Bluebell Playgroup And After School Club

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children excitedly separate from parents and carers at the main door. They know to hang their bags on their photo-labelled pegs and move into the main room. Children quickly become engaged in activities. They find their friends and enjoy playing and creating games together. For example, children play at the doll's house. They take trips around the playgroup together in the 'dolly cars', laughing as they move around the other cars on the track.

All children play well together, regardless of age. Staff successfully help older children to understand how they need to adapt play to support younger children. For example, at the indoor slide, older children wait for the younger children to climb up the ladder slowly before continuing their faster game. Children have strong attachments and relationships with the staff team. They seek them out for physical comfort, when required, and actively invite them to join in their play.

Children's behaviour is good. Children are kind to each other and enjoy sharing toys. As younger children learn to take turns, staff support them at activities. For example, staff play games with children that require them to take turns.

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

• The playgroup garden provides children with a wealth of opportunities to develop their physical skills. Children enjoy riding bicycles down the small ramp, developing their balance skills. Up on the high bank children access the large art hut. They explore the wide range of mark-making resources, making large and small creations. Different climbing equipment allows children to develop their climbing skills. Staff support children to manage risks independently.
• Staff and the management team have worked hard to create a curriculum to meet the needs of all the children who attend. Staff build on the skills children already have and allow them time to practise. However, staff do not always gain information about children's development from parents before children start. This limits the knowledge they hold about children starting at the playgroup.
• All children within the playgroup make good progress, regardless of their age and stage of development. Staff plan activities using children's interests, and these are accessible to all children. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Staff work closely with professionals and parents to ensure that targets and next steps are well planned and consistently supported, both at home and nursery. They understand the importance of early intervention, and referrals are made in a timely manner. Parents commend the staff on the work they do with children with SEND.
• The manager has reflected on the way in which the playgroup works with other settings. Staff at the playgroup communicate both by telephone and by communication books. This ensures that information is shared quickly and consistency remains in place for children. The manager works closely with local feeder schools. Staff provide transition documents to schools to share development information. Visits to the playgroup allow key persons to share more holistic information with schools. The playgroup does not, however, always seek feedback from the schools to enable them to adapt their curriculums as required.
• Parents highly recommend the playgroup. They talk of the friendliness of staff and how approachable they find them all. Parents comment on how their children talk about the staff and their enjoyment of attending the playgroup. Parents feel they receive a wealth of information about children's development and are part of their children's learning journey.
• The manager and staff team reflect on practice and the playgroup layout regularly, making changes as needed. For example, staff notice that the allotment in the garden area is not being accessed by children. Staff have begun to change it to a sensory and wildlife garden, which children can freely access. Staff at the playgroup feel well supported by the manager and owner. They complete regular training and embed this into their practice.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• gather even more information from parents to help identify children's starting points when they first join the playgroup
• strengthen feedback gathering from local feeder schools to support the playgroup to embed a purposeful curriculum.