All Saints Playgroup

Inspection of All Saints Playgroup John Wood Room, All Saints Church, All Saints Road, Cheltenham GL52 2EY

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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 receive a warm welcome from staff when they arrive at the playgroup. They show great excitement as they run off to play and link up with their friends. They thrive in the care of the enthusiastic, friendly staff. Children show they are settled and really enjoy the rich and varied learning experiences that staff carefully plan.

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The provision is good

Staff use every opportunity to foster children's self-esteem. They show genuine pride when children achieve. For example, when a shy child answers a question confidently. Children develop confidence, learn behavioural expectations and are well behaved. They line up and walk safely between the indoor area and allotment. They learn to take turns and share, using sand timers to ensure fair use of favourite toys.

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The provision is good

All children have great fun exploring the playgroup allotment each day. They choose from the many activities staff plan, showing motivation to learn. They talk avidly with staff about what they are doing and gain greater understanding of the natural world. Children find stones, sticks and leaves to match reference sheets. They discuss whether their finds are small, big, long, short or tall. They delight as they find worms and minibeasts and carefully transfer them to the bug hotel, showing care for living things. Children play in the mud kitchen, mixing soil and water vigorously. They pour and manipulate tools, developing their coordination. They develop their physical skills as they dig, climb and slide, balance and step across tree stumps.

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need to do better?

n The management team and staff are highly enthusiastic in their roles. They work with a passion to ensure that every child is nurtured in their learning and development and that they develop the skills they will need when they move on to school. They share observations of children's learning so they all understand what children need to learn next. They also share practice ideas. n Staff embrace training opportunities. For example, they have completed a 'speech sounds' course to enhance the support they provide for children who find verbal communication more difficult. They skilfully support all children to encourage their language and thinking. They model language, provide a narrative to children's play and introduce new vocabulary. They seek outside professional support and implement effective strategies to support children's communication skills further. n The staff team implement a curriculum that takes good account of children's

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need to do better?

abilities and covers all areas of learning. They plan a varied choice of activities indoors and know that some boys, in particular, gravitate to small-world play in

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need to do better?

29 January 2025 preference to other activities. However, staff have not fully explored ways to build even more effectively on children's interests to enhance their all-round learning. Also, although staff interactions with children are highly positive, overall, there are times when the youngest children would benefit from a little more guidance during self-chosen play. n Children develop a love of books. They enjoy snuggling up with staff to listen to stories. Staff read stories with great enthusiasm and ask questions to engage the children's interest in the narrative and illustrations. n Children's mathematical development is promoted well. Children count confidently. Many count to 10 and beyond. Some recognise numerals. Staff challenge most-able children to complete simple calculations and gain understanding of more complex mathematical ideas to further their progress. n Staff are very good at encouraging children to become independent. For

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need to do better?

example, children learn to clean their teeth, change their shoes, put on their coats and to manage packaging in their packed lunches. n Staff value the diverse family backgrounds of the children. The curriculum encompasses cultural celebrations and traditions that reflect family homelands. Children learn to value diversity and to respect one another. Children enjoy learning about Chinese New Year. They explore noodles, discussing size and shape. They compare words in Chinese and English. They practise their early writing skills as they colour and trace shapes. Staff encourage children as they cut spiral snakes with increasing control. n Parents share how impressed they are with the support they and their children receive from staff. They feel extremely well informed about their children's learning. They appreciate the regular newsletters and children's progress reports. They enjoy opportunities to join their children in the setting for stay-

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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 build even more effectively on children's interests so as to engage them in aspects of learning that they are less keen on n monitor the play and learning experiences of two-year-olds during self-chosen play to make sure that they continue to receive the very good level of support that they get at other times.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 101469 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10372173 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 22 Number of children on roll 25 Name of registered person Fraser, Hilary Mary

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reference number

Telephone number 07594174155 Date of previous inspection 4 April 2019

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Information about this early years setting

All Saints Playgroup registered in 1990 and operates from All Saints Church in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The group opens on Monday to Thursday from 9am to 3pm and on Friday from 9am to 1pm, during term time only. There are six members of staff, including the owner/manager. Of these, one holds a level 5 qualification, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one holds a relevant level 2 qualification. In addition to the core staff, there are two bank staff and a volunteer helper. The playgroup provides government funded places.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector spoke with the owner and curriculum lead about the leadership and management of the setting. n The curriculum lead joined the inspector on a learning walk of the playgroup premises and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and the children. They observed the quality of education being provided for all children, both indoors and outdoors. n The curriculum lead and inspector completed a joint observation of a planned group activity. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n Parents and grandparents shared their views of the playgroup with the inspector. Written feedback from parents was also read by the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the playgroup.

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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

29 January 2025 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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