Dilwyn Playgroup

Inspection of Dilwyn Playgroup Dilwyn Cedar Hall, Walnut Tree Close, Hereford HR4 8JS

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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 confidently greet staff and their friends on arrival. They happily separate from their parents and eagerly enter the playgroup. This shows they feel safe and secure. Staff have created a curriculum with a focus on supporting children to learn through play. They understand the skills children need for future learning and plan activities that help children achieve them.

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The provision is good

Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour. Children are highly engaged and concentrate on tasks for extended periods. Children enthusiastically join in with exciting dance sessions. They listen intently and follow instructions. Children practise their physical skills as they explore various ways of moving rhythmically to music. They negotiate space as they run, jump, gallop and learn how to skip around the room. They proudly demonstrate how they can balance in various ways.

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The provision is good

Staff plan a routine that maximises the time children can play outside. Children develop their problem-solving skills as they negotiate how to pump water from a barrel along a network of pipes. They dig up potatoes grown earlier in the year. Staff provide additional outdoor challenges. They create obstacle courses, plan weekly visits to forest school and arrange opportunities for children to explore the play equipment in the local school. Time and opportunities to learn outdoors in the fresh air promote children's physical and mental health and well-being.

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need to do better?

n Communication and language are key focuses. Staff have completed additional training to know how to fully support children. They plan focused small group and one-to-one activities to enable children to listen to others and express themselves. Staff have identified key books and songs to support children's vocabulary. Children choose to access books independently, and confidently join in with familiar songs. n Staff support children to develop their early mathematical skills during play and routine times. They model how to count accurately and represent numbers using their fingers. They encourage children to recognise, name and explore the properties of shapes in their environment. n Staff complete ongoing assessments of children's development, building on what children learn at home. They use this information, along with children's interests, to plan activities that promote next steps in children's development. Staff

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need to do better?

proactively communicate with parents to ensure they are kept fully informed of their children's learning and progress. They promptly identify gaps in children's learning and plan activities to help aid their development further. n Staff ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. They make early referrals to specialist services to ensure children

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need to do better?

9 September 2024 receive the timely support they need. This helps to prepare them for the next stage of their education. They create individual play plans for children, and break down the next steps in their development into more achievable targets. Staff review targets regularly, in partnership with parents. Staff work with other professionals to ensure education, health and care plans are in place for children that need them. n Parent partnerships are strong. Parents speak highly about the welcoming and homely environment created by staff. They describe how their children have developed close bonds with staff. Parents appreciate how staff support and engage them, while understanding the demands of everyday family life. n Staff provide a well-resourced learning environment both indoors and outside. They support children to respectfully take care of the setting. At tidy up time, all children work together to help put toys back where they belong. Children learn

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need to do better?

about similarities and differences between themselves and their friends. Staff provide some resources that reflect different cultures. However, they do not always support children to develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the different lifestyles and cultures of people in the wider community. n Staff regularly reflect on their provision. They actively seek the views of children, their colleagues, parents and teachers at the local school to help them evaluate and improve their practice. Staff and committee members work with the local community to raise funds to further improve the setting. Staff explore various ways to enable children to express their thoughts and opinions. For example, children vote for their favourite songs and stories. They have also contributed to a wish list of resources that staff have added to their improvement plan.

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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 consider more ways to help children learn about other lifestyles and cultures in the wider community, to help prepare children for life in modern day Britain.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY500632 Local authority Herefordshire Inspection number 10360040 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 13 Number of children on roll 11 Name of registered person Dilwyn Playgroup

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reference number

Telephone number 01544 329415 Date of previous inspection 6 December 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Dilwyn Playgroup registered in 2016. The playgroup employs three members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least level 3 or above. The playgroup opens during term time only. Opening times are from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. 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 joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the 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 special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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 inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the playgroup 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

9 September 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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