Marion Scott Playgroup

Inspection of Marion Scott Playgroup C/O Didsbury Baptist Church, Beaver Road, Manchester M20 6SX

p.1

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

p.1

The provision is good

Children show that they feel secure and happy as they play. They gather for story time at the end of the morning and give rapt attention as a familiar, traditional tale is told. Staff skilfully manage the emotions that the story stimulates. Children know that the three little pigs are frightened and feel in danger from the wolf. Children also know that playgroup is a safe place and that the story will have a happy ending. The talking point after the story is about the pigs' kindness to the wolf. This helps children to understand the benefits of friendship and dialogue between neighbours.

p.2

The provision is good

Managers and staff create a calm, busy atmosphere in the playgroup. Well- established routines help children to understand the expectations for their conduct. At group time, they understand the visual symbols that tell them that it is time to listen and sit still. The routine promotes children's early reading and positive behaviour. Staff teach children to value the playgroup's resources and equipment. At tidy-up time, children join in with putting toys back where they are kept. Children learn that returning something to the right place means that they can find it next time that they want to use it.

p.2

need to do better?

n The experienced team create indoor and outdoor spaces that children enjoy learning in. At the heart of the curriculum there is a clear intention to encourage children to be active, self-motivated learners. One way that managers achieve this is by enabling staff to become confident, autonomous professionals. This helps to promote a sense of joint purposefulness in the playgroup. n Managers work alongside staff. They encourage them to reflect on and improve their teaching. However, there are instances when managers focus too heavily on the resources and content of an activity and too little on the detail of staff's interactions with children. This slows staff's progress towards achieving the highest quality of teaching. n Staff encourage and help children to follow their own lines of enquiry. This is demonstrated when children come back, again and again, to the well-equipped dolls' house. Children's deep concentration shows that they know they have time

p.2

need to do better?

to develop complex ideas in their play. Staff observe children. This helps them to find out and extend what children know about the world. n Children learn about the purposes of writing. When they arrive at playgroup children find their written name card, then sign in, using their own marks. This helps to lay the foundations for children's confident writing, once they gain sufficient strength and dexterity in their wrists and hands. Children see staff using the name cards to check who has been for snack. This helps them to learn that written words provide useful information.

p.2

need to do better?

18 April 2024 n Children gain high levels of self-esteem. They draw pictures at the mark-making workstation and proudly display them on the wall. Staff support children to dress ready for outdoor play. Children work hard to fasten zips and buttons. They show that they feel a sense of achievement when staff praise their progress towards doing something by themselves. n Staff act quickly when children's development gives cause for concern. They work in partnership with parents and carers and liaise with specialist professionals. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress. n Staff conscientiously follow the playgroup's system for planning children's learning. However, on occasion, they do not use their excellent knowledge of individual children really effectively. This results in next steps for children's learning that do not focus closely enough on what they most need to learn. This

p.2

need to do better?

means that children's communication and language development is sometimes not given the priority that promotes their swiftest possible progress. n Staff follow routines that keep children safe. At snack time, staff know that they must stay with the children. They teach children to swallow their food before leaving the table. This helps to prevent incidents of choking. Staff know which children are allergic to particular foods and cater for them safely. n Parents say that playgroup staff communicate well with them. They know that children have been learning about emotions and say that staff help them to continue this topic at home. Parents of children who speak English as an additional language say that children make rapid progress in learning to speak English. This promotes children's readiness to start school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

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

p.3

should:

n focus more closely on the detail of staff's interactions with children, so that support for improving their teaching promotes the swiftest possible progress in children's learning n help staff to set learning intentions that promote children's communication and language skills even more effectively during activities and interactions.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY233730 Local authority Manchester Inspection number 10335776 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 32 Name of registered person Marion Scott Playgroup Committee

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 07917 138109 Date of previous inspection 27 June 2018

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Marion Scott Playgroup registered in 2003. The playgroup employs five members of childcare staff, all of whom hold qualifications at level 3. The playgroup opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 3pm, Monday to Thursday and from 9am to 12pm on Fridays. The playgroup provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the playgroup 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 playgroup. n A playgroup manager and the inspector completed a learning walk of the playgroup. The inspector conducted a joint observation of practice with a playgroup manager. n The inspector held a leadership and management meeting with both playgroup managers. She spoke with staff and children during the inspection. n Several parents spoke with the inspector. The inspector took account of their views. n Examples of relevant documentation were sampled and reviewed by the inspector. She checked evidence of the suitability of staff working in the playgroup.

p.5

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.

p.5

Inspection activities

18 April 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.

p.5

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.6

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6