All Saints Playgroup in Cheltenham has successfully retained its ‘Good’ rating in its recent Ofsted inspection, recognized for providing a nurturing and stimulating early years education. Situated within All Saints Church on All Saints Road, the setting serves up to 25 children aged two to four, offering a warm and inclusive atmosphere where children are enthusiastic and eager to learn.
The Ofsted report highlights how children settle quickly and thrive under the care of dedicated, friendly staff who foster self-esteem and celebrate achievements, even encouraging shy children to build confidence. Behaviour is noted as a strong point; children demonstrate respect, patience, and the ability to take turns, guided by thoughtful methods such as sand timers for shared play.
A standout feature of the playgroup’s curriculum is its daily use of an on-site allotment, where children engage hands-on with nature. Kids delight in discovering worms and minibeasts, carefully relocating them to their “bug hotel” with evident care, while also enjoying outdoor activities like mixing mud in the kitchen, climbing, balancing on tree stumps, and other physical play that promotes coordination and gross motor skills.
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Leadership and teamwork within the setting receive high praise for their passion and commitment to nurturing each child’s development, ensuring they acquire vital skills for school readiness. Staff demonstrate proactive communication and collaboration, incorporating observations into individualized learning plans.
Professional development is a core part of the ethos, with recent training focused on enhancing communication skills, particularly supporting those with emerging speech. Staff adeptly model language, narrate play, and introduce new vocabulary, further enriched by partnerships with external specialists when necessary.
The comprehensive curriculum addresses children’s unique interests and abilities, offering a variety of indoor activities that cater to different preferences such as small-world play. Areas identified for improvement include further tailoring of activities to better extend children’s interests and providing more structured guidance during independent play for the youngest attendees.
Early literacy and numeracy are strongly embedded in the program. Children grow to love books and stories shared during cozy read-aloud sessions. Numeracy skills are developed confidently, with many counting beyond ten and recognizing numerals, while more advanced children tackle simple calculations under staff guidance.
Fostering independence is a priority, with children learning to manage personal care tasks like toothbrushing, dressing, and handling lunch packaging. The curriculum promotes diversity and inclusion, helping children appreciate cultural celebrations like Chinese New Year through engaging activities involving language, food, and early writing skills.
Parents consistently express satisfaction, feeling well-informed about their children’s progress through newsletters and reports, and valuing opportunities to participate in stay-and-play events and festivities.
Importantly, safeguarding practices are robust, with inspectors applauding the open, positive culture that prioritizes children’s safety and well-being.