Woolaston Under Fives

Inspection of Woolaston Under Fives Netherend, Woolaston, LYDNEY, Gloucestershire GL15 6PH

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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 eagerly enter this friendly setting, where caring and enthusiastic staff greet them at the door. Staff foster a warm and welcoming environment for all children and treat them with kindness and respect. Staff give children plenty of attention and praise and promote an inclusive environment, where every child feels valued. This helps the children feel secure and builds on their confidence and emotional well-being.

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The provision is good

The setting actively broadens children's knowledge, sparks their curiosity, and fosters a strong connection to the world around them by engaging with their individual interests. Leaders regularly reflect on the curriculum and use observation and their understanding of child development to guide improvements and prepare children for the next stage in their learning. This helps to ensure that all children make good progress from their starting points.

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The provision is good

Children make choices as to where they play and move freely between indoors and outdoors, all year round. Staff recognise the importance of providing children with daily fresh air and exercise for their health and well-being. Children make good progress in their physical development. For example, they use funnels, measuring jugs and tubes to transfer coloured water from one receptacle to the other. They carefully squeeze pipettes, replace stoppers on bottles and explore capacity while using their imaginations to make potions, '20, 30, 40, and this is a potion, and this is going into the pot'.

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need to do better?

n Staff and children form positive relationships, and children feel safe and secure in their learning environment. Children confidently share their thoughts, listen to others and express their ideas. Staff create a calm, supportive environment and quickly identify children who need help with managing their emotions. However, staff miss opportunities to teach children emotional language, which means children are not always fully supported to understand how they feel. n Staff work closely with the host school to help children progress into school seamlessly. For example, they meet with teachers and reflect on how the children have transitioned and discuss the changing needs of children year on year. Staff have developed close working partnerships with external professionals to ensure the continuity of care for children, including those in receipt of additional funding. n Children are eager learners with strong communication skills. Staff introduce

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need to do better?

new vocabulary and help children understand it through context. For example, they explore the life cycle of a chicken. Staff hide eggs in a nest, and children eagerly gather around when they find them. They examine the egg and wonder

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need to do better?

28 February 2025 about how it got there. Staff explain that the chick starts as an embryo and grows into a chick before hatching, using reference books to show the process. Children gently hold the egg and wrap it in a blanket to keep it warm. Staff allow children the time to put into practice what they have learned and demonstrate their new vocabulary. n Staff create fun activities to engage children, like burying screws and coins in the sand for them to find with magnets. While some children enjoy this, not all staff consistently implement the intended learning goals. Children who need more challenge do not consistently get the same quality of teaching, causing them to lose interest. Additional coaching and mentoring for staff would help them better understand the intent and implement the curriculum, to raise outcomes for children even higher. n Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Staff role model good

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need to do better?

manners and children behave very well at this setting. For example, when passing items during mealtimes, children ask politely, 'please may you pass that to me, thank you'. Children recall simple rules during group times and explain why they need to listen and sit quietly. n Parents are valued as partners in their child's education and receive regular updates about their child's progress and developmental targets. Parents are particularly complimentary about the bespoke transition arrangements between the school and setting and how this boosts children confidence. n Children benefit from trips in the local community and wider afield, supporting them to learn more about the world around them. Staff seek information from parents about languages spoken at home and their cultural heritage. They plan experiences to support children to learn about customs and traditions celebrated by different families. This helps children learn about the similarities and

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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 the curriculum for emotional literacy further, so that all staff know how to help children share their feelings and emotions n strengthen systems for staff coaching and mentoring to ensure they implement the curriculum precisely and consistently challenge and extend all children's learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY418248 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10372576 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 28 Number of children on roll 16 Name of registered person Woolaston Under 5's Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01594 529146 Date of previous inspection 26 April 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Woolaston Under Fives registered at the current building in 2011 and is based in the Forest of Dean area. The playgroup offers care from 8.45am to 3.15pm, Monday to Friday, during term time only. There are four members of staff who work with the children. All staff hold an appropriate level 3 qualification. The setting offers government funded places.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. 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. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity in the pre-school room with the manager. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

28 February 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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