Abbeymead Under Fives Playgroup

Inspection of Abbeymead Under Fives Playgroup The Church Centre, Larkhay Road, Hucclecote, Gloucester GL3 3NS

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 arrive at the playgroup happy and confident. They separate from their parents or carers with ease and warmly greet staff and their peers. Children display a strong sense of belonging, independently placing their bags and coats on named pegs. Staff support children's early literacy development well. They provide children with familiar pictures displayed on name cards to help them recognise their names.

p.2

The provision is good

Children experience a good balance of child-led and adult-initiated play across both the indoor and outdoor areas. Staff prepare engaging activities based on children's interests, helping them to settle quickly and remain focused on their play. For example, children excitedly build towers with magnetic tiles, correctly identifying colours. They use pipettes to fill bottles of various shapes, colours and sizes. This helps them to develop strength in their hands. Staff sit alongside children to support their play. They demonstrate how to submerge and release the pipettes correctly. Children remain focused and use mathematical vocabulary, such as 'more' and 'full', with growing confidence and accuracy. Staff promote children's communication, listening and attention skills through structured group activities, such as 'bucket time'. Children sit attentively, take turns to speak and remain engaged throughout. Staff ask children questions that give them time to think and

p.2

The provision is good

respond. For example, they ask children what they think will happen if they blow up the balloon. Children confidently count down from 10 and predict outcomes, developing their numeracy and critical thinking skills.

p.2

need to do better?

n Leaders have not kept Ofsted informed about significant changes in leadership, such as to the nominated individual and committee members of the playgroup. This means that necessary suitability checks have not been completed on some individuals. Although this is a breach of requirements, there is no impact for children's safety and welfare. Individuals who have not had their suitability verified by Ofsted do not have unsupervised access to children. Leaders acknowledge this was an oversight and are now fully aware of their duty to notify Ofsted in the future. n Leaders and staff plan a well-sequenced curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. They place a strong focus on supporting children's communication skills, social interactions and positive behaviour. As children move from the rising threes room to pre-school, staff raise expectations to deepen children's learning and help prepare them for their move to school.

p.2

need to do better?

n Staff know the children well and regularly assess their learning and development. They use information from parents about children's learning at home, along with their own observations during playgroup sessions, to plan individual next steps that support each child's progress. However, for some

p.2

need to do better?

6 June 2025 children, next steps are too broad and are not consistently embedded within the learning intentions of focused activities. At times, some planned activities lack purpose, and staff do not always consider what they want children to learn from these or why this is important to their progress. n Children benefit from familiar daily routines that support their independence and help them understand expectations for their behaviour. For example, at snack time, they sit at the table and are encouraged to pour their own drinks. However, some daily routines are not consistently used to extend children's learning. Although spontaneous conversations occur, staff do not always engage children in purposeful discussions, such as those that promote their understanding of healthy food choices. After snack, children are given a sand timer and asked to wait for their peers to finish, but staff do not explain the

p.2

need to do better?

reason for this or provide alternative activities while they are waiting. n Leaders and staff work well together. They meet regularly to review children's progress and discuss areas for improvement. Any additional funding the playgroup receives is used effectively to support children's individual needs, such as buying new resources or training for staff. Staff feel supported in their roles, with leaders regularly checking on their well-being. Leaders target training to staff and children's needs. For example, staff recently attended training to further their skills and improve support for children with communication and language delay. n Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff share information with them at drop- off and collection times. Parents are invited to attend regular meetings with staff and stay-and-play sessions. This helps to keep them well informed about their child's learning and supports continuity in learning at home. Parents attend

p.3

need to do better?

community events, such as Mother's and Father's Day celebrations, and visit the playgroup as 'mystery readers' to read to the children. This enriches children's experiences and strengthens the link between home and the playgroup.

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 support staff to make children's individual next steps clear and consistently embed them within the learning intentions of focused activities to better support children's progress n strengthen the organisation of everyday routines to ensure interactions are purposeful and consistently used to extend children's learning.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 101450 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10398734 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.4

Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

p.4

inspection

Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 39

p.4

Name of registered person

Abbeymead Under Fives Playgroup Committee

p.4

reference number

Telephone number 07594532610 Date of previous inspection 7 November 2019

p.4

Information about this early years setting

Abbeymead Under Fives Playgroup opened in 1992. The playgroup is managed by a committee of parents and carers. It is located in the grounds of St Phillips and St James Church in Hucclecote, Gloucester. The playgroup provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years. It opens during school term time only. Pre-school sessions run weekdays from 9.30am to 2.30pm. Sessions for rising threes run Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 2.30pm. There are seven staff employed to work with the children. Of these, six have an early years qualification at level 3, and one is unqualified.

p.4

Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the playgroup and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n Staff 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. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation during snack time. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff. n Parents and carers shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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

6 June 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.

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