Baynards Playgroup

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children arrive happily at this pre-school and are welcomed by attentive staff who support them to put away their belongings. Staff provide children with stimulating and responsive interactions, which helps to build trusting relationships. Children listen attentively to familiar songs with staff and enjoy moving in response to the music. Staff are passionate in supporting children to be physically active in their play. For example, while riding their bicycles and scooters in the garden, staff challenge children to go at different levels of speed. Staff ensure children have continuous access to learning, both indoors and outdoors, to support their physical health. This helps children to develop confidence in making independent choices in their play.

Children are inquisitive learners and show good levels of concentration. They smile and laugh with excitement as they tick off the insects they find while engaging in a bug hunt activity. Children learn early mathematical concepts of size as they eagerly discuss the length of the worm that they find with enthusiastic staff. Children are learning to be increasingly independent with their self-help skills. They pour their own drinks at mealtimes confidently. Children enjoy looking at the visual guide when washing their hands. This helps them to learn effective hygiene practices.

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

• Staff provide regular opportunities for children to explore their local community. Children benefit from visits from an exotic animal company and staff take them on outings to their local church. This helps to support children's knowledge and understanding of the world around them.
• Staff support children to develop a love of literature. Children have wide access to a range of books and stories which link to their current interests or experiences. Staff have developed a 'lending library' where children can choose books to continue their learning at home. Staff value the importance of working with parents and other professionals. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are extremely well supported. They receive an array of support from different professionals to ensure the best start to their early education.
• Settling-in sessions are tailor-made to each child and their family. Staff plan visits carefully to support children to make good progress from the start. A well-established key-person relationship means all children feel happy and secure. Children confidently call staff by name and take pride as they share their achievements with them. Staff build strong and trusting relationships with families. Parents report they feel well supported by staff at the pre-school. They highlight the effective communication they receive regarding their child's day and the progress children make in their learning ready for school. Parents state that staff are 'amazing' and their children love attending.
• Children are very well supported for their next stage in education. The pre-school has formed secure relationships with the adjacent school, and children benefit from having their new teacher visit regularly ahead of the transition. Children often access parts of the school, such as the outdoor classroom and the library. This helps them to become familiar with their new learning environment. Staff support children to learn the rules of the pre-school and provide swift action when dealing with behaviour. However, staff do not consistently talk to children about the impact their actions can have on others. This does not support them to understand why behaviour rules are in place.
• Staff know the children very well and use what they know about their experiences and development to support their learning. Staff identify children's interests and use these to plan effectively. This helps children to remain engaged in their learning. However, on occasions, staff do not give children enough time to share their own views and ideas during activities. This means that not all children benefit from the learning experience provided.
• Staff have regular opportunities to discuss their own roles and responsibilities and are provided with frequent training to support their own professional development. This has a positive impact on staff's teaching across the pre-school.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• support children to understand the impact their behaviour may have on others, to allow them to develop an awareness of their own actions
• provide consistent opportunities for children to develop their communication and language development, and allow them to share their own ideas and thoughts during activities.