Ashchurch Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children are greeted by the kind and nurturing staff. They separate from their parents with ease and enter the cloakroom, where they are supported to put their bags and coats away. Children are familiar with the morning routine. They learn to recognise their names and quickly find their name cards to self-register. Children demonstrate an awareness of their feelings and share if they are feeling happy, sad or tired. This information helps staff to tailor their interactions, to promote children's well-being from the start of the day.

Staff provide inviting activities inspired by children's interests and previous learning. For example, children use their imagination as they play with small horse figures. They pretend they are having a race with each other, jumping the hurdles. Staff support children's mathematical development. They encourage children to count the number of hurdles. Children display early writing skills. They confidently use a pencil to have a go at writing numbers on a clipboard. Young children develop hand-to-eye coordination. They fill and empty buckets with sand and explore the texture as they search for different shapes. Children are motivated to play, are kind to their peers and behave well. They develop a sense of responsibility. They help staff to sweep the sand from the floor.

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

• The playgroup's two owners are the only members of staff working with children. They have high aspirations for the quality of the provision. Staff are committed to updating their knowledge, and attend weekly training webinars. Together, they identify areas of strength and areas that they would like to enhance further. For example, they would like to create an undercover area to enhance opportunities for children's learning when outside.
• Staff plan a broad curriculum. They prepare a range of activities inspired by children's interests. Staff interact and model play to extend children's learning and development. They know what children can do and what they need to learn next. However, the planned next steps for children's learning are not always precise enough to support children to make the best possible progress.
• Staff promote children's communication and language skills well. They use good strategies to build on children's vocabulary. Staff model language and introduce new words during their play. For example, as children mould dough to make sculptures of their parents, staff introduce descriptive language, such as the words 'flat', 'long' and 'round'.
• Staff's skilful interactions support children's thinking skills. They encourage older children to share their ideas and ask thoughtful questions during their play. For example, staff ask children, 'How do you think we could raise the car up?' Children test their ideas and display pride as they confidently show staff how the car lift works. Staff and children continue to play together as they test the speed of different cars.
• Settling-in procedures are well managed to promote children's emotional well-being. Staff tailor settling-in sessions to meet the needs of each child and their family. Children are able to bring a soft toy from home to provide extra cuddles and love if needed. Staff encourage children to leave their soft toy in the cloakroom, but remind them that it is there if they need it. Children are very happy, content and engaged in their play. They do not seek their soft toy for the whole morning session.
• Children learn to wash their hands regularly and are supported by staff to make healthy choices at snack time. However, at times, staff do not always consider how to enhance their interactions to extend children's understanding of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
• Parents' feedback is positive. They comment on the 'nurturing' staff and explain how pleased they are with the setting and the progress children make. Parents are supported to share children's learning experiences from home. For example, they complete 'wow vouchers' and are encouraged to share photos of children's achievements. These are celebrated within the setting and placed on display.
• Children benefit from daily outdoor play opportunities. They excitedly splash in muddy puddles and develop their strength as they climb up on to the pirate ship. Staff are wonderful role models. They show children how they can use their fingers to draw pictures with muddy water. Young children explore the texture of mud. They are eager to use their fingers to make marks on stones.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• plan more precisely for children's next steps in learning to help them make even better progress
• consider further ways to extend children's understanding of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.