Chapel Lane Playgroup

Chapel Lane Playgroup

Unique reference number (URN): EY562225 Address: Desford Free Church, Chapel Lane, Desford, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE9 9GE Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 10/09/2018 Registers: EYR Registered person: Chandler, Claire Louise

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children generally make positive progress from their starting points and develop the knowledge and skills they need for the next stage of learning. They develop knowledge over time. For example, children talk confidently about insects and explain the difference between moths and butterflies. Children recall familiar stories and join in with repeated phrases. They join in enthusiastically as staff retell a story about a troll who lives under a bridge.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress from their starting points. Their confidence grows during their time at the setting. They develop an increasing ability to interact positively with other children and staff. Children are typically prepared for school and enjoy visits to their future primary schools with their familiar staff members. While most children achieve well from their starting points, some quieter children do not consistently receive the opportunity to build on their communication and language skills further.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children generally behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning and play. They arrive happily, settle quickly and confidently follow the setting's routines. For example, children independently put away their bags and lunchboxes when they arrive. They respond immediately to the tambourine that signals tidy-up time. Children understand these expectations and work together to tidy resources away. During large group activities, such as story time, staff remind children to use 'open ears' and 'closed lips.' However, on occasion, staff do not consistently reinforce these expectations for children's listening and participation. As a result, some children occasionally become distracted or disengage during these times.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children develop positive relationships with staff and their peers. They learn to share resources, take turns and resolve minor disagreements with support from adults. Staff support children sensitively to manage their emotions and behaviour. For example, children wait patiently for their turn during group activities after staff clearly explain that everyone will have an opportunity to join in.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children enjoy learning and engage positively in activities. Many children show curiosity and concentration during activities, such as sewing and construction play. Staff monitor attendance appropriately and follow up absences when necessary. They recognise when irregular attendance may indicate wider concerns for children.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff support children's welfare and wellbeing effectively. Children are generally happy, settled and emotionally secure. They form positive attachments with staff. Staff respond sensitively to children's emotional needs by offering reassurance, cuddles and calming strategies when required. For example, children take part in calming activities, such as balancing poses and yoga. This helps to support children to regulate their emotions and readiness for the next part of the day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff promote children's health and safety effectively. Staff remind children how to handle living creatures carefully. They supervise children closely when using tools, such as needles and scissors. Children learn about sun safety and the importance of wearing a hat to protect their head in the garden. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive support to develop independence as they manage their belongings, put on their shoes and make choices in their play.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff typically ensure that daily routines are calm, predictable and well-established. Leaders recognise the importance of consistency for children who may experience instability outside the setting. Children benefit from opportunities to develop healthy lifestyles and physical wellbeing. They take part in outdoor physical play and participate in discussions about healthy foods during snack times.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The setting provides a broad and engaging curriculum that supports children's learning across all areas of development. Staff plan activities that build on children's interests and encourage curiosity and exploration. For example, children learn about the life cycle of caterpillars through stories, role play and first-hand experiences observing live caterpillars with magnifying glasses. Staff introduce new vocabulary, such as 'chrysalis' and 'cocoon'. They encourage children to talk about what caterpillars need to grow into butterflies. Staff adapt the curriculum to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children receive support to develop early mathematical understanding through daily routines and play. For example, children count together during register time. They use their fingers to support this counting and also count objects independently during their own play.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff support children's physical development through activities, such as sewing, using scissors and turning screws with tools. Children enjoy outdoor activities that help to develop balance and coordination, including obstacle courses and balancing on logs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

