Staff go ‘above and beyond’ for children at Northampton playgroup, says Ofsted

Ofsted has written a glowing review of a playgroup in Northampton, rating them ‘good’ in all areas following an inspection.

Sunnyside Pre-School Playgroup, in Reynard Way, was inspected in January and - in a report published this week - was rated good in all areas.

Inspector Natalie Vaughan Prosser said: “Parents and children receive a warm welcome from friendly staff as they arrive at the pre-school. Children eagerly find their pictures to place on a peg, where they hang their coats, ready to start the day. Children settle quickly, enthusiastically exploring the activities on offer.”

The report describes how children use their imaginations as they act out experiences in the role-play area, bake pretend cakes and enjoy playing outside.

Ofsted commented that children at the playgroup behave well, resulting in the pre-school having a “calm atmosphere.”

Children are provided with a range of stimulating activities such as taking on the roles of different characters during group storytime and pouring different coloured sand into differently shaped jugs.

Pre-school staff were commended for promoting children’s wellbeing by introducing them to different calming strategies if they feel upset or angry such as breathing techniques and using Makaton signs alongside spoken words to signal if they are happy or sad.

The inspection report said: “Children have positive relationships with staff and enjoy cuddles for reassurance when needed. They happily play alongside staff, engaging them in conversations.”

Staff also encourage children to share experiences about their home life, enabling them to learn about different cultures.

Ofsted said that, to improve, Sunnyside Pre-school playgroup needs to provide opportunities for children, who speak English as an additional language, to hear and use their native language to support their communication and language development.

Staff at the playgroup implement a curriculum that follows children’s interests by gathering information from parents and completing regular assessments to find out what each child needs to learn.

The inspector commented that SEND children made good progress as a result of the playgroup’s SEND coordinator working closely with parents and professionals to help children work towards individual targets.

The report said: “Parents speak highly of the pre-school and report that staff go 'above and beyond' in supporting their children's individual needs.”

At Sunnyside Preschool Playgroup’s last inspection in 2017, they were rated good in all areas. Early years settings rated good are inspected at least once every six years from their last report.

Read the full Ofsted report here.