Menheniot Pre-school

Inspection of Menheniot Playgroup The Old School, Menheniot, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 3QS

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children have a strong sense of belonging. They arrive happy and eager to come in and play. Children feel safe and secure. They tell staff, 'I love you', and form positive relationships with their friends. Children love to snuggle up on cushions and listen to stories. Leaders further this interest and make 'story sacks' for children to take home and share with their families. Children record what they like about the storybook or non-fiction book. They draw a picture about the book and show staff when they bring it back. Following this experience, staff notice children choose to look at books more frequently.

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The provision is good

There is an ambitious curriculum in place. Leaders and staff use their knowledge of what children know and can do and need to learn next effectively. They provide activities to extend children's learning. For example, staff identify that some pre- school-age children need to strengthen their knowledge of numbers. They challenge these children to build a pathway using guttering for water to flow down into a bucket. The children place pretend bricks as pillars underneath the guttering to hold it up. They count how many pretend bricks they need and adjust them accordingly to ensure the water flows downwards. Staff strengthen children's counting skills. They count the number of pretend bricks with the children and ask how many more or less they need.

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need to do better?

n Toddlers and pre-school-age children develop their finger dexterity and make dough together. They sieve out ingredients and weigh them. Pre-school-age children place balls of dough into the scales. They compare which are the heaviest or lightest. Toddlers are curious and mix the flour with water. They use their spoons to transfer flour from one bowl to another. Staff encourage pre- school-age children to be independent and look at the visual instruction booklet. These children follow the instructions and work cooperatively to make the dough into the right consistency. n Staff help to minimise disagreements between children by teaching them strategies to share. For example, if more than one child wants the same toy, staff use the 'bag of destiny' to help children solve who can play with the toy first. The children place a picture of their face into the bag and give it a shake. The face that comes out is the child who will play with the toy first. Staff teach

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need to do better?

children about fairness and turn-taking. n Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. They work closely with other professionals and local schools to ensure a smooth transition when children move on to their next stage of education. Staff implement strategies to support children with SEND to understand the daily routine. For example, staff use 'now and next boards' so

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need to do better?

19 June 2024 children know what is coming next. The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator shares these strategies with parents, so children become more aware of what the visual cues on the boards mean. n Parents comment highly on the nurturing relationships their children have with staff. They value the community ethos and the outings the children go on in the village. Parents state that their children want to 'come to playgroup every day'. Staff share the children's next steps of development with parents via a digital app. Parents welcome advice and suggestions from staff on how to further their children's learning at home. n Staff read a book about emotions with children. They talk with them about how the characters are feeling. Children show good listening skills. However, at other times, staff do not strengthen children's communication and language skills so children can hear and learn more new words. For example, sometimes staff

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need to do better?

speak very quickly to children and use long and complex sentences with them. When this happens, children are not always able to understand and acknowledge what staff say to further support their vocabulary. n Leaders work in close partnership with other settings the children attend. They visit the other settings and share information with key persons about children's preferred ways of learning. Leaders share strategies on what works best for children. This ensures consistency of teaching. As a result, leaders observe that children make more progress in their learning.

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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 develop staff knowledge further in how to strengthen children's communication and language skills so children can hear and learn more new words.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 102924 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 10349787 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 25 Number of children on roll 29 Name of registered person Menheniot Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01579 346255 Date of previous inspection 14 September 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Menheniot Playgroup is a committee-run group. It opened in 1985 and operates from two rooms at the Old School House in Menheniot village, Cornwall. The playgroup is open Monday to Friday, from 9am until 3pm, during term time only. The playgroup is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years old. There are eight members of staff. Of these, one holds a relevant early years qualification at level 6 and three hold early years qualifications at level 3. There are four members of staff who are unqualified.

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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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and the manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n Parents shared their views on the setting with the inspector. 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

19 June 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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