Alton Community Playschool

Inspection of Alton Community Playschool Fontley Way, Roehampton, London SW15 4LY

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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

Staff place a high focus on offering children security and comfort at nursery. Children are greeted with a warm welcome from staff, who are kind and nurturing. Children are happy and safe as they play and share their experiences with their friends and staff. Staff have high expectations for every child and explain their expectations during routines and play. As a result, children behave well and have a good attitude to learning. Staff organise the environment to help children to build their physical skills well and access a wide range of resources that develop these skills. Children eagerly and confidently use wheeled toys and squeal in delight as they work together to move equipment as a team.

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The provision is good

There is a strong emphasis on developing communication and language within the curriculum. Staff talk to children during a science experiment to make fireworks in a jar, asking 'shall we see what happens' when adding the oil to the mixture. Staff are building children's skills to be confident communicators, including children who speak English as an additional language.

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The provision is good

The leaders and staff have high expectations for every child, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those from a disadvantaged background. The curriculum is ambitious to ensure that every child reaches their full potential.

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need to do better?

n Leaders ensure that children have access to a wide curriculum that offers exciting learning opportunities indoors and outdoors. Children's developmental starting points are established through discussions with parents and observations. Through understanding children's interests and needs, the staff ensure that children's learning is effectively planned for and that it is well sequenced. n Leaders carry out regular supervision with staff. They discuss the staff's key children, training needs and well-being. In addition, staff have many opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge through a variety of projects and working with other professionals to undertake training opportunities. This supports their continual professional development and helps to maintain standards in teaching. However, leaders do not consistently monitor what staff have learned and how they are putting new knowledge into practice.

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need to do better?

n The special educational needs coordinator works well with staff to ensure that children with SEND are supported in their development. Leaders have ensured that children with SEND have the support they need. For example, they use extra funding for resources for children to use at home as well as at nursery. As a result, children with SEND are making progress.

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need to do better?

1 November 2023 n Key-person systems are highly effective. Staff watch children closely to find out what they know and can do. They use their observations to plan activities that help children to make progress across the areas of learning. n Staff promote children's communication well. They use strategies shared with them by professionals to support children's progress. They clearly narrate and emphasise words for children to copy. Staff describe objects and actions for children as they play with them. Children learn to correctly pronounce words, such as 'swirly'. Children enjoy listening to and joining in with familiar stories. n Children are provided with ample opportunities to be physically active and have daily access to the well-resourced garden. However, at times, the daily routine can disrupt children's play and learning. For example, the transition to the garden can be disorganised as staff help the younger children to get ready for

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need to do better?

the garden. This limits the opportunities for children to continue and extend their learning in the outdoor environment. n Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are extremely positive in their feedback of the nursery. They praise staff's 'kindness and care' in guiding their children and the progress children make. They compliment leaders and staff for their support of the whole family and in ensuring that their children feel safe and secure. n The leaders are dedicated and committed. They have a clear and ambitious vision for the nursery, which is shared with the staff. They are reflective of practice and seek to continually improve the nursery and make enhancements, where necessary, based on the needs of the current cohort of children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding training forms an integral part of the robust induction offered to all staff. Staff regularly refresh their knowledge and understanding of different safeguarding topics during weekly team meetings. As such, all staff have a clear understanding of their responsibility to keep children safe from harm or abuse. Staff at all levels understand the importance of monitoring, recording and reporting any concerns that they may have. There are rigorous risk assessments in the nursery to ensure that children's safety is at the heart of all decision-making processes.

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should:

n strengthen the monitoring of staff practice to ensure that the good-quality teaching is maintained n support staff to understand how to adapt routines to consistently meet children's needs and enhance their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY428900 Local authority Wandsworth Inspection number 10308343 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 36 Number of children on roll 65 Name of registered person Alton Community Playschool

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reference number

Telephone number 02087809100 Date of previous inspection 1 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Alton Community Playschool first registered in 1985, and registered at these premises in 2011. The nursery is located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm, during term time only. Children attend for morning or afternoon sessions. The provider employs 21 members of staff. Staff hold relevant childcare qualifications at levels 2 to 7, with three members of staff currently in training. The nursery receives funding to provide up to 30 hours of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the nursery received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector held discussions with leaders at appropriate times during the inspection and during a scheduled meeting. n The inspector and leaders completed a learning walk together across all areas of the nursery to discuss how the curriculum is organised. n The inspector observed children's activities and staff's teaching indoors and outdoors. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the leaders. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including staff's suitability to work with children. n The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children during the inspection and took account of 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

1 November 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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