St. Joseph’s Playgroup

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children's needs are understood from the very start. The manager and staff undertake home visits where they talk with parents to learn about each child's background. Every child's key person completes records that include information about children's care needs, interests and current abilities.

The manager ensures that all statutory records are duly completed, and that parents understand and feel confident with the setting's policies and procedures.Children show curiosity watching others and use the wide variety of toys available. They demonstrate care and consideration when inviting peers to join in games.

For example..., children take charge of the play market stall, calling out to others to make a purchase. Their game involves two-way conversations that reveal their ever-broadening vocabulary. In addition, children show they understand the concept of money in exchange for goods as they negotiate pretend prices.

Children are secure, feel safe and listen to each other and members of staff. They enjoy daily opportunities to share their ideas and try things out for themselves. For example, children enjoy rolling a rubber disc along the ground.

Staff help to extend children's play as they talk with them about throwing and catching safely.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Planned educational activities are designed, by staff, to give children the initial knowledge and physical skills they need to support their ongoing and future learning. Staff understand the areas of learning they teach and how young children learn best.

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress.Staff read to children, who respond well and have fun predicting what might happen next. Children enjoy familiar rhymes and songs that they learn by heart.

They sing repeating phrases and match actions to words, laughing loudly and having fun, as they develop their listening skills while responding and moving to music.Staff plan learning experiences that help children to expand their understanding of communities beyond their own. Children enjoy discovering the wider world as they explore other cultures and customs.

They reveal their positive attitudes to learning as they move around the setting. They show high levels of curiosity, watching others and joining in when they are ready. Relationships between children and staff are positive and respectful.

Children's interactions show that they feel secure and safe in the playgroup.Children are encouraged to think and learn about their emotions as they spend time with staff and share their feelings. The setting is calm, and behaviour is very good.

Staff are very good role models. They help children to learn about the expectations of using listening ears, kind hands and walking feet.Children play together and have fun solving problems.

When a ball becomes trapped in a pipe, they work out how best to free it. With help from a member of staff and a long plastic stick they successfully free it.Since the last inspection, the committee and newly appointed manager have worked very hard to make improvements.

All staff know and understand their roles and responsibilities. The committee and manager have good systems in place for safe recruitment, induction and ongoing supervision of staff. Professional development is supported well, helping staff to build on their existing knowledge and skills.

The manager does not currently work, as well as possible, with staff at other settings that children attend, to better promote consistency in children's learning and development.At times, staff do not make the most of opportunities to challenge and extend children's learning as far as possible.Parents are not always offered further guidance or ideas about how to extend their child's learning at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The committee, manager and staff work well to ensure the smooth running of the setting. Attention to updating safeguarding training ensures that all staff remain familiar with current practice and legislation.

They have a good understanding of how to deal promptly with any concerns about a child's welfare. The manager and staff know exactly who to contact and how to record child protection concerns. This positive practice helps to protect children's well-being.

All staff remain vigilant of potential hazards within the setting and when using the host-school facilities. Good attention to pre-planning of daily routines and activities helps to ensure children remain safe.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: strengthen partnership working with staff at other settings that children attend to support a more consistent approach to meeting all children's learning needs support staff to further challenge and extend children's learning as far as possible strengthen opportunities for sharing ideas and activities with parents to further support and extend their children's learning at home.

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