However, some staff's interactions during child-initiated play are not always consistent. During busy times, some quieter children spend longer periods of time playing independently, while staff focus on supervising activities with individual children. As a result, quieter children, including children who speak English as an additional language, do not always receive sustained interactions. This does not help them to extend their communication and engagement in learning.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Inclusion is not yet underpinned by sufficiently effective leadership. Leaders do not identify and access additional funding, such as early years pupil premium, that eligible children are entitled to. As a result, disadvantaged children and their families do not always receive the full support they need. This does not help to reduce barriers to children's learning or to make the progress they are capable of.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Children are welcomed into the setting and develop positive relationships with their peers. Staff demonstrate a positive commitment to inclusive practice, particularly in their support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They have developed a positive culture of early identification, which ensures children's emerging developmental needs are targeted. Staff use robust assessment and tracking systems to understand children's starting points and monitor this over time.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Some quieter children, including children who speak English as an additional language, do not typically receive as many purposeful interactions to extend their communication and engagement in learning to the highest level. Consequently, these children do not always build as quickly on their learning as their peers.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff adapt routines and practice to support children who need additional help. This includes providing strategies to support children to regulate their emotions, such as a designated calming cushion. Children also benefit from clear visual cues, including visual timetables, which help them to understand routines and feel secure.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leadership systems are not yet sufficiently robust to ensure full compliance with statutory responsibilities. For example, leaders do not consistently ensure that all adults working within the setting, including students and volunteers, complete the required suitability checks before working with children. This is a breach of requirements. Leaders minimise potential risks by ensuring that these adults are always supervised and are not left alone with children, which ensures children's immediate safety. Leaders do not yet use funding arrangements effectively to ensure that eligible children receive the additional support available to help disadvantaged children make the best possible progress.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have established positive relationships with staff. Staff report that they feel supported in their roles. They say that leaders consider their wellbeing and workload. Supervision arrangements help staff to reflect on their practice and identify areas for improvement. Less-experienced staff receive appropriate guidance and support to access further training opportunities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have developed positive relationships with families. Parents and carers value the information they receive about their children's development during regular meetings. Leaders also establish positive relationships with local schools in preparation for children moving on to their next stage of learning. They demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the setting's strengths and areas for development. Leaders have started to identify priorities for improvement. Although systems for monitoring and leadership are not yet effective enough to secure consistent improvement and the best possible outcomes for children.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children do not always receive the full support they are entitled to as leaders do not apply for, and use, additional funding effectively. Although leaders minimise risks to children through staff deployment, they do not always follow safer recruitment procedures. That said, children arrive happily and confidently separate from their parents and carers. They quickly put away their belongings before choosing from a range of activities and independently settle into play. Clear routines help children to feel emotionally secure and confident about what will happen next. Children feel safe and secure within the setting and develop warm relationships with staff and their peers. They confidently invite others into their play. Children proudly introduce their friends and willingly share toys with visitors.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children enjoy a range of experiences that support their learning across different areas of development. They listen attentively to familiar stories and develop their understanding of the world through activities linked to the life cycle of caterpillars. Children display a love of books and access books independently in their play. Staff build on children's interests successfully. For example, children use play dough to create caterpillars and use pipe cleaners and sequins to make butterflies. They develop mathematical skills as they count confidently during play and group activities. Children show curiosity and enjoyment in their learning and confidently talk about insects, such as dragonflies and scorpions.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are included in the daily life of the setting. Staff support children's emotional wellbeing sensitively and help them learn to manage their feelings and behaviour appropriately. Children generally behave well, understand routines and respond positively to familiar signals, such as tidy-up time. They learn to share, take turns and resolve small disagreements with support from adults. While most children thrive emotionally and socially, some are not consistently provided with the full range of support available to reduce barriers to their learning.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

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Address:

Desford Free Church Chapel Lane, Desford Leicester Leicestershire LE9 9GE

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Chandler, Claire Louise

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Address:

Operating hours: Tuesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:00 - 12:00,Monday,Wednesday : 09:00 - 15:00

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Action Completion Date

ensure that safer recruitment procedures, including obtaining appropriate suitability checks and references, are consistently implemented for all adults working at the setting, including staff, volunteers and students. 28/05/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and carers and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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. Local authority: Leicestershire

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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