciting activities that support and extend children's learning. For example, children dig in the sand and search for shells and pebbles following a recent trip to the beach. Staff understand what motivates children. They consider how to organise the environment to meet children's interests. For example, children who enjoy connecting spend long periods of time creating large vehicles from magnetic shapes.

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The provision is good

Children confidently lead their play. They engage and interact with peers, showing kindness and respect as they collaborate on ideas. For example, they create ramps for the toy cars, exploring what happens to their speed when the ramps get higher.

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need to do better?

n Children make good progress in their learning and development. Staff capture starting points when children join. They use observation and assessment effectively to identify what children know and can do and plan appropriate next steps for children's learning. As a result, children know more and remember more. For example, as children scoop and mould the sand, they remember that sand needs to be wet to make a sandcastle. However, staff do not always help children to develop mathematical language, such as 'full' and 'empty', as they play. n Children explore the environments with curiosity. Outside, children create large bubbles with wands. They explain how the dish contains soap 'which makes the bubbles so big'. Inside, children clean 'babies' with soap and rinse them off in the baby bath. Staff support children's communication and language very well. For example, they ask children to describe the smell, and they comment that it

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need to do better?

smells 'washy'. n Staff weave prior teaching into the curriculum. For example, they make butterfly collage pictures that link to their topic about insects. Children use images of butterflies to create pictures from a range of craft materials. Children explain how the caterpillar changed into a butterfly and then 'flew into the daisies'. n Children are developing their independence. They manage their personal hygiene, such as using the toilet and washing their hands. They are developing

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need to do better?

17 July 2023 an awareness of what makes them unique as they recognise their photographs on pegs and personal boxes. Children are beginning to notice the similarities and differences between themselves and others. As a result, children are developing confidence and self-esteem. n Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress in their learning. Staff provide targeted and well-considered support through individual support plans. Parents are involved in conversations about next steps and the progress children are making. n Relationships between staff and children are nurturing and kind. Staff take time to settle and reassure children who are upset. Children show kindness to their friends. For example, when children cannot reach the 'superhero' cloak, other children step in to help them. n Leaders use self-evaluation regularly. Regular training helps to support improvements in the curriculum and the quality of teaching. However, the

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need to do better?

impact of training is not always measured to determine if staff have applied this new knowledge to their practice. For example, staff do not always extend children's thinking enough to help them develop their own ideas, despite attending training to support this. n Parents speak highly of staff. They commend the excellent communication and range of experiences children have. Parents appreciate the number of outings children attend and how safe and happy their children are. They feel that their children are making good progress and have made many friends.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. They demonstrate good knowledge of the indicators of abuse and how children's behaviour may change. They speak confidently about a broad range of safeguarding topics, including county lines and radicalisation. Leaders have developed a strong safeguarding culture. For example, all staff know how to respond to concerns, including those about a staff member. All staff are confident in how to whistle-blow. Staff have considered the current cost of living crisis and the impact poverty may have on families. They are aware of potential indicators, such as neglect, and when early help might be needed.

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should:

n provide further opportunities for children to develop mathematical language through their play and learning n develop self-evaluation further to consider the impact that training has on the quality of teaching and curriculum improvements.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY419401 Local authority Southend-on-Sea Inspection number 10289426 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 30 Number of children on roll 31 Name of registered person Avenue Baptist Church

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reference number

Telephone number 07745 346819 Date of previous inspection 24 November 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Avenue Playgroup registered in 2010. It is situated in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, and is managed by the Avenue Baptist Church Committee. The playgroup employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The playgroup opens Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9.15am to 12.15pm. The playgroup 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 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 viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n The manager and deputy 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 The inspector talked to staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector held conversations with the manager and deputy manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children, the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. This included a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

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

17 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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