Milton Mount Playgroup

Inspection of Milton Mount Playgroup Milton Mount Community Centre, Milton Mount Avenue, Pound Hill, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 3DY

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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 Inadequate

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The provision is good

Children arrive, happily store away their belongings and enter the setting with excitement. Those who need a little support, receive this promptly from staff, enabling them to settle quickly. Children make independent choices about where they would like to play within the effective learning environment staff that create. In the garden, children dig for insects. They discuss with staff about where worms live and children chat about things the worms may need to survive. This shows a clear understanding of how to care for living things and of good language development.

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The provision is good

Children show good small-muscle development. For example, children learn about threading and use the pens to make pictures with laces. Staff readily praise young children for their efforts and children show a great sense of pride in their achievements. Children receive prompt and effective reassurance when they accidentally take a tumble or become upset. This helps them to feel safe and secure while at playgroup. Children enjoy story times. They sit with staff, talking about what will happen next. Staff bring the story to life, using different tones in their voice and children look at the pictures intently. They chat about the dinosaur bones and staff ask children well-timed questions to maintain the intrigue. Children engage in worthwhile discussions with staff. For example, they talk about x-rays and how this shows a picture of their bones. Other children listen to the conversation, developing their awareness of their bodies.

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need to do better?

n The manager has a clear understanding of her role and responsibilities. Staff receive effective support from the committee to enable them to provide a good quality provision. The manager understands how to assess staff's practice and interactions with children. This enables her to help staff to continually improve their practice and the learning outcomes for children. n Staff receive regular individual meetings to appraise their development. From this, they plan and target training needs, which enables them to develop their knowledge and professionalism. Staff report that they receive effective support to enable them to be successful in their individual roles at the setting. n Staff gather information from parents about what their children know, understand and can do. Staff seek details about those people who are important in children's lives and use this in their discussions with them. This strengthens

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need to do better?

children sense of belonging. n Staff know their key children's learning needs and styles. They observe and assess children's development and plan as a team for children's next steps. This enables them to teach children the skills they need to gain next and provide opportunities for them to practise these. This helps children to be ready to

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need to do better?

4 March 2024 successfully move on the next stage in their sequence of learning. n Children learn to take turns through staff support. However, staff sometimes use strategies that children are not yet able to comprehend. For example, they tell children that they can swap over in 'five minutes'. This does not help children to learn to manage these situations themselves and to resolve minor conflicts. n There is effective support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The special educational needs coordinator has a secure understanding of her role and how best to aid staff in the identification of gaps in learning. Staff work in partnership with other agencies supporting the child and family. This helps to promote consistency in children's care and learning. n Staff embrace children's cultures and heritages and successfully support children who are learning more than one language. This means that children quickly gain

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need to do better?

a grasp of English, while also maintaining and using other languages. Children learn about similarities and differences and gain a secure awareness of the wider world. n Partnerships with parents are good. Parents comment that their children have good levels of confidence and that they receive regular updates about their child's development. However, there is less emphasis on sharing ideas with parents on how they can enhance their children's learning at home. This does not further support consistency in children's learning. n Staff effectively bring children together for group times. For example, they stand and clap, saying 'can you copy me?', which draws children to stop and listen. This enables staff to share details of changes of the routine, such as when it is time to tidy up. Children receive effective encouragement in this task, enabling them to learn to care for the equipment. They fill a basket with cars and then

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need to do better?

carry it together to put it away, showing effective team working. n Children review their day at playgroup with staff at the end of the day. They talk about the activities they have participated in, children they have played with and their favourite things. Children listen to each other, and staff value each child's views. This helps children to have a voice and to understand other people's opinions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n explore further ways in which to help children manage minor conflicts and aid in their understanding of how to share and take turns

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should:

4 March 2024 n build on ways in which to share information with parents about how they can further support their children's learning at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 113602 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 10320714 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 50 Name of registered person Milton Mount Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01293 884312 Date of previous inspection 7 November 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Milton Mount Playgroup registered in 1992 and operates within Milton Mount Community Centre, which is situated in the Pound Hill area of Crawley, West Sussex. There are seven members of staff, five of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The provider is in receipt of funding for early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school opens from 8.30am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday, term time only.

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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 manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspector spoke with staff and interacted with children. n Parents shared their views about the setting with the inspector. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises.

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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

4 March 2024 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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